Qatar Gold vs Velocity Platinum. Which to use?

[Alexandraadventuretime]

Flying Auckland to Adelaide and not sure if better to fly as Qatar Gold or Velocity Platinum on Qatar. They are technically equal but is it preferred to be Qatar Gold as it's their flight?

Thanks

 

[Human]

Everything will be the same -- lounge access, priority check-in etc -- apart from where the points and status credits are credited. Is it more worthwhile for you to have the Velocity points and SCs, or Qatar Avios and Qpoints?

 

[SYD]

Everything will be the same -- lounge access

Is that true if flying whY? (OP didn’t mention class of travel)

Does QR direct status PAX to another lounge other than the QF J Lounge in AKL?

 

[Human]

Is that true if flying whY? (OP didn’t mention class of travel)

Does QR direct status PAX to another lounge other than the QF J Lounge in AKL?

Good point. Or does Qatar use the Strata lounge in Auckland?

 

[SYD]

Good point. Or does Qatar use the Strata lounge in Auckland?

No, looks like QF F/J lounges.

Airport Lounges: oneworld Lounges & Airport Lounge Access

Enjoy airport lounge access at 600+ airport lounges worldwide through your oneworld Priority tier. Exceptions may apply.

www.oneworld.com

Out of curiosity, has any VA SG/WP managed to enter a non-QR OW lounge flying QR whY?

 

[Cessna 180]

No, looks like QF F/J lounges.

Airport Lounges: oneworld Lounges & Airport Lounge Access

Enjoy airport lounge access at 600+ airport lounges worldwide through your oneworld Priority tier. Exceptions may apply.

www.oneworld.com

Out of curiosity, has any VA SG/WP managed to enter a non-QR OW lounge flying QR whY?

Probably slightly off topic, but bear with me…

This is an interesting point.
I starting looking in to this last night.

It looks like if we book a QR reward using velocity points it has a VA flight number.
Is it possible to get a QR flight number?

However, if it is on a Qr plane one could be eligible to use any one world lounge relevant to your status with QF. (In theory)?

If it is a QR flight number then should be def possible to enter the QF f lounge for example if platinum. ? Regardless of how the ticket was paid.

I don’t have much experience of using one world benefits for lounge other than the cx lounge in Hong Kong when on QF economy.

 

[SYD]

Probably slightly off topic, but bear with me…

This is an interesting point.
I starting looking in to this last night.

It looks like if we book a QR reward using velocity points it has a VA flight number.
Is it possible to get a QR flight number?

However, if it is on a Qr plane one could be eligible to use any one world lounge relevant to your status with QF. (In theory)?

If it is a QR flight number then should be def possible to enter the QF f lounge for example if platinum. ? Regardless of how the ticket was paid.

I don’t have much experience of using one world benefits for lounge other than the cx lounge in Hong Kong when on QF economy.

I'm surprised a VA reward on QR metal is coming up with the VA codeshare flight number. I thought VA always booked into the operating carrier flight? (same as QF).

Anyway, if you have a QR BP, I would expect you'd get into a OW lounge with OW status. Similarly if it's a J BP.

Other here might be able to elaborate?

 

[henrus]

Everything will be the same -- lounge access, priority check-in etc -- apart from where the points and status credits are credited. Is it more worthwhile for you to have the Velocity points and SCs, or Qatar Avios and Qpoints?

Not true.

Oneworld Saphire (QR Gold) gets priority baggage and preferred seating (this often means free upfront seats or exit rows). These benefits aren't applied to VA status holders at this time.

 

[Forg]

Having been in the QF Auckland J & F lounges, and confirming via Mr Google that they’ve not been upgraded … I’m not sure there’s a lot of value in having access to that. At the time my better-half had access to QF F or EK J … we quickly looked in both QF lounges and ran over to EK.

 

[Milefest]

My understanding of the VA-QR agreement is that VA elite status pax only have access to QR operated lounges. VA is not part of the OW Alliance and therefore these lounges would be treated as 3rd party lounges.

For example, a VA Platinum flying out of SYD on a QR flight number in Y has no available access to them as there are no 3rd party lounge agreements (I've experienced this first-hand).

The most frustrating thing about this is that VA states in ther lounge eligibility that VA pax have access to QR 3rd party lounges but they don't mention which ones.

 

[SYD]

Having been in the QF Auckland J & F lounges, and confirming via Mr Google that they’ve not been upgraded … I’m not sure there’s a lot of value in having access to that. At the time my better-half had access to QF F or EK J … we quickly looked in both QF lounges and ran over to EK.

Alas, the EK lounge wouldn’t be in play flying QR.

 

[Forg]

Alas, the EK lounge wouldn’t be in play flying QR.

