Complimentary Upgrades to Platinum from Gold

[robwalsh59]

I have a question - I will finish the year (Nov 2022) with about 1,100 Qantas Status Credits and need 1,400 to attain Platinum. Is there any likelihood that Qantas will ‘credit’ the credits needed to attain Platinum? How would I go about that? Is there any other way of ‘buying’ status credits to make the jump?

Thanks for any insight you might offer,

 

[adygry]

Personally, I'd be looking for a quick status run like this one, as I can't see QF moving you up on merit as you're quite a few shy of P, particularly given the number of extensions they've given these last 2 years.

 

[robwalsh59]

Thanks for the feedback. I perhaps should have asked earlier and then had more time for a 'status run' but with just a few days to go before the end of November, I can't fit it in. Thanks again for your help, Rob

 

[dairyfloss]

I have a question - I will finish the year (Nov 2022) with about 1,100 Qantas Status Credits and need 1,400 to attain Platinum. Is there any likelihood that Qantas will ‘credit’ the credits needed to attain Platinum? How would I go about that? Is there any other way of ‘buying’ status credits to make the jump?

Thanks for any insight you might offer,

Fairly safe to say it won't happen, I'm afraid... you are short by more than 21% of the required SCs to attain, near 10% under what is required to retain that status (existing Platinum members). There's sometimes things you can do to get some SCs in the bank without needing to fly, such as qualifying QF Green Tier (50SCs), and you can boost SCs with certain QF credit cards as well, but that also comes with pretty hefty fees, and takes time to arrange.

I reckon check out the relevant status run thread/s for ideas on some connecting flights you might be able to do before the end of the month... but failing that, accept it's Gold for now, then do the research for how to get there in the next year, and watch out for a challenge type of thing to get you there quicker and lock in for the remainder of that year, and the next.

Cheers,
Matt.

 

[flyingfan]

There have been similar questions about this situation and the consensus is that it won’t/doesn’t happen. QF used to give the option of using points (50,000 or something?) to bump you up if you were a little short but haven’t seen reports of this lately. There were also reports that you might get a hand if your last couple of years exceeded 1,400 SCs each, but otherwise they were very strict in application.

Hope you make it next year

 

[ozziflyer]

I know of someone who was given no gratitude at 1380 who had a flight cancelled on the last day of their year that would of qualified them.

Needless to say they are a happy Virgin plat ever since.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

I have a question - I will finish the year (Nov 2022) with about 1,100 Qantas Status Credits and need 1,400 to attain Platinum. Is there any likelihood that Qantas will ‘credit’ the credits needed to attain Platinum? How would I go about that? Is there any other way of ‘buying’ status credits to make the jump?

Thanks for any insight you might offer,

A couple things to consider:

• Have you qualified for Qantas Green status this year? Doing so will give you a gift of 50 status credits as a bonus
• Have you flown more than 500 status credits with Qantas and/or JetStar? If so, you are entitled to a loyalty bonus of either 8000 points or 50 bonus status credits

Needless to say you will need to do some flying and I wouldn't assume QF would grant you any courtesy when it comes to providing their Platinum status at a reduced rate especially given the status extensions they've already given to everyone.

-RooFlyer88

 

[RooFlyer]

Welcome to AFF @robwalsh59 ; I'm afraid its Gold for you this coming year.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Finding those extra status credits will certainly be a challenge this year. 300 status credits would require something like a business class flight to New Zealand connecting in multiple Australia ports each way (i.e. Sydney to Brisbane to Melbourne to Auckland) on Qantas. A simple economy ticket to LA from SYD won't do you much good since you would earn 120 status credits on an Economy fare return (200 in Premium economy). Given that you are booking last minute, these fares likely won't be cheap. Now if you have unclaimed loyalty bonuses laying around, and haven't earned Qantas Green status yet, depending on your flight activities you can earn anywhere from 50 to 150 status credits right there (the latter being if you earned 1000 base status credits flying Qantas/JetStar).

All of that being said, you aren't missing out on a whole lot. After all, you'll still have access to Qantas and OneWorld lounges as a Qantas Gold. You'll have priority check-in and early access to awards. Sure it would be nice sitting in the first class lounge or having priority seating access, but it likely won't be a night and day difference. What is key for future reference is to try planning your flights out well in advance so you don't face a crunch at the end.

Welcome to AFF @robwalsh59 ; I'm afraid its Gold for you this coming year.

On the bright side they will have 240 status credits rolled over for the next program year (Dec 1 2022 to Nov 30, 2023) so hopefully that will give you a good head start. In which case if you are strategic with how you earn points this calendar year (i.e. by attaining green tier status and loyalty bonus) redeeming those bonus status credits at the beginning of the next program year, you could very well start off with 390 status credits. Then if you fly 500 status credits with Qantas/JetStar you have another loyalty bonus of 50 status credits so 940 when all the dust settles there.

-RooFlyer88

 

[tdimdad]

On the bright side they will have 240 status credits rolled over for the next program year (Dec 1 2022 to Nov 30, 2023) so hopefully that will give you a good head start. In which case if you are strategic with how you earn points this calendar year (i.e. by attaining green tier status and loyalty bonus) redeeming those bonus status credits at the beginning of the next program year, you could very well start off with 390 status credits. Then if you fly 500 status credits with Qantas/JetStar you have another loyalty bonus of 50 status credits so 940 when all the dust settles there.

That's my plan, too, for my next membership year. A trip to Europe and another to NZ already waiting to be booked once we have a DSC offer and sales coming. Those yield half of what I need and the rest comes through the mundane 'bum on the seat' shuttling. Of course, if we don't have a DSC promo coming next year, then a plan B is needed...

 

[kangarooflyer88]

That's my plan, too, for my next membership year. A trip to Europe and another to NZ already waiting to be booked once we have a DSC offer and sales coming. Those yield half of what I need and the rest comes through the mundane 'bum on the seat' shuttling. Of course, if we don't have a DSC promo coming next year, then a plan B is needed...

There are some "stunts" you can pull in the US flying Alaskan and American given the way Qantas partitions continental North America for the purpose of earning status credits. For instance, something as simple as LA to San Francisco (via Dallas Fort-Worth) can rack up something like 200 status credits each way in business. There is some other trickery I reckon that is possible out there and there is indeed a thread dedicated to them. Certainly for me a weekend "day" trip to Singapore or the US is always a possibility if the price is right.

-RooFlyer88

 

[jasetheace]

I have a question - I will finish the year (Nov 2022) with about 1,100 Qantas Status Credits and need 1,400 to attain Platinum. Is there any likelihood that Qantas will ‘credit’ the credits needed to attain Platinum? How would I go about that? Is there any other way of ‘buying’ status credits to make the jump?

Thanks for any insight you might offer,

There are some credit card offers that have SC

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Just thought I’d share something that should cheer up the OP here if they’re still Gold - look on the bright side, you can access Emirates lounges when flying on either Emirates or Qantas flights internationally everywhere but North America: