how did you achieve your status ?

[DTM1]

This is prmarily for the WPs/AA Exec Ps out there.

The first 2 years of my WP status were achieved on solely domestic flights (although, admittedly, I was doing a lot of flying MEL - PER in J).

Since then, I have had a further 3 years of WP + ptnr gold (and look like repeating that again this year), although that status was underpinned by a couple of J and F o/s trips.

However, some of my colleagues have been real road warriors, achieving WP on the back of domestic economy travel (full fare and below) (firm policy is Y for 3 hrs or less).

How have others managed/maintained it ?

 

[Ikara]

Recently retired. Currently WP and have qualified for next year as well. I've been WP (+ partner Gold) for the last seven years. Also managed to achieve Lifetime Gold during that period.

All of my travel was domestic economy only. Always booked "K" class though to maximise SC's. Weekly commuting from Adelaide did it for me.

JB

 

[simongr]

For me, my AA EXP was "won" a DONE4 followed by a DAS13 and then the first 8 flights of another DONE4.

This year subject to oher changes in my life it will be retained through a DAS13, DONE4 and 2/3 of a DONE - less hard core mileage runs this year.

I have also sneaked in QF SG up to 30 Sep 2008 through a combination of incorrect, duplicate and strategic posting of flights to QF. I maintain QF SG to enhance J -> F upgrade chances.

 

[Keith009]

Will be making EXP in July via 1 completed DONE4 and 4 segments of a new DONE4.

 

[JohnK]

I have achieved Platinum status primarily through cheap I class airfares BKK-SIN, cheap WT+ airfares BKK/SIN-SYD which are no longer available and YUP/KUP airfares in the USA as well as domestic travel.

I have Platinum status until May 2009 and hope to rettain it again early in the new membership year....

 

[Febs]

I earn my status (WP+Partner Gold) flying probably a lot less than most.

I do 1 domestic trip in Y (typically SYD-MEL-SYD) per 6-8weeks, and 2-3 SYD-LAX in J then somewhere in the US in AA A/F/P which typically doubles (if not more) the 360 SC's earned SYD-LAX-SYD. e.g. on my current trip, I've done SYD-LAX-SYD-DFW-MEM-DFW-ORD-DFW-MCI-DFW-LAX-SYD...in a mix of J, F and Y (and one award flight)...total SC earn should be around 800, but that's all in a 3week period (and all for work, except DFW-ORD-DFW).

Tack on a similar trip later in the year, and possibly a SYD-BOM-SYD trip, plus the odd domestic trip (holiday+work) plus maybe SYD-NRT-SYD in Y...and it adds up.

Really didn't expect to get anywhere near WP last year, and I managed to (just) make WPPG...so quite unpredictable.

Gotta say though, I'm liking WP.

Cheers,
- Febs.

 

[Shano]

I first made WP two years ago courtesy of fortnightly, often weekly , return flights MEL-BNE, plus a couple of O/S Y flights.

This year I got to 1,940 SC again courtesy of Y travel, but also including 4 AA YUP segments which netted me 420 SC.

Membership year ends 31 May, so will again miss out on PG as no more flights scheduled this month.

 

[ejb]

Hi,

SYD-PER in J, was weekly but now monthly so should still maintain WP plus partner SG.

 

[serfty]

I was top level with Qantas from 1996 through 2001. The introduction of Tier Credits in 1998 fixed that although status inertia kept me up there until 2001.

Until 2004 I maintained SG with almost solely discount WHY travel around Oz with the occasional trip to NZ. This travel was 95% work related.

Then in November 2004 I came across AFF & FT; In 2005 I completed the first part of a DONE4 and managed to attain WP two days before my 'year' ended (29th October).

I have maintained this level since and in November 2007 re qualified WP until October 2009.

These days my work travel has dried up somewhat, however I continue to accumulate travel.

How much is AFF/FT an influence? In the Six years from September 1998 until September 2004 I had accumulated approx 3800 Life time SC's. In the 3½ years since then I have accumulated a further 8800.

(Sad about the 200+ flights I had prior to the introduction of TC/SCs :-|)

 

[coco50]

Joined QF FF after AN nosedived (aka shot down) in Sept 2001. By March 2002 I was WP. This was due to working two jobs - one for the state govt. and the other - contract work for a Commonwealth Govt. dept. All of this flying was solely within NSW. QF had a promo then where you got double points and double SCs. It sure got me in. With much flying I had no trouble requal in the next two years. But since then I have slipped to SG and a year of grace and now to PS, having retired. I am PUAR to keep silver but a trip to my granddaughter's christening in SYD in June and a RTW trip in Aug-Oct might help me retain silver as maybe a platform to better things. The drop in status hurts financially with the need to purchase QC membership and priority pass for o'seas now that I am not gold.

