Recommend me a FF alliance!

[Jusrus]

Hi all,

So, I’ve done a bunch of searching, but I’m still not sure I’m approaching this the right way.

Background is I’m currently Virgin Australia Platinum (just clicked over). I achieve this largely through international flights between Australia (where my work is based) and Madrid (where I live). I fly return economy 4 times a year, and my wife and daughter also travel once a year. With Virgin family pooling we achieve this pretty easily, even if I do a few flights on points.

The challenge has been more about achieving the 8 required domestic sectors in Australia - my time is quite stretched while I’m there - while I would do a couple of trips, on my recent visit I flew Brisbane via Sydney to check off the sectors.

Additionally, we are increasingly flying with Iberia out of Spain/around Europe, so anything that allowed me to get into OneWorld at a decent level would be awesome.

The benefit of Etihad is that their flight timing both directions between Melbourne and Madrid is excellent. The planes are tired, but I’m pretty used to it, even on a full flight like the one I’m on now. First Class lounge in Abu Dabi is excellent.

I have flown Qatar a couple of times and while planes are better, I find lounges nowhere near as good/sometimes won’t allow access - and the lack of additional baggage is annoying.

My priorities for status are priority queues (I hate queues!), extra baggage and lounge access in that order.

So - is there another airline/alliance I should consider that will offer a similar experience? I have no other allegiances! The plan is to remain based in Madrid for at least the next 5 years if this would help achieve lifetime status anywhere etc etc

Appreciate any and all thoughts!

 

[moa999]

Suspect you've found Qatar's famous Business Lite fares.

Qantas Platinum only needs 4 sectors on QF/JQ codes, and I think that can also be done on EK metal (when booked under the QF codeshare)

And Qantas Plat gets the much better experience of the First lounges in MEL and DXB (if on EK) but not at DOH (edited)(on QR) where you'd get the lesser oneworld First lounge or Al Mourjan (by COS Business if on a non-lite fare) that you've probably seen.

Emirates timings seem similar 22-23hrs to Etihad from Melbourne.

Being based in Europe the various Avios programs might also suit. Most here seem to choose BA EC, but that doesn't give you the EK options that you have with QF.

And I don't know enough about the QR program to compare, hopefully others can chime in, although recent thread that redemptions have recently increased the $ component.

But also depends on how much choice you have on airline fares etc, or are restricted to best fare policies etc.

 

[AIRwin]

but not at AUH (on QR)

DOH!

 

[Mwenenzi]

The IB avios ffp does not have the own flight rule for status
The BA avios ffp and QR Qatar avios ffp do have the own flight rule for status.
Avios, but not status, can be moved between the ffp's that use the avios currency: QR BA IB IE AY. (Oneworld)
Getting status can be harder than redeemable ff miles/avois/points.
QF Qantas (Oldworld) does have reduced or even nil status earning on some partners (depends on the fare booking class-airline)

Do you/can you earn ff miles/avois/points from non flying activities?
Many-most frequent flyer programs are morphing into frequent spender programs.