Beyond WP1

[scottpilot10]

Geez, I'm amazed at anyone who gets to 5000 SC in a year. Are you ever home? Even flying F that's a lot of flying. How do you do it?

 

[QF Wally]

I hit WP within 3 months, just received WP1. Qantas offered me Epiqure membership last year due to disruptions of grouding the fleet (best use of my FF points that I have ever come across). Other than that, no evident advantage to WP1 at all, with the exception that purely due to high SC's, I get upgraded on full flights pretty much automatically.

The mistake QF have made is that they have put together a 'fake' membership level as so many people were achievin their premium WP. If no other perks evolve for WP1, I will be definitely taking my SC's to SQ and CX (majority of my travel is Asia). Your move Qantas.

 

[Jeffa32]

I have racked up 4050 SC since April this year. Mainly flying J with a couple of F. Most trips between Melbourne and London.

To be honest, I wish Qantas would just make benefits of WP1 more compelling. Just don't understand the thinking that you get 50,000 FFP for 2400 and then nothing tangible and the so called ultimate premier flying status within Qantas. I think it almost worth just re-qualified WP to maintain first lounge access and then building up on another airline program.

Would be interested to here what unpulblished benefits WP1 have received that are directly linked to being a WP1 (rather than an upgrade that you might have got as WP anyway)

 

[QF Wally]

Would be interested to here what unpulblished benefits WP1 have received that are directly linked to being a WP1 (rather than an upgrade that you might have got as WP anyway)

I've literally only just been given WP1, so no access to unpublished benefits as yet. As I say, access to Epiqure which I already had, and upgrades (3x First on A380's in the last 3 months) which were soley due to high SC's (just hit 5700 since April 1st). Unless something big is pulled out of their hat, I'm shooting for the equivalent with Star Al and will maintain both.

Also - QF are really lagging with their lie-flat seats now-a-days! Completely off-topic but gees! Unless you are on the A380, they're one of the most uncomfortable going around!

 

[scottpilot10]

I have racked up 4050 SC since April this year. Mainly flying J with a couple of F. Most trips between Melbourne and London.

To be honest, I wish Qantas would just make benefits of WP1 more compelling. Just don't understand the thinking that you get 50,000 FFP for 2400 and then nothing tangible and the so called ultimate premier flying status within Qantas. I think it almost worth just re-qualified WP to maintain first lounge access and then building up on another airline program.

Would be interested to here what unpulblished benefits WP1 have received that are directly linked to being a WP1 (rather than an upgrade that you might have got as WP anyway)

I'm with you Jeffa32. I will easily hit WP1 this year after being top tier QFF for the past 15 years. I am expecting my frequency of upgrades to increase otherwise the stated benefits appear intangible. I reckon if you hit WP1 you should have access to lifetime WP (I have qualified for lifetime G many times over). Going over to SQ? Negative, points and benefits erode (unlike QF) and I have never been upgraded. Their OZ lounges are cough c/w QFF so Qantas have made a good strategic move in offering outstanding service in their Sydney and Melbourne F lounges.
Yes

 

[rhjames]

That's what I considered the best option. I was platinum, and lifetime gold for many years. There was no incentive left, so other airlines got more of my business. Lifetime platinum would have been worth working towards.

 

[Ewok]

AF/KLM have lifetime Platinum after 10 consecutive years. I'm halfway there because of the reasons you mention above.

 

[Ewok]

Instead of lifetime plat, how about for every 1400 SC you earn past a certain point (2400 or 3600) in a year they add a free year of platinum to your bank. If any year you would fall below plat they use this bank of free years to keep your status up. I'm sure this would please the people travelling in F for business a lot as they could keep status for a few years after retiring or changing job.

AF/KLM do this. I qualified for platinum after 6 months, and have almost qualified for the following year already. Overall I find it better than the QF FF system in almost every way.

 

[Fishhead]

I'm letting my QF Platinum expire as its been degraded so much that its not worth it. Now have Velocity Platinum and its way more useful anyway, especially in Asia. QF has abandoned many routes to Jetstar who don't allow lounge access at a number of airports.

 

[kangela]

Hmmm... I have been WP1 since for 6 months. Benefits (visible and ?hidden):

• On board - there has been nothing, nada! Apart from ability to choose front row (or exit row, free) no benefit whatsoever.
• Operational upgrades or 'regrades' - None.
• I had a couple of bottles of wine on becoming WP1.
• I was invited to exclusve Olympic viewing at a Central London hotel. But, wasn't in London.
• I and a guest can visit Sydney MCA lounge.
• And - epiCURE and their ads for a year.
• I was invited to preview of those miserables.

THAT's IT. Wow!
I am lifetime Gold.
Switching to something else ... anything else .... next year.

