Qantas unveils the biggest changes to status in program history

[SYD]

“Love” that one has to add the superfluous “positively” in front of “enhanced” to identify when QF is actually enhancing (s per dictionary) something. Not.

Not just QF. We do see occasionally an article that refers to a change as an “actual positive enhancement”…

What’s the most extraordinary is all the programs that use the “E” word in relation to devaluation in benefits…

 

[Seat0B]

Agree!!! ......... for me, on balance, the worst thing with all the proposed changes, is not the changes themselves, but the vagueness of the implementation plan and timing. I can achieve similar outcomes with the new program as the old, but I could find my game plan adversely impacted by the timing. With DSC happening now, I could bring forward DSC travel plans to increase rollover (for an implementation before membership expiry scenario) or pushout DSC travel plans (for an implementation post rollover) ...... but even these two strategies the outcome is not certain as the exact plan has not been released.......

Totally agree with you on this one.

 

[The Astronomer]

Not just QF. We do see occasionally an article that refers to a change as an “actual positive enhancement”…

What’s the most extraordinary is all the programs that use the “E” word in relation to devaluation in benefits…

And the 'S' word ('Simplified'), which they used when they removed the ability to take any guest (whether travelling or not) into the lounge and required that the guest be travelling on a OneWorld flight on the same day. It was already as simple as it could possibly be! (That had been a huge benefit to me - one that they removed only a quarter of the way into my membership year.)

 

[Daver6]

With a 30 Nov date, do I bother chasing PC+ for another year or not...

 

[RooFlyer]

Welcome to your 10-year anniversary first post, @Ammo

 

[Invisible Monkey]

Only time will tell if moving the retain status to a higher setting can be offset by earning SC on the ground and the rollover of SC. I think for the majority of us, this change is leaning more towards the negative with more effort needed to retain a particular status.

200 more SC to retain platinum is easily two more international return trips for me personally or one if booked under the DSC window than it would normally be. Given I travel for work, I have little say over when and how often I travel.

 

[Aggi]

posted in double status run - but maybe more appropriate here:

hmmm - thoughts? my membership year ends January. I have booked just enough DS flights to retain Platinum at 1100 SC next year (with 100 SC rollover). When do you think the 1400SC retention will kickin -Feb? Do I need to book another DS run to get to 1400 before end Jan 2027?

I’m in exactly the same situation

 

[justinbrett]

Only time will tell if moving the retain status to a higher setting can be offset by earning SC on the ground and the rollover of SC. I think for the majority of us, this change is leaning more towards the negative with more effort needed to retain a particular status.

200 more SC to retain platinum is easily two more international return trips for me personally or one if booked under the DSC window than it would normally be. Given I travel for work, I have little say over when and how often I travel.

Many people were retaining WP flying mostly with other airlines so never got the loyalty bonus and are probably better off with SC rollover (they're not limited to QF SCs) even with the higher threshold.

Compared to the changes at VA and BA I think we got off lightly. It may also be a benefit to those who never got PC, if they now get similar benefits like wine membership or hotel vouchers (yet TBD). I wonder if they'll do an AS style "pick your perks" for this kind of thing in addition to the core perks.

 

[SYD]

With a 30 Nov date, do I bother chasing PC+ for another year or not...

Possibly depends on how quick you can do it? Before “Late 2026”?

 

[ChrisMars]

I have mixed feeling about the retain requirement combined with the rollover.

Fflyers that easily retain their status, well, rolling over sc won't be that much of a big deal since they easily retain anyway.

Fflyers that struggle to retain, will either fly a bit more, potentially increasing theirstatus run, or just accept to drop (probably me).

It s not like anyone is really winning from this combined change.

 

[Aeryn]

Wine membership was already included with some CCs long before PC became a thing so anyone who wants a free QF wine membership simply needs to select the right CC (i.e. Qantas Amex Ultimate for example).

With the new search engine, I hope they add a filter for one world airlines; its pain when trying to construct a OWA to keep being offered partner airlines that are not eligible. Or at the very least the ability to exclude LCCs like Jetstar.

 

[ANstar]

These changes will be a negative for me with the loss of PC+. Only getting 140SC's per year on the ground doesn't really help much and doesn't really make up for the addiotnal SC's required to attain.

 

[rickj]

We fly between Sydney and Rome 3 times a year, generally through Dubai on Emirates on a QF flight number. Getting an extra lounge invitation is pointless for us. They are not accepted in Sydney due to renovations, you can’t use them in Dubai as there is no Qantas Lounge and there is no Qantas lounge in Rome so what is the point for us as Silver status flyers.
Perhaps Qantas should have a deal to use Emirates lounges on QF codeshare flights, at least until the renovations at Sydney are complete.

 

[RooFlyer]

With a big FF announcement to keep the chooks fed, you know there's always going to be something else going on with Qantas that might be less appealing to their customers:

Qantas posts record H1 profit

 

[farstar]

I already have 30000 Lifetime SC, will they retrospectively give me a one year platinum automatically?