Best option for earning status in Star Alliance?

[trooper]

ONE trip in Economy.....even a multi continent one like that is not VERY likely to gain much in the way of *A Status. Silver maybe? Which unfortunately has few benefits...

 

[clifford]

Egyptair allow family mile + status pooling for 1st degree relatives.

Fine if you like dry airlines.

 

[im.daniel]

Fine if you like dry airlines.

This has nothing to do with flying MS, but rather using their FF program to credit flights from one of 26 *A members to them and taking advantage of status pooling.

 

[ToffeeDog]

I got a HSBC Star Alliance Visa card recently and, after spending $4,000 in the three-month qualification period, got to choose which Star Alliance partner airline my Gold Star Alliance card would be issued by. Options included

• Singapore
• United
• Air NZ
• South African
• EVA
• Thai

In the end I chose Air Canada for a couple of reasons

• Virgin Australia lounge access in Australia; and
• As long as I retain the HSBC Visa Card my Air Canada status is valid until 31st Dec 2025

 

[jimsug]

I got a HSBC Star Alliance Visa card recently and, after spending $4,000 in the three-month qualification period, got to choose which Star Alliance partner airline my Gold Star Alliance card would be issued by. Options included

• Singapore
• United
• Air NZ
• South African
• EVA
• Thai

In the end I chose Air Canada for a couple of reasons

• Virgin Australia lounge access in Australia; and
• As long as I retain the HSBC Visa Card my Air Canada status is valid until 31st Dec 2025

Yeah, I got the card recently too and am leaning toward the same, but now wish I'd waited until after October to apply, to get an extra year

 

[SeatBackForward]

now wish I'd waited until after October to apply, to get an extra year

What's the significance of October? am just about to be approved for one of these and also need to decide which airline. I was leaning towards SQ.

 

[MELso]

What's the significance of October? am just about to be approved for one of these and also need to decide which airline. I was leaning towards SQ.

AC status goes by calendar year. Get the gold at the start of 2025 and all you need to have to do to keep gold for 2026 is to pay the CC renewal fee.

 

[SeatBackForward]

AC status goes by calendar year. Get the gold at the start of 2025 and all you need to have to do to keep gold for 2026 is to pay the CC renewal fee.

I see, whereas, if I get Gold soon by doing the minimum spend in 2024 (my application was approved today!), then AC will only hold The Gold Status through to 31-DEC-2025?

 

[MELso]

Yup, you'll probably get gold for the remainder of 2024 and 2025. I don't know how long it takes to get gold status but if you meet the minimum spend on the 90th day (18/12), you might not get the status credited until early January 2025 with luck...

(There's a lengthy thread on the other financial products thread.)

 

[jimsug]

Yup, you'll probably get gold for the remainder of 2024 and 2025. I don't know how long it takes to get gold status but if you meet the minimum spend on the 90th day (18/12), you might not get the status credited until early January 2025 with luck...

(There's a lengthy thread on the other financial products thread.)

Do you think this is true for AC, where it says that you'll get the status for the current and next calendar year? Or is this subject to keeping the card active the whole time?

FAQ | Star Alliance Rewards