 

[NM]

I earned AA EXP status by earning >100,000 Elite Qualifying Points in 2007. I will do the same in 2008. I earned QF Lifetime Gold status by earning>14,000 status credits.

 

[dajop]

First obtained WP in 2002 on back of domestic Y (lots of regional NSW travel ex MEL via SYD, although I must admit trips like MEL-SYD-TMW-IVR certainly helped). Regained in 03 and 04 on domestic Y travel. Since 05, done an annual DCIRC26 to the USA that has pushed me further than WP - to Partner Gold each year and Lifetime gold late last year. However now moving into an Asia Pac role that sees me focus on SE Asia/India so will be travelling very little domestically, and most intl trips will be on SQ as we have regional HQ in SIN. Nevertheless - I can see an opportunity to keep WP as flights to India are substantially cheaper on CX than on SQ (or QF)!

 

[dot]

For me, the first four years of WP were achieved with domestic Y plus typically one Y or J international fare - those international fares varied between PVG, SIN or BKK in Y or to RTP in J.

Since changing roles to be part of a WW team, my domestic travel has dropped to nearly nothing (maybe 1/month), but my International flights has risen significantly. As an example of that - my current QFF membership year (until 31May), I have earned over 4200 SC this year (and I am still in MNL about to fly to SYD, then home) - there is a reasonable chance of seeing that break 4500 before the end of the month.

 

[Oneworldplus2]

Hey "DOT", 4200 SC in one year. That's gotta be some kind of record!!!
Anyone else beat that?

I'm still Silver, getting corp QP at the moment. Got a good rate l think, $500 for 2 years.

 

[jasonja3]

I am currently on my second year as WP + PG thanks to almost monthly DAS13 trips for work (and a little family stuff ), and monthly domestic flights (discount Y). Currently sitting on 3570SC with three months to go, and made LTS late last year. I expect things to slow down shortly as one our projects winds up, and I am hoping to maintain WP for at least another 2years with current projects, although LTG seems like an improssible dream with 5000sc to go.

I can honestly say, that AFF (and its members) have been pivotal in the way I approach getting the most out of the schemes. Thank you all.

 

[simongr]

Hey "DOT", 4200 SC in one year. That's gotta be some kind of record!!!
Anyone else beat that?

You would be surprised. I think I worked out based on my qualifying period, if I had allocated to QFF rather than AA I would have hit 6200 SCs... I had about 160K BIS miles in a twelve month period. It's all about timing...

 

[Batesy]

I got QF platinum in March this year for the first time. Combination of a DONE4 last year, lots of domestic Y between Perth and the east coast and a Y trip to to USA west coast and Hawaii.

The travel has dried up as I am back in Sydney and no longer have the travel from Perth. Unlikely that I will get 1200 credits this year, I will try and wrangle QF for one extra year of WP before they drop me back to gold.
Got a domestic leg of an international flight next week so off to the MEL Flounge for brekky, love this hash browns! Mrs Batesy is WP as well and she is likely to maintain it for a few years so that helps.

 

[Alanslegal]

I hazard guess that most here earnt elite status by way of work related travel, except afaik QF009.

I'm a totally self funded traveller so it's hard to get top tier unless I do a DONE4 or equivalent every year.

But mind you, that is not going to stop me from chasing SC and miles even if it means I have to pay a bit more and do some fancy routings to maximise all this.

 

[JohnK]

I hazard guess that most here earnt elite status by way of work related travel, except afaik QF009.

I'm a totally self funded traveller so it's hard to get top tier unless I do a DONE4 or equivalent every year.

Top tier can be achieved without doing a DONE4 every year. I am also a totally self funded traveller and find it easy to maintain Platinum status for <$8,000/pa and holidaying overseas 3-5 times a year as well as regular domestic trips. No need to spend excess money on a DONE4 preferring to save money and accumulate FF points and hopefully using those FF points on a Oneworld RTW award.

 

[garyjohn951]

I hazard guess that most here earnt elite status by way of work related travel, except afaik QF009.

I'm a totally self funded traveller so it's hard to get top tier unless I do a DONE4 or equivalent every year.

But mind you, that is not going to stop me from chasing SC and miles even if it means I have to pay a bit more and do some fancy routings to maximise all this.

I am one who is WP who is my own purse. My holidays are paid out of my own pocket and I fly the Finnair J specials, ie 7000+ to Europe. 3 legs on QF and one on AY. This is great value for SC's though most here on all company a/c's shun it.