 

[simongr]

I'm with you Jeffa32. I will easily hit WP1 this year after being top tier QFF for the past 15 years. I am expecting my frequency of upgrades to increase otherwise the stated benefits appear intangible. I reckon if you hit WP1 you should have access to lifetime WP (I have qualified for lifetime G many times over). Going over to SQ? Negative, points and benefits erode (unlike QF) and I have never been upgraded. Their OZ lounges are cough c/w QFF so Qantas have made a good strategic move in offering outstanding service in their Sydney and Melbourne F lounges.
Yes

Hmmm... I have been WP1 since for 6 months. Benefits (visible and ?hidden):

• On board - there has been nothing, nada! Apart from ability to choose front row (or exit row, free) no benefit whatsoever.
• Operational upgrades or 'regrades' - None.
• I had a couple of bottles of wine on becoming WP1.
• I was invited to exclusve Olympic viewing at a Central London hotel. But, wans't in London.
• I and a guest can visit MCA lounge.
• And - epiCURE and their ads for a year.
• I was invited to preview of those miserables.

THAT's IT. Wow!
I am lifetime Gold.
Switching to something else ... anything else .... next year.

It is simple really - hit WP with QF in the first year and then switch all earning to AA until you hit EXP and then enjoy EXP.

 

[bsb]

Split your points between OW carriers. If you have an Australian Bus Platinum AMEX you can get Marco Polo Club Gold for free, and start building up status there. Once you've maxed that, start sharing it with other carriers and you'll soon learn that QF doesn't love their customers anywhere near as much as other OW airlines.

You can then pick and choose which programme you use to book based on who looks after you better.

Also, try DJ and their affiliates. Apart from the QF First lounges, they really are pretty good these days and they LOVE premium flyers 'till it hurts (and it hurts me to say that after all these years).

 

[aviator]

As the Qantas frequent flyer points are devalued and in any case almost impossible to use in redeeming international business class flights I would suggest a really good thing for qantas to reward it's serious frequent flyers is in Qantas shares. then they may be able to influence the direction of the company before Mr Joyce turns it into a Middle Eastern RyanAir or Mr Dixon buys it and flogs it on for a profit as seems not to have given up on that idea.

 

[katiebell]

LT WP would be an incemtive. Agree that once LTG & WP/WP1 there is little, if any, incentive to keep using QF FF

 

[emef]

Okay have taken advice from here and working with Qantas on an account manager for our corporate bookings. Hopefully that will build an overall business profile for our $500K+ spend. On the suggestions of splitting my points accrual to other OW carriers, all OS travel is business or first so I don't feel a need to build status with them.

 

[Kangol]

On the suggestions of splitting my points accrual to other OW carriers, all OS travel is business or first so I don't feel a need to build status with them.

I don't think it is building status per se, it's more the better value for points eg. award flights.
Australia to Europe in F is 192k on QFF vs 80k on AAdvantage. The cash co-pay for taxes is less with AA.
Even if you are spending well into 6 figures per year, you may be much better off in the long run by crediting to AA as many here have, even if you were to start out as a no-status AA member (or even do a challenge and earn PLT status quickly, thereby being eligible for status bonuses quicker than usual).
If you post your travel patterns for say this year, I'm sure someone here would be able to do the calculations.

Whilst premium cabin points bonuses may be more on QFF, in the end you may be earning a slightly better bonus but paying a lot more for your redemptions.

 

[HKGNZL]

I also appreciate some advice. I will make WP1 for the first time next month. I fly a mixture of J and Y depending on client accounts, more international than domestic, and out of Perth. I am new to this topic and may be asking rather naive questions but am confused about some of the comments made above. Can you enlighten me?

- someone suggested putting points to AA for better value. If this is the case should I just aim to change to AA permanently then using this opportunity when I am OWE?

- some suggested putting flights to *A. Wouldn't I just lose the benefits of OWE like F lounges?

- I will be using SQ in J next month. Should I credit Kris or DJ flying program?

 

[Kangol]

- someone suggested putting points to AA for better value. If this is the case should I just aim to change to AA permanently then using this opportunity when I am OWE?

- some suggested putting flights to *A. Wouldn't I just lose the benefits of OWE like F lounges?

It all depends on your flying patterns. For some people, getting to OWE is easier on AA than QF and vice versa.
Each program's elite status has different benefits and making the most of them depends on where and who you fly with.
It also depends on what you plan to use your points on - if it's award flights you are after, then AA redemption rates make a mockery of QFF ones.

 

[Zulu0929]

Maybe Qantas should consider offering entry to the Chairman's Lounge and limit all those freeloaders in the government.

 

[zachary.august]

Maybe Qantas should consider offering entry to the Chairman's Lounge and limit all those freeloaders in the government.

Government freeloaders? Really? Regardless of your political beliefs government is a vital component to the way society runs and for people to be involved in the profession you belittle there needs to be some 'perks' and incentives. No different to industry.