"The current Qantas program is the best and most generous in the world."

[EmilyHoward]

If QF ditched JASA's/FASA's then my view would turn 180 degrees.

Have to agree with that to some extent Tony!

EH

 

[defurax]

I think it is really hard to compare FF schemes. At work we have a Best fare of the Day policy (flying in whY), but usually I simply wait for QF tickets to be the cheapest option of the day and then I book the flights. Last year out of 7 European + US trips (MEL-JFK x 3 and MEL-LHR x 4) I got almost 300,000 points for a total cost of $12,000 (MEL-LHR around 1800$ and MEL-JFK around 1600$). These 300K points allowed me to upgrade to J on all my leisure flights during this period. I used to be a member of United Mileage Plus and Air Canada Aeroplan and I have to say that I find QFF to be the best FF program by far!

 

[yohy?!]

I think it is really hard to compare FF schemes. At work we have a Best fare of the Day policy (flying in whY), but usually I simply wait for QF tickets to be the cheapest option of the day and then I book the flights. Last year out of 7 European + US trips (MEL-JFK x 3 and MEL-LHR x 4) I got almost 300,000 points for a total cost of $12,000 (MEL-LHR around 1800$ and MEL-JFK around 1600$). These 300K points allowed me to upgrade to J on all my leisure flights during this period. I used to be a member of United Mileage Plus and Air Canada Aeroplan and I have to say that I find QFF to be the best FF program by far!

sounds like you've been lucky, i've had similar good experiences with QFF upgrades in the past always coming through.

you feel it when they don't though and you get stuck in Y - hurts like hell!!

CX is superior in this regard, you can confirm your upgrade without having to play the lottery.

 

[Supersonic Swinger]

I think it is really hard to compare FF schemes. At work we have a Best fare of the Day policy (flying in whY), but usually I simply wait for QF tickets to be the cheapest option of the day and then I book the flights. Last year out of 7 European + US trips (MEL-JFK x 3 and MEL-LHR x 4) I got almost 300,000 points for a total cost of $12,000 (MEL-LHR around 1800$ and MEL-JFK around 1600$). These 300K points allowed me to upgrade to J on all my leisure flights during this period. I used to be a member of United Mileage Plus and Air Canada Aeroplan and I have to say that I find QFF to be the best FF program by far!

If you were Executive Platinum with AA (equivalent level to WP there), you would also have earned just shy of 300,000 AA miles for those 7 flights in Y. Given that Australia-Europe return in business is 120,000 AA miles, with good availability on Cathay, you would have been able to travel to Europe and back 2 and a half times in Business Class with out paying the economy fare to start with!

Two weeks out from travel I booked SIN-HKG-JFK one way in J on Cathay for 62,500 AA miles + $150 in fees. All Qantas could offer was Economy SIN-SYD-LAX-JFK for 96,000 plus about $600 in fees.

There may be pockets of value with QFF but I still don't see how it could possibly be what Ben Sandilands described it as.

 

[TonyHancock]

If you were Executive Platinum with AA (equivalent level to WP there), you would also have earned just shy of 300,000 AA miles for those 7 flights in Y. Given that Australia-Europe return in business is 120,000 AA miles, with good availability on Cathay, you would have been able to travel to Europe and back 2 and a half times in Business Class with out paying the economy fare to start with!

Two weeks out from travel I booked SIN-HKG-JFK one way in J on Cathay for 62,500 AA miles + $150 in fees. All Qantas could offer was Economy SIN-SYD-LAX-JFK for 96,000 plus about $600 in fees.

There may be pockets of value with QFF but I still don't see how it could possibly be what Ben Sandilands described it as.

I'm genuinely interested in this. If you can help me out with my current situation whereby I pay for three J flights to Europe (mainly QF but more likely BA.....still waiting to find out how the EK scenario will impact me.) and book three JASA's (with the odd FASA) I'd be delighted. I can't seem to make AA work for me. (I'd ignore WP1 if I could achieve the 6 J's to Europe.) [I pick up about 300,000 points through credit cards.]

 

[Pleb Status]

Earn on QF is one of the best. Not many airlines pay 1:1 on all fares, including all of their deep discount classes. Paying 1000 minimum FFP to all members is also very good (AA, UA/CO etc only pay 500 min to their elites, no minimum for the others). SQ, CX et al do not pay much (if any) on their cheap Y fares. BA only pays 0.25 on most Y fares and it was not long ago that cheap BA Y fares did not earn any tier credits either. Earning FFP on partner airlines could be improved however. Earning off aircraft is very good on QF versus others (car hire, hotels etc are all better on QF against AA).

Burn is shocking on QF (excluding JASA/FASA on classic rates). PER-BNE rtn in J is 72000 QF FFP or only 35000 AA miles. It is still around 60000 QF FFP net as a WP on a JASA (but $250 more in 'taxes' as well).

Overall, I think an AA EXP travelling on AA most of the time is better off then a QF WP travelling on QF most of the time.

With AA only paying 0.5 miles on most QF Y class fares and nothing for E class (where QF sale fares end up), it is difficult to make the swap to AA fully as a mainly QF flyer. I was thinking of crediting Y travel to QF and J/F travel to AA but this only stacks up if I can retain both QF WP and AA platinum status (for the 100% bonus) in the longer term.

 

[serfty]

Earn on QF is one of the best. ...

if you are WP!

I earned nearly 40K QFF points earlier this months for a return in economy Melbourne to Cincinnati.

 

[JohnK]

When was the last time you booked a SYD-BNE on points?

Value is only found where you use it.

Ozfest in BNE when the one way was ~$236 and I found classic award.

But that was not the point I was trying to make. I think the QFF program is more generous and has a lot more variety to offer.

