Article: What I Value Most About Qantas Platinum Status

[jakeseven7]

3. IROPS priority

Damn another one I missed! Agree.

Yea this is great, I’ve been able to secure myself much better fixes than the masses when weather gods hit!

 

[Sprucegoose]

extra luggage allowance, which I only used once, on my move to Canada, and my partner and I were able to check in 256kg of luggage (4x32kg each) as P1/partner WPs travelling in First.

I am in total awe of this feat!

 

[Mistress]

Rocking up to international partner flights, (booked via QF) and as soon as they see the platinum card /emerald status they bend over backwards to help you. This happened when we were in Arica, Chile. The booking did not come through to LATAM correctly and as soon as they saw the platinum card they helped us get onto our flight by calling LATAM head and QF Sydney. Took 3 hours to sort out!. Without that I think we would have missed that flight!

Also helped with getting on the plane for all LATAM flights too.

 

[RooFlyer]

Also helped with getting on the plane for all LATAM flights too.

Preferente?

 

[SYD]

Damn another one I missed! Agree.

Yea this is great, I’ve been able to secure myself much better fixes than the masses when weather gods hit!

I used the non-technical term earlier “when things go pear shaped”…

 

[Berlin]

For me, clearly the OW benefits are the most important part. Actually, I’ve found that OW is more consistent to offer priority services/access to their members that *Alliance and SkyTeam are (bar my recent really bad treatment by JAL). Best benefit for me by far is access to the lounge in the US and if I happen to travel through Dubai, the First lounge is a nice bonus too.

Best benefits here in Australia? Clearly the First lounge here in Sydney (or Melbourne but I don’t like the overall layout and size that much there) and the option to request additional reward seats.

I also don’t find it that hard to retain status. I do at least two, if not three, international J trips out of my own pocket a year. So it’s not all that hard to move that to OW carriers, especially as they are mostly quite good airlines. I actually never spend a cent on Domestic flights- that’s what is best use for my points, always up the front and always at the times I want (even if I have to request it). When I hear stories of people desperately paying big bucks for some last minute Economy ticket on coughstar, I just make a sad kinda smile because that hasn’t happened to me in many years.

So yes, for me it’s 100% worth it.

 

[jakeseven7]

I used the non-technical term earlier “when things go pear shaped”…

Well I did have an amazing pear shaped tart in the F lounge once thanks to WP status

 

[AIRwin]

I am in total awe of this feat!

Challenge for you to beat the record...

 

[ljcoz]

I am in a similar position Matt. I absolutely love the first class lounges and those alone, will encourage me to keep Platinum! However I have found no difference in call centre waiting times unless of course they have really blown out again! I waiting 45 minutes yesterday and was put through to an international centre who could not help me.

Time of day calling can make a big difference, I was calling and dropping out after holding then eventually got onto someone who didn’t know what she was doing. That was late evening NZ time on a Sunday, called next morning at 9am instantly connected to Auckland, very competent and problem solved.

 

[ljcoz]

I find the wait times are quicker but if you get through to an untrained agent and have to hang up and call again then it's pointless anyway. I wouldn't chase/retain Platinum purely on the idea that your call is going to be handled by a competent agent. Sure it's great when you can get through to Auckland or Hobart, but it's so difficult even with Platinum status most of my calls end up being routed to Suva or Cape Town who will answer as "Qantas Premium" but they certainly are not. Just this week I spent 1.5 hours over 5 calls trying to fix a negative connection caused by a schedule change on a domestic itinerary because the outsourced agents kept placing me on hold for ages to "fix it" until the call disconnected.

Agree totally with Cape Town - was told no can do and I said yes you can, took about a half an hour and finally sorted. After insisting

 

[StevoQFtraveller]

I've been platinum for years, but when phoning call centres continue to be put through to non-competent off-shore centres. So being platinum hasn't been of much benefit in this regard

 

[poopiepoo]

I was Double Gold Elite (earning status twice over the top threshold) with Air New Zealand until the inflight meals took a big enough dive during the Luxon era. for me to seek greener pastures.

One main advantage QF Platinum and therefore One World Emerald over Star Alliance is an existence of a tier above Gold.

As top NZ Gold Elite Status, I had no excess to SQ's or ANA's top lounge. There's simply no recognition for top tier flyers outside the airline's network, as far as any Star Alliance carrier outside Air NZ was concerned, I was just Gold.

One World Emerald is above Gold and all the benefits accorded including better food and beverage at First or equivalent lounge.

With many airlines racing to the bottom in terms of inflight meals, even in Business Class. Access to premium dining before boarding really helps.

