BA Lifetime Gold

[TonyHancock]

Give there is a thread dedicated to LTG with QF I thought it time to introduce a BA thread. I wonder if we have any LTG members on AFF? 35k is a big number to hit, and 100k for LTGGL is mind boggling.

So how are you all doing in the quest?

 

[serfty]

...
So how are you all doing in the quest?

I am 0 of 35000 Tier Points in the quest for Lifetime BAEC Gold (≡ Lifetime *O Emerald).

 

[pagingjoan]

I am 0 of 35000 Tier Points in the quest for Lifetime BAEC Gold (≡ Lifetime *O Emerald).

And I am deadheating with you, Serfty!

 

[TonyHancock]

I am 0 of 35000 Tier Points in the quest for Lifetime BAEC Gold (≡ Lifetime *O Emerald).

And I am deadheating with you, Serfty!

mmmmmm perhaps more of an "opportunity" than an ongoing quest for you two then.

It is more than a daunting challenge and one I fear I will fail because I will simply run out of work travel before getting there.

 

[pagingjoan]

mmmmmm perhaps more of an "opportunity" than an ongoing quest for you two then.

It is more than a daunting challenge and one I fear I will fail because I will simply run out of work travel before getting there.

But you will travel in such comfort in the interim, TH, and have the thrill of the chase to add to the experience.
Happy travels.

 

[TonyHancock]

But you will travel in such comfort in the interim......

Until the wheels fall off and the "Viking" runs are killed off!

 

[pagingjoan]

Until the wheels fall off and the "Viking" runs are killed off!

Yes, I've just caught up with your adventures under that banner. Fascinating. Must find time to explore further, as we are in that general region several times a year.

 

[andye]

Time for some HLO holidays in Hawaii, Caribbean and Latin America?

 

[Mal]

I'm aiming for 5000 TP this year, and have LTG in mind. Going to cost a lot, but I think it's attainable within the next 6 years or so for me!

 

[TonyHancock]

With all of the interest over in the QF LTG thread I thought I'd give an update on my BA quest. (When I moved to BA it was not to chase LTG I saw it as a short term switch to allow me to minimise cost for my travel patterns and wasn't targeting LTG at all.)

I am approaching four years with BAEC now and have just slipped past 32,000 TP's with a further 1500 or so booked up to Feb 2019. I anticipate, if things remain as they are....and that is not a certainty, hitting the mark mid 2019.

......and no I won't be trying for LTGGL!! I have reached a point where my travel is unsustainable for my sanity and my health.

(Thanks to the lovely peeps at AFF for opening up this thread again within minutes of my request too - jolly efficient.)

 

[docjames]

With all of the interest over in the QF LTG thread I thought I'd give an update on my BA quest. (When I moved to BA it was not to chase LTG I saw it as a short term switch to allow me to minimise cost for my travel patterns and wasn't targeting LTG at all.)

I am approaching four years with BAEC now and have just slipped past 32,000 TP's with a further 1500 or so booked up to Feb 2019. I anticipate, if things remain as they are....and that is not a certainty, hitting the mark mid 2019.

......and no I won't be trying for LTGGL!! I have reached a point where my travel is unsustainable for my sanity and my health.

(Thanks to the lovely peeps at AFF for opening up this thread again within minutes of my request too - jolly efficient.)

Surely that means it's time for a TR?

 

[JohnK]

I'm aiming for 5000 TP this year, and have LTG in mind. Going to cost a lot, but I think it's attainable within the next 6 years or so for me!

How are you tracking? What sort of cost would you need for 5000 TPs?

 

[smart1999]

How are you tracking? What sort of cost would you need for 5000 TPs?

That’s about 5 F class return trips to Europe per year! Unless someone knows an easier way. I will hit for the first time almost 4000 this year but end up short of making GGL as I just can’t fit in another trip to Europe. And generally even 3000 is a stretch.

I am working towards LT Gold as well but am only 40% towards that goal and am paying for those F upgrades out of my own pocket. So any way to save some $ would be great to know.

Think I will need another 6-7years though and would need to put in around $20k to make it. Still think it might be worth it for ongoing domestic C and international F lounge access for 2 people for a couple of decades if I’m lucky.

 

[TonyHancock]

That’s about 5 F class return trips to Europe per year! Unless someone knows an easier way.

Sadly the easier way came to an end yesterday or the day before maybe. One of the perks with BA is the upgrade vouchers earned at 2500 and 3500 TP's and optional at 7, 8, and 9000 TP's. Travel agents can use them to book into revenue rather than rewards availability. The voucher covers all BA flights (BA Metal) on a single PNR. These flights used to earn at the upgraded rate until BA finally closed the loophole.

Essentially a AUS$4.5k J fare OSL-LHR-SIN-SYD-SIN-LHR-OSL, upgraded to F using a voucher earned 980 TP's. (The more creative could stretch this out even further - I could get this to 1140 for c$200 to 300 more for LHR-OSL-LHR and SYD-MEL-SYD bolted on, but I wasn't creative in my routings at all.)

Much like the, sadly, defunct QF mASA this was a gift that kept giving!!

 

[madrooster]

The voucher covers all BA flights (BA Metal) on a single PNR. These flights used to earn at the upgraded rate until BA finally closed the loophole.

It's one ticket only per GUF so you can't keep chaining in a single PNR like that.

There's cheaper ways to haul in TPs. For example 1400 TPs can be picked up for $4k AUD.

 

[andye]

It's one ticket only per GUF so you can't keep chaining in a single PNR like that.

There's cheaper ways to haul in TPs. For example 1400 TPs can be picked up for $4k AUD.

But do those TP runs achieve the objective of getting from Australia to the UK (let alone in F) ?

I was surprised you could tack on a LHR-OSL flight but adding a SYD-MEL-SYD would be a standard BA routing

 

[Deleted member]

And I am deadheating with you, Serfty!

And now?

 

[TonyHancock]

It's one ticket only per GUF so you can't keep chaining in a single PNR like that.

There's cheaper ways to haul in TPs. For example 1400 TPs can be picked up for $4k AUD.

....and that is great, but my objective is much simpler - get from UK/Europe to Australia in the highest cabin I can for circa $4.7k per trip.

I know it is different for everyone but I really have no need to chase TP's. I pretty much have a fixed travel requirement that can be planned months in advance. The TP's and LTG are just a side benefit of a cost effective way to meet my travel needs. In the end the status made it almost self perpetuating.

edit: Just reread your post. The LHR-OSL-LHR were not part of the same PNR (by bolt on I meant to my overall trip rather than the same PNR, sorry for the confusion ), SYD-MEL-SYD sometimes is, sometimes isn't, my point was that for about $4.7k I earn 1100 TP's thanks to the GUF loophole...and I am not on a status run, just my routine travel. (I am also quite aware of how GUF's work, I earn and use 8 GUF1's and 1 GUF2 a year. ...or I did until the loophole was closed!!! )

I should also add that by using points and pay I can quite often get the LHR-OSL-LHR segments in J for the same price or less than paying for Y and earn the 40 TP's. Whilst not points effective for many I am sitting on a stash of Avios and like avoiding Y. Although my preference is Avios redemptions when available.

 

[Hvr]

And this cartoon is especially appropriate for this thread:

Alex cartoon

 

[andye]

Alex has had several good FF-related strips over the years

Some others below

Alex cartoon

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