Qantas Switch ?

[spd]

Wondering if the combined wisdom of the forum can help me figure out whether moving to QFF is good idea.

I've been with AA for close to 10 yrs and have lifetime gold status. I'm based in Melbourne and do 8 - 10 long haul trips per year. Mainly to Singapore, Tokyo and Shanghai/HK. I also do a NYC or London trip twice a year. All trips are in J and mostly (80%) with QF.

Given the recent changes to the AA program, a good time to move or should i stay put ?

thanks in advance for your help

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Wondering if the combined wisdom of the forum can help me figure out whether moving to QFF is good idea.

I've been with AA for close to 10 yrs and have lifetime gold status. I'm based in Melbourne and do 8 - 10 long haul trips per year. Mainly to Singapore, Tokyo and Shanghai/HK. I also do a NYC or London trip twice a year. All trips are in J and mostly (80%) with QF.

Given the recent changes to the AA program, a good time to move or should i stay put ?

thanks in advance for your help

8-10 business class trips per year will set you up very nicely on the QFFF program with (at least) platinum (OW Emerald) and maybe even higher (P1)? QF does look after their top elites quite well - release of award seats by calling (ie access to inventory not seen on the award booking tools by the general public) and First class lounge access.

The downside is the hefty award levels and the hefty fuel surcharges applying to award tickets. AA is about half the price of QF.

 

[v8Statesman]

I've been with AA for close to 10 yrs and have lifetime gold status.

1MM is a significant achievement. What status do you hold with AA? What benefits are you used to that you feel you will no longer get? As of 2017 the 4 sector rule goes away, so Status should be easier to attain. The EQD spend should be mostly irrelevant to you as you'll earn it as % of miles on partners.

What would you expect to get form QF that you are not getting now?

Answers to these will help me properly answer you.

Stuart
AA EXP

 

[Limewood]

The downside is the hefty award levels and the hefty fuel surcharges applying to award tickets. AA is about half the price of QF.

Spot on, these outrageous award fees and charges should be half to what they are. Looking today 2 x Y SYD/HNL/SYD 140K points and wait for it... $800 in fees.

 

[Buzzard]

If I was in your position with AA LTG in the bag I would switch but not necessarily to QF. I would consider SQ.

 

[TomVexille]

If I was in your position with AA LTG in the bag I would switch but not necessarily to QF. I would consider SQ.

AA Gold is OWR, like QF Silver.

 

[serfty]

...
Answers to these will help me properly answer you.
...

I agree with this.

spd, How close are you to 2MM?

 

[Buzzard]

AA Gold is OWR, like QF Silver.

Not so good then

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Not so good then

No that much in terms of benefits but i think you get a free bag (which is worth something) and higher priority boarding, and of course if you fly CX, free exit row seating!

 

[wandering_fred]

Being in much the same situation, albeit with a couple of years of CX gold in hand, I am looking at the AA changes as well as the CX changes.

The deciding factor for me is likely going to be the soft landings that are still offered in the QFF program (and the cheap prices on some intra Asia J routes). The ability to quest Mrs WF into lounges is likely more important than the cost of long haul redemptions.

YMMV as is the case whenever wandering

Fred

 

[trippin_the_rift]

You don't see many threads asking if people should switch to Qantas ;-)

Agree with other comments on how far from 2MM you are. I also believe the decision should be based on how many credit card points you're earning as these can go hand in hand with upgrades and redemptions.

A switch to SQ for example could mean a380s and 777s instead of 330s (a win in everyones books!), also the cost of tickets would be lower.
Another factor with SQ is there is often a first class cabin for upgrades. With any oneworld program you're stuck in business class being the best.

Ultimately it depends on what you value most.

 

[v8Statesman]

Spd seems to have gone AWOL after asking the question.

 

[moa999]

Guess it all comes down to how you want to use your points.
J-F upgrades on QF A380 can only be done with QF points (and are a reasonable use of points if wanting to fly First)

Also have better chance of QF rewards with QFF status versus AA.

But agree that 2MM should come into it.

 

[spd]

Sorry and thanks for the input. I did go AWOL ! few hours after my initial post i ruptured my Achilles. Good news is i will be much more responsive to this thread as i am grounded for at least 4 weeks

So on the 2MM, assume you mean million miller balance ? I am at 2.65M, so lifetime platinum. SIA is an interesting option....

 

[v8Statesman]

Sorry and thanks for the input. I did go AWOL ! few hours after my initial post i ruptured my Achilles. Good news is i will be much more responsive to this thread as i am grounded for at least 4 weeks

Hope you have a speedy recovery!

So on the 2MM, assume you mean million miller balance ? I am at 2.65M, so lifetime platinum. SIA is an interesting option....

2MM is fantastic. Great effort. If you can answer my other questions about what you feel you are not longer getting, or what you want to achieve, that will assist in answering you. SQ is an interesting program, but like QF suffers from insane YQ redemption fees.

 

[spd]

Hope you have a speedy recovery!



2MM is fantastic. Great effort. If you can answer my other questions about what you feel you are not longer getting, or what you want to achieve, that will assist in answering you. SQ is an interesting program, but like QF suffers from insane YQ redemption fees.

thanks V8.

main thing is using my points, as i am struggling a bit to use my AA points from AU. as has been pointed out, QF may/do find award flights not publicly available for Platinum and PLat1 and the ability to upgrade with points would be a definite advantage. I believe i would do enough in paid J to hit Plat1 but have read there's not a great deal of difference between the 2 top tiers.

I get the cost and redemption advantages of AA may cancel that out.

 

[wandering_fred]

The best value use of AA miles/points in Australia is still domestic awards, which are routinely available online
Plus if CX awards are normally available on the QF website, AA will see if you call.

Happy wandering

Fred

 

[spd]

thanks Fred.

So i have quite a cache of AA points which i could use domestically or on CX/QF.

think there is any benefit switching to QF or SIA ?

 

[wandering_fred]

thanks Fred.
So i have quite a cache of AA points which i could use domestically or on CX/QF.
think there is any benefit switching to QF or SIA ?

Depends on what you want. In the new FF environment (seemingly worldwide) the trade offs are different. From my viewpoint lounge access is most easily obtained from QF (soft landing decides) though it still remains to be seen how the premium economy cabins on partners will credit to AA (depends on where you want to use rewards). CX seems to have overdone the shift to the medium long haul premium cabins for status.

YMMV

Happy wandering

Fred

 

[kempvet]

Hard to know which is best for you, if you fly paid J a lot in non AA OW airlines you may still not make status with AA now that you need 12k? I think EQD's to maintain EXP. If you don't intend to fly to NA with AA then this may be tough, you have to spend at least 48k in airfares in J with other OW airlines with an AA FF number to reach EXP.