Qantas unveils the biggest changes to status in program history

[PineappleSkip]

I did NAN runs (remember NAN runs?) where I went straight from the arriving flight to departures. Minimal time in NAN meant maximal enjoyment.

 

[mviy]

I have flown indirect to CNS and OOL on different occasions and back on the one day. It’s not ideal, but it is fun in J.

 

[Pushka]

I have flown indirect to CNS and OOL on different occasions and back on the one day. It’s not ideal, but it is fun in J.

I did a similar trip Adelaide to Cairns and return the same day. I found it all - rather stressful. Did a quick run to Melbourne today, got the number of SC I needed.

 

[mviy]

It can be stressful, yes, but it is such a good feeling when one has boarded the last flight of the day trip. Now that the QANTAS app shows where the inbound aircraft is you can see e.g. that the inbound aircraft for your next flight is coming in late so your connection won’t be as tight as it might have been.

 

[Youfah Mizzum]

As aforementioned, I'm a lifetime NB.

For those chasing LTG or any other status I get it when your job requires travel, which also assumes that the business pays for the flights. But paying out of ones own pocket on status runs, is it really worth it?
I kinda get the concept that if you're travelling say SYD to LAX anyway on a revenue fare you receive SCs, and you do enough of those you may hit PS or even SG. Sort of like a nice benefit when you'd be doing those flights anyway.

But to actually fork out to hit those goals, what's the attraction that makes it worthwhile?
OK, I get you have increased priority for various scenarios like upgrade requests, phone queue but is that really worth the outlay? Lounge access? Meh - yeah its nice but worth the SC chase?

 

[MELso]

As aforementioned, I'm a lifetime NB.

For those chasing LTG or any other status I get it when your job requires travel, which also assumes that the business pays for the flights. But paying out of ones own pocket on status runs, is it really worth it?
I kinda get the concept that if you're travelling say SYD to LAX anyway on a revenue fare you receive SCs, and you do enough of those you may hit PS or even SG. Sort of like a nice benefit when you'd be doing those flights anyway.

But to actually fork out to hit those goals, what's the attraction that makes it worthwhile?
OK, I get you have increased priority for various scenarios like upgrade requests, phone queue but is that really worth the outlay? Lounge access? Meh - yeah its nice but worth the SC chase?

It's one of the paradoxes of status that in order to get its benefits akin to business on economy flights through SG, you generally need to fly business class a fair bit. Whether to do a status run to get there depends on how much the status run costs (in both money and time) and how often you're likely to use the benefits. Getting SG adds a fair bit of value for me as it makes economy travel okay in circumstances where a flat bed isn't needed, is considerably cheaper than stumping up for business and I use the benefits enough. So far though, it's arisen naturally as a consequence of my own travel.

I was pondering a status run to get to WP but decided against it because it was going to run well over $2k for what were nice but not essential improvements. If my job entailed lots of short haul slogs in Y, that definitely would been worth considering, but in the end it wasn't worth it for me as someone who mercifully doesn't have to fly for work (I did for a year or so 20 years ago - that was enough!).

 

[Beer_budget]

As aforementioned, I'm a lifetime NB.

For those chasing LTG or any other status I get it when your job requires travel, which also assumes that the business pays for the flights. But paying out of ones own pocket on status runs, is it really worth it?
I kinda get the concept that if you're travelling say SYD to LAX anyway on a revenue fare you receive SCs, and you do enough of those you may hit PS or even SG. Sort of like a nice benefit when you'd be doing those flights anyway.

But to actually fork out to hit those goals, what's the attraction that makes it worthwhile?
OK, I get you have increased priority for various scenarios like upgrade requests, phone queue but is that really worth the outlay? Lounge access? Meh - yeah its nice but worth the SC chase?

The one thing that has us considering playing the game in future years is that as lifetime NBs like yourself, there's next to no availability of desirable CR flights. But as a long-term holder of a Qantas Amex, Mr Champagne Tastes has 700k+ QF miles just...hanging around. Now, for domestic travel, they've been relatively easy to use, but if we want to fly premium cabins internationally, there's just nothing without status.

 

[Invisible Monkey]

As aforementioned, I'm a lifetime NB.

For those chasing LTG or any other status I get it when your job requires travel, which also assumes that the business pays for the flights. But paying out of ones own pocket on status runs, is it really worth it?
I kinda get the concept that if you're travelling say SYD to LAX anyway on a revenue fare you receive SCs, and you do enough of those you may hit PS or even SG. Sort of like a nice benefit when you'd be doing those flights anyway.

But to actually fork out to hit those goals, what's the attraction that makes it worthwhile?
OK, I get you have increased priority for various scenarios like upgrade requests, phone queue but is that really worth the outlay? Lounge access? Meh - yeah its nice but worth the SC chase?

As someone who will earn LTG within the next 12 months, I can understand those that do spend their own money on status runs as the benefits of Gold or Platinum are meaningful for frequent flyers.

I travel for work (all in Economy) so being Platinum (as a result of DSC) gives me a much higher chance of upgrading to business using points when I fly international. I also have better seating options, access to F lounges, get treated very well on CX flights (no upgrades yet but good customer service), earn more points on flights etc.

It really comes down to individual circumstances and what is meaningful to you and what will improve your travel experience.

