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OneWorld airlines generally have three status tiers - four if you count the entry level:
(Entry level), Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald. Each airline has their own name for each tier. For example Emerald with BA is known as Gold, QF as Platinum and CX as Diamond.
Benefits of each tier are similar across each member airline. This includes priority checkin, increased baggage allowance, and lounge access.
Each status tier takes a certain amount of flying or other activities to reach. Obviously this increases as you move through the status levels. To add to the confusion, each airline has different requirements to reach each tier. So it pays to choose wisely which airline program will be the one you credit to. This is regardless of who you may fly with.
Some airlines have chosen to add another level within the Emerald tier to acknowledge those who fly an extraordinary amount. BA call theirs Gold Guest List, QF - Platinum One and CX - Diamond Plus. This tier gives extra benefits such as better seat selection, priority telephone support, and free upgrades. These benefits are only available with the airline you hold that status with.
British Airways have recently announced that Gold Guest List will be a stand alone level. Is it time for OneWorld to adopt a tier above Emerald across the alliance? I suggest it should be voluntary for the airline to adopt, and should have an alliance agreed level of flying to reach. This would prevent an airline creating a higher tier with little or no effort to reach to attract members.
The benefits: Well a BA GGL could choose the front row of QF economy, or a CX Diamond Plus member could access the BA Concorde Room for example.
The following are the OW airlines I am aware of with an uber Emerald tier:
AA Executive Platinum
BA Gold Guest List
CX Diamond Plus
JL Diamond Metal
QF Platinum One
AS MVP Gold 100K
AY Platinum Lumo
IB Plus Infinita
Have I missed any? (edit: added some that I missed!)
And what would we call it? Perhaps OneWorld White or Diamond?
(Entry level), Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald. Each airline has their own name for each tier. For example Emerald with BA is known as Gold, QF as Platinum and CX as Diamond.
Benefits of each tier are similar across each member airline. This includes priority checkin, increased baggage allowance, and lounge access.
Each status tier takes a certain amount of flying or other activities to reach. Obviously this increases as you move through the status levels. To add to the confusion, each airline has different requirements to reach each tier. So it pays to choose wisely which airline program will be the one you credit to. This is regardless of who you may fly with.
Some airlines have chosen to add another level within the Emerald tier to acknowledge those who fly an extraordinary amount. BA call theirs Gold Guest List, QF - Platinum One and CX - Diamond Plus. This tier gives extra benefits such as better seat selection, priority telephone support, and free upgrades. These benefits are only available with the airline you hold that status with.
British Airways have recently announced that Gold Guest List will be a stand alone level. Is it time for OneWorld to adopt a tier above Emerald across the alliance? I suggest it should be voluntary for the airline to adopt, and should have an alliance agreed level of flying to reach. This would prevent an airline creating a higher tier with little or no effort to reach to attract members.
The benefits: Well a BA GGL could choose the front row of QF economy, or a CX Diamond Plus member could access the BA Concorde Room for example.
The following are the OW airlines I am aware of with an uber Emerald tier:
AA Executive Platinum
BA Gold Guest List
CX Diamond Plus
JL Diamond Metal
QF Platinum One
AS MVP Gold 100K
AY Platinum Lumo
IB Plus Infinita
Have I missed any? (edit: added some that I missed!)
And what would we call it? Perhaps OneWorld White or Diamond?
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