Qantas to launch in-depth partnership with Accor ALL

[Mattg]

Qantas and Accor will launch an in-depth partnership between their respective loyalty programs from mid-2021. Qantas says that you'll soon be able to double-dip by earning both Qantas & Accor points for both Accor hotel stays in the Asia Pacific region, as well as for Qantas domestic & international flights.

Qantas says this is the first such partnership in the Asia Pacific region, although it's not new for an airline and hotel loyalty program to form a close partnership. We've seen this in the USA with American Airlines/Hyatt and United/Marriott Bonvoy.

QANTAS AND ACCOR UNVEIL STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP TO GIVE CUSTOMERS GREATER REWARDS

Keep up to date with Qantas' latest news and information, media releases, articles, images and more with the Qantas News Room.

www.qantasnewsroom.com.au

 

[serfty]

Interesting -

AAdvantage and World of Hyatt have a similar arrangement (since last year) - initially there were fast track offers for Hotel Elites to garner AA status (not the other way IIRC).

Currently only WoH/AAdvantage elites can earn additional AAdvantage Miles/WoH points on AA flights/WoH Stays.

 

[dajop]

Qantas says this is the first such partnership in the Asia Pacific region, although it's not new for an airline and hotel loyalty program to form a close partnership. We've seen this in the USA with American Airlines/Hyatt and United/Marriott Bonvoy.

A good development and nice to see some extra benefits, but we should call them out on their spin the exact wording which is ....

Scheduled to launch mid-2021, it will be the first partnership of its kind between an airline and hospitality group in the Asia Pacific region.

It's not really the "first" though is it?

1) Shangri-La hotels are more of a niche provider, but SQ and Shangri-La have had a "double dipping" partnership for a little while now, and both are firmly rooted in the Asia Pacific region ....

Infinite Journeys

Feel welcome all over the world. Fly, stay and be rewarded with Singapore Airlines and Shangri-La

infinitejourneys.com

and

2) there's also the now disbanded SPG/China Eastern partnership ..

SPG & China Eastern Rewards Partnership Now Live: Eastern Explorer Rewards

SPG & China Eastern partnership Eastern Explorer Rewards is now live. Crossover rewards for SPG elite members on China Eastern flights and vice versa.

loyaltylobby.com

 

[RichardMEL]

It would be neat if status were gifted too much like happens with some of the other partnerships. It definitely would give me incentive to use Accor.

Certainly this has been on the cards for awhile as QF and Accor have been slowly building things for a couple of years now. Good to see it will hopefully bear more fruit in the future

 

[ole nimeton]

Qantas says that you'll soon be able to double-dip by earning both Qantas & Accor points for both Accor hotel stays in the Asia Pacific region, as well as for Qantas domestic & international flights.

Not really sure what that means... I already convert the points I earn with Accor to Qantas so unless they're planning to boost the earn rates...

I currently stay with Accor a couple of times a year, mostly to use the free room credit/silver status that comes with my AMEX Platinum card. Would certainly consider staying with them more if they offered extra benefits/points for my Qantas Platinum status.

 

[sudoer]

I look forward to seeing what the earn rates and reciprocal benefits are.

ALL's not the most amazing loyalty program for earning potential (it's effectively a flat 5% cashback at core brands before status bonus) and the status experience varies wildly by property, but their ubiquity in Australia all the way from the ibis budget end of the market up to the Sofitels et al make them a decent partner for Qantas IMO.

Pure guess work but I reckon this is how it'll pan out:
- Base earn rate of 1 QFF point per dollar on Accor stays, and 1 ALL point per dollar on Qantas flights.
- Status bonus for ALL points earned from Qantas flights in line with existing ALL status bonus - Silver +25%, Gold +50%, Plat/Diamond +80%
- Status bonus for Qantas points earned from Accor stays either as above, or in line with Qantas status bonus (+50/75/100%)
- Qantas Gold get ALL Silver, Qantas Plat get ALL Gold (which isn't particularly coveted given you can buy it), Qantas P1/CL get ALL Plat
- Existing ALL Gold or Plat (and higher) and get something like QFF Silver after one Qantas flight, a couple of lounge passes, or a status challenge like 200 SC in 90 days for QFF Gold.
- Points conversion from ALL to Qantas will be removed

Cant wait to return to this post in mid 2021 and see how close I am

Not really sure what that means... I already convert the points I earn with Accor to Qantas so unless they're planning to boost the earn rates...

You'll now earn both Qantas and ALL points on your Accor stays, rather than need to transfer them across, hence the double-dip. You'll also start earning ALL points on your Qantas flights.

 

[Genji88]

If reciprocal status benefits are on the cards, eg Accor Gold = QF Gold then I could see one of the following happen -

• Ibis Business cards discontinuing.
• Ibis Business cards prices increasing.
• Sales of Ibis Business cards being unprecedented.

 

[sudoer]

If reciprocal status benefits are on the cards, eg Accor Gold = QF Gold then I could see one of the following happen -

• Ibis Business cards discontinuing.
• Ibis Business cards prices increasing.
• Sales of Ibis Business cards being unprecedented.

