Tier Point earnings discrepancy between Earn Categories Table and Calculator

[TheTravelExperience]

Hi all,

I am trying to check the Tier Point earnings for CX flights (marketed and operated by CX) for members crediting to the Qantas FFP and noticed what I think is a discrepancy between:

1) the Earn Category Tables, https://www.qantas.com/au/en/freque...nt-flyer-earn-categories:en:nn#cathay-pacific , and

2) the Qantas Tier point calculator, https://www.qantas.com/au/en/frequent-flyer/calculators.html , and also,

3) the Partner Airline earning tables, https://www.qantas.com/au/en/freque...rning-tables.html#between-western-europe-and-


where the Earn Category Table, shows earnings for CX flights in discount economy (ML) and economy (BHK) categories in ADDITION to Flexible Economy amongst the options, as below,


but the calculator only shows Flexible Economy as the only economy category able to earn points, while Discount Economy is stated to be "The requested frequent flyer earn category is not offered, the available category list has been displayed"






FINALLY, when I double check the Partner Airline earning tables, it still shows earnings for discount economy and economy, https://www.qantas.com/au/en/freque...rning-tables.html#between-western-europe-and- and https://www.qantas.com/sg/en/freque...airline-earning-tables.html#all-other-flights

HOWEVER, there is another contradiction where flights 6,501 miles and above are supposed to earn 80 SCs for Flexible and Premium Economy based on one of the Partner Airline earning tables, BUT, another table and the Qantas Tier point calculator, only shows earnings of 60 SCs







Just to be clear, I readily acknowledge that it is QF's prerogative with regards to which flights / partners / situations they want to award Tier Points, just that discrepancies on their own website makes planning so hard.

Wondering if anyone on the forum has encountered this and can share their experience, e.g. if they earning points and how much. Or maybe this is my villain original story in the making hehe

Thanks in advance

 

[WilsonM]

Hi all,

I am trying to check the Tier Point earnings for CX flights (marketed and operated by CX) for members crediting to the Qantas FFP and noticed what I think is a discrepancy between:

1) the Earn Category Tables, https://www.qantas.com/au/en/frequent-flyer/earn-points/airline-earning-tables/earn-category-tables.html?int_cam=au:airline-earning-tables:article:frequent-flyer-earn-categories:en:nn#cathay-pacific , and

2) the Qantas Tier point calculator, https://www.qantas.com/au/en/frequent-flyer/calculators.html , and also,

3) the Partner Airline earning tables, https://www.qantas.com/au/en/freque...rning-tables.html#between-western-europe-and-


where the Earn Category Table, shows earnings for CX flights in discount economy (ML) and economy (BHK) categories in ADDITION to Flexible Economy amongst the options, as below,

View attachment 411463
but the calculator only shows Flexible Economy as the only economy category able to earn points, while Discount Economy is stated to be "The requested frequent flyer earn category is not offered, the available category list has been displayed"

View attachment 411464

View attachment 411465


FINALLY, when I double check the Partner Airline earning tables, it still shows earnings for discount economy and economy, https://www.qantas.com/au/en/freque...rning-tables.html#between-western-europe-and- and https://www.qantas.com/sg/en/freque...airline-earning-tables.html#all-other-flights

HOWEVER, there is another contradiction where flights 6,501 miles and above are supposed to earn 80 SCs for Flexible and Premium Economy based on one of the Partner Airline earning tables, BUT, another table and the Qantas Tier point calculator, only shows earnings of 60 SCs


View attachment 411467

View attachment 411470


Just to be clear, I readily acknowledge that it is QF's prerogative with regards to which flights / partners / situations they want to award Tier Points, just that discrepancies on their own website makes planning so hard.

Wondering if anyone on the forum has encountered this and can share their experience, e.g. if they earning points and how much. Or maybe this is my villain original story in the making hehe

Thanks in advance

Obviously there's a couple of points here to make, but firstly, the tables are the authority over the calculator - the calculator often gets things wrong, or simply can't handle certain airports as well.

AFAIK, if you're booked into the requisite fare classes that are listed on the tables, you'll earn at the specified rate. The calculator is just wrong to suggest that discount economy fares don't exist in this case.

A separate issue is that Cathay uses the same fare class for all of it's Economy fares offered - while the benefits are different between whatever they call their lowest Economy fare and their highest, they both book into the same fare class - so check before you book! The only way to book a higher fare class is by calling up or using a competent travel agent.

