Qantas club worth it?

[HarryB]

I am in Adelaide and fly mostly to Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane and very occasionally Perth.

The work policy isn't a problem as I book my own flights so unless the prices are high I will always fly QF. I don't fly enough to spread my points earning so try to stay loyal to one brand.

Annoyingly, I can upgrade a flight to Brisbane later this month from Y to J for a measly 12000 points each way (the fairs for J are over $1000 so this is a cheap upgrade) but I have recently used all my points booking flights to Singapore in May. If I had more points I would do upgrades like that more often and not need to pay for the club.

 

[amaroo]

I am in Adelaide and fly mostly to Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane and very occasionally Perth.

The work policy isn't a problem as I book my own flights so unless the prices are high I will always fly QF. I don't fly enough to spread my points earning so try to stay loyal to one brand.

Annoyingly, I can upgrade a flight to Brisbane later this month from Y to J for a measly 12000 points each way (the fairs for J are over $1000 so this is a cheap upgrade) but I have recently used all my points booking flights to Singapore in May. If I had more points I would do upgrades like that more often and not need to pay for the club.

Sign up with some of those CC deals - easy points!

 

[HarryB]

I have considered that and will look into it. I have 3 credit cards already so something will have to get the chop!

 

[nonpop]

IMHO if only flying domestic AU, then I'd take the cash I would have spent on the QP membership and push it towards ensuring SG status that way you get access to oneworld lounges and not just QF/AA/BA. When I fly domestic, I try to show up just close to the flight so lounge access is always < 30 mins whe I actually use it.

SG also has more benefits (in theory) from seating, to baggage etc, but as always YMMV. Plus when SG you get even more points for each trip, may be allowing for more ASA runs especially when double SC promos are on.

Again, IMHO, lounge access really has benefits when flying international when you have longer time between check-in and boarding.

 

[GCC]

I am in Adelaide and fly mostly to Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane and very occasionally Perth

+1 for worth it. There seems to some devaluing of benefits like BA access and priority check in etc since I was last a paid Qantas Club member, but for a few trips a month on QF and/or JQ I wouldn't do without it.

The ADL lounge is pretty nice IMO, MEL is often subject to delays and so lounge access is very welcome, same goes for SYD. Both MEL & SYD airports and the trip to them can be stressful, and the real value of Qantas Club m'ship is in helping reduce that stress.

 

[11sjw]

Sweet, thanks

Most welcome. BTW welcome to AFF.

 

[ally203]

Hi pbissett,

I have QC membership and have found it to be worth it. It has been so handy esp. when I have been flying for work (when you work in the mining industry you fly often!) and there has been a delay with a flight, waiting for connecting flights, needing to grab a bite etc (haven't had issues with the food except in MEL when the food kept running out VERY fast in the arvo, the joys of flying home on a Monday evening with the business folk)
I also like the fact that I can take someone else in with me if we are travelling together.

Its also handy if you fly QF overseas.

 

[casanovawa]

Not sure if its on another thread, but this 30 day AA pass, can it get you into QPs or BA lounges or just AA lounges?

 

[detailed]

Hi,

I have been flying on an off for the last 5 years, without QC membership.

When I would occassionaly fly with a Gold member, I really enjoyed the relaxed environment, plus having a cup of tea & some food.

After only achieving Silver Status 3 years in a row, I decided to bite the bullet & join QC.

I have only used it a few times so far, but I think it is great value and would recommend

 

[grussellt]

Not sure if its on another thread, but this 30 day AA pass, can it get you into QPs or BA lounges or just AA lounges?

The 30-day pass gets you into AA lounges and QP if about to travel on a flight operated by QF. See full T & C's at AA site under Lounges.

 

[ishin]

I fly to HBA a fair amount from MEL on JQ... The HBA lounge closes on departure of the last QF... So given my JQ flight is always after this, I miss out on the club... Devalues my QC... So to me, it is now failing to justify the expense .. Will probably not bother renewing.. Unless I plan an O/S trip

 

[drewbles]

Having been a QC member before hitting gold I'd say it is worth it. I've never had an issue with breakfast spread and usually when i hit the lounge in the evening I went for the liquid dinner. I quickly drank my monies worth!

