Qantas Platinum One experiences?

[aus_flyer]

To all the newly-minted Platinum One frequent flyers out there... I'm curious to hear... what's been your experience so far?

Anything different?

Free upgrades?

... or all hype?

 

[kermatu]

Hadn't paid much attention to the last P1 briefing but just got a reminder about the 20 per cent discount offer. Any tips on how easy this is to search for and execute? Do online searches work and the discount appear at the end (presumably if logged in)? Also any types of bookings ineligible (multi-city, for example)?

Thanks for any assistance and tips. Apologies if canvassed already.

 

[RichardMEL]

Hadn't paid much attention to the last P1 briefing but just got a reminder about the 20 per cent discount offer. Any tips on how easy this is to search for and execute? Do online searches work and the discount appear at the end (presumably if logged in)? Also any types of bookings ineligible (multi-city, for example)?

Thanks for any assistance and tips. Apologies if canvassed already.

I just used it myself. It's easy

you follow the link in the reminder email to the P! discount fare page, login and do a search. Discount is already applied when fares are shown on the selction page, and you book from there.

MUST do it through their link/page and it's only one way or return offered, no multicity (sorry)
(you possibly could call SST to book manually, I am not sure on that )

 

[kermatu]

I just used it myself. It's easy

you follow the link in the reminder email to the P! discount fare page, login and do a search. Discount is already applied when fares are shown on the selction page, and you book from there.

MUST do it through their link/page and it's only one way or return offered, no multicity (sorry)
(you possibly could call SST to book manually, I am not sure on that )

Thanks for that. Don't have any QF plans ahead but if the discount makes an upcoming trip worthwhile I may switch.

 

[RichardMEL]

Thanks for that. Don't have any QF plans ahead but if the discount makes an upcoming trip worthwhile I may switch.

Well this version of the discount ends on Sunday 11/11/18

 

[nutwood]

Well this version of the discount ends on Sunday 11/11/18

Where are you accessing this information? I've not received any information re discounts, or does this pre-date my elevation to exalted status?

 

[kermatu]

Where are you accessing this information? I've not received any information re discounts, or does this pre-date my elevation to exalted status?

I received the newsletter (which has the discount), known as the Platinum One Briefing, on 11 October.

 

[kermatu]

Well this version of the discount ends on Sunday 11/11/18

Can see the discount, but typical frustrations - Domestic can be one way but not International, not valid for multi-city as you said, can't use vouchers. I just don't understand why. I'll stick with my SQ and VA combos for now.

Not knocking the benefit - it will no doubt save some folk good dollars. Just not enough - or flexible enough - to entice me back.

 

[amaroo]

I and my +1 will be joining the ranks of P1 after a few F flights over the Xmas holidays.... we're 99.9% leisure flyers (with kids), and very much look forward to joining the in crowd. Hopefully we can make good use of P1 benefits and burn 4M+ points in requested F seats in the coming two years

We're moving on from QF and moving to SQ .... burning point is our main objective.

 

[GoldCanyon340]

Hopefully we can make good use of P1 benefits and burn 4M+ points in requested F seats in the coming two years

You'll find the SST or Premium Res very open to F award requests if no seats are available generally although I've never requested the release of two seats on the same flight.

 

[RichardMEL]

Kematu - I daresay, or wonder if anyway, vouchers could be used to book with the SST. I did not try as I just had a simple one way I needed to book, and it worked into the promo nicely to have a discount on a flex fare but more complex stuff MAY be possible through SST.. it wasn't totally clwar to me that you couldn't go through them tbh. Others may have had greater benefit.


amaroo - wow. If you have the warewithall to book (paid) F on QF/SQ etc I doubt P1 would offe ryou much OTHER than the eas to get those F seats opened up... so would suit that plan.. but SQ F is so far superior it's not funny. Enjoy your wonderful travel opportunities!

 

[kermatu]

Kematu - I daresay, or wonder if anyway, vouchers could be used to book with the SST. I did not try as I just had a simple one way I needed to book, and it worked into the promo nicely to have a discount on a flex fare but more complex stuff MAY be possible through SST.. it wasn't totally clwar to me that you couldn't go through them tbh. Others may have had greater benefit.


amaroo - wow. If you have the warewithall to book (paid) F on QF/SQ etc I doubt P1 would offe ryou much OTHER than the eas to get those F seats opened up... so would suit that plan.. but SQ F is so far superior it's not funny. Enjoy your wonderful travel opportunities!

Would SST do bookings, or just refer me to premium reservations? I've not attempted a booking with them.

I'm not that fussed as I am firmly of the same opinion as you in the 2nd part of your post - QF isn't competitive in the premium cabins for me. Good enough for domestic and some trans-Tasman (though my last two flights across the ditch were pretty ordinary) - but the discount naturally isn't so significant for these.

 

[Matt_01]

Would SST do bookings, or just refer me to premium reservations

SST will pass back to reservations.

 

[juddles]

SST will pass back to reservations.

Think of the SST as the emergency helpline (and a damn good one in most of my experiences - the best and truly notable part of P1 status) But do not confuse them with a "butler" service - as I understand it reservations you will be put through to res, if you want award seats opened up, likewise.

