Life beyond LTG: Would you stick with Qantas if...

[GDV 747-24/7]

I've got 20,000+ SC's, been LTG for last 5 years and stick with QF, no need to go to AA, even tho 50% of my international is in USA, book quite a few tickets on aa.com and use all the tricks.

I'm happy, I get good service, for me service is

a) takeoff
b) a few drinks/exit rows on domestic/timings on international
c) landing
d) they look after my family

A, C and D are the most important

Lounge use is down the list, actually domestic exit row rates higher than free booze and food.

I may be wrong but this thread isn't about switching the airline you fly with; it's about changing which FF scheme you credit points to. ie you can still fly with QF but be an AA EXP rather than a QF WP.

 

[edrayton]

I think a non-disclosed value for attaining CL would keep FFs in Qantas as the membership spans two years and is a whole new tier. Lifetime WP would also be a nice step to work towards but as said before it would discourage purchasing tickets as opposed to award flights.

 

[simongr]

If it is about the program for me it would be whichever program I could more easily achieve OWE. I will hit LTG in the next two months and with a change in job impending (either zero travel or back to int'l travel) it will sway to where I credit my flights.

For me if I get back to more int'l travel then I will switch to AA - the redemption rates are just great and the main downside to AA has gone away for me as boygr needs his own seat (AA charge 10% of full cabin fare for lap infants :shock.

The other thing for me is the status bonus on CX flights - there are times when I can't fly QF and woul like to fly CX - but I don't get the status bonus.

If I was flying enough int'l to earn P1 I might reconsider that strategy - the points I would be earning under QFF would offset the need for cheaper awards - although it might be nice to hit OWS in two programs...

 

[Gold Member]

To answer the OP's question, it depends... Don't all roll your eyes, geesh. It depends on my work, life, social and many other variables and circumstances in the future that I cannot predict now at only 8000 lifetime SCs - it could be 3/4 years away or never. Too many unknowns at this stage for me, however as an earlier poster AAptly stated, one would be nAAive not to consider AAlternatives which offer better OWE perks and earn/burn points ratios.

One thing is for sure though, as long as US DM, AV/TA LM and AA Adv keeping selling me miles at ridiculously cheap rates with plentiful availability across Oneworld and Star Alliance around the world in first class, I've gotta keep an eye on hitting the minimum 4 QF segments per year to compliment my annual 1160 SCs earned at $1/sc on AA status runs!

*eagerly awaits Red Roo's 'like' to this post*

 

[Red Roo]

One thing is for sure though, as long as US DM, AV/TA LM and AA Adv keeping selling me miles at ridiculously cheap rates with plentiful availability across Oneworld and Star Alliance around the world in first class, I've gotta keep an eye on hitting the minimum 4 QF segments per year to compliment my annual 1160 SCs earned at $1/sc on AA status runs!

*eagerly awaits Red Roo's 'like' to this post*

Of course we'd love to have you flying with us as much as possible. However we appreciate that you do have a choice, and that everyone's circumstances, priorities and opinions are different. We encourage you to get the most out of your relationship with us, and hope you enjoy the products and services we offer at each tier status.

 

[Gold Member]

Lol, thanks for being a good sport and having some fun with my attempt at sarcasm. QF loyalty sub-conscience slightly 'enhanced' now

 

[Red Roo]

Lol, thanks for being a good sport and having some fun with my attempt at sarcasm. QF loyalty sub-conscience slightly 'enhanced' now

Cheers.

 

[Downwind]

Of course we'd love to have you flying with us as much as possible. However we appreciate that you do have a choice, and that everyone's circumstances, priorities and opinions are different. We encourage you to get the most out of your relationship with us, and hope you enjoy the products and services we offer at each tier status.

Don't you mean "the products and services we offer but cant actually be bothered providing" at each tier status?

That would be a far more realistic description of things.....

 

[jamesatfish]

Of course we'd love to have you flying with us as much as possible. However we appreciate that you do have a choice, and that everyone's circumstances, priorities and opinions are different. We encourage you to get the most out of your relationship with us, and hope you enjoy the products and services we offer at each tier status.

