Fly Qantas but credit......

[NM]

Note that lifetime status on AA is much more difficult to achieve than it used to be. Only Butt-In-Seat miles count and its only base miles, not bonus miles. So you need 1,000,000 "Million Miler" miles to reach Lifetime Gold (equiv to QFF Lifetime Silver) and 2,000,000 for Lifetime Platinum (equiv to QFF Lifetime Gold). So if you are looking for Lifetime Status, starting out new with AAdvantage may not be to your advantage.

 

[smit0847]

As I understand it in a nutshell:

The benefits of AA over QF:
- fuel surcharges, taxes, fees etc are almost nill on redemptions;
- points can be bought cheaply to top up accounts;
- far fewer points are needed to redeem (i.e. 35k to Asia) even if you are only earning half the points by crediting to AA vs QF you may only need half the points to redeem on AA vs QF anyway;
- redemptions are also zone based rather than mileage based, i.e. you can fly anywhere in the US for the same points as just flying to LAX.
- availability the same as all QF partners get (i.e. QFF gets a 1 month head start).

Downsides:
- points are not as easy to earn (lower min points per flight, fewer CC options, no EDR);
- status much harder to obtain; and
- lounge access much more restricted.

If status is more important stay with QF, if cheaper redemptions are more important go with AA.

 

[Mwenenzi]

Just remember that AA also require 4 qualifying flights on AA or US each calendar year to earn/maintain status

Don't think they actually enforce this though?

Not currently enforced. But with the US Airways/AA takeover/merger that could change. Changes to the AA FFP would no be unsurprising in next few years

 

[TomVexille]

Not currently enforced. But with the US Airways/AA takeover/merger that could change. Changes to the AA FFP would no be unsurprising in next few years

Good to know. Although they would have the right to enforce it at any stage obviously.

I'm expecting the FFP to change significantly with the merger, although I'd be happy to be proven wrong.