So, here I am , (very) close to LTG with QF and frankly have not been feeling the love for quite a while now, many of you here are high status flyers with both airlines, I have flown VA only a handful of times in the last 10 years and therefore cannot make a comparison based on experience. I will persevere with QF to get my LTG, but beyond that I am open to alternatives. Currently (for at lesst the next 12 months anyway) WP with QF, admittedly not doing a lot of flying in the foreseeable future, but then the family pooling thing sounds attractive. interested to know what makes VA a better proposition for those who have changed over.
As a QF LTG and ex multi year QF P1, I submit the following -
Who is paying for your travel?
As I pay for my own travel, the $40,000+ in actual cash savings I have made over the past four years flying VA and partners over QF and partners makes any 'perceived' lower level of service in Y pretty insignificant. This is a clearly measurable criteria versus other 'opinion' based criteria. Remember that the QF $1B+ annual profit comes straight from the pockets of their customers.
Is seat comfort important when you travel?
Free domestic YX seating for VA WP, selectable at the time of booking, makes travelling in Y a lot more tolerable. This is a must have being based in PER but still very advantageous on shorter sectors. No rushing around at T-80 (even as a QF WP) trying to scavenge a decent seat. Standard seat pitch on a VA 737 is 31" versus 30" on a QF 737. I have flown in a preselected YX seat on every flight when booked in Y.
Do you travel in domestic J often?
On board, the domestic J experience on VA is superior to QF (no asterisks required). Enhancements include a sparkling wine PDB, far better food, the 'pantry', a six wine selection, hot towels on transcons, the 'magic rope', FA protection on departure, a better seat on A330 services etc. VA WP also receive four free upgrades a year (from a Freedom fare) and can cancel/modify points J upgrades at no cost (when changing flights etc).
Do you want elite status?
Retaining WP on VA is 800SC versus 1200SC on QF. VA has family pooling as well.
In summary, saving tens of thousands of dollars, whilst getting the best possible Y seats at the time of booking, the best domestic J product and retaining WP status with the least number of flights (and cost) is 90% of the 'battle'. Everything else is just noise.
When I made the switch to VA, I was intending to move forward wih a double QF/VA WP strategy. This has changed however as I cannot justify paying more to fly on QF to get less. I miss the OW F lounge access, but then think about the cash in my pocket and then just slum it in the J lounge instead...