Should i go for Platinum

[Chucksta]

Should i go for Platinum status?

After my next trip, I will be sitting on 800 status credits

I have basically from 15 June - 30 sept to earn another 600 SC to achieve platinum status.

I worked out I need to fly PER > ADL > MEL return 5 times (120 SC x 5 = 600!). It is possible for me to do that before end of september.

Hmmm... is it really worth the effort to do it? About 50 hours of flying.

 

[JohnK]

Should i go for Platinum status?

Not unless you have a valid reason other than trying to go for QF Platinum!

I worked out I need to fly PER > ADL > MEL return 5 times (120 SC x 5 = 600!). It is possible for me to do that before end of september.

PER-ADL-MEL return on a flexi saver (full economy SC's) is around $1700 per trip. Definitely not worth it. PER-MEL return on a flexi saver is around $1300 per trip and only 80 SC's.

Hmmm... is it really worth the effort to do it? About 50 hours of flying.

QF Gold is very good. Concentrate on maintaining this next year and you never know with a little more flying you may make QF Platinum.

 

[rhjames]

I've been platinum for a few years. The main advantage is priority change of flight schedules (great if you need this at short notice), and the occasional upgrade to 1st class (not much different to business class now). Of course there's the bonus points. A nice place to be, but I wouldn't spend money to get there. The 1st class lounges aren't always that great - some I have to go to business class to get internet access. Many airports don't have a separate 1st class lounge.

The worst thing - you still have to line up for customs like everyone else.

Ross James

 

[straitman]

The main advantage is priority change of flight schedules (great if you need this at short notice), and the occasional upgrade to 1st class (not much different to business class now). Of course there's the bonus points. A nice place to be, but I wouldn't spend money to get there.

Ross James

..........and QP access even when not flying.

 

[JohnK]

..........and QP access even when not flying.

That is a great benefit if QF Platinum but for T3 in Sydney it is a pita.

If I drive and park the car 3 hours in the car park this costs me ~$25. If I get taxi then I am looking at between $50-$60 return fare. If I take train and get off at domestic terminal then it is ~$18 return + to get to Kingsgrove station is around 3 kilometres away so either a bus or taxi to get there. Or I can just walk 100 metres up to the local bottle shop, buy a slab of crown lager for $50 and I am set for a night or two.

So for some people QP access even when not flying is really not worth the trouble, so I would not see this as a benefit.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

So for some people QP access even when not flying is really not worth the trouble, so I would not see this as a benefit.

Not a benefit for me either.

 

[serfty]

That is a great benefit if QF Platinum but for T3 in Sydney it is a pita. ...

So for some people QP access even when not flying is really not worth the trouble, so I would not see this as a benefit.

Yes, but you do have the legit option of hitting a domestic QP for a shower, whatever after your flight lands.

 

[Reggie]

A benefit I have used is the guarranteed seat on a jet service especially out of mining towns like karratha, newman and kalgoorlie in WA. My waitlist on these has always come through.

 

[gaia]

Have a look at AKL-SYD return on LAN in J. 160 SC for NZ$700.

 

[JohnK]

Have a look at AKL-SYD return on LAN in J. 160 SC for NZ$700.

Yes this is a good run but the OP lives in PER. They would have to spend money, airfares, accommodation, to get to AKL to do return SC runs on LAN and they also need 600 SC's so would have to do at least three AKL-SYD-AKL runs.

Still not worth it in my opinion. Better off saving the money and making sure that they reach Gold again next year with a possibility of Platinum if travel paterns increase.

 

[Chucksta]

Actually, I can't seem to find any status runs worth doing from Perth.

Thank god I get to go to Melbourne frequently.

Any suggestions for status runs from MEL?

thanks

Chucksta

 

[JohnK]

Thank god I get to go to Melbourne frequently.

Any suggestions for status runs from MEL?

Not worth it $ wise for the 600 SC's you need. In fact most Australian status runs are round $8/SC, except for the elusive one at $6/SC but this is a deeply hidden secret not to be revealed to ordinary mortals. You will need another $4,800 at least to reach platinum. For that money buy a cheap return PER-BKK in November for $1,200 and spend $2,300 doing 5 status runs BKK-HKG-BKK or BKK-SIN-BKK on Finnair netting 600 SC's. Spend another $500 on accommodation and you have just netted 680 SC's for $4,000. A lot better than what you will do in Australia, plus you get to spend some time overseas.

The best advice is to be happy with Gold, not a great deal of difference in getting platinum if you are travelling PER-MEL-PER all the time, save your money and make sure you get Gold again next year and with careful planning you may make Platinum.

