180 Status Credits

[MrMickeyg]

Hi All, I'm 180 status credits away from getting Gold and need to do it buy 31Aug, what is the best way to do it?

Thanks

 

[NM]

There are a few things that will help people provide suggestions to you:

• Where are you located?
• How much time do you have to travel? (weekends only, no overnight stops etc)
• Do you want the minimum cost, minimum segments, minimum time to earn 180 SCs?
• Are you available for international travel (ie have a passport etc)?
• Is there anywhere in particular you want to go?

 

[JohnK]

Hi All, I'm 180 status credits away from getting Gold and need to do it buy 31Aug, what is the best way to do it?

QF has some very good domestic specials from all major cities until Wednesday night. Not sure whether you can still keep the cost below $1300 for the required 180SC's.

If I wasn't overseas I would be booking some of these myself.

 

[Dave Noble]

Hi All, I'm 180 status credits away from getting Gold and need to do it buy 31Aug, what is the best way to do it?

Thanks

Business class SYD-MEL via CBR can be done for a smidgen under $500 for 80 SCs, so r/t for about $1000 gets 160SCs.

Dave

 

[Soundguy]

You could consider buying an empty seat too; this may work out a cheaper method to get extra SC's than a more expensive class.

 

[Ikara]

Guys & Gals,

With the greatest respect and without prejudice.

I've watched posts on this site for some time now, and I have to buy into this one! Why on God's green earth are people willing to pay (possibly $1000) for Gold Status???? Yes, I'm coming from a "position of strength" - been WP for the last 6 years. I'm clearly missing something with the Silver/Gold/Platinum status thing! Is it really only ego or are there benefits that I'm missing out on? If WG gets you access to the QP then go buy it - it'll be cheaper than what has been suggested. Besides, Qantas and it's subsidiaries (QP etc) don't really get a super positive rating in some of the replies that I've read, so if QF is so bad why pay for a doubtful priviledge?

Happy to be criticised - and I'm sure I will be. Let the discussion begin!

 

[Dave Noble]

The question posed was how he could do it, not whether it was worth it.

If the person is currently silver and can get gold for about $1000 and maintains a similar or slightly higher travel level, then his renewal level next year would be 600 (vs the 700 to initially attain ). Needing <= 80SCs ( which would be the renewal level ) could be worth trying to attain.

Gold status (OW Sapphire) does have more benefits than QP membership in that Sapphire status provides for better lounge access rights.

Personally, I am not into taking flights just to get status credits and wouldnt do it myself, but then again, I have been Platinum for about the last 6 years too

Dave

 

[simongr]

Isnt there also the benefit of additional FF points if you are gold? So if this person is expecting to maintain the same level of travle next year - they are going to increase their FF points 50% for the year - that might be worth it?

 

[Dave Noble]

Isnt there also the benefit of additional FF points if you are gold? So if this person is expecting to maintain the same level of travle next year - they are going to increase their FF points 50% for the year - that might be worth it?

I wouldn't have thought that someone doing a level of travel to get 500SCs is likely to get a huge value worth of extra FF miles from the extra 25% bonus tbh.
Dave

 

[NM]

I've watched posts on this site for some time now, and I have to buy into this one! Why on God's green earth are people willing to pay (possibly $1000) for Gold Status????

Would I spend $1000 just to get the next level of status - no way. But if someone else wants to do it, then I'll offer suggestions.

However, I did spend more than that once to upgrade a work trip to the LOTFAP from the economy fare my employer was covering to travel in business class. Of course I found the cheapest possible way to get into business class (based on knowledge learned from FF forums). And of course that also ensured that I requalified for Platinum FF status for the next year. So my "investment" was two-fold - comfort during my travels and retaining FF status.

And of course in my case the extra I paid was tax deductible (it was 100% for business) and my per-diem allowance paid during the trip was sufficient to cover the extra airfare (while eating really cheap for 3 weeks).

So horses for courses. But thankfully for me QF has been generous in re-qualifying people who don't quite reach the required re-qualification mark so I have not needed to spend money to retain status in other years. But they don't comp people who just fall short. So would I spend $100 to get from Silver to Gold? Maybe. Would I spend $200? possibly. Would I spend $500? No. Other people have their own pain threshold.

 

[Maca44]

This is slightly off topic, but I don't travel anywhere near enough to gain any status other than bronze and so I would not pay $1000 to get higher status. I would have about 6 domestic trips per annum and 1 overseas trip every 18 months, all for holidays so I pay and they are not a business deduction. In saying that, many years ago when I joined the QP as Life Member I immediately thought it was a stupid thing to do. (I think it was about $900 at that time) However, I now regard it as a good investment and have the benefit of lounge access, check in etc. So, as NM indicates horses for courses, and as I don't think I will attain sufficient lifetime status credits to benefit me in the future I consider this was money well spent for "me". Likewise, others might consider $1000 a good investment to get status benefits such as lounge access, upgrades etc.

 

[JohnK]

So would I spend $100 to get from Silver to Gold? Maybe. Would I spend $200? possibly. Would I spend $500? No. Other people have their own pain threshold.

Did someone mention pain?

 

[gaia]

LAN

US$510 AKL-SYD return 160 SCs.

US$245 AKL-SYD oneway 80 SCs.

 

[JohnK]

LAN

US$510 AKL-SYD return 160 SCs.

US$245 AKL-SYD oneway 80 SCs.

Gaia that is a great return for $/SC but assuming that mgalbraith lives somewhere in Australia the cost would still be well over $1000 as he/she would still need to get AUS-AKL-AUS to utilise the above special LAN business class airfare.