Bronze QFF - stick to Qantas or join AA?

[Dave Noble]

So, think I got the YUPPs on hold; we're in row 4, but I can't show this fare on Expert Flyer. Think I'm gonna need a lot more hours to expertly fly that database.

Does it indeed sound like we've done the deed?

Andrew

When you check the reservation , does it show you as being in 1st class? if so, then yup, should be good. Also, since you are in 1st class then you will be earning 1.5 qpoints per mile flown and will easily meet the platinum challenge

e.g.

HNL-DFW-JFK would be 5175 miles => 7762 miles and qpoints earned
WAS-MIA would be 921 miles => 9144 miles and qpoints
MIA-LAX-HNL would be 4898 miles and will complete the challenge
Since you are now platinum you will earn 100% bonus on the flight as well as the 50% bonus for 1st class so will earn 12,245 miles and points giving a total mileage earned of approx 21,389, which is enough for a free trip from anywhere in Oz/NZ to anywhere else in Oz/NZ


Dave

 

[bighdad]

Thanks Dave - it says YUPP on the Detailed Fare Rules, books to P 1st class, and seat maps to rows 1 to 6 on a 736, so seems to be there - a bit too good to be true!

We're YUPPing the HNL-WAS return component (connection DFW), deep discount economy WAS-NYC, NYC-MIA, MIA-WAS in between, meaning that the

Here I was thinking the 100% bonus miles would be on our next flight with American or a Oneworld airline that we applied the AA number to. Are you saying that on the very flight where you hit 10000, you earn 1.5 Qpoints per mile on that whole flight? We click over 10000 on the WAS-DFW return leg, so that is ...... cool.

Makes the QF silver we earn SYD-HNL look pretty pasty. I suppose there won't be any advantage to keeping QFF ticking over, and every advantage in trying to get Qpoints for AA. Is the problem though that since 1.1.07, you have to fly AA branded planes, not just AA ticketed flights (read that somewhere, can't find it now), such that my domestic stuff for work won't help keep my AA status?

Nice award flight balance though ...

Thanks for all your advice, gurus.

Andrew

 

[NM]

Here I was thinking the 100% bonus miles would be on our next flight with American or a Oneworld airline that we applied the AA number to. Are you saying that on the very flight where you hit 10000, you earn 1.5 Qpoints per mile on that whole flight? We click over 10000 on the WAS-DFW return leg, so that is ...... cool.

yes, you get the Platinum Bonus on the qualifying flight. It posts separately on your statement rather than on the same entry as the qualifying flight. It made a big difference for me when my qualifying flight was MEL-LHR in P .

 

[tuapekastar]

Is the problem though that since 1.1.07, you have to fly AA branded planes, not just AA ticketed flights (read that somewhere, can't find it now), such that my domestic stuff for work won't help keep my AA status?


Andrew

Not quite sure of the context of the above statement, but I suspect this just relates to the *challenge*, and BTW I believe the challenge can be completed on AA codeshares as well as AA metal. This condition (challenge only possible on AA metal or codeshares) came into effect for challenges commecing on or after 1.1.2007.

 

[NM]

Not quite sure of the context of the above statement, but I suspect this just relates to the *challenge*, and BTW I believe the challenge can be completed on AA codeshares as well as AA metal. This condition (challenge only possible on AA metal or codeshares) came into effect for challenges commecing on or after 1.1.2007.

Yes, that is correct. The new Challenge rules mean only AA flight numbers (regardless of operator) count to q-points for the challenge.

Q-points towards normal requalification can be earned on all OneWorld flights (i.e. with a OneWorld flight number and OneWorld operator) if in an eligible earning class for that flight combination.

 

[bighdad]

Oh yeah, forgot that AA metal post was only about the challenge, and see now its for AA ticketed flights. So my domestic flights might be a bit useful, then eh? Earlier this thread Dave mentioned that QF easier to maintain if upper class short haul, and AA easier on long haul, I think.

Curly one - flying in from DFW to BWI on P, do we get to use the lounge given that we are theoretically on an international itinerary, or does the new revised "no P" policy apply? Flying out, any difference?

Andrew

 

[NM]

Oh yeah, forgot that AA metal post was only about the challenge, and see now its for AA ticketed flights. So my domestic flights might be a bit useful, then eh? Earlier this thread Dave mentioned that QF easier to maintain if upper class short haul, and AA easier on long haul, I think.

Makes not difference which airline tickets the flight. Its all about the airline code on the flight number. It must be an AA flight number, even if ticketed by QF it will still count to the challenge.

Curly one - flying in from DFW to BWI on P, do we get to use the lounge given that we are theoretically on an international itinerary, or does the new revised "no P" policy apply? Flying out, any difference?

Andrew

Lounge access depends on many things. You would get lounge access at DFW if you meet one of these criteria:

• Admirals Club member
• Qantas Club member
• OneWorld Sapphire or Emerald in any OneWorld program except AA
• AA Platinum or Exec Platinum and have a same day OneWorld International flight (i.e. you arrived international into DFW or are departing BWI to an international destination on the same day)

The same criteria apply for any AA domestic departure, so the same for DFW-BWI as for BWI-DFW.

 

[Soundguy]

DC to NY is very easy by train. Check out the Amtrack options from various locations in and around DC. I would do that rather than drive. Its quite a long way up the I95 and will cost quite a bit in tolls along the way and then you have to do something with a card in New York.

We drove from NYC to Washington DC about 3 months ago (part of a much longer trip) with no hassles and I can't remember paying anything serious in tolls once we were out of NYC. It was a great trip as you can set your own route..... sat nav is virtually essential IMO though unless you plan to stick to major highways with no diversions. You can rent it for $10 per day.

