What next?

[DeathSquid]

So once you get lifetime gold and you are platinum status, what's the point of flying Qantas for the rest of the year? Qantas don't seem really interested in retaining their most frequent flyers...

 

[QF WP]

You've caught on quickly, DeathSquid. NM has been asking the same question since he made it and I've been asking the question approaching Lifetime Silver. I joined Alan in CBR and IainF who had already made the jump.

Thus the exodus to AAdvantage has begun. It may only be a trickle now...

 

[Alan in CBR]

So once you get lifetime gold and you are platinum status, what's the point of flying Qantas for the rest of the year? Qantas don't seem really interested in retaining their most frequent flyers...

Flying them is still a good idea. Crediting the flights to QFF? Not so much.

 

[Reggie]

You've caught on quickly, DeathSquid. NM has been asking the same question since he made it and I've been asking the question approaching Lifetime Silver. I joined Alan in CBR and IainF who had already made the jump.

Lindsay, You have pulled the plug on Qantas before reaching LTS and LTG. I thought the issue was after LTG?

 

[NM]

Lindsay, You have pulled the plug on Qantas before reaching LTS and LTG. I thought the issue was after LTG?

Depends if LTG is achievable in the short term. If not, then AA Plat may well be achievable and maintainable. And if using economy fares, AA plat may be more maintainable than QF Plat - both having 100% bonus miles.

So it depends on your own circumstances. For an upcoming trip I could maintain QF plat and earn 75,000 QF points. Posting to AA will earn AA Plat and maintain until March 2008, and earn me 85,000 AA miles.

QF points would be sufficient for 3 one-way BNE-PER economy tickets, plus payment of at least $120 in fuel fines. AA miles is good for 4 return BNE-PER-BNE tickets with no fuel fines imposed.

 

[Reggie]

I see what you are saying. I have several concerns at present. One is AA doing an Ansett in some form where all points and status is lost. Qantas aren`t that nice when you have no status. We all saw how the star alliance treated status members of ansett as leppers after the demise

I also think and am happy to be corrected, that there is a much better chance of OP and OD upgrades on your host airline then other oneworld partners.

With this in mind I think I will hang in there with QF until LTG then reassess the situation. I am fortunative enough that I should maintain platinum until I achieve LTG in 3 to 4 years

Reggie

 

[one9]

I see what you are saying. I have several concerns at present. One is AA doing an Ansett in some form where all points and status is lost. Qantas aren`t that nice when you have no status. We all saw how the star alliance treated status members of ansett as leppers after the demise
...
Reggie

You hit an important point. The risk of AA going bankrupt is much more significant than Qantas doing so. But with the airline industry how it is today, there is risk everywhere. People have to weigh up the risks. I think for most people, the small chance of AA going bankrupt is less important than the increased benefits.

 

[Reggie]

I thought most if not all of the American Airlines have been under chapter 11 in the past decade or 2, so there is always a possibility

 

[JohnK]

I wouldn't risk having FF points in any US airline's FF program. Could well be a chance of here today, gone tomorrow!

 

[Reggie]

I wouldn't risk having FF points in any US airline's FF program. Could well be a chance of here today, gone tomorrow!

Too right, after loosing 500K points in Ansett, I am very careful. I no longer transfer points from any of credit card points into any airline FF program, I generally take cc points as vouchers or gifts.

 

[Dave Noble]

I wouldn't risk having FF points in any US airline's FF program. Could well be a chance of here today, gone tomorrow!

The risks apply to all FF schemes. AA is not operating in Chapter 11 , nor has done during the difficultt times since 2001, unlike UA for example and there is little likelihood of them going under. Also, unlike AN, if they do fail they would use C11 Bankrupcy protection in the 1st case which would give fair warning of a problem unlike with AN where they went directly from operating to out of business. If they were to enter banruptcy protection, at least there would be opportunity to ensure that points did not vapourise

Dave

 

[QF WP]

Lindsay, You have pulled the plug on Qantas before reaching LTS and LTG. I thought the issue was after LTG?

Reggie, as I outlined in my thread, I'm only 130 SC's short of LTS. I will be crediting some flights to QFF and will achieve it before the end of the year. Add that to Lifetime QC and I'm OK on any flights I take in the future.

But achieving another 7,000 SC's is a goal too far. I actually think I'll make AA LTG before QF LTG, because of the CC spend going towards LT status, rather than flights only on QFF.

I wouldn't have switched if I thought that AA FF program would fold.

 

[Reggie]

Reggie, as I outlined in my thread, I'm only 130 SC's short of LTS. I will be crediting some flights to QFF and will achieve it before the end of the year. Add that to Lifetime QC and I'm OK on any flights I take in the future.

But achieving another 7,000 SC's is a goal too far. I actually think I'll make AA LTG before QF LTG, because of the CC spend going towards LT status, rather than flights only on QFF.

I wouldn't have switched if I thought that AA FF program would fold.

Ah the old life time QC in the shoe trick. Now I see why it suits in your case. I am going to wait for the LTG then try with AA as I wont be paying for LTQC.

Thanks for that Lindsay