 

[Dave Noble]

, except for the elusive one at $6/SC but this is a deeply hidden secret not to be revealed to ordinary mortals

I am happy with my $3.64 per SC which I earned coming back to Oz from my hols; even better than $6 per SC. 1100 SCs for $4000

Dave

 

[serfty]

... In fact most Australian status runs are round $8/SC, except for the elusive one at $6/SC ...

I am happy with my $3.64 per SC which I earned coming back to Oz from my hols; even better than $6 per SC. 1100 SCs for $4000

Dave

... Or the $3.40/SC I'm earning from a DONE4.

(BTW that's 2360 SC for $8K over two years, with that and a little more travel you get QF WP for two years)

 

[oz_mark]

For that money buy a cheap return PER-BKK in November for $1,200 and spend $2,300 doing 5 status runs BKK-HKG-BKK or BKK-SIN-BKK on Finnair netting 600 SC's.

Of course doing this has been known to increase stress levels in some people as flights get delayed or cancelled!

 

[JohnK]

, except for the elusive one at $6/SC but this is a deeply hidden secret not to be revealed to ordinary mortals

I am happy with my $3.64 per SC which I earned coming back to Oz from my hols; even better than $6 per SC. 1100 SCs for $4000

Dave

... Or the $3.40/SC I'm earning from a DONE4.

(BTW that's 2360 SC for $8K over two years, with that and a little more travel you get QF WP for two years)

Yes granted that xONEx's and ex-TIP's are the most beneficial for earning SC's but they are out of reach for most people. Whether it be for not having the time to spend doing them or not having the time or knowledge organising them. Your average punter, even after reading the TIP thread would not have a clue how to begin it nor would they have the energy to carry it through. The same can be said for DONE4's ex CMB.

Most people look for basic SC runs in AUS and these simply do not exist anymore. There will be always be people like you and Dave who will have the energy and the patience to continue with the exotic cost effective SC runs and good luck to you both for the benefits that you receive from them.

 

[JohnK]

Of course doing this has been known to increase stress levels in some people as flights get delayed or cancelled!

SNAP!

All part of the character building and I love the adrenalin rush of not knowing what is going to happen next. By the way this could happen to anyone in the process of doing Status runs. It happens to the best of them, like serfty, Kiwi flyer and NM, so no reason why it would not happen to me.

 

[Dave Noble]

There will be always be people like you and Dave who will have the energy and the patience to continue with the exotic cost effective SC runs and good luck to you both for the benefits that you receive from them.

I wouldn't call a simple TIP-SYD return complicated. I do *NOT* do SC runs and my views on mileage and SC runs are fairly well known; I purchased the ticket since it was a blindingly good value ticket for getting back from my hols this year .. also Libya is a v interesting place to go for a few days and can recommend it ( even if not picking up a ticket ) and is even one of the limited destinations that can be booked as an award online

Dave

 

[Mal]

The best Australian one that I alluded to above is actually now somewhere between $5.50 and $6.00 per S/c.

A couple of regulars here know it (mainly by good guesses or analysis). And no, before you PM, I don't randomly give it out to strangers...

So it's something to keep searching for - and to keep quietish about when you find it (if you are able to find it).

On another note, I really don't think a TIP-SYD F trip is for young players. Apart from the visa issues to get to TIP and the restrictions on purchases, I don't see many people going for it (except for hard core-ites like some of the regulars here).

Also for the AY special which is widely known, I don't see that it is easy to do either due to the small amounts of credits earnt per flight and the setup/inconveniences caused by the trip away.

I would love to see a ~$3/sc status run become available in Australia, but doubt it will happen.

Scrunning in Australia is restricted to those who want to spend lots of $, and/or the hard core-ites who really want the extra status.


Going back to the OP's question, yes Platinum is worth it - but only if you are doing a lot of international travel. I don't think Plat is worth much for purely domestic travel - unless using the QP entry rules or needing the Plat guaranteed economy seat benefit. As for whether plat is worth ~$4000 or so .... now that's something only you can decide.

 

[dajop]

Now didn't there use to be a bus ride from TPR-PBO? Originally bookable in it's own right - a great SC run. Then only part of a PER-PBO-TPR itinerary, and now I notice it is gone altogether.

I concur that status credit runs in Aus are almost gone altogether. I can recall doing MEL-ADL-PER, MEL-BNE-DRW, MEL-SYD-CBR (yes this used to be cheaper than just MEL-SYD if booked in Y), BNE-CBR-MEL, TSV-CNS-MEL in days gone by, and not to do SC runs, just merely as affordable & available options (with a SC bonus attached!) Such routings are a thing of the past, and now these routes are can be bought for a price is that basically just a sum of the two individual city pairs prices. In fact I notice that currently DJ is more of a network carrier than QF is, if "through fares" are any indicator of this.