Is Qantas Platinum One status worth chasing?

My QFF membership year ends in April 2018 and based on current travel plans it looks like I can qualify for Qantas Platinum One status provided I stretch things a little, book flights to some work conferences and maybe be a bit creative with routing, such as flying to London as SYD-MEL-DXB-LHR to earn some extra status credits to close the gap. My question is, is Platinum One actually worth chasing like this? Can anybody here with P1 status share what actual useful benefits they get out of it compared to Platinum?

I qualified for P1 last year, haven't really seen much benefit from it. The wife gets free Platinum status which is handy when she's not travelling with me, which is most of the time. Have been invited to a few special QF events but I'm flying so much, that's how I got P1, that I'm usually not around to take them up on those offers.

But I believe that P1s get a 'soft landing' to Platinum if they don't requalify so it depends on your travel plans for 2019, if you reckon you might have less travel in 2019 then you may as well shoot for P1 this time around and cover yourself.

I don't have P1 but I am envious of the ability to select the front two rows of economy on domestic flights when you book and points upgrades confirmed where available up to 7 days before an international flight. If you like getting J to F upgrades on QF then P1 would help your chances.

Some P1 members get sent a bottle of champagne at Christmas time.

Some report the P1 SST is a big help to them if they run into issues and subject to availability may surprise them (e.g. if they're flying on their birthday).

If you long for the elusive op-up (free upgrade) then you'll have a better chance as a P1 when flying QF but the chances are still low.

I do notice the difference being P1 as opposed to Platinum. My International upgrades regularly come through 7 days beforehand, I like sitting in row 4 and I get the occasional Domestic upgrade. The SST has been invaluable to me on a few occasions with IRROPS and lost luggage. I have been invited to a few events, get a lovely bottle of Champagne at Christmas. 

I qualified for Platinum One in early April 2017 for the first time with a year end date of April .. so to end of April 2018.  Been Platinum for the last six years & prior after a year or so Gold, & I am LTG,  so I was to see what Plat One would bring.

I was a P1 member from 2014-2016, it was something only for hardcore flyers, but few benefits still better than Platinum:

I'd have to say that it depends on the type of flying you're doing. 
I was P1 for two years and Plat for 11 years prior to that. Due to work changes, my flying has stopped and I've soft landed down to Plat now. While I was flying, 100% of it was in economy and about 98% was international.  For reference, in 2015, I flew 585,865 km (751:55hrs bum in seat on 116 flights). 

For me, having P1 over Plat got me significantly better service on board - on the flight where I broke 4 Million kms (MEL-DXB) the CSM upgraded me to Business class, gave me the OW pin off his uniform, gave me a A380 model signed by the flight and cabin crew, made an announcement on the PA and invited me up to the cockpit to meet and chat with the flight crew.  on normal flights, the cabin crew remember my drink preferences (recorded on the CSMs iPad) and pro-actively offered them to me before I even asked. Giving my wife Plat status really helped while we were on holiday over the Christmas/New Year holidays when accessing 1st class lounges from other OneWorld airlines.

Access to better Y seats was a big benefit for me - no charge access for front row or extra legroom Y seats on international flights and front row Y seats on domestic flights in Y.

While I was P1, Qantas gave me+1 access to the Grand Prix corporate enclosure over the F1 pits (including a pit lane walk) for Saturday of the Grand Prix (I had a GREAT day!!!!) - I guess Sunday was reserved for Chairman's Lounge members. Qantas also offered me a corporate box access to the Boxing day test at the MCG. Again, that was day two, not boxing day. Again, I guess Chairman's lounge members got the day one invitations. Unfortunately I could not attend as I was on holidays with my family. Qantas also gave me a number of VERY nice bottles of champagne.

The P1 SST team (am I the only one who reads that and thinks SuperSonic Transport every time?) were useful when things went awry. They weren't always on top of things however - on multiple occasions, I had to ring them to inform them of my woes - they claim to be actively monitoring your travel, but that's clearly not true. On some itineraries, they would ring prior to departure to check if I wanted them to keep an seat allocations aircraft swaps etc, but that was probably only 10% of the time.

