Should I change FF programmes?

[marekc]

Hi All,

I am currently currently have QF FF Gold Status from flying domestically, I am not changing roles and will be flying all over Asia (predominately Japan) business class. I was wondering if it is worth changing over to Star Alliance and starting fresh? I have accumulated around 300K points on Qantas and have just gone through my reassessment period with Qantas. I was also wondering what the Star Alliance lounges are like? I've been on the SIA and ANA websites, and it looks like they only have 1 class of lounge? and the status levels are only Silver and Gold opposed to the QF/Oneworld Emerald/Saphire/Ruby classes?

Any feedback welcome!

Cheers.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Hi All,

I was wondering if it is worth changing over to Star Alliance and starting fresh? I was also wondering what the Star Alliance lounges are like? I've been on the SIA and ANA websites, and it looks like they only have 1 class of lounge? and the status levels are only Silver and Gold opposed to the QF/Oneworld Emerald/Saphire/Ruby classes?

Any feedback welcome!

Cheers.

It might be worth having a talk with the star alliance carrier you are most likely to fly with and see if they will do a status match for you if you need it (really only needed if you fly economy). If you are going to be in biz class then you get the important benefits like check-in, lounges and luggage anyway.

Star alliance rewards programs can generally be more rewarding and easier to get seats on than say Qantas - even at short notice they seem to be good.

You are right they have two levels - silver - no real benefits (biz class check-in and some airlines allow silver members to use their own lounges), and gold - which is the equivalent i suppose of Qantas gold. And gets you similar lounges (facilities and food wise) to qantas club lounges. Some are better than others such as the Air NZ ones, and the Thai lounge in Hong Kong, but some can be a bit drab (some Thai lounges in BKK for example).

While star has just two levels, their very top levels with special lounges generally require a lot more travel than the Oneworld emerald equivalent - for example with Lufthansa you need 600000 miles a year for HON status and access to first class lounges.

However - there are other benefits from star airlines such as upgrade vouchers and system wide upgrades (on UA) - these generally start once you have achieved the 100-125k mark.

For me, I have started using star this year changing from QF. I'll see how it goes in a year's time.

Hope this helps.

 

[Mwenenzi]

marekc Welcome to AFF :!:

.. I am not changing roles and will be flying all over Asia (predominately Japan) business class. I was wondering if it is worth changing over to Star Alliance and starting fresh?

Will you have the choice of airline ? Many companies have agreements with a particulatar airline or a "best fare iof the day" policy (even on international business class routes)

 

[dajop]

I am currently currently have QF FF Gold Status from flying domestically, I am not changing roles and will be flying all over Asia (predominately Japan) business class. I was wondering if it is worth changing over to Star Alliance and starting fresh?

It may depend on where you are based, and where you travel to. If you are based in Sydney or Brisbane, and Tokyo is a main destination, it may make sense to stick with Qantas FF (or JAL due if travelling from BNE - at least whilst that route lasts), due to direct flights. If you are based elsewhere or are travelling beyond Tokyo within Japan and/or will have regular travel to places other than Japan, that opens a range of options.

If it is predominantly NE Asia (ie Korea, Japan, China) though, combinations of CX, Qantas and JL may work well, or even if you are game Skyteam - with China Southern and Korean, cough splutter (can't comment on these). If your business does take you regularly to SE Asia as well or is likely to involve considerable internal travel within China, I'd be favouring SQ or TG and star alliance (Air China and Shanghai Airlines) within China.

If you are travelling business class it may even be worth splitting your loyalties. For example, if you joined Air NZ's Airpoints program, two return trips to Japan (via Singapore) will get you to star gold, and then you are free to choose between star alliance and oneworld based on what fare and timing makes sense when you want to travel.

If combining destinations both oneworld and star alliance have "Circle Asia" fares available that can be useful - the limitation with one world is that getting from Korea & China to SE Asia necessates a transit of Hongkong or Tokyo.

Good luck!

 

[marekc]

Thanks for the replies all!

I my travel initially will be mainly to Japan, but will also involve possible frequent travel to Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand and Korea. I am also a little worried about JAL leaving the oneworld alliance as a lot of my travel to SE Asia will be both departing from Japan and also Sydney... So it looks like Star Alliance may be the way to go.

Now out of the star alliance carriers which one would have the most attractive loyalty program? I read that Air Canada only requires 40,000 miles flown to achieve gold status, I think Air NZ is similar and SQ is ~50,000 miles.. the miles aren't the main concern I guess it is which one would have the better perks?

Cheers.

 

[Dee Thom]

I've always enjoyed travel with TG, an airline that has always looked after me, and I've always been able to upgrade, or redeem freebies with a simple phone call to Thai Brissy office on short notice, unlike QF and other Asian opperators. I travel to NRT quite often via BKK and stay over at Novotel A/Port in BKK, arriving fresh around lunch-time in Japan, although I have now given up longhaul flying except on hols.
Everyone on AFF will have their own preferance as to what A/Line to go with, but it is what suits you and your business that should be the deciding factor.................

Cheers Dee