Life Time Gold - The [Realistic] Holy Grail

[mviy]

Lounge Access, OWS, better access to QF reward seats and higher priority in the upgrade queue than PS are the main benefits I care about from SG. Hopefully those benefits stay.

 

[Kendall Roy]

Aside from perhaps upping the annual SC level and perhaps a once off boost to the LTG SC requirement, I really can't see QF stripping lounge access, et al, from SGs.

My primary concern would be partnerships drying up, such as EK and god forbid, OW.

 

[RichardMEL]

14k LTSC is still a fair whack. I mean for the vast majority of leisure pax and medium level travellers that's probably a bit too far.. or at the very least may be reached after 20+ years of flying (you're looking at 20 years of Gold qualifying SC's to attain - and yes renew of course is lower). the overall numbers probably reach a fairly regular plateau as the 20-30year flyers reach LTG possibly, but soon retire and perhaps reduce to leisure flying, so incremntal cost is probably not that much. Those who earn it much quicker will of course likely be WP or higher, and again it then is no real cost to QF imo. If one falls back to LTG from a higher status then that implies either less travel, or rewards bookings or whatever and it's still probably a cost they figure they can handle.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

14k LTSC is still a fair whack. I mean for the vast majority of leisure pax and medium level travellers that's probably a bit too far.. or at the very least may be reached after 20+ years of flying

And this is one of the key selling points of Qantas Platinum 1 - 4 years of that status and you'll earn Lifetime Gold!

 

[kookaburra75]

14k LTSC is still a fair whack. I mean for the vast majority of leisure pax and medium level travellers that's probably a bit too far.. or at the very least may be reached after 20+ years of flying (you're looking at 20 years of Gold qualifying SC's to attain - and yes renew of course is lower). the overall numbers probably reach a fairly regular plateau as the 20-30year flyers reach LTG possibly, but soon retire and perhaps reduce to leisure flying, so incremntal cost is probably not that much. Those who earn it much quicker will of course likely be WP or higher, and again it then is no real cost to QF imo. If one falls back to LTG from a higher status then that implies either less travel, or rewards bookings or whatever and it's still probably a cost they figure they can handle.

My journey to LTG was along those lines. Between 1990 and 2001 I flew for work, but not a large amount. Most of my domestic flights were on Ansett (so we know how that went), and for the occasional international flight, I was on Qantas. From 2001 I flew a lot more, on Qantas (paying for QC membership) and from 2010-2014 hit Gold, finally reaching LTS in 2014. A new job, which involved 2-3 flights per year to the UK (in Y), and a lot of domestic flights, got me to LTG two years ago. Fittingly enough, it was status credits from a Qantas wine purchase that tipped me over the line during lockdown.

So all up, it's taken 30 years. I'm a few years off retirement, so LTG has come along at the right time, when MrsK and I can travel and pick any airline from OneWorld, and get lounge access when we travel in our retirement. That's good deal from me.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

So all up, it's taken 30 years. I'm a few years off retirement, so LTG has come along at the right time, when MrsK and I can travel and pick any airline from OneWorld, and get lounge access when we travel in our retirement. That's good deal from me.

There, fixed that for you!

The main reason for getting lifetime status with an alliance is it opens you up to having status at all the airlines. First, you can focus all your travel on other airlines offering better fares that may not be OneWorld, either racking up status by exclusively flying them or pursuing a status match to give you their status for the next year (and when that's over you can rinse and repeat with another airline in the alliance). Sure if there's a good OneWorld fare having that QF LTG will be beneficial, but the sheer leverage you have with QF LTG status against the other alliances is massive!

-RooFlyer88

 

[RooFlyer]

There, fixed that for you!

The main reason for getting lifetime status with an alliance is it opens you up to having status at all the airlines. First, you can focus all your travel on other airlines offering better fares that may not be OneWorld, either racking up status by exclusively flying them or pursuing a status match to give you their status for the next year (and when that's over you can rinse and repeat with another airline in the alliance). Sure if there's a good OneWorld fare having that QF LTG will be beneficial, but the sheer leverage you have with QF LTG status against the other alliances is massive!