Red Roo - seeing as you're tracking this thread, I have a simple 'Life after LTG' request.

Can you get your IT team to adjust the QFF website so that we can still see our lifetime status credits once we reach 14,000? QF might not have any further (published) tiers after LTG but I don't see why we can't keep track of our SC earn after 14,000?

 

[markis10]

Red Roo - seeing as you're tracking this thread, I have a simple 'Life after LTG' request.

Can you get your IT team to adjust the QFF website so that we can still see our lifetime status credits once we reach 14,000? QF might not have any further (published) tiers after LTG but I don't see why we can't keep track of our SC earn after 14,000?

Its on the paper statements so shouldn't be hard.

 

[oz_mark]

Its on the paper statements so shouldn't be hard.

Only if you get paper statements

 

[markis10]

Only if you get paper statements

Point being that the tally is still kept so displaying electronically should be easy.

 

[trixydoza]

I would give more consideration to flying QF upon turning LTG if there were some concession towards Platinum qualification.

I can understand not allowing that for vanilla SG, but once you have LTG, there is no advantage to earning anything less than 1,400 SCs if you've dropped down to SG.

So someone who expects to earn (say) 1000 SCs in a year might as well credit elsewhere.

Something like "earn 800 SCs as LTG and we'll give you WP" (effectively the same as starting from 600 SCs) would make much more sense.

 

[drron]

I would give more consideration to flying QF upon turning LTG if there were some concession towards Platinum qualification.

I can understand not allowing that for vanilla SG, but once you have LTG, there is no advantage to earning anything less than 1,400 SCs if you've dropped down to SG.

So someone who expects to earn (say) 1000 SCs in a year might as well credit elsewhere.

Something like "earn 800 SCs as LTG and we'll give you WP" (effectively the same as starting from 600 SCs) would make much more sense.

Precisely.
Mrsdrron will probably get to LTG in 3 years.Only aiming at that so will have lounge access.
Once she makes LTG definitely will be crediting to another program.

 

[serfty]

Ah well - for me Emerald is pretty good, but whereas i have averaged approximately 2500 SC per year for the last 10 years. My current year's end should see me having garnered just a little over 1200.

Most of my domestic travel these days is on VA basically because it's cheaper and that product is not dissimilar.

 

[Deleted member]

I would give more consideration to flying QF upon turning LTG if there were some concession towards Platinum qualification.

I can understand not allowing that for vanilla SG, but once you have LTG, there is no advantage to earning anything less than 1,400 SCs if you've dropped down to SG.

So someone who expects to earn (say) 1000 SCs in a year might as well credit elsewhere.

Something like "earn 800 SCs as LTG and we'll give you WP" (effectively the same as starting from 600 SCs) would make much more sense.

I see your point, however why would QF give you WP for flying less?
Surely LTG is a safety net status level to ensure you are never anything less.

 

[JohnK]

Something like "earn 800 SCs as LTG and we'll give you WP" (effectively the same as starting from 600 SCs) would make much more sense.

You do have a point that Lifetime Gold should be taken into consideration towards status accrual but in the process you will create more Platinums. Effectively that will mean a reduction in benefits which is not a good thing.

Personally I would rather see an increase in Platinum qualification levels and some meaningful benefits.

 

[amaroo]

Hit LTG >12 months ago and always thought I'd move over to another scheme ... BA firmed as the best option (even with the stupid address requirement) after AA started to enforce the 4 flight rule.

However, our point harvesting is plentiful so I've decided to cease worrying about status ... have QF Plat sorted until 2017 after that - points will replace what status once delivered.

 

[russ]

Personally I would rather see an increase in Platinum qualification levels and some meaningful benefits.

Isn't that called P1?

 

[JohnK]

Isn't that called P1?

That's what it's called now.

Very exclusive top tier with ~3,000 members is going to be out of reach for the majority. No point earning more than 600 SCs after qualifying Gold.