Life Time Gold - The [Realistic] Holy Grail

[QF WP]

It all depends on if you are happy with LTG and can accumulate SCs with other airlines. Personally I have been QP for a few years and enjoy the additional benefits, e.g. Qantas F lounge. Unfortunately this may not continue so perhaps I should develop another airline's benefits such as Air NZ which flies directly WLG-BNE?

In my case it would be a completely new frequent flier scheme, i.e, Star Alliance instead of One World, mostly because that would ll that was available to me, apart from Virgin.

@serfty or @JessicaTam to the thread please

 

[JessicaTam]

@serfty or @JessicaTam to the thread please

I only have experience with BA which is also OneWorld so may not be suitable. An advantage with BA is that QR now uses the same points system (Avios). So they can be transferred between them for booking and upgrades. I have set this up, but have yet not had the need to use it.

BA GFL (Gold For Life - life time Emerald) is 35,000 Tier Points. Similar earn rate to QF Status Credits. Much better than the 72,000 (?) QF SCs.

 

[fifo]

thanks so much, I knew this a few years ago re BA - I wish I had credited to BA all along (eligible flights made this difficult). i'll probs end up crediting to ba just so if i ever fly a tonne again, i'll get something out of it - life time emerald. out of interest how close are you to BA GFL @JessicaTam ??? or too personal a query lolol?

 

[QF WP]

+1 @fifo, I was just on a call with @JessicaTam and forgot to ask

 

[JessicaTam]

thanks so much, I knew this a few years ago re BA - I wish I had credited to BA all along (eligible flights made this difficult). i'll probs end up crediting to ba just so if i ever fly a tonne again, i'll get something out of it - life time emerald. out of interest how close are you to BA GFL @JessicaTam ??? or too personal a query lolol?

+1 @fifo, I was just on a call with @JessicaTam and forgot to ask

A bit over 10k so a while to go. But I have QF LTG to fall back on if I don't make it.

 

[QF WP]

Just checked - I've got 409 SC's remaining until LTG and currently Gold until 28/2/23, but need to requal VA Plat first, so my goal is 1/7/23.

 

[fifo]

congrats mate!

 

[QF WP]

Still got to get there @fifo - far from a rusted on QFF fan given the current parlous state of their customer service (telephones and baggage). Thankfully I'm mostly HLO and not travelling internationally with QF anytime soon...

 

[mviy]

You could get there with just one HLO status run, but there'd be no point in you rushing it with SG still locked in.

 

[QF WP]

I could but see no value in doing that - my normal business and personal travel will get me there without having to spend unnecessarily.

 

[Kiwi_Flyer]

BA GFL (Gold For Life - life time Emerald) is 35,000 Tier Points. Similar earn rate to QF Status Credits. Much better than the 72,000 (?) QF SCs.

QF LTP is 75k unfortunately.

 

[Kiwi_Flyer]

It all depends on if you are happy with LTG and can accumulate SCs with other airlines. Personally I have been QP for a few years and enjoy the additional benefits, e.g. Qantas F lounge. Unfortunately this may not continue so perhaps I should develop another airline's benefits such as Air NZ which flies directly WLG-BNE?

Air NZ programme is really only useful if fly NZ regularly. No lifetime status, but if fly NZ a lot can get banked years of status. I currently have 12 banked years so will have *G for current year, next year already requalified, 12 more years, then soft drop to gold (also *g) equals 15 more years not counting any future requalifications.

NZ banked years are my *a *g plan c. Plan a was SQ lifetime pps which was withdrawn about 2 years before I would have qualified. Plan b is Oz platinum which is lifetime status, but Oz unlikely to remain in *a when KE takeover completes.

 

[Beano]

Air NZ programme is really only useful if fly NZ regularly. No lifetime status, but if fly NZ a lot can get banked years of status. I currently have 12 banked years so will have *G for current year, next year already requalified, 12 more years, then soft drop to gold (also *g) equals 15 more years not counting any future requalifications.

NZ banked years are my *a *g plan c. Plan a was SQ lifetime pps which was withdrawn about 2 years before I would have qualified. Plan b is Oz platinum which is lifetime status, but Oz unlikely to remain in *a when KE takeover completes.

Thanks. Air NZ was trying to attract my business through our corporate travel agent, which is owned by Air NZ, when I achieved LTG. But QP each year was achievable then. Not so now, so Air NZ could be an option.

 

[dairyfloss]

I was about 1.5-2 years off QFF LTG when COVID struck, and not sure when I'll get there, now... but I'd been considering a switch to Iberia Plus once I reached LTG. Though not talked about much, they look to be one of the easier airlines to make the numbers for, particularly if you don't have a travel pattern that would get you the 4 BA flights a year you would need to maintain OWE with Executive Club.

Some benefits I've read up on for Iberia Plus status... No need to fly IB metal/marketed to attain/retain status. OW partner flights earn about the same as IB flights - no penalties for MH, QR etc. (very relevant for some, with changes to MH earn on QF from August!). Premium economy credits higher than most. Points earning is also Avios, which can be used directly for IB, BA & QR... and via IB on OW partners. Qualify IB Plus Platino (OWE) and get the current year + 2 years additional of status. Retain by earning double the base anytime over the 2 years, or just get the base amount again in year 2. Lifetime Emerald at 20 'tier years', vs 23 years for BA, and 54 tier years for QF.

I put this together when researching, hoping it might help someone who's not sure where to jump:



The 'tier years' simply refers to the number of qualifying years needed to get the LT status. It's based on the band it's in, so obviously you'd get to LTG with QFF faster than 20 years if you are making Platinum each year.

Cheers,
Matt.

 

[fifo]

Shows how ridiculous Qantas is with 75k points for lifetime WP

 

[kpc]

Shows how ridiculous Qantas is with 75k points for lifetime WP

Their program so they can make up the rules! I'm at 18865 lifetime SCs and need another 56135 SCs to get to lifetime Plat ...not happening!

 

[JohnK]

Shows how ridiculous Qantas is with 75k points for lifetime WP

If everyone is Lifetime Platinum they'll just enhance (read erode) the benefits further.

I don't see it as an issue that Lifetime Platinum is a stretch target.

Personally I think Lifetime Gold is too easy (maybe 28,000 SCs a better target) but it's there as a carrot to get you hooked on Qantas.

Life for me since Covid is not the same. Possibly 2 return trips to Thailand each year with very little domestic commute.

Makes every sense to stick with Qantas or slum it with a cheaper carrier although that can lead to other problems

 

[mviy]

Personally I think Lifetime Gold is too easy (maybe 28,000 SCs a better target) but it's there as a carrot to get you hooked on Qantas.

I hope they don't change that goalpost. I'm still a long way off LTG but as I make more progress I can see a path to getting there. I can't see a realistic path to getting LTP.

 

[JohnK]

I hope they don't change that goalpost. I'm still a long way off LTG but as I make more progress I can see a path to getting there. I can't see a realistic path to getting LTP.

I don't think they will change Lifetime Gold goalposts.

They need to have some achievable targets and that is a decent one to trap people. The majority of people are not going to run off to other frequent flyer programs once they've achieved a status like Lifetime Gold.

 

[Stevo.1702]

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Cheers,
Matt.

Thank you so much for sharing this.
I'm close and considering a switch. I never considered IB but your contribution seems to perfectly sum up the move I'm about to make.