-RooFlyer88

What? Nothing you've mentioned is contingent on achieving 'lifetime gold'. As in - you could do any of it when 'ordinary gold' (or even Plat or P1) on the way to LTG.

And how pointless is it to go through all the years of (mostly, I guess) Qantas flying and achieve LTG and then immediately switch to another alliance and/or other airlines cheaper fares and forego the benefits of Gold status? If you are after cheaper fares Vs lounge access, fly the cheaper one all the time.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

And how pointless is it to go through all the years of (mostly, I guess) Qantas flying and achieve LTG and then immediately switch to another alliance and/or other airlines cheaper fares and forego the benefits of Gold status? If you are after cheaper fares Vs lounge access, fly the cheaper one all the time.

Looking at the 40,000 foot level as someone who travels fairly regularly, my aim out of all of this is to get status and recognition across all airlines as possible for as cheaply as possible. I want to be in a position where if I see Delta has the cheapest fare or offers the best routing, I can book that and know I'll have lounge access or additional baggage allowance. Or if United offers a dirt cheap fare, that I can book that and get better seating, lounge access, additional bags, etc. One of the things I learned too, flying KLM J last year as a palate cleanser between North America and Europe was the quality of service onboard and was frankly something I wouldn't have tried had I not already had QF Gold status in the bag for the year (and DL providing me with Gold status just for taking that flight). Being handcuffed to an airline or alliance can get boring especially if you travel a lot!

Let me put this another way for you: once you achieve lifetime Gold, what additional benefits do you get by continuing to fly with them? Sure you'll have access to those lifetime benefits earned but you won't really get anything else unless you try for WP but then again, I'd argue the marginal benefits aren't massive there either. With all that $$$ being spent to stay loyal to the airline and the alliance despite having lifetime status, I could use elsewhere to gain status with another airline and alliance. And given the advent of status matches, I'm not losing a single thing by doing so since I'd get the status right away.

Looking at my situation right now as a Virgin Gold (status match), Delta Gold medallion (status match), United Premier Gold (another extension) and Qantas Gold (earned the old fashioned way), I can book any flight out there and receive benefits flying!

-RooFlyer88

 

[RooFlyer]

Looking at my situation right now as a Virgin Gold (status match), Delta Gold medallion (status match), United Premier Gold (another extension) and Qantas Gold (earned the old fashioned way), I can book any flight out there and receive benefits flying!

Let me put the same thing I said earlier for you. You do not need lifetime gold to do all of that. If you make QFF gold or Plat etc this year , you can go for all the other statuses as well that year.

Or you can always fly business and still get the cheapest fare available through any airline and still have lounge access ( mostly).

My own mental hurdle, are those strive to get and maintain WP1 on QFF. Once you’ve achieved Platinum on Qantas frequent flyer, surely you then diversify into a better airline and get higher status there as well. Everyone’s MMV.

 

[RichardMEL]

Diversification across alliances is a great thing of course, it allows many options for redemptions and/or revenue routings to provide some kind of benefit regardless of who flies where.

Of course when those status matches dry up and extensions end... then choices will need to be made and potentially far more revenue flying will need to happen.

or just fly reward business/first like several I know and then status is not really an issue (though it would make many things much easier).

 

[Port Power]

Let me put this another way for you: once you achieve lifetime Gold, what additional benefits do you get by continuing to fly with them? Sure you'll have access to those lifetime benefits earned but you won't really get anything else unless you try for WP but then again, I'd argue the marginal benefits aren't massive there either. With all that $$$ being spent to stay loyal to the airline and the alliance despite having lifetime status, I could use elsewhere to gain status with another airline and alliance. And given the advent of status matches, I'm not losing a single thing by doing so since I'd get the status right away.

-RooFlyer88

The OP for this new series of discussion was basically saying they will now be retired and flying less, so having lifetime gold status with QF means they will have QP and international lounge access without the worry of retaining status each year.

