Flying Emirates - Unsure which Rewards Program to use? QFF or Skywards?

[mattj]

Hi AFF members,

This is my first official post.

With work travel starting to increase I have taken a greater interest in rewards programs of late, which brings me to my question.

I am about to reach Silver with Qantas after a few busy months and plan on keeping my travel with Qantas domestically if I can help it. Over Christmas holidays this year I am going on a holiday with family flying Emirates on the following, via K class.

MEL/DXB/LHR/-CDG/DXB/MEL

With all the recent changes with the Qantas/Emirates arrangement it was $650 cheaper per ticket to fly the same route on the EK planes instead of Qantas.

My question is really: Should I use Skywards or QFF?

I don't know how often I will be flying with Emirates in the next three years, and therefore any points I earn may expire anyway. And I don't think I will earn any SC for QFF but could earn 50% of the points for that trip which may assist with redeeming flights with Qantas in the future with no expiry. In addition, a family member has 23,000 points he can transfer me in Skywards, however they expire 31/12/13 anyway.

Any advice / suggestions would be greatly appreciated thanks.

 

[dajop]

Hi AFF members,

This is my first official post.

With work travel starting to increase I have taken a greater interest in rewards programs of late, which brings me to my question.

I am about to reach Silver with Qantas after a few busy months and plan on keeping my travel with Qantas domestically if I can help it. Over Christmas holidays this year I am going on a holiday with family flying Emirates on the following, via K class.

MEL/DXB/LHR/-CDG/DXB/MEL

With all the recent changes with the Qantas/Emirates arrangement it was $650 cheaper per ticket to fly the same route on the EK planes instead of Qantas.

My question is really: Should I use Skywards or QFF?

I don't know how often I will be flying with Emirates in the next three years, and therefore any points I earn may expire anyway. And I don't think I will earn any SC for QFF but could earn 50% of the points for that trip which may assist with redeeming flights with Qantas in the future with no expiry. In addition, a family member has 23,000 points he can transfer me in Skywards, however they expire 31/12/13 anyway.

Any advice / suggestions would be greatly appreciated thanks.

Are you on QF coded flight (QF 8xx_) or EK code?

 

[mattj]

Its an EK Code flight.

 

[markis10]

Sounds like crediting to Qantas will be the way to go, at 0.5 per mile they will still ad up across the family accounts.

 

[dajop]

That's a shame, the QF coded flights are much better for earning points (and they earn SC's) even if they are on EK metal, and even worth paying $50-100 extra for on a trip to Europe (more if you have status with QF).

You will earn slightly more on EK (12,800 miles) vs QF (10,500 miles) and essentially can redeem on QF or EK at the same rate (for Australian originating trips), this points to EK. But unless you are likely to have more trips on EK, they may be stranded, and essentially restrict you to a oneway trip MEL-BNE or the like. At least with QF you can accumulate with other miles, and do transfers from other family members to top up as needed. So I'd tend to QF.

 

[mattj]

That's a shame, the QF coded flights are much better for earning points (and they earn SC's) even if they are on EK metal, and even worth paying $50-100 extra for on a trip to Europe (more if you have status with QF).

You will earn slightly more on EK (12,800 miles) vs QF (10,500 miles) and essentially can redeem on QF or EK at the same rate (for Australian originating trips), this points to EK. But unless you are likely to have more trips on EK, they may be stranded, and essentially restrict you to a oneway trip MEL-BNE or the like. At least with QF you can accumulate with other miles, and do transfers from other family members to top up as needed. So I'd tend to QF.

Yeah, I wanted to go the QF coded flights, but they were literally $650 more expensive and on the exact same planes. Given its 4 of us, that money adds up quickly. Its over Christmas, so its a peak period unfortunately for flying.

If its only $100 there isn't a way to 'convert' it to QF?

 

[jenno]

I have a similar question. Booked on Emirates code so unfortunately no QFF SC's..... (QF code was way more expensive despite being same metal, thus verboten). If I credit to Qantas I get points but not status. I'm presuming I can't put two FF numbers on the booking, i.e. get the points to QFF and still get status to Skywards? (have my cake and eat it too)?

Also, if I put my QFF number against the booking, do you reckon I could use then use old Skywards points to upgrade and try out F?

Might need to call EK, but not sure I'll get a straight answer....

 

[scwappy]

I can't see any reason why you couldn't try to use skywards miles (if availability exists) to upgrade the flight, but put your QF number in the booking to earn points.

 

[Pilbaracommuter]

Yeah, I wanted to go the QF coded flights, but they were literally $650 more expensive and on the exact same planes. Given its 4 of us, that money adds up quickly. Its over Christmas, so its a peak period unfortunately for flying.

If its only $100 there isn't a way to 'convert' it to QF?

You can book through either carrier and quote either FF number and earn points, but
- you can only get QF status credits if your flight has a QF code
- likewise for EK
- lounge access (if any) is based on status for the FF program you are using on the booking
- If both carriers have lounges, you can use either

 

[Jon Ovington]

Just signed up looking for this exact info, thanks!

I was concerned that my EK flights wouldn't go to me QFF, no point in joining Skywards at this stage by the sounds of it.

 

[Pilbaracommuter]

If you are already QFF, only reasons to join Skywards is if you regularly use EK flights that are not QF code shares (there are still some) or if you fly so frequently that the earn rate difference for points is significant enough. As far as I can see, SC earn rate on usually matches similar flight/class/ticket type that you would get on a QF operated flight.