Is it worth a minimum sectors run to get QF Silver prior to a 'big' QF J trip?

[ozbeachbabe]

Just wanted to chip in a few things - firstly, if you're a frequent hopper to the US, that OW Status will also get you and people on your ticket free bags. My PS, which activated the day before my flight over there, saved me and three co-travellers about $1.5k in coughulative AA baggage fees in a two-month trip (with a lot of flying). Also, remember to status match across to UA and AS if you do any legs with them.

Were you the only pax in your group with PS (OWS) status? I'm surprised they gave the whole lot of you free bags as here in Oz it's definitely only the status pax eg a WP flying domestically who would get two bags while other pax in the same booking (eg all NB) would only get one bag ie everyone doesn't get 2.

I wonder if AA's checkin system has some glitch where it applies OWS status to everyone in the booking?

If you did a stack of flights in two months & everyone consistently was given 2 bags then that's way beyond a random act of kindness by a CSA. :sly:

Did you fly US Air at all or just AA?

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Aye, I know, the QP is one of the most expensive things on earth, either to join, or to keep on being a member, or flying QFi J to get into the SYD J lounge.
And people who are money smart don't spend money unnecessarily, but to me, flying is one of my only "dim" pleasures, I don't drive (no licence, no car), don't smoke, only drink cider, and earn my keep, so flying and getting into the QP dom or int, to me by any means is worth it.
For a cup of coffee and banana bread at PERd Hudsons Coffee, aye, $10 or a bit over hits just the right spot for those of a tight wad of $ variety, or those who are money smart.
QP forever, hic!
Edit: I have a plan, of flying QF flight but EK metal sometime next year, or 2016, to get int the SYDi QF F lounge!
Now, thats extravagant.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Just wanted to chip in a few things - firstly, if you're a frequent hopper to the US, that OW Status will also get you and people on your ticket free bags. My PS, which activated the day before my flight over there, saved me and three co-travellers about $1.5k in coughulative AA baggage fees in a two-month trip (with a lot of flying). Also, remember to status match across to UA and AS if you do any legs with them.

Note that AA no longer offers free bags to OW Ruby (Qantas Silver) passengers. This is effective on tickets issues After 8 April 2014.

 

[pythonisman]

Just wanted to chip in a few things - firstly, if you're a frequent hopper to the US, that OW Status will also get you and people on your ticket free bags. My PS, which activated the day before my flight over there, saved me and three co-travellers about $1.5k in coughulative AA baggage fees in a two-month trip (with a lot of flying). Also, remember to status match across to UA and AS if you do any legs with them.

Secondly, if you do still need a boost, as mentioned in the QF Status Run thread I stumbled across BOS-ORD-MIA-MCO return yesterday for US$781, priced based on Feb 3 and 4, us 1.72/SC delivering 440 in total. I also like the look of DFW<>SEA (1659), DFW<>PHX (868) and ORD<>BOS (867) which all hit at least one hub, so should be cheap(ish), and come in at just over an SC Mileage Threshold.

Thanks for the input
I love flying and do a fair bit of it (to date has almost all been in VA's alliance partners) but wouldn't really consider my ~1 trip a year (soon to hopefully be 2) to be frequent hopping.

Re: the original question - turns out I've just been asked to go to Canberra for something week after next (which'll be on QF) so that makes the original question moot, I should get Silver status before the J trip to the USA.
I've also got a weekend in between a conference and some meetings, looking to fly from MIA up to New York to visit a mate for that time so can hopefully rack up some more SCs on that trip- I'll take a look at the status run type options available! (Though to NYC I'd guess the best SC/$ aren't available, as I'm only going for a weekend time will be a factor)

 

[exceladdict]

Note that AA no longer offers free bags to OW Ruby (Qantas Silver) passengers. This is effective on tickets issues After 8 April 2014.

Didn't realise AA have since cut out OW Ruby's free bags. We travelled DEC 13-Jan 14 so fell under the previous rules.

