Once a year flyer...Qantas or Virgin?

[Baysider]

If you have any interest in acquiring airline status, you could fork out some extra $ to book the full itinerary with American Airlines and sign up for the platinum challenge (must be all AA flight numbers). You should just about all hit platinum (oneworld Sapphire) before the return journey commences. Your status will give you privileges and lounge access for Qantas domestic travel, and you can earn AA miles on Qantas. You can also then take advantage of future AA purchase miles bonus offers, and AA miles are pretty cost effective for trans Australia (e.g. BNE-PER) and trans-Tasman travel (i.e. cheaper than buying the discount fare).

 

[drewbles]

If you have any interest in acquiring airline status, you could fork out some extra $ to book the full itinerary with American Airlines and sign up for the platinum challenge (must be all AA flight numbers). You should just about all hit platinum (oneworld Sapphire) before the return journey commences. Your status will give you privileges and lounge access for Qantas domestic travel, and you can earn AA miles on Qantas. You can also then take advantage of future AA purchase miles bonus offers, and AA miles are pretty cost effective for trans Australia (e.g. BNE-PER) and trans-Tasman travel (i.e. cheaper than buying the discount fare).

There are a few issues with this. Typically, AA codes are a *lot* more expensive than QF's (on QF metal that is), and AA do not allow family pooling; they do allow transfer, but at a cost (which is the same cost as buying points yourself).

IMHO it's better to go with VA or QF directly and at least get all the points into one account and use them more effectively (even though AA's burn rate is vastly superior, 5 accounts with 5-10k in points in it are not much use).

 

[Mwenenzi]

If you have any interest in acquiring airline status, you could fork out some extra $ to book the full itinerary with American Airlines and sign up for the platinum challenge (must be all AA flight numbers)..

No you don't. Rules changed July 2012 Challenge (AA) - FlyerGuide Wiki

....IMHO it's better to go with VA or QF directly and at least get all the points into one account and use them more effectively (even though AA's burn rate is vastly superior, 5 accounts with 5-10k in points in it are not much use).

Agree. Airlines like small accounts as they are likely to expire and/or not be used.

I am looking to take the family to Disneyworld around September. So basicly SYD to MCO.
Assuming I am bronze member in both Frequent Flyer programs, and the money for the flights is roughly the same. We are flying in economy. We are once a year flyers at best.
Which airline would you travel on?

Powerballsam
What have you decided to do?
The airline you travel on and the airline FFP where the miles go does not need to be the same.

 

[Powerballsam]

We decided to wait and see what the prices are closer to the date. It seems like the advise we are getting is to check on prices a couple of months before the trip.

Will let you know what we decide but currently we are leaning towards Virgin as the time for the flights seem to fit better.

 

[VMC73]

Just in case you do decide to travel Qantas there is a fee to join their f/f program while Virgin is free, however I do believe there is a deal that you can join for free until 30 June.

 

[Baysider]

We decided to wait and see what the prices are closer to the date. It seems like the advise we are getting is to check on prices a couple of months before the trip.

Will let you know what we decide but currently we are leaning towards Virgin as the time for the flights seem to fit better.

If you're looking at September holidays the prices will only go up, but you should get some specials come up for travel either side.

This is handy for Disney: Disneyland Crowd Forecast Calendar | Is It Packed? - Real-Time Crowd Tracking - IsItPacked.com

 

[petercr]

Just in case you do decide to travel Qantas there is a fee to join their f/f program while Virgin is free, however I do believe there is a deal that you can join for free until 30 June.

Nope, join QFF via Woolies EDR and it's free... (and has been that way for some time - my wife and 2 kids joined that way)

 

[Powerballsam]

Someone else gave my that advise on this board so I signed up the kids to the EDR programs. So we are all members of QFF and Velocity.

Baysider: thanks for that link I will check it out.

 

[Rebekkap]

Sort of off topic, but have you thought about going to Disneyland in Anaheim rather than Disneyworld in Orlando?

I ask because I am currently planning a disneyworld trip/status run in May, and so I'm currently obsessively reading the disneyworld forums - they've just introduced a new system called fastpass+ which restricts the number of fastpasses (which you can use to skip the lines) to three per person per day, in one park only. Disneyland doesn't have these restrictions - as many fastpasses as you can get per day, the non-Disney hotels are much more convenient, and there are just as many rides, but closer together. Plus they have the new Cars Land, which is awesome.

The Disney forums are full of people who HATE the new system, apparently it's making lines in the parks even longer than usual and basically means you have to plan even more obsessively than usual because you need to plan 60 days out when you want to do which ride. I am wishing I'd gone for Disneyland instead (and the only reason I didn't is because I have now done Disneyland, which I love, six times, and Disneyworld only once).

And I'd suggest if you go to Disneyworld staying onsite at a Disney hotel - the value hotels do not cost that much and there are tons of advantages to staying onsite, including extra hours when the parks are only open to resort guests, and the convenience of not having to drive. At Disneyland there are five or six hotels directly opposite the main entrance, but Disneyworld is vast and staying offsite will mean trecking back and forward each day - and you can't take a midday pool break when it gets too hot!

 

[ozbeachbabe]

If you're looking at September holidays the prices will only go up, but you should get some specials come up for travel either side.

I agree - there will not be any specials to the USA in school holidays as the flights will fill up anyway without the help of a sale.

I'd get in asap & take advantage of any current specials.

 

[Powerballsam]

They had run a special a couple of weeks ago and I was not in the position to book. It now has gone up to normal price (around $10700 for the 5 of us). We are happy to pull the kids out of school for a week if it means saving $3000.
We did Disneyland a couple of years ago that is why we are doing Disneyworld this time.

We should have our work situation sorted in the next month after that I am happy to jump on an special that comes by. If it doesnt work out it was not ment to be There is always next year.