If you're flying in J or F (which is probable), you have more choices than just sticking with QF. BA's equivalent status may well be achievable for you - if so, it offers better benefits than P1. (for me BA was not an option because to many of my Y flights would earn nothing or very little).

So, if you're in Y, then I say yes go for it! if you're in J or F, I'd suggest you also look at BA as an option.  Note that for BA, you'll need an address outside of Oceania for your BA membership, but you don't have to live there.  Friends or Relatives living overseas can be useful for this.

The choice will be up to you and how far you need to chase the required SCs, if it is only a few hundred it may be worth it and then judge for yourself.

Like others have said, domestically being able to select R4 at the time of booking is an advantage. The partner WP status is one of the best features for my circumstances. We travel as a party of 3 and having x2 OWE enables to gain access to OW F lounges. International upgrades 7 days out are a distinct bonus and my ability to redeem J and F rewards for my +1 and MissM seems relatively easy.

The SST are excellent when dealing with problems if they arise. When flying, it can just depend on the crew and if they have taken the time to notice your status. Some crew seem to go out of their way for you and at other times you are just one of the masses. It also seems that over the past couple of years the domestic op-ups seemed to have slowed but still occur.

The program could be improved through defined tangible benefits, although benefits are listed on the QF website it seems like the P1 experience can vary between individuals and is most likely based on what their personal expectations are. I second Princess Fiona would like to see some additional benefits such as guaranteed upgrades, either a number per year or at the time of booking so as to avoid the lottery.

I have been invited to a few P1 events, however due to travel have not been able to attend any. I would think that it would not be to hard for QF to create a portal that would list upcoming events and give P1’s the ability to register an interest in attending, based on their travel and location at the time.  I have been to the simulator experience, it is well worth registering for this, it may take a while to come through but it is excellent.

If you are not that far away may be give it a shot and then decide if it works for you. At worst you can see if it works for you and if you do not want the white coasters ebay is at your disposal.  

Agree with all of the above. Missed out on P1 last year after having it for 2 previous years and have just got it again. Being able to immediately pick row 4 seats in economy when booking is to me the best advantage.

 More regular domestic upgrades and international upgrades always seem to get approved.

My husband is P1 and I automatically get Platinum status which is handy when travelling with my kids or other family members.    I think it is worth it as he has often been able to get out of trouble with their help eg. that time QF1 was stuck in Dubai, they put him onto an Emirates flight and got him home.  We've got the date wrong on a flight before and they just put us on next available ..... He is often upgraded to First and he and I have been upgraded to First a couple of times when travelling together.  We always have great success in getting reward flights as well....

I have been P1 but for the last couple of years dropped back to Platinum. To be honest there was not much advantage for me being P1. I dont drink so the free wine club membership meant nothing. I dont play golf so the free golf club membership meant nothing. I got invited to some events but could not attend as I travel overseas quite a lot and missed out. I did get an IPad case and a couple of bottles of champagne (still unopened). I contacted the Platinum One Support line a couple of times and they were helpful.
Its neat to have once and get the white luggage tags but unless you can justify the benefits, I would not spend thousands extra to get it.

I was P1 for 2 years prior and dropped down to Plat last year due to reduced business travel. 
Do I miss P1 treatment? Yes.
Is it enough to justify me getting back into planes week-in week-out as I did before to maintain P1? Nope.

P to P1 is definitely a first world problem and I understand that when I ask the question - is it really worth it? I have already attained P for this year & I guess that means through to 2019. My year ends at end of May and with a bit of effort I could make P1. 

 

However, my year coming up will probably be a bit light on with travel by comparison to this year.  

So I am wondering whether I would be better off just postponing my personal travel through to  my new  year so I can ensure I remain at P till 2020 rather than squeezing a lot of extra trips into this year seeing as I have already made my P number? Is having P1 only once worth it as I am sure with my work, the current level of travel won't continue to make it a reality long term?

I am a single person so don't need the advantages that P1 brings for partners.  I am mostly well looked after as a P and never fly further back than 6 in economy and often have flights changed with no charge although that is not always the case. 

 

Any thoughts from the experts? Thanks.

Hey There, I have been P1 since the end of 2011 (missed out on the launch but qualified a couple of months later).

The benefit I use the most is priority upgrades... Jumping above all the Platinum requests is worth it (especially for an A380 First seat)