But when you are travelling, and things go wrong, they are an awesome port of call

 

[amaroo]

amaroo - wow. If you have the warewithall to book (paid) F on QF/SQ etc I doubt P1 would offer you much OTHER than the ease to get those F seats opened up... so would suit that plan.. but SQ F is so far superior it's not funny. Enjoy your wonderful travel opportunities!

The great majority of our flying is on points. However, we do purchase revenue when the deal is good and we feel like doing something impulsive. I've been a rusted on QFF for life, but I'm shifting my focus after reading all the reports / photos of superior cabin/service that is on offer. I've recently culled all my QF earning cards and have gone all in with AMEX .... we're lucky in that we have the ability to earn many millions of points a year, and I want to try new things.

P1 is something that just happened, and since it did - we will make the most of it and burn the QF points we have. If it all goes well, we will end up status non grata (apart from QF LTG) and enjoy the flying. Fingers crossed....

 

[Matt_01]

I've recently culled all my QF earning cards and have gone all in with AMEX .... we're lucky in that we have the ability to earn many millions of points a year, and I want to try new things.

P1 is something that just happened, and since it did - we will make the most of it and burn the QF points we have. If it all goes well, we will end up status non grata (apart from QF LTG) and enjoy the flying. Fingers crossed....

We have have already started the same transition. I have a single QFF earning card for when AMEX is not accepted. I never set out to hit P1, it just happened a few years back and have been there ever since. I will retain P1 until at least Aug 20 and not sure if I will retain to 21 as I'm choosing to fly other carriers. QF picked up their game a few years back but now it seems (my experience) to be back on the down hill slide.

In the past 3-4 years MrsM and MissM have burnt through 3M-3.5M QFF points all on F and J international redemption's and with about 2M more to get through plus those I continue to earn, by my calculations by the time I fall back to LTG all my QFF points should be exhausted. We plan to fly J until retaining P1 looks like it will not happen and then request as many F seats for future travel. Once I drop from P1, MrsM drops back to NB so F lounges are out of the question (for 3) unless flying F.

 

[RichardMEL]

In the past yes SST have pushed to Prem Res, but during recent irrops the agent changed bookings and stuff for me on the fly. With the "special" P1 discount it may be something only they can handle, or at least pass through to Res with appropriate hand holding to manage (I don't know, have not tried, but would be worth asking for those that may want to use vouchers, multi city etc)

And Itoo am looking to other airlinds for product and service. I've flown SQ F earlier this year (new suites) and just.. outstanding on every level (as one would expect) have MH and TG F coming up, and am looking at QR J or F for next year. QF's new J on the 787 and refurb A380 (yeah whenever they come on line lol) offer a reasonable product in the J space, but others do J just as well if not better (eg: QR QSuites, SQ etc) that QF can lose out on soft product.

I don't hate QF at all, but like others here do understand and appreciate that for the real long haul stuff there's better to be had and like some I'm lucky enough to have the ability to try some of these.

and bringing it back to P1.. while it's nice, as everyone agrees, it's not something to aim for or a truly rewarding level bar support during IRROPS.. but at this level there are again better out there such as BA GGL.

for oz domestic and shorter haul, QF still works for me, but gee so many areas they could improve

 

[ameno]

3 years as P1 came to an end at midnight on October 31st, was up nice and early a few hours later at 3am for a flight that morning and upon checking in, noticed I had already been reverted back down to Platinum. So no time wasted in the system applying that change.

The only things I will miss is being able to grab rows 1/4 at any point and the service from the P1 girls, as nothing else of value was really worth that amount of flying.

I can count on one hand the number of complimentary upgrades I received across those 3 years and 350+ flights.

 

[GoldCanyon340]

... and upon checking in, noticed I had already been reverted back down to Platinum. So no time wasted in the system applying that change.

That's harsh on QF's part

 

[ChrisGibbs]

I can count on one hand the number of complimentary upgrades I received across those 3 years and 350+ flights.

The rate of complimentary upgrades is slowing down. Up until September this year I would average a 1:10 conversion flying a majority of domestic sectors with the occasional Trans Tasman. Since the start of September its been 95% international with one complimentary upgrade in 20+ international sectors on QF flight numbers on QF metal. It should be said a number of these flights have QF First / Business / Premium very well sort after - like LHR, DFW, LAX, HKG, HND and SIN and space has been a premium. The SST have been very nice and subject to availability blocking of A and B seats while leaving me in the aisle in C. It makes the lightly loaded in Y QF7/8 trip/s reasonably comfortable.

 

[ameno]

That's harsh on QF's part

To be honest, that part doesn't bother me as thats when the period was scheduled to end, I was just more surprised to see one of their automated functions action something so quickly! lol

The rate of complimentary upgrades is slowing down.

Every single one of my flights over my time as P1 was Domestic only (sad....) but every single one of those bookings was a fully flex fare which you think would hold more value/opportunity of comp. Back in my early days as WP I would get bumped up to J even after boarding if seating availability was there, but those days and ad-hoc benefits seem to be long gone.