If i remember correctly, all pax were allowed free Main Cabin Extra seats as well, but I see that's been cut for oneworld ruby since as well, although you can get them free within 24h of departure.

Were you the only pax in your group with PS (OWS) status? I'm surprised they gave the whole lot of you free bags as here in Oz it's definitely only the status pax eg a WP flying domestically who would get two bags while other pax in the same booking (eg all NB) would only get one bag ie everyone doesn't get 2.

I wonder if AA's checkin system has some glitch where it applies OWS status to everyone in the booking?

If you did a stack of flights in two months & everyone consistently was given 2 bags then that's way beyond a random act of kindness by a CSA. :sly:

We always used the self-check-in kiosks, which recognized my OW Ruby (& Everyone else's PB) automatically when i entered my QFF number. The baggage screen looked like this:
NAME - # OF CHECKED BAGS
MR & MRS EXCEL - 1 2 3 (none had a cost)
PAX 3 - 1 2 3 (3rd bag $35)
PAX 4 - 1 2 3 (3rd bag $35)

I didn't have my PS card with me so wasn't able to argue for PAX 3&4 to get free bags on the couple of times we used QPs and didn't travel on the same PNR. Also, based on a re-read of the rules (I was under the impression at the time we were getting a glitch-related bonus), prior to 8 April, the two free bags applied to "customers on the same reservation as the OW Ruby".

Thanks for the input

You're welcome. This is fun for me.

(Though to NYC I'd guess the best SC/$ aren't available, as I'm only going for a weekend time will be a factor)

The best part about travelling to the US (imho) is all of the "nearby" cities. Being from PER, I can't cheaply route via Geraldton or Kalgoorlie and add an extra one hour's flying to make it two flights instead of one. But in the states we can be creative and for example, fly DFW>BOS>JFK instead of DFW>JFK, and jump from min. 15 scs to min. 30 for an extra US$20-30. MIA isn't as easy to play with though because it's smack bang in the middle of the mileage table at 1090. Maybe a routing through MCO for your extra leg

Did you fly US Air at all or just AA?

Sampled AA, US, UA and AS while in the states and paid a total of $35 for bags - when i took a second bag on a UA flight. However this was prior to US/AA Merger so we only got the free bags on US due to UA Silver status - I think we weren't entitled to it, but when I asked the CSR if we were, we got that RAOK

 

[Mac502]

Don't ruby members still get 1 free bag (down from 2)?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Don't ruby members still get 1 free bag (down from 2)?

no, but I think AA's own ruby members might get first bag free (but that is listed under the benefits of AA membership).

AA baggage policy for free bags:

The following passengers will be allowed a 1st and 2nd checked bag at no additional charge (for tickets purchased on or after April 8, 2014) provided it falls within the size and weight limitations. These free checked bag allowances apply on flights marketed and operated by American Airlines, or on flights marketed by American Airlines and American Eagle service. American Eagle service is operated by Envoy Airlines Inc. On flights operated by other carriers, different baggage charges may apply. Be sure to check your itinerary and receipt to see which airlines’ charges apply.

• For customers traveling to or from destinations in South America, Panama, El Salvador, China, Japan and South Korea
• Customers who purchase Business or First Class tickets (3 checked bag allowance)
• Active U.S. military personnel traveling on orders (5 checked bag allowance) or personal travel (3 checked bag allowance)
• Active U.S. military dependents traveling on orders
• American Airlines AAdvantage® Executive Platinum* or AAdvantage Platinum
• Alaska Airlines MVP Gold 75K and MVP Gold
• oneworld alliance Emerald* and Sapphire
• Customers flying on the same reservation as an American Airlines AAdvantage Executive Platinum* or Platinum member or oneworld alliance Emerald* or Sapphire member regardless of frequent flyer status or fare type (not applicable to group bookings)
• First and Business Class MileSAAver® Awards
• First and Business Class AAnytime® Awards
• First and Business Class upgrades confirmed prior to check-in

