Getting Status without Flying?!

[Casual Class]

That title may seem odd to a lot of you but we are able to earn a lot of points on credit cards. Enough that 99.9% of air travel are awards flights. If these were all cash flight then we'd have platinum status for the number of flights taken however typically you can get status from using points, so stuck on bronze for the moment. Qantas is now changing their Any-Seat program so that you can now get status for using an any seat award. That has got me wondering are there any other ways to get higher status for any airline other than paying for butt-in-seat flights?

 

[Archphoto]

If only! If you don't fly, you don't get the status or retain the status you already have. Only way they can ensure loyalty with your airline/s FF programme of choice.

Even then they have some criteria - QF you need to fly 4 flights with QF or Jetstar to maintain status.

For me, being based in Asia, that means at some stage I need to fly in the region on a QF or JQ earning flight to retain my status 4 times in the year. Not so great if they happen to be more expensive than CX, who have some awesome deals out of BKK quite regularly.

The Any-Seat program is to get you to use your points faster - the added carrot is that they'll extend SC to you. Simple really - use those points faster and you'll need to keep flying to climb the SC ladder. . . . . . :mrgreen:

 

[JohnK]

That has got me wondering are there any other ways to get higher status for any airline other than paying for butt-in-seat flights?

Some programs like AAdvantage allow any points accumulated from credit cards (and other sources) to count towards lifetime status.

Sure it is not directly involved to earning/maintaining yearly status one can end up AA Platinum for life which is the equivalent to Oneworld Sapphire. So in effect credi card spend counts towards earning/maintaining status.

 

[Archphoto]

That's really interesting John.
Pity the AU airlines don't offer something similar.:evil:

 

[blueflamenco]

Some programs like AAdvantage allow any points accumulated from credit cards (and other sources) to count towards lifetime status.

Sure it is not directly involved to earning/maintaining yearly status one can end up AA Platinum for life which is the equivalent to Oneworld Sapphire. So in effect credi card spend counts towards earning/maintaining status.

Wow, I did not know this. Thank you

 

[samh004]

The nearest thing you could get in Australia is using your CC points to buy a Qantas Any Seat Award. Some routes these can be very good value, and they will earn you SC’s, which if you have enough of give you status

Most here would be against just giving straight status for CC spend as that diminishes the value of their status that they flew so many real miles for.

 

[drron]

Certainly can confirm the AA system.Took me 7 years to get to lifetime gold but in 7 months have added another 232000 miles without 1 BIS mile.Hopefully will be LTP by 2012/13.LTP= 2 million miles from any source-CCs,buying miles,car rentals,hotels,shopping as well as BIS.

 

[PaulC83]

Most here would be against just giving straight status for CC spend as that diminishes the value of their status that they flew so many real miles for.

It usually makes one wonder why somebody would chase status if they didn't fly (and that is my usual gripe, status for the sake of it), but in this case the OP has said they fly often, and use the abundance of CC earned points to book flights (which has some economic merit).

Seems like ASAs with QF isn't a bad option especially if your happy to fly at some odd times, you can build up the SCs quite quickly on some reasonable rates.

 

[cove]

Does it really matter having status when you can use your points from credit card use to travel business or first and get into lounges as a result of using points?
Sure you don't get to Chairman's Lounge by having key personnel travelling business class domestically for 72000 points tops but you can work out the savings of using less than $600 cost of points versus a multi thousands return business class ticket.

 

[NM]

What are the benefits of status you are seeking?

Some benefits come with Qantas Club membership and you can use FF points to purchase Qantas Club membership. That will get you lounge access, priority check-in, extra checked baggage allowance etc. Not the same as Platinum status, but better than Bronze.

If redeeming enough flights to have achieved Platinum status if they were paid flights, I assume you are redeeming for international premium cabin flights, so you would already likely be receiving many of the benefits of status by way of travelling in premium cabins (lounge, priority check-in etc).

 

[lovetravellingoz]

That title may seem odd to a lot of you but we are able to earn a lot of points on credit cards. Enough that 99.9% of air travel are awards flights. If these were all cash flight then we'd have platinum status for the number of flights taken however typically you can get status from using points, so stuck on bronze for the moment. Qantas is now changing their Any-Seat program so that you can now get status for using an any seat award. That has got me wondering are there any other ways to get higher status for any airline other than paying for butt-in-seat flights?

Are we talking International or just Domestic?

Conisder buying a Qantas Club Membership as it gains many of the Status benefits.

 

[Archphoto]

Exactly how does one accrue CC points/SC with AA if they aren't based in the US? (All their CC seem to indicate you require a US address.)

Do you guys have a US address or do the offer to OS AA members also?

 

[drron]

Exactly how does one accrue CC points/SC with AA if they aren't based in the US? (All their CC seem to indicate you require a US address.)

Do you guys have a US address or do the offer to OS AA members also?

Used to be Diners but their computers totally screwed so now Amex via SPG.

 

[blueflamenco]

Exactly how does one accrue CC points/SC with AA if they aren't based in the US? (All their CC seem to indicate you require a US address.)

Do you guys have a US address or do the offer to OS AA members also?

I acquired a lot of AA miles while living there. And currently have a US address.

 

[NM]

Used to be Diners but their computers totally screwed so now Amex via SPG.

And a few of us hoping and praying that one day soon Amex will offer a direct transfer to AAdvantage as they have recently introduced with SQ, DJ etc.

Or that Amex to SPG would go back to the promotional rate of 1000 Amex -> 660 SPG as they did for a while.

 

[whereishome]

Enough that 99.9% of air travel are awards flights.

Say what? I find this hard to believe and would be interested to see your source on this...

 

[samh004]

Say what? I find this hard to believe and would be interested to see your source on this...

I think the OP means that 99.9% of their travel is award flights, not everyones