For your second question, the Partner Airline Earning Tables that have destinations/regions listed (i.e. Flights between Western Europe) supercede the 'All Other Flights' table - they're the first port of call, and if the flight doesn't meet the criteria for the destination/region based charts, the 'All Other Flights' table applies. Confusing, yes - QF has purposely done this to penalise those who book partners to markets which it serves, even indirectly (or, if you're a really positive/delusional person, they reward people who fly QF everywhere...).

TLDR: Your first point is an issue with the calculator - if you book into the fare class, you'll earn what the table said. Your second point is just the way the airline tables work - if you're flying between any region mentioned, you'll earn from those tables, and if not, you'll earn via the mileage bands.

So for example, I flew MNL-DOH on QR: Doha - Southeast Asia is listed (and Philippines is listed as part of South East Asia) - so I earned 100SC for that flight. On a separate trip, I flew BKK - AMM on RJ: Despite being 300 miles shorter than MNL-DOH, I earned 120SC as it's not listed as a separate award chart, so it used the 'All Other Flights' tab.

Hope this clear it up a little bit!

 

[moa999]

And note that QF calls them Status Credits, not Tier Points (BA language).

But yes it's a very complicated "simpler and fairer" system.

 

[encryptededdy]

FWIW I've never seen the Calculator wrong per se for a given SC/Points value - only missing a flight/fare class combination that should exist. If the calculator gives a value for your flight & fare class combination, it's correct from what I've seen.

With that said I usually rely on the tables, and once you use it enough, you get a mental idea of which routes fall into the "All Other Flights" category so it's pretty quick to look up. You also get an idea of the quirks (like how Flex Econ and Premium Econ earn the same SCs) and the ratios between the fare classes

 

[TheTravelExperience]

Obviously there's a couple of points here to make, but firstly, the tables are the authority over the calculator - the calculator often gets things wrong, or simply can't handle certain airports as well.

AFAIK, if you're booked into the requisite fare classes that are listed on the tables, you'll earn at the specified rate. The calculator is just wrong to suggest that discount economy fares don't exist in this case.

A separate issue is that Cathay uses the same fare class for all of it's Economy fares offered - while the benefits are different between whatever they call their lowest Economy fare and their highest, they both book into the same fare class - so check before you book! The only way to book a higher fare class is by calling up or using a competent travel agent.

For your second question, the Partner Airline Earning Tables that have destinations/regions listed (i.e. Flights between Western Europe) supercede the 'All Other Flights' table - they're the first port of call, and if the flight doesn't meet the criteria for the destination/region based charts, the 'All Other Flights' table applies. Confusing, yes - QF has purposely done this to penalise those who book partners to markets which it serves, even indirectly (or, if you're a really positive/delusional person, they reward people who fly QF everywhere...).

TLDR: Your first point is an issue with the calculator - if you book into the fare class, you'll earn what the table said. Your second point is just the way the airline tables work - if you're flying between any region mentioned, you'll earn from those tables, and if not, you'll earn via the mileage bands.

So for example, I flew MNL-DOH on QR: Doha - Southeast Asia is listed (and Philippines is listed as part of South East Asia) - so I earned 100SC for that flight. On a separate trip, I flew BKK - AMM on RJ: Despite being 300 miles shorter than MNL-DOH, I earned 120SC as it's not listed as a separate award chart, so it used the 'All Other Flights' tab.

Hope this clear it up a little bit!

thank you, owe you a drink if I ever meet you. appreciated

Post automatically merged: Oct 12, 2024

And note that QF calls them Status Credits, not Tier Points (BA language).

But yes it's a very complicated "simpler and fairer" system.

haha, yeah sorry. I still blame Qantas for having a "green tier" muddying the waters

 

[TheTravelExperience]

FWIW I've never seen the Calculator wrong per se for a given SC/Points value - only missing a flight/fare class combination that should exist. If the calculator gives a value for your flight & fare class combination, it's correct from what I've seen.

With that said I usually rely on the tables, and once you use it enough, you get a mental idea of which routes fall into the "All Other Flights" category so it's pretty quick to look up. You also get an idea of the quirks (like how Flex Econ and Premium Econ earn the same SCs) and the ratios between the fare classes

yeah I think I will start typing the tables down in excel so as not to confuse myself in the future.

again to every one sharing input, thank you so very much