Why are remaining AQ tickets being auto converted?

BadMother2

The in-game message states that any AQ tickets we still have come the AQ update will be auto converted to gold.

However, the upcoming Alliance Raids seem to have an entry cost of 180 alliance tickets. Is this simply a placeholder? Will they have a separate entry cost or (hopefully) no entry cost at all?

DNA3000

I believe when Raids launch they will require a different currency than alliance tickets. Tickets are being retired as no AQ map will cost AQ tickets anymore, or presumably ever again.

The signal seems to be that regular AQ maps, even Map 8, are no longer going to be considered top tier AQ content and thus aren't being gated with entry costs. AQ Raids are taking that place, with higher coordination requirements than normal AQ. That's in keeping with removing the links in AQ and making the maps easier to navigate without special coordination.