Advice with Frequent Flyer Status to Gold

[GeorgeD]

Hi there,

First off a big hello to everyone!

I'm a Qantas Frequent Flyer who has had a Bronze status for about four years. Next month I will make it to Silver, and by the end of the year will only be 130 status credits off Gold.

My credits expire on the 31st December, after which I have an international return trip on 6th Jan which would cover the points. Do you think there's any chance that calling them and begging would convince them to bump me up to Gold? I'm so close!

I don't like my chances considering I've been Bronze for so long before only moving to Silver this year, but has anyone had mercy laid upon them in this sort of case?

Thanks for your help

 

[JohnK]

My credits expire on the 31st December, after which I have an international return trip on 6th Jan which would cover the points. Do you think there's any chance that calling them and begging would convince them to bump me up to Gold? I'm so close!

I don't like my chances considering I've been Bronze for so long before only moving to Silver this year, but has anyone had mercy laid upon them in this sort of case?

Welcome to AFF to George.

Unless you do the flying to earn the extra 130 SC's in your current membership year then it is highly unlikely that QF will bump you up to Gold status. It may have been a different story if you were already Gold and just fell short of re-qualifying....

Good luck.

 

[GeorgeD]

Thanks for the feedback JohnK....I had a feeling you were going to say that!

Given that it's unlikely, I am considering trying a mileage run. I'm based in London, and the thought of having access to being a Saphire One World member would make life just a little bit more bearable.

However, given I'm based in London my options for flying Qantas are somewhat limited, and I'm confused on how status credits are calculated on other OneWorld airlines. Would anyone have any tips regarding earning status credits with other airlines apart from Qantas?

Thanks in advance for any help

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

SC earning is the same across one world. Based in London, your best bet is probably some BA I class (heavily discounted business) fares, if possible to somewhere over 600 miles away from London.

One round trip under 600 miles gets you 80 SCs, over 600 miles 120 SCs.

The other good option is IB London to southern Spain in business class. Find somewhere that routes through MAD or BCN (with change of flight number) and get 160 SCs for the round trip.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

Check out this BA fare listing and search for "IEUNBA", "IGOBA" and "IEULGW".

More info here (ignore the bit about tier points).

 

[GeorgeD]

That's fantastic advice Kiwi Flyer, thanks. I've been on the net all day looking for flights that might do the trick and ended up just confusing myself even further!!

I'll definitely check out the Spain option, particularly as I really only have weekends to make a trip in.

Thanks loads!

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

The other good option is IB London to southern Spain in business class. Find somewhere that routes through MAD or BCN (with change of flight number) and get 160 SCs for the round trip.

Oops got this wrong. Even MAD or BCN round trip earns 120 SCs, so somewhere connecting through MAD or BCN would earn 200 SCs round trip.

 

[NM]

Another option to get OneWorld Sapphire status is to forget using QF and join AA and take the Platinum Challenge on your trip to Australia next year. Depending on the fare paid you could make AA Platinum with the one trip and hence have access to QF and BA lounges for the next 12 months.

QF are well known not to bump people to the next status level, no matter how close they are at the end of their membership year nor how many flights they have booked for their next membership year. They are also known to be quite generous at renewing current status level if you fail to meet the annual SC requirements.

 

[SeatBackForward]

If its the lounge access you need, why not pay or get your company to pay for QF Club access? It might be cheaper than doing status runs.

 

[GeorgeD]

Thanks for all the advice everyone! I have made the decision to do the AA Platinum Challenge, and forget about getting from Silver to Gold. The primary reason I was hoping to do it was to gain access to the QC.

Now I have seen the light and wondered how I hadn't sooner! Thanks for all the input, I definitely feel like I've saved myself a lot of time and money. Big thumbs up!!! :mrgreen:

 

[Dave Noble]

Thanks for all the advice everyone! I have made the decision to do the AA Platinum Challenge, and forget about getting from Silver to Gold. The primary reason I was hoping to do it was to gain access to the QC.

Now I have seen the light and wondered how I hadn't sooner! Thanks for all the input, I definitely feel like I've saved myself a lot of time and money. Big thumbs up!!! :mrgreen:

Excellent. Enjoy your candy and cheaper award flight redemptions

Dave

 

[Altair]

Thanks for all the advice everyone! I have made the decision to do the AA Platinum Challenge, and forget about getting from Silver to Gold. The primary reason I was hoping to do it was to gain access to the QC.

Now I have seen the light and wondered how I hadn't sooner! Thanks for all the input, I definitely feel like I've saved myself a lot of time and money. Big thumbs up!!! :mrgreen:

Slightly OT, is there still a requirement to fly some segments on AA planes either during the challenge or in the months after it? I thought it that was needed a couple of years ago.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

Slightly OT, is there still a requirement to fly some segments on AA planes either during the challenge or in the months after it? I thought it that was needed a couple of years ago.

No. It is in the rules of all OW FFPs to fly a minimum of 4 sectors on home airline each year for status, but only BA currently enforces it.