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.

 

[trippin_the_rift]

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.

I'll let you in on a secret...

Great loyalty programs are explicitly designed to drive behaviour from a % of the audience.
It's the top ~25% of spenders/flyers who get the most out of QFF, and that is the audience it's designed around.

This audience is exactly the folks you mention - business travellers, corporate dollars, and those of us who refuse to fly economy class.

The program becomes interesting when you start to spend a lot on credit cards or start to fly a lot.

Everyone else... irrelevant.

 

[Mwenenzi]

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.

95% of frequent flyers members do not make any effort, nor do they understand the broad details. Let alone the fine details. like DCS's.

Here of aFF we are in the 2%~3%~4%~5% of members who make it work for us. We need those 95% to contribute so we can use the benefits. Most to all ffp's are morphing into frequent spender programs. While we are the 2%~3%~4%~5% of members likely to make 10 times that (20% `- 50%) as a share of real passengers and take a bigger share of ffp benefits.

 

[ChrisMars]

95% of frequent flyers members do not make any effort, nor do they understand the broad details. Let alone the fine details. like DCS's.

Here of aFF we are in the 2%~3%~4%~5% of members who make it work for us. We need those 95% to contribute so we can use the benefits. Most to all ffp's are morphing into frequent spender programs. While we are the 2%~3%~4%~5% of members likely to make 10 times that (20% `- 50%) as a share of real passengers and take a bigger share of ffp benefits.

Seems like a big chunck of Public servant understand DSC and make efforts, based on recent article.

 

[CaptJCool]

Seems like a big chunck of Public servant understand DSC and make efforts, based on recent article.

Only at the margins

The heavy public service fliers ARE NOT receiving points for their APS Funded flights
They do two things

1. They fly most every week (once or even twice)
2. They spend ZERO $ out of their own pocket. (In fact receive a substantial daily $ allowance)

This APS Flying is done on J fares because that’s permitted based on your SES or EL status, and if not, Y Flexi for the trip home (which comes with extra status credits anyway)

There’s no need for DSC

 

[dajop]

I don’t put a lot of effort into them. If they work they work, if they don’t they don’t. It doesn’t cost much effort to join a program and include a number in the booking. When I was travelling 2-3 times a month for work, it took some time and effort to optimise, but now personal travel is dominant and I changed to a l employer with 1-2 work trips a year (but paid me better) it’s more transactional than strategic so not much effort at all.

But I am probably different to the average AFF’er in that whilst I love a premium cabin I’m not an addicted to it and driven by value instead. It’s case by case. Same with hotel loyalty programs. A nice treat to stay in 5 star hotel but just as happy (particularly in Europe) to stay in a more budget offering, if I’m in the room for just sleeping I don’t need the frills, just a comfy bed and hot shower.

 

[CaptJCool]

But I am probably different to the average AFF’er in that whilst I love a premium cabin I’m not an addicted to it and driven by value instead. It’s case by case. Same with hotel loyalty programs. A nice treat to stay in 5 star hotel but just as happy (particularly in Europe) to stay in a more budget offering

Same here

I like playing the “cheapest fare” possible fare or hotel

That means looking at points options first then lowest cost fare
Usually early am or last flight of the night

Trouble of course is late notice bookings are situational
High demand routes with low supply
High price routes
Are problematic

That’s to say Syd-Melb has so many flights it holds the lowest price down
And flights like Bali-Darwin have low demand
Whereas Darwin-Adelaide has 3 direct flights a day
Canberra
Both D & C are public service cities with inflated salaries (need to entice people to go there for jobs)
So airlines can charge $500 one way tics

 

[lovetravellingoz]

I'll let you in on a secret...

Great loyalty programs are explicitly designed to drive behaviour from a % of the audience.
It's the top ~25% of spenders/flyers who get the most out of QFF, and that is the audience it's designed around.

This audience is exactly the folks you mention - business travellers, corporate dollars, and those of us who refuse to fly economy class.

The program becomes interesting when you start to spend a lot on credit cards or start to fly a lot.

Everyone else... irrelevant.

"Are Frequent Flyer Programs still worth the effort? "

While the above that you wrote is largely true now. I think it is less true now that it was as in general in the past, as most FF programs where more generous in the past. And with many if individuals knew how to best take advantage of them in various ways that have now largely vanished.

Now while your comment " It's the top ~25% of spenders/flyers who get the most out of QFF, and that is the audience it's designed around." did limit it specifically to QFF, there were ways with QFF and other FF Programs to generate points which have vanished, and others ways which are becoming harder, and harder, to do where the return is significant.

And some of those past ways included not being in the "the top ~25% of spenders/flyers".....but being in the top 1% (or less) of people who could work the loopholes.

So FF programs are yes still worth the effort, but not as much effort.

And they are not as lucrative as they once were to some who who were not frequent flyers/spenders, but who could work opportunities as they arose.

 

[concorde70]

Thanks for your responses. Generally in line with my thoughts/experience.

 

[cove]

Qantas scheme is a disappointment now if you want to go business or first class. Ok if you want to go in economy.

 

[robolb]

95% of frequent flyers members do not make any effort, nor do they understand the broad details. Let alone the fine details. like DCS's.

Here of aFF we are in the 2%~3%~4%~5% of members who make it work for us. We need those 95% to contribute so we can use the benefits. Most to all ffp's are morphing into frequent spender programs. While we are the 2%~3%~4%~5% of members likely to make 10 times that (20% `- 50%) as a share of real passengers and take a bigger share of ffp benefits.

OK, I'll ask the dumb question
What's a DCS?
Couldn't find it in abbreviations.

 

[DejaBrew]

OK, I'll ask the dumb question
What's a DCS?
Couldn't find it in abbreviations.

Meant to be DSC, i.e. Double Status Credits

 

[robolb]

Meant to be DSC, i.e. Double Status Credits

Ah OK. Got it.

 

[ChrisFlyer]

I find that these days, I have to use every trick in my book to piece a trip together, and even then, I need to mix in some new trick or skill to complete the missing link (well, missing segment) every time.

My last trip to Europe needed 5 different frequent flyer programs to pull it together. I've just booked for Japan - that needed 3 different programs and nobody would have expected Enrich or Flying Club to be 2 of them.

Another trip to the Middle East coming up, doable only by blending what I can do between 5 different programs to get seats when and where I need to fly.

It's not impossible to travel on points, but it takes much more effort than it has taken me in the years gone by.