I don't think Accor (globally) would discontinue or change ibis Business for what seems to be an APAC initiative, hence my prediction ALL Gold at best gets QFF Silver and at worst gets some lounge passes or a status challenge.

 

[Mattg]

If reciprocal status benefits are on the cards, eg Accor Gold = QF Gold then I could see one of the following happen -

• Ibis Business cards discontinuing.
• Ibis Business cards prices increasing.
• Sales of Ibis Business cards being unprecedented.

Considering how much easier it is (in general) to earn hotel status than airline status, I'd be surprised if Qantas would give a straight match/reciprocal benefits to people with Accor status. There may be other benefits though, like what @sudoer suggests.

I do think it's possible that Qantas Gold may get you Accor Gold (for example) though.

 

[wannabeinvestmentbanker]

Agreed from most tie-ups the max an airline ever seems to offer in respect of hotel status is silver. I wouldn't be surprised if QF offers even less like some lounge invites and ancillary services like QF wine.

The benefit to QF is bringing more numbers and data into their FF ecosystem.

 

[SYD]

AF FlyingBlue and ALL Accor already have a partnership that might provide a closer indication of what could be coming - basically FF points when you stay and Hotel points when you fly. There might some additional one off / introductory SCs thrown in.

Miles+Points - All and Flying Blue

Subscribe to Miles+Points to enjoy the numerous benefits offered by the All and Flying Blue loyalty programmes

all.accor.com

Flying Blue

www.flyingblue.com

I signed up for this when it came out - although I only have a token amount of flying and miles with AF/KLM. Not even enough to throw across to Accor before they start to expire...(4K min transfer from FB to 1000 Accor).

QFF/ALL should work better!

PS: The online eBook subscription seemed like a good idea until I found out that they’re 99.9% French language editions...

 

[ole nimeton]

With people likely flying less in the future it would be very attractive if the partnership allows the ability for people to earn QF status credits from hotel stays.

 

[SYD]

With people likely flying less in the future it would be very attractive if the partnership allows the ability for people to earn QF status credits from hotel stays.

The AF/KLM hookup gave you 1x Accor status night after your first flight and a handful of SCs after your first stay - but they were one-offs.

Something more enduring would be very handy.

 

[trippin_the_rift]

Looks more like an MOU than any type of partnership announcement.
Lots of empty buzzwords in that press release, which, is basically saying there will be a future press release to announce actual details.

My money is on the tie-up being some type of marketing gimmick. Eg: To double-dip, you need to book through specific links, QFF elites may get some type of benefit at the hotel that anyone could obtain through Accor plus or other booking channels.

However, I maintain that Accor is one of the worst hotel loyalty programs out there in terms of value vs other known chains.

 

[Rangalad]

AF FlyingBlue and ALL Accor already have a partnership that might provide a closer indication of what could be coming - basically FF points when you stay and Hotel points when you fly. There might some additional one off / introductory SCs thrown in.

Miles+Points - All and Flying Blue

Subscribe to Miles+Points to enjoy the numerous benefits offered by the All and Flying Blue loyalty programmes

all.accor.com

Flying Blue

www.flyingblue.com

I signed up for this when it came out - although I only have a token amount of flying and miles with AF/KLM. Not even enough to throw across to Accor before they start to expire...(4K min transfer from FB to 1000 Accor).

QFF/ALL should work better!

PS: The online eBook subscription seemed like a good idea until I found out that they’re 99.9% French language editions...

C’est bon!

 

[k_sheep]

Pity Accor don't really do status matches.

 

[Foreigner]

‘Members of each loyalty program will receive further information on the full details of the new partnership early next year.’

 

[ABC]

With people likely flying less in the future it would be very attractive if the partnership allows the ability for people to earn QF status credits from hotel stays.

I very rarely stay in an Accor hotel preferring to concentrate my efforts on Hilton with IHG as a back up, even though for a number of years I had top tier status in Accor through a credit card.

I find their loyalty scheme to be by far the most unappealing of all the major chains, and anything I get receive from it is incidental, and it in no way drives loyalty.

I think the most likely outcome is that you will be able to earn a few Qantas points on top for Accor stays. At a push they might offer a lowly Accor status to top tier QFF members e.g. Accor Silver to QFF Platinum and Accor Gold to QFF Platinum One.

The prospect of earning a few Qantas points would not be enough to encourage me to switch from Hilton or IHG to Accor, however, if there was an ongoing opportunity to earn Qantas status credits on Accor stays that would lead me to making Accor my preferred chain. Perhaps 1 status credit per night or stay with an annual cap of maybe 50 or 100 status credits earned from this source would be realistic.

I don't think though if any QFF status credits are going to be on offer from this tie up that they will be ongoing. As someone has already mentioned it is likely to be a one off bonus after linking the accounts and the first stay. I would guess this will probably be 10 status credits.

 

[DC3]

Only Asia-Pacific. So, that’s only about 25% of Accor hotels worldwide?

 

[SYD]

Only Asia-Pacific. So, that’s only about 25% of Accor hotels worldwide?

But that could mean something slightly better than the global FB/ALL arrangement in my earlier posts. Time will tell but I’d be surprised if it’s wildly different.