LATAM status match $80USD

[SYD]

On my MVD-SCL flight, I was on QF codeshare. I asked my TA if they could put my LATAM Pass black frequent flyer number in as, although I would miss out on Qantas points, (which I didn’t need) I would get preferential boarding.

The answer was that she couldn’t add it as a frequent-flyer number, but could add it as a 'service request'. So it actually had both numbers on the printed itinerary.

Current bookings are CR - so no points to lose!

Sure enough, I did get group one boarding, but since it takes so long for partner points to come through to Qantas, I’m not sure whether they will ever appear or not.

It really varies by airline and how they batch their activity across to other partners. During OW days, LA was pretty good from memory.

 

[goldielucks]

Sorry to hear that it didn’t work for you. Did you get charged the $80? If so, you should claim that back from your CC. If not, then it’s not exactly a scam.

PS
Welcome to AFF. Hopefully you’ll be more successful with future promos.

I just felt that it was not within their right to determine whether my status was earned or not as they did not mention anywhere that the status should be earned (and on their website they say they have a way of checking hence redundant and contradictory for us to keep uploading proof of our status) and a very arbitrary and discriminatory way to weed out customers that they don't want. Also they also claimed that they saw that my mileage was a bit low on my proof of membership picture where it told me to show a picture with my name and membership number together on it as I am sure many of you have experienced (I had 3000 miles on that picture since I accidentally credited the points to the United Airlines status trial account, I assume 0 miles would have been better since said company would have assumed I just hadn't flown this year due to personal reasons).


So apparently my platinum status is clearly not legitimately earned from flying. I guess I'll earn it from running then...

 

[goldielucks]

Does anyone know if the Latam equivalent of Gold status gets you into domestic Qantas business lounges or is it only the Qantas Club lounges?

 

[jase05]

I just felt that it was not within their right to determine whether my status was earned or not as they did not mention anywhere that the status should be earned (and on their website they say they have a way of checking hence redundant and contradictory for us to keep uploading proof of our status) and a very arbitrary and discriminatory way to weed out customers that they don't want. Also they also claimed that they saw that my mileage was a bit low on my proof of membership picture where it told me to show a picture with my name and membership number together on it as I am sure many of you have experienced (I had 3000 miles on that picture since I accidentally credited the points to the United Airlines status trial account, I assume 0 miles would have been better since said company would have assumed I just hadn't flown this year due to personal reasons).
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So apparently my platinum status is clearly not legitimately earned from flying. I guess I'll earn it from running then...

Wow, that seems a lot harder than when I did it.
Just sent them a photo of my VA Platinum card and it was approved 45 minutes after lodging the application. Was surprised at how easy the process was

 

[BudgetFly]

Entry into both BNE and SYD J domestic lounge this week.

Hi, when you used your Latam Pass to enter QF lounges what flights was that on? Latam site says we can use the lounge when flying QF but Qantas site seems to say only for Codeshare flights...? Cheers

 

[BudgetFly]

I signed up, got approved within a day. I'll be running out of velocity and Qantas lounge options next Feb, so need something to cover the gap for $127 AUD. 3 Qantas lounge visits should cover that (hoping covers domestic lounges, it should).

Also an opportunity might come about for another status match with this level.

I might look at a rtw trip via South America too, options options.

Did you have any success using the QF domestic lounges with Latam Pass? Thanks

 

[BudgetFly]

I'd say LATAM should make that much clearer on their website, but I'm going to guess that it never occurred to them and it's little value for them to fix it.

Yes, the Latam site says we get access on QF flights but the Qantas site says only on codeshare flights (which would all be international).

 

[bertair]

As a QF FF Silver, I am considering a LATAM flight to AKL from SYD shortly. Mainly because I can lie flat in Business class, ( I have a bad back) and the times fit my schedule.
So despite it being only around a 4 hour flight will I be able to ask for the bed to be made for me to lie down ?
BTW I am not really a flyer who uses lounges much these days as I am over the hassle of entry and overcrowding in most QF lounges.
What is the service like and is it generally a full flight, to and from AKL ?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Yes of course, you can make full use of the bed. Dunno how much bedding LATAM has, or how much they have on a short sector, but you'll have a pillow and be able to fully recline flat

 

[Lynda2475]

So despite it being only around a 4 hour flight will I be able to ask for the bed to be made for me to lie down ?

Doubtful the crew will make the bed up for you, this is not something usually offered in J.

But you can certainly use the controls to move the seat into lie flat bed mode and back to seated yourself as it suits you.

 

[muppet]

Yes of course, you can make full use of the bed. Dunno how much bedding LATAM has, or how much they have on a short sector, but you'll have a pillow and be able to fully recline flat

LATAM has a heap of bedding. Fluffy doona, thin mattress pad and a big pillow.

