International Oneworld access to Plats when not flying Oneworld

[shearsense]

Folks,
having gone from gold to platinum and then retained platinum again for next year only two months past my anniversary, I figured that there was little point in continuing to accumulate status credits in Oneworld at the moment. So I was toying with the idea of trying to gain status on either Star Alliance or (shock, horror) Skyteam. Why? Well, why not?

However, while I have had no trouble gaining QF/Oneworld lounge access when not flying Oneworld domestically, I would like to know listers recent experiences with gaining lounge access internationally (particularly in ports where there are no QF lounges and one has to rely on other Oneworld partners). Has anybody been refused recently? It will take a couple of trips on Star Alliance to get Star lounge access, and I wanted to get Oneworld access in the meantime and the rules regarding this appear to be largely unwritten and unspoken.

Cheers

Martin

 

[Mal]

As a Plat with Qantas, you can access their lounges anytime.

Note that is Qantas lounges - not Cathay lounges, not BA lounges, not AA lounges, not even QantasLink.

So your plan will work in several overseas ports where a Qantas Club exists (Narita, Honolulu (some of the time), Wellington, Auckland, Hong Kong, Singapore etc) but all of the other OneWorld lounges will turn you away.

Maybe you can blag your way into the other airline's lounge. Or even attempt to get a 'status match' with the Star Alliance airline you are interested in, but don't expect entry to any OW lounge unless flying on OW that day.

Alternatively, look at PriorityPass (Priority Pass - 500 Airport Lounges Worldwide). Not cheap, but could be an answer especially if tax deductible or your corporate pays for it.

 

[simongr]

If you are flying so much to get OW Platinum in two months are you not flying Business/First and get lounge access through that?

If you are flying economy international that much (equiv of 5 return trips to London from Sydney in 8 weeks???) then I would look for other employment

 

[moa999]

Also remember a quick path to QF Gold Life may be very valuable
(in case they change the qualifying limits)

or dropping points into the AA program

(and you always have PartnerGold to get, although with that travel pattern it wont take long)

 

[shearsense]

Fair point - it was a combination of two return commutes ADL-PER each week and 4 internationals (inc. one First Class RTW) in the last 10 weeks + plus assorted eastern seaboard trips. Unfortunately some clients are too stingy to fly me anything other than Economy so I need the lounge access and other perks when that happens (the majority of the time). My wife has also suggested I seek other employment I recognise many of the flight attendants, but last week was the first time they started to recognise me :shock: .

If you are flying so much to get OW Platinum in two months are you not flying Business/First and get lounge access through that?

If you are flying economy international that much (equiv of 5 return trips to London from Sydney in 8 weeks???) then I would look for other employment

 

[shearsense]

Yep, just got the Lifetime Silver and the PartnerGold. But I'm really after the multi-alliance Gold or above. Some places I get to, Oneworld just don't fly to (eastern European and South American destinations for example)

Cheers

Martin

Also remember a quick path to QF Gold Life may be very valuable
(in case they change the qualifying limits)

or dropping points into the AA program

(and you always have PartnerGold to get, although with that travel pattern it wont take long)

 

[shearsense]

Thanks Mal - as I thought. I was hoping that other members had a track record of gaining access to other Oneworld lounges regardless. But the idea of applying for a status match is an excellent one. I may try my luck with SQ or NZ, unless anybody has a better idea.

Cheers

Martin

As a Plat with Qantas, you can access their lounges anytime.

Note that is Qantas lounges - not Cathay lounges, not BA lounges, not AA lounges, not even QantasLink.

So your plan will work in several overseas ports where a Qantas Club exists (Narita, Honolulu (some of the time), Wellington, Auckland, Hong Kong, Singapore etc) but all of the other OneWorld lounges will turn you away.

Maybe you can blag your way into the other airline's lounge. Or even attempt to get a 'status match' with the Star Alliance airline you are interested in, but don't expect entry to any OW lounge unless flying on OW that day.