*AAdvantage Executive Platinum and oneworld Emerald members are eligible for up to three free checked bags.
Additionally, the following passengers will be allowed 1st and 2nd checked bag at no additional charge for tickets purchased before April 8, 2014:

• Customers who purchase full-fare tickets in Economy Class
• AAdvantage Gold members, oneworld alliance Ruby members and Alaska Airlines MVP members
• Customers flying on the same reservation as an American Airlines AAdvantage Gold member or oneworld alliance Ruby member regardless of frequent flyer status or fare type (not applicable to group bookings)
• Economy Class AAnytime® Awards

Finally, the following passengers will be allowed their 1st checked bag at no additional charge for tickets purchased after April 8, 2014:

• Alaska MVP members

 

[wandering_fred]

As far as I can tell AA Gold (and OW Ruby partners ?) are entitled to ONE free bag as described on https://www.aa.com/i18n/AAdvantage/eliteStatus/elite-benefits-chart.jsp

The following foot note is attached
†For tickets issued on or after April 8, 2014, for travel on or after that date, Gold members traveling on American Airlines operated flights are eligible for one free checked bag; for tickets issued prior to April 8, 2014, Gold members are eligible for two free checked bags.

I acknowledge that the AA webpages in some cases have recently not been maintained in conjunction with the current AA policies.

Happy wandering

Fred

 

[BD1959]

Eg, for me, to get to PS, I had to keep flying QF coded flights, even on EK metal.

Isn't this the gist of difference between a "global first alliance" (QF/EK) and "first-choice airline alliance for the world's frequent international travelers" (oneWorld including QF/AA)?

Relevant to this discussion: SCs will be earned on AA (albeit at different rates depending on where, whether on QF codeshare etc - but will still earn *some* SC). I still think it strange that - amid all the fanfare surrounding the EK/QF "alliance" - SCs were not included in the "complementary service" when miniscule partnerships such as FJ can.

What would be interesting to see would be the value of the QF codeshare (at it's usual increased price) versus the AA fare which has been upgraded - I'm pretty sure you cannot YUP a QF Codeshare on AA metal.

Regards,

BD

 

[exceladdict]

Isn't this the gist of difference between a "global first alliance" (QF/EK) and "first-choice airline alliance for the world's frequent international travelers" (oneWorld including QF/AA)?

Relevant to this discussion: SCs will be earned on AA (albeit at different rates depending on where, whether on QF codeshare etc - but will still earn *some* SC). I still think it strange that - amid all the fanfare surrounding the EK/QF "alliance" - SCs were not included in the "complementary service" when miniscule partnerships such as FJ can.

My money would be on something to do with it offending oneWorld partners as status sharing is one of the core appeals to one alliance or another for frequent flyers. QR (though they joined later) would see it as an appeal to use a competitor instead of an ally.

 

[BD1959]

My money would be on something to do with it offending oneWorld partners as status sharing is one of the core appeals to one alliance or another for frequent flyers. QR (though they joined later) would see it as an appeal to use a competitor instead of an ally.

.... and my money - based on both ongoing behaviors between QF and at least two OW partners in CX and BA, plus the divorcing of MH even before the wedding - is that QF don't give as much as a red rats for the ow partnership; excepting what it can bring to QF's domestic network.

Regards,

BD

 

[eminere]

Relevant to this discussion: SCs will be earned on AA (albeit at different rates depending on where, whether on QF codeshare etc - but will still earn *some* SC). I still think it strange that - amid all the fanfare surrounding the EK/QF "alliance" - SCs were not included in the "complementary service" when miniscule partnerships such as FJ can.

Doesn't QF own a significant stake in FJ's parent company?

 

[BD1959]

Doesn't QF own a significant stake in FJ's parent company?

Maybe that *is* the differentiator ...

Regards,

BD