AA SYD-LAX Codeshare and the QP

[drnilescrane]

Upon noticing recently the huge discrepancy between Qantas and American Airlines fares on the SYD-LAX route (AA being >$500 cheaper) I decided to give AA7363 a try for my 12 month jaunt to the US.

I'm not going to do enough US traveling in 3 months to complete for the Platinum challenge (will over the 12 months but I can get Gold by the time I reach MCO) but in the mean time I need lounge access - I've aged out of leeching of a family WP and I still get a cold shiver from last time I experienced TBIT's gate lounges.

Question: Will traveling on an Qantas operated service with an American Airlines code grant me access to the Sydney Qantas lounge? Or should I join the AAdmirals club and brave the economy checkin queue in Sydney?

Side Question: I've preallocated 80A on American's system... Is that going to stick or will I find a WP has nabbed it when I arrive at SYD?

 

[drron]

Welcome to AFF.
How could I not help niles-one of my favourite TV characters.
From your post I presume you are travelling in Y but do you know your fare class?It will affect the possibility of a plat challenge.also do you have any QF status.Unless you are SG or QP then travelling on the QF flight number you wont get access.if you are SG then it doesn't matter which codeshare but if QP then no access in SYD if on the AA codeshare.

 

[drnilescrane]

Welcome to AFF.
How could I not help niles-one of my favourite TV characters.
From your post I presume you are travelling in Y but do you know your fare class?It will affect the possibility of a plat challenge.also do you have any QF status.Unless you are SG or QP then travelling on the QF flight number you wont get access.if you are SG then it doesn't matter which codeshare but if QP then no access in SYD if on the AA codeshare.

Thanks - Everybody always said that I'm dangerously similar in personality to Niles and it's just stuck .

I'm in whY - Q on SYD-LAX then N on LAX-MCO. I'm going to be based in MCO for 12 months as part of a student program with the mouse (I plan to do some travelling around the country on AA in this time) then LAX-SYD back in Q.

I've worked out that the SYD-MCO plus a weekend in MIA should get me Gold - ~10000 miles @ 0.5 EQP. I don't really want to cram up all my traveling in the first 3 months just to get Plat, especially as I can't use it in the AAdmirals Club.

Spanner in the works is that MCO doesn't have a club...

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Question: Will traveling on an Qantas operated service with an American Airlines code grant me access to the Sydney Qantas lounge? Or should I join the AAdmirals club and brave the economy checkin queue in Sydney?

Side Question: I've preallocated 80A on American's system... Is that going to stick or will I find a WP has nabbed it when I arrive at SYD?

You'll be fine with the lounge access. If you have Qantas club membership that allows you to access lounges before the departure of AA, QF or BA flights. You're on one of those. AAdmiral's Club membership would be the same in allowing you access to the QF lounge.

With 80A you'll be fine. Once you're in you're in! (Barring some aircraft change that is!) Just cross reference with checkmytrip.com to double check if you want.

 

[drron]

Flying AA doesnt give you lounge access if QP in Aust.
However i think it would be better to join the QP than the admirals club certainly using the discounted membership you can get here-just search though I am sure someone wont be as lazy as me and give you a link.
Why?First-cost is similiar(using AFF discount)
2-you will get access to QP lounges if on QF,BA and JQ.
3-you also get Admirals club access-with 2 free drinks,but not free wifi-which is more important?
4-wont have to queue in the y queue at SYD.

 

[serfty]

I think the OP has a QP membership.

In which case, per MEL_Traveller's post, flying on an AA flight number they should have J lounge access in SYD T1.

As for 80A, if you can find your Qantas PNR (call Qantas and ask) you can use http://www.checkmytrip.com to look it up to confirm.

FWIW, while you are in MCO, if you have a day or two spare, a YUP fare or two could earn you SG status with QFF for maybe USD1000.

 

[drewbles]

3-you also get Admirals club access-with 2 free drinks,but not free wifi-which is more important?.

It's more than 2 free drinks. You just need to go back to the AAngels and ask for more drink chits. They're happy to provide them if you ask politely Just don't forget to tip the bar staff a single a drink

 

[tuapekastar]

Flying AA doesnt give you lounge access if QP in Aust.

I think you're reading the rules correctly drron, though friends of mine were able to access the QP in definitely in AKL (I know, not Australia) and I think MEL as well, a few years ago by virtue of paid QP membership whilst flying QF metal/AA flight numbers, so who knows what they'll do on a given day.

 

[drron]

I think you're reading the rules correctly drron, though friends of mine were able to access the QP in definitely in AKL (I know, not Australia) and I think MEL as well, a few years ago by virtue of paid QP membership whilst flying QF metal/AA flight numbers, so who knows what they'll do on a given day.

I travel J so no problems but good friends have had mixed results but more often than not allowed in in SYD-obviously they dont carefully check the flight number.So always worth an attempt but officially not allowed.

 

[Cyclogenesis]

YMMV but I managed access to both Mel J lounge and LAX OW J lounge when traveling on AA codeshared QF metal as a QP Silver...

What class of ticked (ie Y? K? etc..) you might want to consider a platinum challenge!
http://www.frequentflyer.com.au/com...-platinum-challenge-mileage-earning-8595.html

 

[drnilescrane]

Well, I contacted the Qantas Club service center and the person vehemently insisted that as long as I have a QF, JQ, AA & BA number and I'm on a service marketed by one of the four I should be fine entering the International Departures lounge.

With that knowledge in hand I'll join the QP due to the queue advantage - I'm travelling on a weekday and I'm fully up to challenging the dragon to contact the service center if need be.

I've got a little while left to sign up so I get the full 12 months value.

 

[drron]

Well, I contacted the Qantas Club service center and the person vehemently insisted that as long as I have a QF, JQ, AA & BA number and I'm on a service marketed by one of the four I should be fine entering the International Departures lounge.

With that knowledge in hand I'll join the QP due to the queue advantage - I'm travelling on a weekday and I'm fully up to challenging the dragon to contact the service center if need be.

I've got a little while left to sign up so I get the full 12 months value.

In SYD when you checkin you get a QF BP.So unless the lounge dragon has a close look they will not realise you are on the AA codeshare.Just put your finger over the flight number(what my friends now do).
My only problem was a checkin in SYD when they gave me a BP for my connecting AA LAX-DFW flight-GAs wouldnt at first accept it at LAX because it wasnt an AA BP!
If you read the QP T&Cs on the website AA is not mentioned as an onward flight allowing lounge access.

 

[drnilescrane]

In SYD when you checkin you get a QF BP.So unless the lounge dragon has a close look they will not realise you are on the AA codeshare.Just put your finger over the flight number(what my friends now do).
My only problem was a checkin in SYD when they gave me a BP for my connecting AA LAX-DFW flight-GAs wouldnt at first accept it at LAX because it wasnt an AA BP!
If you read the QP T&Cs on the website AA is not mentioned as an onward flight allowing lounge access.

I've typically had good experiences with Qantas' Dragons - As Jon Stewart would say most know how to "be a freaking person" compared to some other airlines - but that's always been with a former SG now WP cardholder.

I'm laying over in Anaheim for a few days so the onward travel won't be a problem