Indeed … you know those times when you go into the lounge, browse the selection of snacks & seating, then head back out into the terminal and pay for a meal & a drink …

 

[henrus]

My understanding of the VA-QR agreement is that VA elite status pax only have access to QR operated lounges. VA is not part of the OW Alliance and therefore these lounges would be treated as 3rd party lounges.

For example, a VA Platinum flying out of SYD on a QR flight number in Y has no available access to them as there are no 3rd party lounge agreements (I've experienced this first-hand).

The VA-QR agreement is similar to the VA-EY one where VA status holders get access to all third party lounges however as not part of OW they must use the lounge that QR has an agreement with (essentially the default one they send their business class passengers to).

In Sydney this is currently the Air New Zealand lounge.

 

[Milefest]

The VA-QR agreement is similar to the VA-EY one where VA status holders get access to all third party lounges however as not part of OW they must use the lounge that QR has an agreement with (essentially the default one they send their business class passengers to).

In Sydney this is currently the Air New Zealand lounge.

I've personally flown QR out of Sydney on a QR flight number with my VA number linked, the Air New Zealand lounge denied me access due to there being no lounge agreement.

 

[SYD]

The VA-QR agreement is similar to the VA-EY one where VA status holders get access to all third party lounges however as not part of OW they must use the lounge that QR has an agreement with (essentially the default one they send their business class passengers to).

In Sydney this is currently the Air New Zealand lounge.

Is that still in play?

I've personally flown QR out of Sydney on a QR flight number with my VA number linked, the Air New Zealand lounge denied me access due to there being no lounge agreement.

If this was recent, then apparently not?

According to the Oneworld website (which looks updated), SYD is QF F/J for all OW carriers except BA who are still directing J and status PAX to The House (or course, they can also go to the QF lounges if they choose).

Airport Lounges: oneworld Lounges & Airport Lounge Access

Enjoy airport lounge access at 600+ airport lounges worldwide through your oneworld Priority tier. Exceptions may apply.

www.oneworld.com

 

[kiwitripper64]

There are 4 lounges in Auckland
Emirates. Not accessible because EK not OW
Qantas. QR passengers can get in as OW by boking class of J or by OW status of sapphire or emerald. While your Velocity Platinum is recognised by QR, it may not be recognised by the Qantas lounge.
Strata lounge and Air NZ. QR may have a 3rd party agreement for PAX to use one of these.

 

[jase05]

There are 4 lounges in Auckland
Emirates. Not accessible because EK not OW
Qantas. QR passengers can get in as OW by boking class of J or by OW status of sapphire or emerald. While your Velocity Platinum is recognised by QR, it may not be recognised by the Qantas lounge.
Strata lounge and Air NZ. QR may have a 3rd party agreement for PAX to use one of these.

The neighbours were directed to the Strata lounge flying in Y with QR back in November as VA Golds

 

[henrus]

Is that still in play?

Yes, Qatar uses Air New Zealands lounges in Brisbane, Sydney and Perth, in Adelaide they either hand out a voucher or use the Virgin lounge and in Melbourne they use the Marhaba Lounge.

However if flying with VA status it's best to ask at check in for the latest lounge details. At some airports you may require a separate voucher which if you don't collect then you're out of luck.

Just because the 3rd party lounge is a oneworld lounge doesn't mean a VA Gold/Plat isn't eligible but obviously standard oneworld rules apply so if Qatar is sending to a particular oneworld carriers lounge then you have to use that.

Sometimes you get some odd things, there was a time when Etihad was flying out of Perth and used the Qantas club as their contract lounge. The arrangement mean VA Gold/Plat got access to the Qantas club in Perth. This also happened more recently over covid when LHR T4 was shut, EY was using the T3 Qantas lounge in LHR instead (and once again VA Gold/Plat's would have been eligible).

According to the Oneworld website (which looks updated)

The lounge details on the oneworld website are supposed to be provided by each individual airline to oneworld.

Some airlines like Qatar and Qantas are terrible at doing this. It was only in the last couple of months that Qantas finally got around to updating many of their international lounges to say they'd reopened again. Qatar need to tell oneworld what 3rd party lounges they are using so they page can be updated, this was actually something they promised to do back in Sep/Oct last year.

 

[BNEFlyer]

Last year I flew QR out of BNE and had QR Gold on my BP at check in and then changed to VA to get points/credits before departure.

Because of this I was able to go to the QF and NZ lounges, was able to select seats for free and received a welcome on board from one of the cabin managers. However on my connecting flight from DOH-CDG I didn't receive the welcome because my FF status would've shown VA on the manifest.

On the return I just left it as QR and credited to them.

 

[SYD]

Qatar need to tell oneworld what 3rd party lounges they are using so they page can be updated, this was actually something they promised to do back in Sep/Oct last year.

They could also get around to updating their own website. Outside of DOH, it’s pretty unreliable. But that’s the one port that VA Status PAX are generally guaranteed lounge access flying QR.