Instant Platinum Status possible?

[sambo]

Hi All,

This is my first post since 2004, so apologies if I've posted this in the wrong place.

The background:

I've been flying Qantas (and occasionally Virgin) over many years, but never got past Bronze.

This year however, work commitments have seen a sharp increase in travel requirements, and I currently have 240SC that expire 1st Nov 2013.

Further, I now have a need to book 28 (14 for me, 14 for my business partner) domestic business class flights (plus 8x economy flights) for travel over the next 30 days, with more to come afterwards, although less definite than than this first batch.

By my calcs, the SC earn for each of will be exactly 600SC in this period.

I do NOT have an invitation for the Double SC promotion - I tried to register but was denied (it's a targeted promotion). This was deeply saddening - any advice on how to change this would be greatly appreciated.


The question:

Does anyone have any advice on whether Qantas or Virgin might offer us both "instant" Platinum status if we were to put our case to them and book and pay for this all upfront in one payment (looks like about $23k by my calcs).

Or would I appear horribly deluded and be wasting my time having this conversation with them?

Thank you in advance for any guidance you may have for me.

 

[BrentH]

In my experience, it never hurts to ask the right questions.

I doubt you'll get comp'd Platinum from QF. Your better bet is to earn Platinum on QF, and wait for a status match on Velocity. OR use family pooling on Velocity, and you should hit 1200 SC on one account and get Platinum (assuming the sectors and earn rates align up in the same way).

If you want cheaper Status Credits on QF, look towards OW partners in the USA. Even with the double status credit offer, instant upgrade fares on AA are still a much cheaper way to earn SC's. $23k is a LOT of money to pay for status.

 

[markis10]

Good luck, QF rarely comp status, and got to be frank, if your travelling J anyway you not missin to much.

 

[moa999]

If a small business, sign up for Velocity Accelerate.
Nominate yourself and business partner for Pilot Gold (instant Gold for 3mths,extended to 12mths if you earn 80SCs)

And spending $20k you would also qualify for 2% rebate.

--

Double SCs programmes are targetted, generally no way to get around.

Agree with Markis that you get lounge access and priority boarding anyway with business, so there is not too much downside i you stay with QF and hit Gold midway through that first batch of flights.

 

[nickfromeastryde]

If they are all domestic and all business what's the rush. You'll have access to the lounges and you'll earn the status anyway

I don't understand how 18 business class flights can only net a 600 SC earn seeing as the minimum earn in this class is 40 so that would be at least 720 SC's and a lot more if you aren't only doing Mel-Cbr or Mel-Syd trips. Considering your year doesn't end until Nov and you indicate more flights to come, you have plenty of time to get to platinum on your own

 

[sambo]

In my experience, it never hurts to ask the right questions.

I doubt you'll get comp'd Platinum from QF. Your better bet is to earn Platinum on QF, and wait for a status match on Velocity. OR use family pooling on Velocity, and you should hit 1200 SC on one account and get Platinum (assuming the sectors and earn rates align up in the same way).

If you want cheaper Status Credits on QF, look towards OW partners in the USA. Even with the double status credit offer, instant upgrade fares on AA are still a much cheaper way to earn SC's. $23k is a LOT of money to pay for status.

Thanks Brent.

I should add that regardless of chasing status, these flights need to be taken - the status is just a bonus, but a bonus I'm keen to get the most from! The double SC offer (if I was offered it) would mean I would hit Platinum status within a month.

Also, there is no USA trips on the near-horizon for us unfortunately, so our options are currently limited to AU domestic carriers for SC earning capability.

 

[JohnK]

I used to think that Qantas rarely gifted status even if you had concrete bookings in the system but recently they have been gifting status to random strangers without any guarantee the random stranger will repay the faith.

It would not hurt to ask.

 

[sambo]

I used to think that Qantas rarely gifted status even if you had concrete bookings in the system but recently they have been gifting status to random strangers without any guarantee the random stranger will repay the faith.

It would not hurt to ask.

Thanks JohnK - Do you know who at Qantas I would contact about this? Just call the QFF service centre?