In terms of asking for it to be made….. LATAM does not offer inflight service of any kind really. they’ll place and remove your meal and then say goodbye on exiting the plane.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

LATAM has a heap of bedding. Fluffy doona, thin mattress pad and a big pillow.

In terms of asking for it to be made….. LATAM does not offer inflight service of any kind really. they’ll place and remove your meal and then say goodbye on exiting the plane.

Sweet! Wasn't sure if they also offer it on short sectors. I love minimal service, sounds perfect!

 

[bertair]

Thanks, I wasn't expecting a tuck in and bed time story from the crew though, and simply to be able to lie flat will help immensely. I've travelled QF on short haul in J before within Australia, but mostly the aircraft just have wide seats, that are more like premium ECY which really are not worth the premium fare.

 

[MToTheFrame]

Denied at domestic Brisbane. The Qantas staff are resilient and non negotiable. Insisted it needed to be code share.
I sent an email to Qantas asking them to qualify for future. Lucky I had a spare invite.

 

[AIRwin]

Insisted it needed to be code share.

Speaking of which:

LATAM Expands Qantas Domestic Codeshare From mid-Jan 2024 — AeroRoutes

Published at 0001GMT 15JAN24 LATAM Airlines Chile from mid-January 2024 resumes additional codeshare service operated by Qantas, covering various domestic routes to/from Melbourne. Following codeshare routes went into effect from 11JAN24 (approximate). LATAM operated by Qantas Melbourne – Adela

www.aeroroutes.com

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Ended up taking LATAM up on the status match offer matching my Qantas Platinum over to LATAM Black. Applied on the 26 of November providing a screenshot of my QFF Platinum card. Apparently that was not enough and ended up sending a statement which they then accepted. I then had to do the ID verification bit with the passport scan and it was approved the same day. LATAM Black status appeared in my account 2 days later. Overall, it wasn't a difficult status match process but not as simple as some of the others I have taken advantage of in the past (Qantas, Delta and Alaska come to mind).

To the deeper question which I suspect some are having, is it worth pursuing the status? In my case, I've got a trip lined up to South America and so far as I can tell LATAM is the only show in town (yes QF can get me to SCL but from there LA seems to have most of the routes going into and out of Brazil). In my case, after earning the status I booked a one-way from MEL to POA for myself and my partner. The savings on seat selection fees alone outweighs the $80 outlay on the status. And if I do manage to get an upgrade secured on the long haul segments like MEL - SCL or GRU - JFK, then it can be very lucrative indeed. With that being said, I doubt I'll manage to secure LATAM Black status in the long run. It requires a substantial amount of flying with them that is difficult to justify when the benefits are largely with them.

-RooFlyer88

 

[BudgetFly]

It was a waste of $80 USD for me. The wording implied we could access Qantas lounges but it turned out to be only on code share flights.

 

[RooFlyer]

Overall, it wasn't a difficult status match process but not as simple as some of the others I have taken advantage of in the past (Qantas, Delta and Alaska come to mind).

Reason being I think is that it was a status match run by statusmatch.com rather than the airline or airline loyalty group. Hence the fee.

To the deeper question which I suspect some are having, is it worth pursuing the status?

As you observe, it is if you are flying South America. Preferential boarding is well worth it - although on my last trip I noticed boarding was better organised than the previous time I was there, where it was 'Preferente' of a couple of pax Vs a scrum.

Black gets you boarding group 1 and access to the VIP lounge in SCL, but only if on LATAM code, not QF. QFFs go to the business lounge, which is styled similarly to the VIP, but smaller and less well appointed, natch. Unfortunately there aren't a whole lot of LATAM lounges out there.

Above Black is Black Signature, which is a level sort of above P1 in QFF. I got talking to a guy next to me in the boarding line at SCL and a LATAM agent came up to him and had a chat. Problem? I enquired. No, being Signature they always come and singe him out before every flight to see if there is anything needed and will do the same on landing. They know them by sight (have pics on file).

 

[kangarooflyer88]

It was a waste of $80 USD for me. The wording implied we could access Qantas lounges but it turned out to be only on code share flights.

I would agree that LATAM is at best misleading people on their websites. On the one hand, if you look at the LATAM Pass lounge website they do indicate that it is only valid for LATAM flights. However, the Qantas webpage on the LATAM websites indicates something else:

Reading this page suggests one could access the Qantas Flounge since it is a QF lounge. Another interpretation is that when they say Qantas VIP lounges they are referring to Qantas lounges listed on the first website linked which would be:

• LAX Business
• MEL international business
• SYD international business

But yes it is unclear. It would make sense to write to QF and see what they say about lounge access entitlements. Once you have something in writing from QF you can then use that when trying to access a lounge.

-RooFlyer88

 

[RooFlyer]

It was a waste of $80 USD for me. The wording implied we could access Qantas lounges but it turned out to be only on code share flights.

What program did you get status matched from? And to LATAM Gold, Plat or Black? Which QF lounge did you attempt to access?