"... we'll shortly announce a major investment to improve our Frequent Flyer program"

[drron]

I haven’t experienced phantom AA awards on QF yet and have booked a few on domestic QF J.
I never bother though with any MH awards that come up on AA.

 

[levelnine]

I haven’t experienced phantom AA awards on QF yet and have booked a few on domestic QF J.
I never bother though with any MH awards that come up on AA.

Particular partners — JL, QR & EY are the worst.

 

[farstar]

Unless we get the holy grail of life Platinum reduced to double life time gold anything else will be pointless.

 

[Doctore1003]

But we already know what it will be as it was "leaked".

There’s much we don’t know:

Will you be able to book any economy seat at 1 cent per point or will availability be limited?

Same for premium cabins - and what will the cent per point rate be (we know it will be higher than economy)?

Will any non-QF metal be included?

How will SCs be earned?

…

 

[RichardMEL]

Unless we get the holy grail of life Platinum reduced to double life time gold anything else will be pointless.

Pointless it is then.

Never going to happen. Sorry to say.

Better chance of winning lotto.

 

[elanshin]

In before QF is busy scouring this thread and many others now that the "leaks" have been out for a while to readjust everything hence the delay.

 

[RichardMEL]

There’s much we don’t know:

Plus everyone focuses on the Classic+ of course. There may be other aspects not leaked.

Will any non-QF metal be included?

Most likely mot.

How will SCs be earned?

Or should that be "Will SCs be earned?"(for other than PC members)

 

[hb13]

It really depends on one's personal circumstances, but I could get OWE through AA for half the effort it takes to get it through QF. So that's why I'd switch if QF turfed the one benefit I care about that's exclusive to QF WP.

I apologise I have no idea how the AA program works, but from a purely flying perspective and being based primarily in Aus, how would getting OWE through AA be easier?

The only reason I ask is because I've had a look at Iberia, QR, BAEC and QF - and QF seems to be the easiest due to:

1. Lower tier miles requirement (1400 SC and only 1200 SCs if you are retaining it).
2. A bonus of 50 SCs at 500 and 1000 SC, reducing the required SC potentially to only 1100.
3. Double status credits offer – which doesn’t seem to be offered by others (apart from BA’s very complicated holiday double TP offer).
4. The ability for people who have Points Club to earn SCs through award flights.

I’d love an easier way to earn OWE than QF, which is why I ask. It just seems like QF platinum is significantly easier than many other programs to get OWE.

 

[elanshin]

I apologise I have no idea how the AA program works, but from a purely flying perspective and being based primarily in Aus, how would getting OWE through AA be easier?

The only reason I ask is because I've had a look at Iberia, QR, BAEC and QF - and QF seems to be the easiest due to:

1. Lower tier miles requirement (1400 SC and only 1200 SCs if you are retaining it).
2. A bonus of 50 SCs at 500 and 1000 SC, reducing the required SC potentially to only 1100.
3. Double status credits offer – which doesn’t seem to be offered by others (apart from BA’s very complicated holiday double TP offer).
4. The ability for people who have Points Club to earn SCs through award flights.

I’d love an easier way to earn OWE than QF, which is why I ask. It just seems like QF platinum is significantly easier than many other programs to get OWE.

If you're mainly based in Australia without much flying into other airlines home countries, then yes it's almost certainly the easiest to get OWE with QF.

If you're able to access American CC (in this case AA's cobranded cards) you can rack up a lot of miles (which count towards status) as well. Whilst their own Platinum Pro (OWE equivilent) is gimped domestically compared to other OWE's if you're using the OWE outside of the US, its still roughly the same benefits.

There are also other ways like using Royal Air Moroc (AT) to effectively buy OWE but that would require some sort of trip to and from Morocco (and likely Casablanca)

 

[levelnine]

If you're mainly based in Australia without much flying into other airlines home countries, then yes it's almost certainly the easiest to get OWE with QF.

If you're able to access American CC (in this case AA's cobranded cards) you can rack up a lot of miles (which count towards status) as well. Whilst their own Platinum Pro (OWE equivilent) is gimped domestically compared to other OWE's if you're using the OWE outside of the US, its still roughly the same benefits.

There are also other ways like using Royal Air Moroc (AT) to effectively buy OWE but that would require some sort of trip to and from Morocco (and likely Casablanca)

As elanshin writes, credit cards are the key. It is extremely easy to get OWE on American if you have access to US credit cards and know how to manufacture spend. Large numbers of people in the US attain OWE simply for fun (to say they did it) — they don't even fly oneworld that much. Knowing how to use their shopping portal also helps — they often give away 10K+ points for free through 100% cashback offers.

 

[jase05]

I apologise I have no idea how the AA program works, but from a purely flying perspective and being based primarily in Aus, how would getting OWE through AA be easier?