Alternatively, look at PriorityPass (Priority Pass - 500 Airport Lounges Worldwide). Not cheap, but could be an answer especially if tax deductible or your corporate pays for it.

 

[Travel Guru]

Oneworld just don't fly to (eastern European and South American destinations for example)

I would have thought One World is LAN would have a much better presence that *A in Sth America, but i'm open to being corrected?

TG

 

[Mal]

Thanks Mal - as I thought. I was hoping that other members had a track record of gaining access to other Oneworld lounges regardless.

There are times when I have enough problems getting access to what I'm entitled to - let alone what I'm not

Like I said, if you're a chatty/flirty type then by all means try and impress the entry person at the lounge. A story about how you're an uber important flyer and wanting to sample their lounge, or wanting to defect over to their FF scheme can do wonders if you're the right type of person and the staffer is impressed.

 

[shearsense]

Oh Jeez. I going to have to shave, wear a tie and be nice? Time for a new job!

There are times when I have enough problems getting access to what I'm entitled to - let alone what I'm not

Like I said, if you're a chatty/flirty type then by all means try and impress the entry person at the lounge. A story about how you're an uber important flyer and wanting to sample their lounge, or wanting to defect over to their FF scheme can do wonders if you're the right type of person and the staffer is impressed.

 

[Evan]

Oh Jeez. I going to have to shave, wear a tie and be nice? Time for a new job!

You may not have shaved, but its good to see you dod not also add shower into that sentence !

I have seen a few other threads here BMI will status match often.
E

 

[Shano]

Simongr posted this link to a status match thread on Flyertalk just the other day. Worth a read....

The Status Match Master Thread - FlyerTalk Forums

 

[NM]

But the idea of applying for a status match is an excellent one. I may try my luck with SQ or NZ, unless anybody has a better idea.

SQ have a reputation for not status matching. There are several reports that BD is the best *A member for getting a Status Match. I have not heard anything about Status Match possibilities with NZ.

 

[shearsense]

Thanks NM,

While getting a little off-topic as it is clear I've got buckleys chance of getting into OW lounges unless there is a QF club, I will first try my luck at a status match with one of the Miles & More Star Alliance partners (they have a better range of non-Star partners tnan other members for my purposes, and a better range of upgrades between members). I'll post later on how I progress.

Cheers

Martin

SQ have a reputation for not status matching. There are several reports that BD is the best *A member for getting a Status Match. I have not heard anything about Status Match possibilities with NZ.

 

[simongr]

One last tip - please dont just choose the pro=gram based on the status match. A lot of people find that a top tier with the airline you fly most is most effective - more chance of op-ups, extra frineg benefits - so look at your potential travel plans and mesh that o your status chase

EDIT

And for clarification - you dont have to just go with your "h most used carrier - like I fly an even mix of airlines with a bias towards QF but I am in the AA program. You might find that the LH program is good even if you fly SQ. It is really worth doing the detailed comparisons >Although what you might do is just fly enough to get top tier with *A and then flick points back to QF that way you are keeping points in once place mostly and jut using another airline for status.

Its not a easy decision if you actually think about - but you could do what most people and NOT think about it - much easier

 

[shearsense]

Of course, even if a QF Plat decides to travel only through ports which have Qantas Clubs for use even when travelling on Star Alliance, there is still the logistical problem of getting access to them. By this I mean that there is commonly a seperation of OneWorld and Star Alliance into different terminals and in these days of heightened security, it can be impossible to get into a different terminal from which you are travelling from. Singapore is an acception to this, but Heathrow and Tokyo Narita (and quite a few others) would be a real problem. So really, 'anytime' lounge access for Plats is a priviledge which could rarely be used on international itineraries.

Martin

 

[Sprucegoose]

I have not had issues accessing the BA/QF lounge in JNB while holding an SAA ticket, i am not sure in other parts of the world.