Is QF considering Lifetime Platinum?

[JessicaTam]

If LTP exists on the quiet then I am not aware of it. I have 92k status points and have heard nothing. I have raised it with Qantas on a few occasions. The best I got back was "you will be looked after".

Maybe you are already LTP, they just don't tell you.

When you stop flying and should drop a level, let us know if they keep sending you WP cards!

 

[defurax]

I looked at AY LTP and it requires 5M qualifying km. Considering that it takes 150,000km per year to qualify for platinum, the QF equivalent would be 40,000SC (33.3 years of WP at 1200SC).

 

[cove]

I think it would be 56,000 status credits to keep the riff raff out. I would get there in about 18 months if they used 28,000 as the number.

 

[cwphoto]

I think it would be 56,000 status credits to keep the riff raff out. I would get there in about 18 months if they used 28,000 as the number.

That number is too high to be any sort of useful carrot (equates to ~45 years of maintaining WP).

28k would be a good compromise and would be consistent with other Lifetime thresholds.

 

[mviy]

28k is only 20 years of WP. Realistically LTP should be a fall back for those used to having P1 status. Considering BA and AY both set the bar for getting LT OWE considerably higher than 28k I would be surprised if QF introduces a LTP if they set the bar as low as 28k.

 

[cwphoto]

28k is only 20 years of WP. Realistically LTP should be a fall back for those used to having P1 status. Considering BA and AY both set the bar for getting OWE considerably higher than 28k I would be surprised if QF introduces a LTP if they set the bar as low as 28k.

Well that all depends on their motivation. Make it too high and the LTG brigade will ignore it, make it 'reachable' and they'd likely capture a significant portion of travel for another 10+ years - probably more as once you'd reach LTP why would you travel any other airline (large cost differentials and routing considerations aside)?

Sales target strategy 101..

 

[Nigel Gaunt]

LTP would make commercial sense for QF, those of us with long-term Platinum and attained LTG fly a lot, and frankly, not always QF as it usually more expensive, so an LTP status would be a valid way for Qantas to recognise us and win a higher share of our spend.

 

[Basalt]

Well that all depends on their motivation. Make it too high and the LTG brigade will ignore it, make it 'reachable' and they'd likely capture a significant portion of travel for another 10+ years - probably more as once you'd reach LTP why would you travel any other airline (large cost differentials and routing considerations aside)?

Sales target strategy 101..

100% agree, those who sail past 28k I doubt QF thinks they need to insentivise. The many who make it to 14k slow and steady are the ones QF needs to entice to 28k (or mid-30s).

 

[9gedan]

Lifetime PT, One million miles?

 

[UP4014]

I spoke to a couple of people inside the tent, they haven't heard anything. But then it's a big tent.

 

[mviy]

I still think the article is a result of thinking: "CLs will have to be flying QF, Jetstar, Emirates or OneWorld to access the FLounge from Feb 19, they won't be able to get in flying other airlines... with space freed up in the lounges maybe QF could start offering Lifetime Platinum".

I doubt they would have heard of any concrete plans to introduce LTP. Sites with ads do rely a lot on add revenue so getting a headline out there that leads to people reading articles is important to them.

Yes, reducing FLounge usage by CLs would be a logical preparatory step for offering LTP if QF is planning it, but it doesn't necessarily follow that that's the case. Furthermore, QF could be concerned that lounges were becoming too crowded and the change could simply bring lounge usage levels back down to acceptable levels. Also QF would be hoping that the change would lead to CL members that desire to use the FLounge changing their travel behaviour to fly with QF/OneWorld/Emirates/Jetstar more often

 

[Ivan Neville]

...when you hit 100k??

92k SCs. Yikes.

Yikes is certainly right. I am hoping 100k might get some recognition.