It's just a shame the wines are so sub-par in the QP (and not really any better in the J lounge).

And who drinks beefeater or gordons gin *wretch*

 

[nlagalle]

It's just a shame the wines are so sub-par in the QP (and not really any better in the J lounge).

And who drinks beefeater or gordons gin *wretch*

The wine in the J lounge was good last time but personally I drink bourbon!!

 

[eastwest101]

I fly to HBA a fair amount from MEL on JQ... The HBA lounge closes on departure of the last QF... So given my JQ flight is always after this, I miss out on the club... Devalues my QC... So to me, it is now failing to justify the expense ..

Not really pertinent to the OP but this is an important consideration for those that regularly get late JQ flights out of ports where the last QF has left and they close the QP - as this is a significant drawback of having QP membership in this case.

I still think a WP or paid QP member would have a good argument about access to the QP when flying a JQ fligh. A few interesting Qantas Club terms and conditions spring to mind....

T&C 10.1

10.1 Subject to these Terms and Conditions, Qantas Club Members are entitled to access the Qantas Club lounge in the departure port when the Member's next onward flight on that day is with Qantas, QantasLink or Jetstar

and yes I know that this clause also exists to cover permanent closures of QP's if they Jetstarize a port:

4.4 If Qantas closes a Qantas operated airport lounge in a Member's registered city of residence without replacing it, or amends these Terms and Conditions or the Club Rules in a way that deprives the Member substantially of the intended use of the membership, the Member will have the option of cancelling their membership and receiving a pro rata refund of the membership fee for the remaining period of membership

and also:

4.1 Qantas reserves the right at all times to vary the Benefits, these Terms and Conditions and the Club Rules, and the Benefits offered in any way including by:

(a) opening new lounges or other facilities;
(b) closing or ceasing to operate lounges or other facilities;
(b) changing the way lounges or other facilities are operated, including contracting any third party to provide the facility or any goods or services;
(c) varying the hours of operation of any lounge or other facility;

(d) varying the layout, location or other aspects of the facilities including the types of refreshments that are available and the times during which they are available; etc

So could that mean that Qantas can vary the hours of operation to its Qantas Club's as only open on Monday morning from 9:00am to 9:01am?

 

[harvyk]

So could that mean that Qantas can vary the hours of operation to its Qantas Club's as only open on Monday morning from 9:00am to 9:01am?

No, as that would not be reasonable opening hours.

You'll probably find that anytime a contract has a clause which allows one party to modify the terms of the contract (and that would include operating hours of QP's which you visit on a regular basis), the other party has an equal right to terminate said contract without penalty and entitled to a refund of any unused monies.

 

[eastwest101]

No, as that would not be reasonable opening hours..

Thanks - that was the point I was trying to make. The next question someone needs to ask is would be is it reasonable for QF to close the QC when there is a scheduled JQ flight departing from that airport? I say not, as its reasonable to assume that a QC member flying on that JQ flight would expect to have access to the QC as per his QC membership.

 

[harvyk]

Thanks - that was the point I was trying to make. The next question someone needs to ask is would be is it reasonable for QF to close the QC when there is a scheduled JQ flight departing from that airport? I say not, as its reasonable to assume that a QC member flying on that JQ flight would expect to have access to the QC as per his QC membership.

As far as I'm concerned, if QF changed the opening hours of any of the QP's I visit frequently, to the point I could no longer use that QP, and that was a major reason I got QP membership in the first place, I see no problems in asking for a pro-rata refund...

 

[vitagen]

I got QC when I was Silver, knowing that I may or may not hit SG, now on the road to WP! I managed to score it just before the end of the 10-11 financial year where they had no joining fee. Once you get lounge access you won't go back!

 

[Saji]

NOT worth at all for me at all. Virgin lounge is much better and a happier place.

 

[drewbles]

NOT worth at all for me at all. Virgin lounge is much better and a happier place.

But if you're not flying DJ it's not really worth it.

If you are flying DJ, you should be able to wrangle enough more easily to get VA Gold than QF Gold, and then your lounge access is indeed complimentary