There are problems either way:
1) As you say what to do with a car in Manhatten if you drive?
2) Flying is cheap but it takes up a large part of the day anyway by the time you get a cab to the airport and wade through the security etc.
Perhaps as you suggest a train would be better than flying, got to be faster for a short trip.

BTW driving into DC we went past a darkly tinted car parked in the centre of the highway with a weird device mounted on the roof; my guess is that it was a radiation detector. Was just a few miles from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue (where we didn't see the Pres but Abdullah the gardener was mowing the lawn ).

 

[simongr]

Makes not difference which airline tickets the flight. Its all about the airline code on the flight number. It must be an AA flight number, even if ticketed by QF it will still count to the challenge.

Lounge access depends on many things. You would get lounge access at DFW if you meet one of these criteria:

• Admirals Club member
• Qantas Club member
• OneWorld Sapphire or Emerald in any OneWorld program except AA booked on an international flight?
• AA Platinum or Exec Platinum and have a same day OneWorld International flight (i.e. you arrived international into DFW or are departing BWI to an international destination on the same day)

The same criteria apply for any AA domestic departure, so the same for DFW-BWI as for BWI-DFW.

Hmm just wondering for my upcoming JFK-BGI flight whether I will get access. I guess I am going to have to flash my QF Gold card rather than my AA card. Is that the more sensible option anyway given that I get two free drinks as a QF SG?

Its strange that AA dont give access based on class of service ...

I am guessing also that the fact I am flying HKG-LAX-MIA-MCO but my flight from LAX-MIA is an overnight flight discounts me from gettng into the AC for my 2 hour stop there...

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

Its strange that AA dont give access based on class of service ...

Why is that strange? QF doesn't provide access either for domestic business class. Caribbean and Canadian flights are treated like domestic by AA.

 

[tuapekastar]

I am guessing also that the fact I am flying HKG-LAX-MIA-MCO but my flight from LAX-MIA is an overnight flight discounts me from gettng into the AC for my 2 hour stop there...

I think QF SG should get you access at LAX.

Check here but I think I've interpreted it correctly.

 

[NM]

We drove from NYC to Washington DC about 3 months ago (part of a much longer trip) with no hassles and I can't remember paying anything serious in tolls once we were out of NYC. It was a great trip as you can set your own route..... sat nav is virtually essential IMO though unless you plan to stick to major highways with no diversions. You can rent it for $10 per day.

Yep, I would have been happy to drive southbound. In fact I have driven from through New York state a few times, but used public transport from LGA to my hotel in Stamford, CT. Then drove from there, across New York state and down the NJ Turnpike and down into New Jersey. Then back up and over Staton Island and into JFK. That last part was without Sat Nav or even a human nav system - just me and a Hertz map with no detail! That turned me off driving around NYC.

Driving around DC is no problem. Just gets slow around the 495 Beltway at the wrong time of day. Hmm, most times are the wrong time around there.

 

[simongr]

I think QF SG should get you access at LAX.

Check here but I think I've interpreted it correctly.

Sorry - I meant my MIA-MCO transfer - I have two hours there. I a I actually have 6 hours at LAX so I might venture out of the airport.


@Kiwiflyer - I thought about that after I posted and maybe its not that strange - just going to be weird getting on a plane after not having been in the lounge....unless my BGI-JGW counts as a international flight on the same day...

 

[Alan in CBR]

Sorry - I meant my MIA-MCO transfer - I have two hours there. I a I actually have 6 hours at LAX so I might venture out of the airport.

Why wouldn't you have access in MIA? Your QF SG card will do nicely for access to the AC.

@Kiwiflyer - I thought about that after I posted and maybe its not that strange - just going to be weird getting on a plane after not having been in the lounge....unless my BGI-JGW counts as a international flight on the same day...

OK, I've looked, but I can't for the life of me find out where JGW is. Typo perhaps?

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

meant to be LGW

 

[Dave Noble]

I thought about that after I posted and maybe its not that strange - just going to be weird getting on a plane after not having been in the lounge....unless my BGI-JGW counts as a international flight on the same day...

BGI-LGW would , of course, count as an international flight as long as it departs the same day

Dave

 

[Alan in CBR]

BGI-LGW would , of course, count as an international flight as long as it departs the same day

Dave

Not that it matters, since simongr is a QF SG and so can access ACs prior to US domestic flights.

 

[simongr]

Not that it matters, since simongr is a QF SG and so can access ACs prior to US domestic flights.

I like the sound of that but I dont think its true

Per the admit policies

#American Airlines passengers must be departing on an international flight. International is defined as Europe, Asia, Central and South America, and Mexico City. Excludes American Airlines passengers traveling on solely North American itineraries. North America is defined as U.S. (including Hawaii and Alaska), Canada, Mexico (except Mexico City), Bermuda, The Bahamas, and the Caribbean.

Now I think I will get access at JFKK as I have a same day international flight. Its kind of weird and I want to be fully armed against the dragons!!!

 

[NM]

I like the sound of that but I dont think its true

It certainly is true. The policy quoted is for lounge admittance based purely on AA membership status.

As a non-AA OneWorld Sapphire status member, you can use the AA lounge any time you are departing on an AA flight, regardless of its destination.

 

[Dave Noble]

I like the sound of that but I dont think its true

Alan n NM are correct. If you turn up with a QF Gold card ( or a Qantas Club membership), you are entitled access to AA lounges on domestic AA journeys.

The AA card will admit you as long as you have a same day international connection (based on AAs definition of international)

Dave