Many here have a lot better use for those 8000 point +++ as part of a more substantial award.

Of course, the 140K 35,000 mile oneworrd economy award is close as good as QFF gets for redemption value in economy.

I don't disagree with you but the majority (and I don't know the actual percentage) will only ever earn enough in any program to do a basic domestic redemption.

 

[muppet]

I don't disagree with you but the majority (and I don't know the actual percentage) will only ever earn enough in any program to do a basic domestic redemption.

JohnK is definitely correct on this point. I have so many colleagues p**sing away 8000 points CBR-SYD and I just gasp out loud. Can't believe it! What a waste.

I think my main issue with the QF scheme, is that it rewards discount flyers whilst penalising high fare flyers. (admittedly my view is skewed to my own circumstance.)

And I believe that to compensate for the generous issuing of points they have to create high redemption rates.

e.g.
CBR-MEL in O class $149 = 1000 points
CBR-MEL in J class $737 = 1250 points

VIRGIN
CBR-MEL in F class $99 = 990 points (for me cos WP, 445 for red)
CBR-MEL in J class $495 = 4950 points (or 2475 for red)

Also, I love JASAs, they have allowed me to be Plat in DJ and QF. But they devalue status massively. saying someone on a 48,000 points CBR-HBA run is worth the same as a full fare J to Los Angeles is just absurd. Another example of rewarding discount flyers (compared to premium flyers).

 

[JohnK]

But what about the businessman/woman who buys flexible tickets, generally last minute. Lets say fares on both Qantas and Virgin are $350 a piece

Correct.

I think my point was more that people who do not fly regularly and are on cheaper airfares would find QFF a lot more attractive and generous than Velocity. Not only domestic but international as well.

Personally I am struggling to find what I believe are value redemptions for me in Velocity and feel extremely depressed about my slowly growing balance. In the end I am going to be forced to use them on a SYD-LAX return in economy and get ~0.6c/point value out of them.

 

[drron]

When you fly internationally as the majority of your OW travel then AA is often a better earning program than QFF.I usually earn more points on AA as a OWS than mrsdrron as a WP with QFF.Reason-more airlines earn your 100% elite bonus.I certainly earm more than a QFF SG.
Of course we fly in the J cabin but I believe it would be the same for Y.

 

[defurax]

I usually earn more points on AA as a OWS than mrsdrron as a WP with QFF.

Have I mentioned that I prefer to earn points in a FF program which is not linked to an airline under the protection of Chapter 11 in the US...

 

[serfty]

Have I mentioned that I prefer to earn points in a FF program which is not linked to an airline under the protection of Chapter 11 in the US...

So you don't earn on the programs of any of AA, US, US etc.

Aside from that, how is it relevant to this topic?

Are you concerned you may lose your FF miles? That is very unlikely.

Posted on a wing and a prayer ...

 

[defurax]

So you don't earn on the programs of any of AA, US, US etc.

Aside from that, how is it relevant to this topic?

Are you concerned you may lose your FF miles? That is very unlikely.

Posted on a wing and a prayer ...

Since yesterday some people here have started to convince me that AA program is pretty good compared to QFF, so being lazy and not really wanting to change program I'm trying to find stupid reasons to stay with QFF...

 

[madrooster]

When you fly internationally as the majority of your OW travel then AA is often a better earning program than QFF.I usually earn more points on AA as a OWS than mrsdrron as a WP with QFF.Reason-more airlines earn your 100% elite bonus.I certainly earm more than a QFF SG.
Of course we fly in the J cabin but I believe it would be the same for Y.

Only on flexi fares - those who fly on red e-deals or sale fares (or maybe even the flexi savers?) are better off on QFF.

 

[Berlin]

I'm very happy with Qantas but certainly not 100% loyal at any cost when it comes to International travel (I am for work as we only use QF).
Now, domestically, bloody Virgin is a different matter- not even worth a second of consideration in my eyes and even if it's only to avoid that ugly domestic bogan terminal in Sydney. Give me QF Domestic any day!

 

[dajop]

In the end I am going to be forced to use them on a SYD-LAX return in economy and get ~0.6c/point value out of them.

Surely the floor in value is Coles gift cards at 0.69c/point. Better to use it that way and use cash for (points earning flights). Likewise with the floor in value of QF can be determined by Woolworths gift cards.

 

[GCC]

Sorry if this is a dumb question. I have a fairly healthy points balance but it is spread across my QFF account, Amex Plat and Diners cards.

It sounds like joining the AA program might be a good idea if AA award redemptions for long haul are that much less than QFF.

In fact, if I could book awards via AA for significantly less than QFF it seems like a no brainer.

Or am i missing something?

 

[JohnK]

Surely the floor in value is Coles gift cards at 0.69c/point. Better to use it that way and use cash for (points earning flights). Likewise with the floor in value of QF can be determined by Woolworths gift cards.

I guess you are right but I am hoping something more comes up before then.

 

[tuapekastar]

Sorry if this is a dumb question. I have a fairly healthy points balance but it is spread across my QFF account, Amex Plat and Diners cards.

It sounds like joining the AA program might be a good idea if AA award redemptions for long haul are that much less than QFF.

In fact, if I could book awards via AA for significantly less than QFF it seems like a no brainer.

Or am i missing something?

I don't think you're missing much. I think (?) AA charges a $ fee (maybe USD40, but don't quote me) to redeem award flights, and also, for redemptions on QF using AA miles I don't think they become available until 3 or 4 weeks after they become available to QFF points holders (maybe 353 days out for QF, 331 days out for AA, or something like that), so sometimes the eyes may be picked out of the popular routes by the time AA miles users come to see them.