Qantas unveils the biggest changes to status in program history

[termx]

Pulled the trigger on a Qantas Wine purchase using the PC wine voucher to get the last green leaf for Green Tier. Easy 50 SCs this membership year instead of uncertainty as to when exactly Green Tier bites the dust.

 

[Aeryn]

For people within Australia, this is now clearly diluting given on ground SC earn possibility.

However the maximum OTG earn is 140SCs which doesn't even compensate for the 200 SC increase to keep Platinum nor the removal of 50-100 SCs from lost Loyalty bonuses so you still very much need to do more BIS (bum in seat) flying than you did before this change to keep the same status.

So unless OTG increases it is actually even more of FF flyer program and less of a OTG (given removal of PC+) than before unless your lowly goal is only Silver.

 

[fletty]

Pulled the trigger on a Qantas Wine purchase using the PC wine voucher to get the last green leaf for Green Tier. Easy 50 SCs this membership year instead of uncertainty as to when exactly Green Tier bites the dust.

Redeemed my GT SCs as well - I don't trust that the system will grandfather green tier given the whole feature has been so buggy.

 

[serfty]

But this is a one off occurrence. Once you get that 3k the next 10k is a much bigger hurdle. One that may disinterest people again.

Certainly disinterests me once I'd reach 45K.

See post#46

 

[SeatBackForward]

We clearly have radically different incomes

Let me put on my *well paid social media influencer with wealthy parents for safety net* hat on

"C'mon, it's about attitude and determination, don't let those things constrain your lifestyle goals"

 

[SeatBackForward]

After all, QFF is Qantas Frequent Flyer program …

Points. it's a Frequent Points Program. Fixed it for you.

 

[Kangol]

Points. it's a Frequent Points Program. Fixed it for you.

Profit. It's a Profit Program. Fixed it for you

 

[dairyfloss]

I would expect that a WP Milestone year could be invoked at any time, not fixed to one's membership year.

Would also be interesting to see if it works the same as "attaining" WP (i.e. invoke WP on day 1 of your member year and you get it all the way through your current plus subsequent member year)?

Having said that, I'm going to assume it will work much in the same way as the gifted WP status that can be bestowed by P1s at present.

I have wonderered about that as well. I guess we'll have a better idea by this time next year.

I reckon this one might be handled more like a Qantas Club membership is. An uplift in status level that works like a 12-month membership and commences at a time of your choosing. This way, no change to membership year, and no upgrading an account such that they get the remainder of current year + all of the next.

 

[Aeryn]

I reckon this one might be handled more like a Qantas Club membership is. An uplift in status level that works like a 12-month membership and commences at a time of your choosing. This way, no change to membership year, and no upgrading an account such that they get the remainder of current year + all of the next.

My guess it will be for 1 FF year, and you have to nominate to use it ahead of that year starting (or on day 1) if you want to benefit for a full year.

 

[DejaBrew]

Hopefully it comes with a soft landing if you don't earn enough to retain WP for the subsequent member year....

 

[dairyfloss]

My guess it will be for 1 FF year, and you have to nominate to use it ahead of that year starting (or on day 1) if you want to benefit for a full year.

Time will tell, but that seems rather restrictive?

 

[Aeryn]

Time will tell, but that seems rather restrictive?

It will be cheapest option as no IT changes needed - basically you have to call/use a form to contact QF and an agent gifts you WP status (using the method they use for status matches); and then it just resets per usual on the following year.

Would be interesting to see after a "free' WP year if you have a soft landing to SG or go back to whatever based on your earn.

 

[dairyfloss]

It will be cheapest option as no IT changes needed - basically you have to call/use a form to contact QF and an agent gifts you WP status (using the method they use for status matches); and then it just resets per usual on the following year.

Would be interesting to see after a "free' WP year if you have a soft landing to SG or go back to whatever based on your earn.

