[QFFlyer]

John wrote:

BA recently started officially allowing Australian addresses for BAEC again.

If you can do the 4 BA flights I think it makes more sense to stick with BAEC for status, unless you really fly QF a lot and pay for premium cabins. Like in the US, you need to buy a separate membership for domestic lounge access with QF.

A foreign Amex doesn’t count as having an existing card.

If you value an Avios at 1p I’d value a QFF point at 1c.

The Australian Frequent Flyer forums are probably the best place to discuss QF.

You’ll really need to be flying QF a fair bit over here, there’s not much competition, certainly on domestics (other than Virgin Australia, which is not-allianced, much like VS). Lounge access can be paid but is also via Oneworld status, and unlike AA, QF don’t lock out their status pax from domestic lounges unless they pay.

I agree with valuing Avios at 1p, but disagree with your valuation of QFF points, I’d value them closer to 1.8-2.0c each based on the value of actual redemptions vs cash prices I’d pay (both Y and J fares).

Also can confirm that holding an overseas Amex doesn’t stop you being new to Amex Australia (of course) – Amex AU’s policy is now much better than the UK’s, only blocking you for 18m instead of 24m, but we suffered a huge devaluation in early 2019 (used to be 1:1 to airlines, which made transferring UK MRs to AU very profitable, but is now 1:0.5). Signup bonuses seem to have improved massively to compensate recently thought (just recently got 240k MRs on the Explorer card, for eg, and they were also offering 300k on the Platinum charge, though the fee is $1,450 – I hold a UK Plat for insurance purposes because it’s cheaper). Amex referrals are also pretty generous, being in the region of 30,000-50,000 points for each referral (for the referrer) on top of the enhanced SUB for the referee.

One other thing to mention is Points Club/Points Club Plus – these additional “status” levels are earned through accruing points primarily on the ground, 150k/350k respectively, with a maximum of 20k from flying – benefits include earning status credits on reward flights, lounge passes, status credit rollover and full Qantas Club membership.

• This reply was modified 3 years, 4 months ago by QFFlyer.

[QFFlyer]

QFF looks poor to everyone overseas, but in Australia it actually works really well – almost every bank has credit cards with large SUBs and you can earn points in countless other ways too (even by sleeping – literally, via Qantas Wellbeing).

Rewards do cost more, but the points are really easy to accrue, so it balances out. BAEC is still beneficial, as their rewards are significantly cheaper than QF on certain routes (longer domestic J, for eg MEL-PER, 20k-ish Avios vs 43k-ish QFF). On shorter routes it’s less of a saving (MEL-SYD is, I think, 6,500 Avios (used to be 4,500) vs 8,000 QFF).

The big thing to bear in mind is status credits – QF penalise you for flying partners – so say you earn 80 SC for a flight on QF, the same flight on AY/CX/QR (hypothetically, if the same route were offered) would earn 40 SC (or something like that – less anyway).

QF have historically offered double status credits promos varying numbers of times per year and with varying terms (last one I took advantage of was on international QF coded and operated flights only, but I’ve had them where they apply to domestics too), which can give you a boost up the ladder.

Another plus of holding status is with Jetstar – JQ are owned by QF, so you can access QF lounges on JQ flights (this doesn’t apply to holders of other Oneworld statuses, since JQ are not part of OW). Occasionally these can depart from international terminals, so you could access the MEL Flounge on a $50 JQ Y ticket…(these specific flights currently don’t exist, but did pre-COVID and may return). You can also, if you purchase the relevant bundle with your JQ ticket (a bit like an add-on to an easyJet fare) earn QF points and SCs on these flights, which can be a cheap way of topping up.

• This reply was modified 3 years, 4 months ago by QFFlyer.

[QFFlyer]

QR I would assume, since they have a stake in IAG. I was rebooked from BA to QR during the strike in 2019.

EDIT: this is a reply to the post above by MilesOnPoint, I clicked reply too. This forum software sucks!

• This reply was modified 3 years, 4 months ago by QFFlyer.

[QFFlyer]

Australia opened today to various visa holders. We’ve been allowed out and back for about six weeks now. No idea if it includes tourist visas, but if you’re looking to get booking then by the time you head here (assuming some time next year) then things should be ok – even WA are opening up on 5/2.

[QFFlyer]

+1 would also like to know, both parties are useless and I’m short 100k points this month.

[QFFlyer]

Speaking of MBNA, the Horizon cards, 0.5% (1% until end Dec) cashback and no fees for anything (pretty much).

I know these aren’t available to new applicants, but a lot of people presumably still have them.

[QFFlyer]

About half an hour in total arriving on QF1 recently. There was clearly an EK arrival just ahead of us which meant T3 was busy, but the queues moved quickly. A lot of the e-gates were open, I didn’t bother counting after 27 hours of flying, but it was almost def more than 10.

[QFFlyer]

A lot if you have the right products.

[QFFlyer]

My Creation accounts have been restricted since 3/12 as expected. Still open and limits unchanged, but for all intents and purposes dead. Fee refunded on mine but not OH’s black account. Complaint in and acknowledged, response by 23/12 apparently, we’ll see.