The only reason I ask is because I've had a look at Iberia, QR, BAEC and QF - and QF seems to be the easiest due to:

1. Lower tier miles requirement (1400 SC and only 1200 SCs if you are retaining it).
2. A bonus of 50 SCs at 500 and 1000 SC, reducing the required SC potentially to only 1100.
3. Double status credits offer – which doesn’t seem to be offered by others (apart from BA’s very complicated holiday double TP offer).
4. The ability for people who have Points Club to earn SCs through award flights.

I’d love an easier way to earn OWE than QF, which is why I ask. It just seems like QF platinum is significantly easier than many other programs to get OWE.

I think QF is probably the easiest for Australians who fly QF a lot and can tap into DSC’s etc.
I don’t think there is a “one program suits all“ and everyone has different plans, travel patterns, expenditure etc.
For us personally all my domestic QF flights are pretty much for work and I don’t get any SC’s or points and I rarely fly QFi unless I get award flights to places like CGK or MNL. BAEC made sense for me as we travel to Europe most years so easy to get the 4 flights on BA and we do a bit of travel with MH for example that earns pretty much nothing with QF. I will reassess in a few years time if our travel pattern changes but at the moment it works for us

 

[ChrisMars]

This paywalled AFR article claim 1.5c per points on J booking.

Internal documents provide clues of Qantas’ new frequent flyer scheme

 

[melbourne rebel]

For those without access to AFR:

Internal documents provide clues of Qantas’ new frequent flyer scheme​

Qantas’ long-awaited frequent flyer revamp will not be available on Jetstar and flights will be refundable for a “fee” of 6000 points, according to details included in planning documents obtained by The Australian Financial Review.

Marked “draft” and “for discussion purposes”, they suggest the new Classic+ reward program will roll out from July 1. The airline has flagged that it will change its lucrative frequent flyer scheme this year, but has yet to provide details of those alterations.

The Financial Review has previously reported that the new scheme is likely to be called Classic Plus and convert one Frequent Flyer point to 1¢ for economy flights. Sources close to discussions said it would convert one point to 1.5¢ for business flights.

<redacted due to copyright>

Classic Plus seats will be released 353 days in advance of travel dates to all Qantas Frequent Flyer members at the same time. “Our premium tiered ... members will continue to have earlier access to the existing Qantas Classic Reward seats,” it said.

<redacted due to copyright>

A Qantas spokesman said: “We’re finalising improvements to our frequent flyers program which are responding to what members are telling us about the importance of redeeming points for flights at the times they most want to fly.”

 

[levelnine]

Good bit of additional info.

You really have to wonder how many people are going to look at a 800K ticket and think it's great value, especially when they still have to pay classic award fees and taxes and they won't earn any points on the fare like they would with a revenue ticket.

 

[I love to travel]

Good bit of additional info.

You really have to wonder how many people are going to look at a 800K ticket and think it's great value, especially when they still have to pay classic award fees and taxes and they won't earn any points on the fare like they would with a revenue ticket.

Also if starting in July is correct then an imminent points release not likely not April announcement.

 

[melbourne rebel]

Good bit of additional info.

You really have to wonder how many people are going to look at a 800K ticket and think it's great value, especially when they still have to pay classic award fees and taxes and they won't earn any points on the fare like they would with a revenue ticket.

As someone with a very large points balance and a material recurring monthly earning stream, this new category of redemption is really beneficial to me.

 

[levelnine]

As someone with a very large points balance and a material recurring monthly earning stream, this new category of redemption is really beneficial to me.

Depending on your level of dedication to the game, you'd probably be far better off getting a US Amex and abandoning Qantas-earning cards.

A floor of 2.4c/pt value (1.54c/pt USD) when booking revenue business class fares using the Amex Biz Plat. Add in the extra points and SCs you earn from it being a revenue fare, and you're basically doubling the value you get compared to a card earning Qantas points.

 

[chrispy3276]

If it's in fact July 1, then doesn't that mean an announcement is imminent? From the QFF T&C's:

3.2 Qantas Loyalty will use best efforts to advise Members of material changes to these Terms and Conditions and, where such changes will limit Benefits:

(a) where the Benefit is provided by Qantas, to give Members at least three months notice;

So if anything 'bad' is about to happen and changes take effect from July 1st, the clock is ticking...

 

[levelnine]

If it's in fact July 1, then doesn't that mean an announcement is imminent? From the QFF T&C's:



So if anything 'bad' is about to happen and changes take effect from July 1st, the clock is ticking...

It's an 'enhancement'. No notice needed.

 

[chrispy3276]

It's an 'enhancement'. No notice needed.

Agree that Classic+ is an 'enhancement', but if that's not the only change QFF is making then they might need the lead up time...