Given this one's only relevant to LTG... I'm pretty confident there's an assured soft landing

 

[SeatBackForward]

My guess it will be for 1 FF year, and you have to nominate to use it ahead of that year starting (or on day 1) if you want to benefit for a full year.

Hopefully it comes with a soft landing if you don't earn enough to retain WP for the subsequent member year....

Time will tell, but that seems rather restrictive?

So lets play out an interesting scenario. You have one of these LTG Platinum banked years ready to use. You realise your next anniversary year will be a low travel year so you apply that Platinum year. Then it turns out that in the year you flew enough to earn WP in it's own right anyhow - do you then have WP for that year + next year only? or should you (reasonably) be considered as retaining Platinum for next year PLUS the year after that?

 

[DejaBrew]

So lets play out an interesting scenario. You have one of these LTG Platinum banked years ready to use. You realise your next anniversary year will be a low travel year so you apply that Platinum year. Then it turns out that in the year you flew enough to earn WP in it's own right anyhow - do you then have WP for that year + next year only? or should you (reasonably) be considered as retaining Platinum for next year PLUS the year after that?

So you're talking the QC membership-on-hold scenario then?

 

[elanshin]

Certainly disinterests me once I'd reach 45K.

See post#46

Yeh, which is why I believe theres going to be an once off interest as this is implemented from people that have casually accrued some excess SC over the years.

But if you're coming at it from the angle that you haven't achieved LTG, I fail to see how this would really sway the current crowd that is getting LTG then disappearing.

 

[The Astronomer]

I like that idea. It would be a good way to show LTG members are legitimately valued and incentivised to fly Qantas, with the Platinum carrot at a reasonable level.

I'm likely to reach LTG within the next 12 months, once achieved the benefits provided by CX that also service the international routes I fly will outweigh those provided by Qantas. With the change to retaining Platinum that should be in place by then, there's little incentive for me to continue to prioritise Qantas on those routes as I currently do.

Having to earn 11,000 SC on top of the 14,000 already needed for LTG just to get a year of Platinum status banked, would take someone like me eight years of heavy flying, earning 1400 SC each year. I believe my best earning year was around 2100 SC but I average 1200-1400 most years, primarily from DSC.

I think it's an excellent idea. It will show that they value LTGs. It would also be an incentive for people to aspire to LTG and it would mean that Qantas is more likely to see them continuing to fly. At the same time, the free Platinum years at 25,000, etc., SCs would still be something to aim for. As LTG myself, It would definitely stop me thinking about using other airlines.

 

[Princess Fiona]

I have flitted between oneworld programmes in the past and have been OWS in QF BA & IB previously (as well as OWE in QR with VA status match)

Before updates, QF BA and IB have been the easiest to get status with OWS being avhievable with just over 1 J Europe return and OWE with 2. AA CX & QR have generally needed 2+ and 3+ respectively

BA is now much harder though IB remains ok.

DSCs remain very much in QFs favour though reduced OW partner earn is not

AY is worth a look if. They have an interesting feature of being able to top up ststus with Avios which makes retaining OWE easier. They had a brief DSC mid last year too. AY metal is revenue-based but partners not. AY also has a less crazy LTOWE

AS has the ability to earn status miles on redemptions. AS redemptions are cheap and low taxes but not many routes that are relevant to Australians.

Having said all that, I'm looking at QF WP this year and although retaining will now be harder, QF is still very competitive for status and it's much better for me than a change to a BA/VA style revenue-based system

Ironically BA Gold is still actually fairly easy to do as long as you don’t actually really fly BA. GGL impossible.

 

[SeatBackForward]

So you're talking the QC membership-on-hold scenario then?

I guess so, but I guess whether such a thing would depend on what the motivator for QF is.

 

[Aeryn]

Given this one's only relevant to LTG... I'm pretty confident there's an assured soft landing

oh doh! I didnt get a coffee today as had to go into office because nbn was down and the coffee shop doesnt open Fridays because not enough people come in to justify opening.