Are most of you CX AM members or QFF members?

[gojun]

I'm curious if most of you are CX Asia Miles members or QFF members and claim rewards with CX? If you're both, which one do you use as your main account to collect points? I'm assuming most people would be using QFF as it's a more competitive product in Australia and more options for earning points besides flying.

I'm deciding if I should redeem my remaining CX points and sign up for QFF.

 

[TomVexille]

I would expect most here are QFF members.

To answer your second question, the answer depends entirely upon the airlines you fly, what fare classes, and what other point earning opportunities are available to you.

 

[RooFlyer]

Welcome to AFF gojun

Agree with TV; but this thread appears to be a cross posting with this one.

 

[gojun]

Sorry, I was jusr curious to how many members in the CX area were actually QFF members.

TV, I normally fly CX for international as I find their prices much more competitive than QF. I normally purchase H tickets. My partner flies CX too, we will be in the same redemption group.

As for points earning opportunities, it will be mainly with the AMEX platinum edge. The CBA Diamond cards are only linked with QF or VA, but because my fee is only $119, I'm thinking about keeping it for lounge passes.

 

[Dalescott]

I'm both QF Domestic of coarse, and CX International it's cheaper at the moment.

 

[gojun]

Fair enough, I don't fly domestically often maybe once or twice a year and because I go with friends, they usually just go when there's a sale with Tiger/Jetstar.

I mean it's so much easier to earn points under QFF, but I would probably never fly with QF overseas, the prices are just not competitive enough for regular folk like me!

Edit: Dalescott, are you signed up with Marco Polo?

 

[trippin_the_rift]

I'm deciding if I should redeem my remaining CX points and sign up for QFF.

Two airline programs I know intimately!

Marco Polo/CX is good for a few reasons:
- Significant status earning power per flight (mileage based)
- Lower redemption thresholds (eg: 45,000 Asia Miles SYD-HKD in biz, compared to 60,000 QFF points)
- Lower taxes on award flights
- Ability to waitlist for award flights
- Very flexible with status re-qualification (if you're 10 points short - call them up - you'll receive an extension to qualify), whereas Qantas will drop you like a hotcake the day after your membership year.

From April 16, 2016 there are changes to the Marco Polo program which will impact you booking 'H' class fares. Essentially you'll earn less 'status power'.
Here is my full breakdown and analysis, flight by flight, class by class: https://www.flyora.com/data/cathay-pacific-marco-polo-changes/calculator.php

On the upside, both Gold and Diamond Marco Members will receive a set number of upgrades.
While other members experiences may vary, I've received 4x more upgrades with CX than as a Qantas Plat/Platinum One.


Qantas
-----
- Easier to obtain status if you fly on qantas planes, in premium cabins
- Platinum and above can request release of award seats (AFF members report a lot of declines: http://www.australianfrequentflyer....-platinum-requesting-release-extra-63895.html
- Extra 5,000 points every 500 SC
- Lounge access on Jetstar flights with QC/Gold and above

At the end of the day I would go with whoever will best match your needs. There is an additional advantage with CX over QF where credit card earning isn't trapped in direct earn cards if you credit to Asia Miles. With Qantas - most cards on the market are 'direct sweep' and thus you're trapped with no option to send anywhere else except for QFF.

However if looking purely at award redemptions - CX is hands down the winner on all fronts. Lower costs, lower taxes, more availability.

Hope this helps provide some insight!

 

[gojun]

Thank you so much trippin_the_rift. I'll only be flying 3-4 times a year, should I consider signing up for MarcoPolo? I'll be able to reach Silver and maintain the 30,000 points, that's about it, or would Asia Miles program suffice? I should mention that I'm not after any elite status, just would like to fly J class once or twice a year.

Edit: I see that I get Business Lounge Access on a Silver for flights only operated by CX or KA, check-in on Business counter. Seems like it a worthy sign up, even if I'm just flying 3-4 times a year. I guess if I fly any less than that, it would not be worth it. Considering how many times I can fly a year depends on how much leave I can get approved.

 

[Dalescott]

Yes I am just started

 

[homemade]

- Lower taxes on award flights

Great list, one thing I thought I'd add: you can also get the benefit of low taxes by booking CX flights with QFF points

 

[trippin_the_rift]

Great list, one thing I thought I'd add: you can also get the benefit of low taxes by booking CX flights with QFF points

And less points and less taxes on QF flights... by using Asia Miles. CX/Asia Miles is cheaper all round to redeem on Qantas flights than using QFF points on Qantas fligths! It's messed up - but all to your advantage.

