If you could opt to work towards obtaining BA Executive Club Gold or QFF Platinum, what would you go for and why?

If you could opt to work towards obtaining BA Executive Club Gold or QFF Platinum, what would you go for and why?

Does Platinum One status within the QFF programme, diminish the gloss of Platinum status, the way SQ's PPS Programme leaves Krisflyer Gold members looking like second class citizens?

Is Executive Club Gold the top of the pecking order within the Executive Club Programme?

For the purposes of this discussion, please ignore:

1) The issue of residency, with respect to BA's Executive Club membership

2) VVIP status like Chairman's Lounge (QF), Concierge key (AA) etc, which cannot be obtained through mileage accruals only.

It will depend alot on my flying pattern and preferences for the airline. If I fly BA very often and would like to have access to the CCR, I may opt for BAEC as they hand out a CCR card after a certain number of tier status. If I don't even fly BA at all, I wouldn't be bothered with BAEC. And now with the QF-EK tie up, the QF membership have added value if the pax flies EK.

Qantas for the added benefits of Emirates' extensive network. 

Assuming you do wish to fly with EK.

The focus of this question however is the real or perceived diminished value of QFF Platinum status, with the introduction of Plantinum One in contrast to to BAEC Gold, which is still top of the pecking order.

There's alot of hypotheticals involved with your question....

In any case, I have been Platinum for a few years and this year I am Platinum One. Do I feel more special as a Platinum One? Maybe a little, but truth be told, when I was a Platinum last year I didn't get treated any worse that what I get treated now as a Platinum One. I got upgrades last year and I have had upgrades this year. Do I get more upgrades as a Platinum One? Probably, but hard to say as it doesn't happen on every flight. Do I get invited to additional events now? Yes.. I have been invited to a couple of events this year but these events didn't take place last year so hard to say if it is only because I am Platinum One. Is it really all that important in the big scheme of things? Not really.

Platinum or Platinum One you are going to get treated pretty well. Would I join Executive Club? No... because I am not a fan of BA and I avoid flying them wherever possible.

I think the value of QF Platinum is not diminished with the introduction of Platinum One. Sure, as a Plat1 you probably get invited to swanky cocktail parties, perhaps get a ride in a similator and possibly get early upgrades when requested via points, but I have experienced that as a Platinum member I also get my upgrades and am able to book ample award seats when i want to fly. Lounge access is still the same (apart from some extra small perks in the new SIN lounge). Maybe as a plat1 you get the occaisional OpUp, but again, i doubt that you can really tell from statistics, as people who are Plat1 generally fly way more, hemce the chance of them being upgraded is higher.

Biggest drawback I find of BAEC is that it kills you when booking awards due to hefty fuel charges. Also, with regards to redemption, they do not have anytime award seats (one of the aspects I value from QFF, the ability to earn SC's on award flights). In essence BAEC Gold is not the top of the pecking order at BA as you have the so called Premier card (admittedly invitation only and even scarcer than the Chairman's lounge).

All in all I think you should look at which airline you fly more often (makes a huge differecne in earning of SC and miles and also is a factor on receiving those upgrades). Another option would be to obtain statistics on the amount of members each program has and specifically in the higher tier. I guess the fewer there are the more likely it is you get better treatment / perks are.

Hi KG,

Good point on the statistics! Any resources out there that provides such numbers?

Most airlines keep this kind of info for themselves, they will give you an overall member number but no segregation between the tiers unfortunately. Perhaps AUSBT has an idea (they might be able to get some rough numbers of Stephen Tully.