By all means post your own ideas about chasing status with two or more airlines and what it means to you, but that doesn’t work for everyone. Not everyone has the same goals as you.

 

[Foreigner]

I’m now 344 SCs away from LTG which I’ll attain in next couple of months

I do aim for platinum by end April. DSC will make it easier

 

[dkr]

I clocked over LTG on a flight at the end of Jan. For reasons I don't quite get, the app is showing on the electronic membership card at LTS still (for the little "Lifetime status" bar below my current P1 status). Does this take time to process or will it not change to reflect LTG until a status anniversary or change in regular status?

 

[serfty]

I clocked over LTG on a flight at the end of Jan. For reasons I don't quite get, the app is showing on the electronic membership card at LTS still (for the little "Lifetime status" bar below my current P1 status). Does this take time to process or will it not change to reflect LTG until a status anniversary or change in regular status?

Try refreshing the app.

What life time status does it show on a desktop?

 

[Fergo747]

I clocked over LTG on a flight at the end of Jan. For reasons I don't quite get, the app is showing on the electronic membership card at LTS still (for the little "Lifetime status" bar below my current P1 status). Does this take time to process or will it not change to reflect LTG until a status anniversary or change in regular status?

Given your existing status does it really matter? I mean I would think that even if you didn’t set foot on a plane you would have at least two maybe three years before this becomes relevant (P1 for another year due to requal / extension, then drop to WP and then to SG after which time you may need to rely on your LTG). Trust me as a fellow P1 / LTG, you get really no other special treatment than anyone else

 

[dkr]

Doesn't matter at all. Wasn't a complaint and had zero expectation it would change anything, just thought it would update once I ticked over.

Try refreshing the app.

What life time status does it show on a desktop?

I'm now sitting at 14,107, so it's showing me the 60,893 SCs required to "attain" LTP.. No mention of LTG anywhere. Can't find a way to refresh the app, so even post uninstall and reinstall, still showing LTS (on both Android and Apple devices).

 

[RichardMEL]

Give it a bit of time to figure it out. There's also been a few days grace with status rollovers for Jan anniversary dates etc so the backend is probably catching up. I wouldn't give it much thought or worry tbh.. it will come out in the wash soon I am pretty certain.

 

[justinbrett]

I have just asked if I can transfer the remaining membership to my brother, who is travelling to the US in a few weeks with his daughter on AA.

I figured this would be easier for them than give a cash refund. I've been gold since 2007 so it's been a minute.

Well this has been a debacle.

Email now over a month old (have a SR number receipt for it).

Called the call centre two weeks ago, was told it's not normally possible to transfer QP membership but she'll ask, otherwise we'll go for a refund. Expect a call back within a week.

No call - so called again today. No response, then he quotes me a different SR number they raised when I called the first time. I assume this helps KPI, as we're dealing with a two week old enquiry and not one into its second month. Was told QP can definitely not be transfered (fine - give me cash then!)

Guy was quoting the date I became LTG as the start of the refund - I had to explain I'd been SG/WP for 15 years before that. Then I started quizzing him on what date my QP was paid up to, what date I first got SG - he said they had none of that detail.

So it really is just a call centre that sends emails to the actual people running things, who won't take calls.

 

[willyroo]

The OP for this new series of discussion was basically saying they will now be retired and flying less, so having lifetime gold status with QF means they will have QP and international lounge access without the worry of retaining status each year.

Which was perfect for me and Mrs w on a recent family (5 of us) trip to the UK, the return leg being on BA and therefore T5 @ LHR - no QF anywhere there so no lounge access.

However being LTG, dumped the teenagers near the gate with food and devices, and enjoyed the Terraces Lounge.

We'll be travelling a lot more for leisure, so LTG is just the ticket.

Oh and the early access to those X, U and P seats

 

[liamg]

So it really is just a call centre that sends emails to the actual people running things, who won't take calls.

This is my experience, too, on the same issue. I twice called the service centre today – both times I was hung up on midway through a conversation. Promises of escalation. Or "I can see the ticket is still open", but no answers. Pretty frustrating.