Asia Miles vs QFF

[heykrazi]

Hi all

I am a newbie to this site, but with increased travel recently with work and more on the horizon, and leisure trips I'm planning over the next 12 months to Burma, NYC and Central Asia, I really want to get on top of this.

I have been a QFF member forever, but Cathay Pacific is my airline of choice. I recently flew Cathay to Hong Kong, and then Dragon onto Beijing, and came back to discover I didn't earn any points (I didn't even realize some flights didn't earn points, that's how new I am to all of this).
I recently therefore joined Asia Miles but am not sure if it was a wise thing to do...

If I fly economy with Qantas or JetStar do I always earn QFF points?
If I fly economy with Cathay or DragonAir do I always earn Asia Miles?
Taking into account points earns, with which programme I earn more status credits, and the fact that I have an Amex Qantas Discovery Card (but want to add a Visa/MC and possibly switch to an Amex that earns me MR), how should I approach the issue of booking oneworld flights? Is it better to shun Cathay and book Qantas when possible? or vice versa?

A little lost,
heykrazi.

 

[Robert K]

cheap tickets on CX and KA don't earn points in either asia miles or QFF. check the fare type when you book your tickets.

I think it's easier to gain status on QF. any eligible trips you take on the one world network will get you status credits on the program of your choice. (fly CX and get points on your QF program)

 

[heykrazi]

Hi Pu Koh

Thx for replying.
Not sure what your last sentence means.
I can fly any airline within oneworld and earn QFF points (assuming the fare type earns points)... but I'll only gain status credits if I fly with Qantas. This is part of my issue... I prefer flying Cathay but am not sure whether I should switch to flying Qantas when available, or if flying Cathay and earning status with them is better/easier?

Also, are there more fare types with Cathay that don't earn points? i.e. my impression is that almost all, if not all, Qantas fare types (even the really discounted red deal ones) earn me points... is this wrong?

 

[Robert K]

Point earning flights on cathay (or any OW airlines) will earn points AND status credit if you're on QF program.

All qantas flights earn points and status credits. I'm not familiar with cathay fare structure. But when you go to select your flight, click on name of the fare type at the top of the flight time column and it will tell you whether it does earn or not.

http://www.qantas.com.au/fflyer/dyn/program/status-credits

http://www.qantas.com.au/fflyer/dyn/program/terms#jump25

 

[amaroo]

IMO if you do any DOM flying then QF would be the one to pick.

On eligible flights you earn SC & points on all OW airlines......these can be credited to either QF or CX.

You need to check out the T&C for both programmes to ascertain which is the best for you......it all revolves around the bucket class of the ticket. AFAIK the only QF flights that don't earn are free tickets or classic award. J* is different as you need to pay extra to have the right to earn SC & points.

If you go with QF you need to make sure that you do a minimum of 4 QF eligible flights per year - this is critical for status.

Being based in OZ - IMO you would want to be doing a good number of flights with CX to select this programme over QF. As always, it depends on your circumstances.

I'm QF and also love flying CX......being a member of QF has never restricted my choice to fly CX & being OZ based there are always available classic award seats to HKG.