 

[Sprucegoose]

I was Double Gold Elite (earning status twice over the top threshold) with Air New Zealand until the inflight meals took a big enough dive during the Luxon era. for me to seek greener pastures.

One main advantage QF Platinum and therefore One World Emerald over Star Alliance is an existence of a tier above Gold.

As top NZ Gold Elite Status, I had no excess to SQ's or ANA's top lounge. There's simply no recognition for top tier flyers outside the airline's network, as far as any Star Alliance carrier outside Air NZ was concerned, I was just Gold.

One World Emerald is above Gold and all the benefits accorded including better food and beverage at First or equivalent lounge.

With many airlines racing to the bottom in terms of inflight meals, even in Business Class. Access to premium dining before boarding really helps.

Poopiepoo, that was well penned.

Put in the terms that you have described, there are demonstrable differences between the programs. I am sure there are others, however, the big takeaway is the WP recognition in the OWA offers more comparable benefits across the OWA network than say the equivalent Gold at *A, without sweating the small stuff.

Your appreciation is at the OWE/A level and extends beyond QFWP.

Thanks.

 

[levelnine]

WP + PC is a really good combination, you have points, you get get seats released, and those seats give you SCs - it's a great cycle (obviously you still need to be doing a lot of revenue travel as well).

I'm on track to hold WP until at least mid-2025 without spending a single cent on revenue travel — all classic awards released through WP requests. Though I admit the SC rollovers and semi-regular DSC offers make this path a lot easier.

It still surprises me that it is possible. Acquire QFF points at an average cost of about $0.002/c through churning, redeem those points for long-haul business class at less cost than the price of economy revenue fares (eg my latest business class return ticket from Australia to the US cost $1,151 per person in points+taxes), earn more SC than economy revenue fares, and get to keep WP status in the process.

Allows me to direct all my revenue travel to VA/*A. Thank you, Qantas lol.

So what I value most about my WP status is how cheap Qantas makes it to attain. Long may that continue.

 

[jpp42]

I am sure there are others, however, the big takeaway is the WP recognition in the OWA offers more comparable benefits across the OWA network than say the equivalent Gold at *A, without sweating the small stuff.

I've gotten op-up's on both CX and UL while travelling as OWE which has been a great benefit and might not have extended to OWS (although it obviously depends on the flight).

 

[jakeseven7]

I've gotten op-up's on both CX and UL while travelling as OWE which has been a great benefit and might not have extended to OWS (although it obviously depends on the flight).

I've been op-upgraded from J to F twice on CX as QF WP as well. Of course you don't know if you would have got the same as QF Gold, but still nice!

 

[dairyfloss]

I've had 4 op-ups from J to F on EK (all trans-tasman, but still very much appreciated), but only the one on QF, from Y+ to J (SIN-SYD, IIRC), and I think more likely to do with an involuntary seat change

 

[SYD]

Op Ups are a bit harder with less F class around and already in J but great when they happen.

2x J->F on BA (SYD-SIN at check in and then coming home on the SIN-SYD sector - received a call while sitting in the lounge) - AY ticket.

1x J->F on EK (DXB-BCN at the F lounge gate) - QF Classic Reward! SYD+1 also upgraded.

Plenty of QF Dom Y->J - a couple of times on my birthday.

Generally pretty lucky with points upgrade requests.

 

[Beano]

Emirates First class lounge in Dubai. Priority line to Qantas. And, that's about it really.

In this article, I've outlined the things I most value about Qantas Platinum status:

The 5 Things I Value Most About Qantas Platinum Status

Qantas Frequent Flyer Gold membership includes great perks like airport lounge access, but Qantas Platinum status packs even more of a punch.

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

Do you agree? Over to you, AFF…

Do you see the value in Qantas Platinum status and if so, which are your most prized benefits?

If you don’t think Platinum status is worth earning 1,400 status credits in a year – or 1,200 to maintain – why not?

Totally agree with everything. I am a Y flier so cherish lounge access at F level and choice of seating at the blunt end (not the pointy end). Generally don't need luggage as COO (that's Carry On Only), but relish it on long haul once every 3 years. Quick access to a help desk is much appreciated. Those benefits, I have found, transfer into EK which I fly with to Europe. Looking forward the EK F lounge in Dubai

It is hard work at Y level but manageable. Just have to remember to always fly to at least 3 Australian location every trip once a month with sometimes fitting in 4.

 

[Seat0B]

In the past 5 years after I retired it has been earned via an annual DONE4, so not really a challenge and not much on QF metal.

Sorry for the second newbie question in a week, but what is a DONE4? Something to do with One World I assume, but I'd appreciate either clarification or a point to relevant thread - the only one I could find is from 2008 and is closed.