I've been doing business travel for 11 years now and I will emphasise that travelling for business 100% in Economy - primarily international flights - is a hard slog, takes a toll on you physically, mentally and emotionally, impacts your diet and fitness levels, quality of sleep, time away from the family, lost routines and lack of home comforts, missed special occasions and on and on.

So anything that reduces stress levels and improves the quality of my travel is meaningful to me. Hence why Platinum is so valuable and one I aim for every year and yes sometimes I will use my own money to achieve that goal but only within reason and if the benefits are tangible. I have never spent thousands of $$ to do so but I can spend a few hundred over the course of the year to book a flexi ticket instead of a saver for example, so that I have a higher chance of upgrading and at a lower points cost, as well as earning more SCs.

I've never done a specific status run but I can't say I will never do one in future.

 

[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.

$50 PC wine voucher used to buy a single bottle of Shiraz = 5th Green Tier leaf received.

Free stuff and 50 SCs banked. Good times!

 

[mviy]

The one thing that has us considering playing the game in future years is that as lifetime NBs like yourself, there's next to no availability of desirable CR flights. But as a long-term holder of a Qantas Amex, Mr Champagne Tastes has 700k+ QF miles just...hanging around. Now, for domestic travel, they've been relatively easy to use, but if we want to fly premium cabins internationally, there's just nothing without status.

Even as a WP, I am struggling to try to find CR flights to where I want to go, which is LHR.

My plan had been to push for LTG and use the increased availability at that level to get points seats. But if I can’t find what I want as WP, what hope do I have if I get LTG and drop to that.

I probably need to get more strategic with my requests for CR seat releases whilst I have WP. Every time I have asked for a seat release it has been rejected, even asking for multiple different dates.

Maybe availability will improve at some point, but time will tell.

 

[Beer_budget]

Even as a WP, I am struggling to try to find CR flights to where I want to go, which is LHR.

Yep, despite our lower points earn capacity it's been much easier to get *A rewards (KF) to LHR/EU ports than Qantas, and we are usually extremely flexible on dates.

 

[Johnxx]

As aforementioned, I'm a lifetime NB.

For those chasing LTG or any other status I get it when your job requires travel, which also assumes that the business pays for the flights. But paying out of ones own pocket on status runs, is it really worth it?
I kinda get the concept that if you're travelling say SYD to LAX anyway on a revenue fare you receive SCs, and you do enough of those you may hit PS or even SG. Sort of like a nice benefit when you'd be doing those flights anyway.

But to actually fork out to hit those goals, what's the attraction that makes it worthwhile?
OK, I get you have increased priority for various scenarios like upgrade requests, phone queue but is that really worth the outlay? Lounge access? Meh - yeah its nice but worth the SC chase?

bit of a bucket list plus I have close to 2m points that I will never use having always been a NB
so I'm going straight to WP later this year after spending close to 4k on flights I would normally spend 1k two weeks ago with DSC. I figured with PC+ 100 SC rollover and SC on CR flights I would easily be able to keep it for a few more years after the initial outlay....of course that changed a few days after I booked the flights but no regrets.

 

[mviy]

It’s possible there may be a new way to earn CR on points seats, possibly tied to what status you have and in any case you will have PC+ for a little bit if you have it.

 

[Invisible Monkey]

It blows my mind that people have Qantas points balances in the millions.

 

[SYD]

It blows my mind that people have Qantas points balances in the millions.

CC spend, bonus points, sign up bonus, QF Hotels, QF Wine and a lot of good 'ol BIS flying.

We've been burning thru a lot the last few years on QF J redemptions but still earn more than we burn in some years!

 

[Daver6]

It blows my mind that people have Qantas points balances in the millions.

Sometimes it's easier said than done when it comes to burning them. If you're using them for toasters or non-classic awards flights then easy enough. If you're trying to extract value as premium cabin award seats it's challenging.

 

[SYD]

Sometimes it's easier said than done when it comes to burning them. If you're using them for toasters or non-classic awards flights then easy enough. If you're trying to extract value as premium cabin award seats it's challenging.

Less challenging from the East Coast. There is a lot still out there - just need to know when to look. Even without relying on WP requests.

 

[CaptJCool]

Less challenging from the East Coast. There is a lot still out there - just need to know when to look. Even without relying on WP requests.

I found if my dates were rigid then I’d find it much more difficult to get out of Australia
Short notice international worked great too (like 3 days before flight time)

Flexible and starting from somewhere ex Australia worked better

With 18 million members now there’s a HEAVY demand and very limited supply. From the sounds of it, offshore flying programs have similar availability with a handful of Aussie flyers taking up the seats to/from Europe ….

Got a bargain on flights from Vigo via Madrid to Marrakech (around 10,000 points in 2024)
Even the long haul from Griffith via Sydney and Brisbane to Perth (revenue economy tickets over $1,000 one way) and then Perth via Melbourne to Christchurch at 20,700 was decent (Perth to Adelaide was 18,000 alone so the extra distance - you get the picture)

I’m okay with the short one hour JQ ADEL to Melb for 5,700 cause with LTG I can champagne and Chivas regal up before boarding

 

[Daver6]

Less challenging from the East Coast. There is a lot still out there - just need to know when to look. Even without relying on WP requests.

Makes sense

 

[TheCollecter]

I’m okay with the short one hour JQ ADEL to Melb for 5,700 cause with LTG I can champagne and Chivas regal up before boarding

Crikey you would get your step count up on the way back!