Worth switching to BAEC from QF FF?

[christanil]

Hi all,

I recently moved to the US from Australia (Washington DC). I'm currently a QF WP, however will be dropped down to Gold as of the end of this October if I don't do a few status runs. (didn't do much if it all travelling this year so I require another 2/3 of status credits).

However I realized BA has the potential for an individual to attain lifetime OWE status. Now i'm not entirely sure if I'd be able to retain Gold with BA however the last 2 years with QF I was able to retain WP due to extensive travel. I'm still in my 20's and am looking long term here, I do plan to be in the US for the next 10 years at least, for work travel really depends on the project and the last 4 months I've found myself in DC.

I do have around 4-5k Lifetime status credits with QF so i'm not sure if it's worth seeing it fully through or making the switch to BAEC. What I really value in a FF program is the op-ups when you get the chance, Lounges when your on holiday or international legs and perhaps any extra goodies you can get in flight.
Reward redemption are of course a nice add-on to!

Would love to hear your thoughts.

 

[ermen]

given your location, I think it is easier for you to maintain status on BAEC
If you don't go back to Australia (or Asia for that matter), could be hard to get the 4 ~ per year

 

[TonyHancock]

My oft quoted (by me!!!) rule of thumb is credit to the program of the airline you fly the most. This is the way you achieve complimentary upgrades and better inflight service at the higher status levels, but quite frankly I wouldn't be expecting them as a WP or a BA GCH. (Maybe once or twice if you are lucky in a membership year.)

Lifetime Gold with BA is certainly something to consider but it is a lot of flying - 35,000 TPs. I regret not switching to BA earlier but at the time it was logical to keep crediting QF.

As ermen points out you'll need the four ~ with QF per year and this is also true of BA.

 

[samh004]

Lifetime Gold with BA is certainly something to consider but it is a lot of flying - 35,000 TPs. I regret not switching to BA earlier but at the time it was logical to keep crediting QF.

It would certainly require a large commitment for the next probably 20 years of your life!

But why aim low, it’s only 100,000TP for lifetime GGL

 

[TonyHancock]

It would certainly require a large commitment for the next probably 20 years of your life!

But why aim low, it’s only 100,000TP for lifetime GGL

Man alive that is a task.

I really can't see me getting to LTG, it will still require an awful lot of return trips to Blighty and I am not sure I want to keep doing that.

 

[christanil]

Hahaha of course! The way I see it i'm literally at the start of my career and in a profession which can potentially require a lot of flying. So I'm really looking at an airline with a "lifetime" commitment. Or rather looking at something which I won't surpass e.g. Qantas lifetime gold 10 years down the track and be like hmm.. what's next?

The four leg journey is a good point as-well, I'm unsure if i'll be going back every year, and even if I do i can do that through BA. To visit my parents.

However I just realised the only lifetime they offer is gold! there is no OWS or OWR! So this could be something..