Are Frequent Flyer Programs still worth the effort?

[concorde70]

With continued 'enhancements' and reduced reward availability are Frequent Flyer Programs still worth the effort?
These are usually the airlines most profitable business units because they are in effect unregulated and the airlines can do what they want with their programs, it borders on gambling, spend money and maybe you will get a "prize".
Qantas are no different than most other airlines with this, the recent devaluations as an example.

 

[burneracc]

Perspective from a younger member here (I'm <25); yes absolutely, but it's situational. My 2c:

For working professionals who have to travel fairly frequently, it makes sense to get something out of it on top. Even for people who don't travel that much, it can still be invaluable - I travel for work enough to organically hit silver / gold, so if I were to be "loyal" to the same airline for my self funded holidays, I'd get those benefits + potentially tick over to platinum.

If you look at QF bronze vs gold / WP, there is a clear difference in benefits. That's a pretty absolute "yes, you get more". It may not be as much more as previously, but it still kind of has some value. And with qantas specifically, there are some invaluable routes too that nobody else runs. I am ex-PER, which has London / Paris / Rome direct for example.

Mix in various credit card schemes and you can still do fairly well out of it.

When it doesn't make sense: if you can self fund paid J indefinitely.

 

[Andy72]

If you fly frequently yes. I find the status helps make the frequent travel more much more enjoyable. If you churn a couple of credit cards and want to fly J rewards less than it used to be

 

[nancypants]

The main reason I continue to make the effort is IRROPS situations where you’re often SOL if you don’t have status (eg can’t even get through to the call centre). It’s the one area where flying J alone wouldn’t be sufficient replication. F maybe but I’m not that loaded

 

[RooFlyer]

Yes, as long as you make the program work for you, not the airline.

 

[moa999]

In general it's worth collecting points (typically 0.5-1.5‰) of spend, particularly if someone else is paying.

Far more questionable if it's worth spending any personal $s just for that reason to bump up a level etc.

 

[drron]

Absolutely. When this trip finishes I will have done 19 premium cabin flights with only 3 paid flights.