[FormerBA]

Delta Airlines announced this week that status in their frequent flyer programme will be revenue based from Jan 1st while BA move to revenue based Avios earning this October.

In both cases the big winners are corporate flyers who buy fully flexible last minute tickets. It will cost a staggering $35,000 to obtain top tier status in Delta’s programme.

As a premium leisure traveller this is a game changer for me, or will be if BA move to revenue based status. In most years I can easily obtain silver via a single return trip to Asia on QR and a few ShortHaul flights. More recently I have managed gold and will do so again this year. Consequently when booking a flight I focus on tier points balanced by cost. For example next year I have to fly from SYD to HAN the cheapest fare was Vietnam in business but I booked a more expensive fare on Cathay to pick up extra tier points.
If those tier points or my BAEC status moves to £ spent I know I will look for value, not status! Business class seats get lounge and fast track most of the time. Being able to use First checkin is nice but not at any price!

Is this the views of others or are you all flying on someone else’s sim and so quieter lounges will be welcome?

4 users thanked author for this post.

AlanOrton1, christ, Jacob, fqtvgla

[AlanOrton1]

I wouldn’t be surprised if the way Tier Points are earned currently changes in the mid to long term. I just don’t see it happening anytime soon.

For now though that isn’t the case, as you say, it is earning Avios that are changing.

I fly on my company’s dime and I’m an owner of it, so will always balance cost v convenience / comfort etc.

I suspect I may still stay with OW / BA if earning TP’s move to a £/$ based model as:

Delta are already doing it, if BA follow, I suspect most others will also go down this route.

Business Lite is already appearing so not having lounge access and other possible perks may make lower cost J travel less attractive.

While a nice seat and more space is a big reason for flying J, I do like other benefits top tier status offers from a convenience perspective of someone who is time poor.

[christ]

Being based in HK but having had BA Gold for yours, I am questioning myself as to whether airline status is really worth it (noting you do get bonus miles for status). I always travel in business and first and so the standard baggage allowance is fine (Qatar being an exception with its miserable 40kg) and have lounge access.

Nonetheless, I still have fallen trap to paying extra for Cathay’s high prices just to maintain One world emerald – although I will deviate if it is one of its ancient regional planes. For my trip back to the UK later this year, I have again booked Qatar to get the extra tier points rather than the direct BA flight and i am kind of regretting as i don’t like Doha lounges as too chaotic for me (the decision was made partially as BA seem to have got rid of the A350 for the winter timetable and put 2 787s on with the old club world seat and with one of them having first class but i am not sure if it is the new first class or even if it has been rolled out on the 787).

I have actually enjoyed experiencing other airlines recently and which i probably would not do if i was in Europe – over the last few months, I have used Hong Kong Airlines, Cathay, Thai, JAL, Emirates and Eva (all new to me with the exception of Cathay). I had the highest expectations of Emirates A380 and was the most disappointed and wishing I had booked Cathay. JAL I also had high expectations and disliked the food and 767 (I think the 767 has now disappeared from the HK to Tokyo route). Perhaps the one which took me most by surprise was Eva Air as the plane was immaculate and the service so friendly and efficient and nothing was too much trouble. With the exception of Eva, Cathay was probably the best for overall experience if you can accept their often slow service of food and which seems very random and avoid the regional planes (although i do have the A321 neo to Vietnam and so i am interested to see how that is as a regional).

Coming up i have booked Korean Air to Seoul as the A380 seems to have returned on certain dates from HK and I am excited about trying that. I have also booked Vietnam airlines on a domestic route and so will be intrigued how that is.

If BA turn to revenue status i don’t think i would bother fighting for it whilst in Asia (maybe if i ever returned to the UK) – though maybe Cathay’s prices would be of more benefit if revenue based :(.

I am sure few would agree but my favourite airlines so far over the last 6 months are BA, Cathay and Eva.

[LuganoPirate]

Swiss / Lufthansa have also gone to revenue for award miles, between 2 and 6 times the fare paid when converted to Euro’s. However, for status, the old regime still exists for now but will change on Jan 1st to a points system. I may be wrong, but based on my most frequent route, you’d need about 3 First class return flights from Milan via Fra or ZRH to obtain Senator. Now, under the new system, you’d need 2,000 points, or just under 3 flights to obtain Senator. However, the good news is that half of those points may now be obtained on other Star Alliance carriers which was not the case before.

[cwoodward]

“I will deviate if it is one of its ancient regional planes”
Which ‘ancient planes’ are you referring to please Christ?
The Cathay operating fleet is young against any comparison with almost all other large international airlines (as I have outlined by aircraft type in another thread today)

[Author]

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