 

[sambo]

If they are all domestic and all business what's the rush. You'll have access to the lounges and you'll earn the status anyway

I don't understand how 18 business class flights can only net a 600 SC earn seeing as the minimum earn in this class is 40 so that would be at least 720 SC's and a lot more if you aren't only doing Mel-Cbr or Mel-Syd trips. Considering your year doesn't end until Nov and you indicate more flights to come, you have plenty of time to get to platinum on your own

Thanks Nick - The rush (and I may have this wrong) comes from the possibility that my next batch of flights might not be before the expiry of my current SC (Nov 1st 2013), and that would mean that I would have to earn another 1400 SC before hitting Platinum - wouldn't it? Based on this, the desire is to lock-in plat status this year - although given some of the responses, I'm starting to re-cough the value of Plat!

EDIT:

You make an excellent point about the SC count - I double checked, and two of the destinations have no Business class cabin, and hence earn only 20 SC per leg. So my post should actually read 14x business legs, 4x economy legs.

 

[sambo]

Good luck, QF rarely comp status, and got to be frank, if your travelling J anyway you not missin to much.

Thanks Markis10 - the double points earn of plat is quite attractive, as is the guaranteed economy seat availability (although I dont see this listed on the qantas website - does this benefit still actually exist?).

Is there nothing else you find of value in being Platinum?

 

[markis10]

Thanks Markis10 - the double points earn of plat is quite attractive, as is the guaranteed economy seat availability (although I dont see this listed on the qantas website - does this benefit still actually exist?).

Is there nothing else you find of value in being Platinum?

If you have 18 flights in J generating 600 SC, I am puzzled by what you are actually flying, given J is a minimum 40 SC?? And if your doing the 40 SC legs there is no double points.

 

[sambo]

If you have 18 flights in J generating 600 SC, I am puzzled by what you are actually flying, given J is a minimum 40 SC?? And if your doing the 40 SC legs there is no double points.

Apologies, I made an error in the original post(now corrected). It is actually 14x business legs, and 4x economy legs(where no business cabin is available).

And yes, there are many 40SC legs - are these not eligible for the 100% points bonus when you have Platinum status?

 

[medhead]

If it is domestic and you're in business there probably isn't much point to platinum. If you aren't going to do the 600 SC until after November, I'm not sure how you're going to maintain platinum going forward anyway.

Finally, the guaranteed Y seat would have to be the benefit of least value as a platinum.

 

[whatmeworry]

Good luck, QF rarely comp status, and got to be frank, if your travelling J anyway you not missin to much.

Same thought. Why do you need Platinum if your already flying dom J.

 

[jmphoto]

...And yes, there are many 40SC legs - are these not eligible for the 100% points bonus when you have Platinum status?

Not ineligible, just that the minimum points guarantee is more than the points earned, even with the status bonus. Check out https://www.qantas.com.au/fflyer/do/dyns/pointsEarned for help.

 

[Simo]

IMHO,

No chance at all.

I was very close to plat and I had bookings in the system and my push me over the edge trip was from SIN to SYD and could not get recognised plat until the points had posted.

 

[Inver]

If a small business, sign up for Velocity Accelerate.
Nominate yourself and business partner for Pilot Gold (instant Gold for 3mths,extended to 12mths if you earn 80SCs)

Thanks for the great tip moa999, since I'm a small business owner this can be quite beneficial for me.

 

[sambo]

After everyones input on this, I have been convinced that there is no worthwhile benefit to Platinum when flying business class - I will just take the status as it comes, and be happy with Gold(shortly) in the interim.

Thanks to everyone that has contributed!

 

[JohnK]

Thanks JohnK - Do you know who at Qantas I would contact about this? Just call the QFF service centre?

I would try Qantas loyalty as a starting point.

 

[CathyZ]

Just a quick point to add to the discussion about gaining platinum. Hubby was 40 points short of platinum by the end of April. So he rang Qantas FF to talk about upgrading his Alice flight to Business. Guy on the other end said don't bother - ring him back after his flight to Alice last week & he would upgrade him even though he was short. Rang him back today and he was true to his word. Just checked Hubbie's status and he is now Platinum. Can't wait to use the lounges next month when travelling to London.