 

[nutwood]

It's interesting that there seems to be an automatic assumption that the moment you achieve a status goal, you'll abandon the airline you've achieved it with. Speaking personally, I enjoy traveling with Qantas. Being WP means I get a comfortable level of service and when I click over 1200 SC's, I don't feel any urge to rush off and book elsewhere. This may seem unimaginative, but surely it's the point? If an airline can't hold your loyalty, even though you're getting the upper level of service, their service and your aspirations are obviously not coinciding.

 

[JessicaTam]

It's interesting that there seems to be an automatic assumption that the moment you achieve a status goal, you'll abandon the airline you've achieved it with. Speaking personally, I enjoy traveling with Qantas. Being WP means I get a comfortable level of service and when I click over 1200 SC's, I don't feel any urge to rush off and book elsewhere. This may seem unimaginative, but surely it's the point? If an airline can't hold your loyalty, even though you're getting the upper level of service, their service and your aspirations are obviously not coinciding.

I don't think it is about abandoning an airline. In my case it will be about abandoning a loyalty program, not an airline.

 

[amaroo]

I'm sitting ~ 11,000 SC north of LTG, I continue to fly QF because we have > 5 million QFFP banked. When you have that many points - you need WP perks....

 

[mviy]

I'm sitting ~ 11,000 SC north of LTG, I continue to fly QF because we have > 5 million QFFP banked. When you have that many points - you need WP perks....

5 million points is a lot. Considering that QFF can and does devalue points from time to time by increasing the number of points needed for upgrades, classic rewards etc. I'm not sure it's a good idea to keep your balance that high. My points balance is a fraction of that and my friends consider my balance to be pretty high.

It's the classic dilemma I guess. Use points and you fail to retain status and then find it harder to use points. Fly revenue and you earn/retain status, and earn even points, but don't use them/much.

 

[amaroo]

5 million points is a lot. Considering that QFF can and does devalue points from time to time by increasing the number of points needed for upgrades, classic rewards etc. I'm not sure it's a good idea to keep your balance that high. My points balance is a fraction of that and my friends consider my balance to be pretty high.

It's the classic dilemma I guess. Use points and you fail to retain status and then find it harder to use points. Fly revenue and you earn/retain status, and earn even points, but don't use them/much.

I agree. Over the past few years we've averaged a burn rate of around 1.5M points a year... the pace is only going to get harder. Our kids are not long for leaving the nest.

 

[cove]

Most sons should leave home before they turn 40 but they can come back. Neither of my two sons are bothering with status and they use their Qantas or Virgin or AA points/miles to book business class runs on the A330s.
We got on the status track but many youngsters just figure credit card churning is easier.

 

[nutwood]

I hadn't considered the points implications. I presume the logic is that by the time that someone hit LTP, they'd have a huge points balance and would then sit back and burn that balance, without bothering to pay for flights to retain status.
I suppose it's not an unreasonable assumption. Far more points are earned via credit cards than by flying but it would seem likely that someone who achieved LTP would also have a high points balance, simply through years of being involved in the program. My feeling is that most people who clock up the high SC counts are flying for work and whether it's their own business, or they are an employee, it's likely that the work flights would continue to be paid for.
Where the LTP benefits would kick in, is when they cease flying for work and are no longer clocking up the SC's. In which instance, is it unreasonable that they get rewarded for years of loyalty? The points they have accumulated would be used on flights for personal benefit, rather than as a substitute for purchased tickets.

 

[mviy]

I want Lifetime status to make it easier to use the points I earn from credit card churning. There’s not a lot of point credit card churning if you won’t have the ability to use the points.

I tend to fly popular international routes, so I feel that if I was a NB I’d find it very difficult to use my points for classic reward seats or upgrades. Each level I’m above NB making it easier to use my points.

Obviously there’s never any guarantees with upgrade requests but if you pick wisely when you fly you can maximise your chances.

I’m focusing on building towards lifetime status at the moment as I figure once I have some the downsides for my status of booking classic reward seats won’t be as great and getting lifetime status ASAP will get me maximum value from it.