 

[gojun]

Is it worth signing up for Marco Polo if I only fly 2 times a year? Ideally, I would like to fly 4 times but it all depends if I can get leave approved that often. If Japan wasn't so far, I would make short trips on 4 day long weekends

 

[jackthomas]

Is it worth signing up for Marco Polo if I only fly 2 times a year? Ideally, I would like to fly 4 times but it all depends if I can get leave approved that often. If Japan wasn't so far, I would make short trips on 4 day long weekends

If you think that you can reach Marco Polo Silver then I'd definitely sign up. They grant their silver members lounge access when flying on Cathay Flights (not one world lounges) and seem to be more generous than other airlines at the Silver level..If you will continue to fly Cathay once you have the silver then yes definitely sign up.

 

[wandering_fred]

Both.

Have been with QFF for a long time (1998) though last year was the only time I have earned SG status (a trip to the USA helped).
CX only the last couple of years, mainly as a refugee from AA after earning LTG there and the disappearance of soft landings. Add the ability to earn with V L and M class CX flights as a plus in the move.

The changes to both the AA and CX programs roughly at the end of 1q 2016 makes choices rather more challenging. AA still has the best to offer on domestic Australia award flights, though earning RDM on partner flights is still TBD. QF is likely still the easiest to earn OW Sapphire status with a few (MH UL CX) SE Asia discount business or a few AA "first class" fares. But both now require 4 program specific (AA for AA, QF for QF) marketed flights to achieve status. CX's changes will make it difficult to earn status, though the redemption process seems to be unchanged. Silver looks like the limit for the self funded semi-casual traveler going forward. Add 100 status points to retain Green and the MPC ranks will likely thin. YMMV

Especially if wandering

Fred

 

[gojun]

Thanks for the information guys.

I'm due to fly out from Japan in 3 weeks time, tickets already booked, if I sign up to Marco Polo now, can I redeem those sectors/miles?? If not, I can always sign up the next time I fly!

 

[mitwg]

I decided to drop MPO DM as they 'enhanced' some critical perks with the upcoming changes.

DMs previously had anytime CX J lounge access, along with being able to guarantee any seat on a CX flight in any fare class (apart from those super saver sale fares) as long as you make the booking 24 hours out. This was an awesome benefit as it meant that I could wait for redemptions to clear literally until 25 hours out, knowing that if it doesn't clear, I could still get a seat on CX at reasonable cost.

But since the above is being taken away, I decided my oneworld miles will go now go to AA as the CX program offers no incremental benefit to the AA program, while the AA program offers so much more value for redemptions. I couldn't care about the soft benefits of the ISM greeting the DM members onboard with a bottle of Evian if flying in Y.

Still have few hundred thou miles with CX that I have to redeem before they expire next year.

I also do have QF membership but this is for hoarding points in Australia. Haven't really used this program much but I have around 200k sitting in there from what I earnt through banking etc.

 

[gojun]

I'll probably do the same thing as you, in terms of hoarding QFF points since they never expire.

 

[windchaser777]

MPC Silver here. I prefer CX because a) they're cheaper than QF; b) QF only flights to SIN out of PER are limited; and c) at this moment in time, Asia Miles are a better prospect than QFF points.

I think if you can definitely earn silver under the new rules, then go for it. J lounge access on CX flights is great and I'm batting 100% for upgrades out of PER (for now). To make your Japan trip count, you need to sign up for MPC before you fly. Otherwise, officially, those flights won't be able to be counted towards your status miles.

 

[yohy?!]

Thanks for the information guys.

I'm due to fly out from Japan in 3 weeks time, tickets already booked, if I sign up to Marco Polo now, can I redeem those sectors/miles?? If not, I can always sign up the next time I fly!

Yes if you already have your asia miles number in the booking it will become your Marco Polo number also once you sign up (if not add it in before your first flight).

You can also claim retrospectively.

 

[piperlance]

Thanks for a very informative post that's highly relevant to my situation. I am currently earning with QFF but intend to switch to CX once I hit QFF lifetime Gold. Any thoughts on this strategy? Based in Asia now, so many more opportunities to earn with CX.

I can attest to your report on CX upgrades. On QF I received one upgrade in 20 years of membership, while on CX I have been upgraded on two of my last four flights!