Finally, Lifetime Silver

[Dave Noble]

Hmm, 7000 status credits at an average of $10 per credit earned in revenue to Qantas, that benefit has cost someone $70000, is economy checkin that bad ????? Midweek I find sometimes it is quicker than the QP line at some airports!

Only relevent if the person has been flying just to get SCs. I fly and as a result, for the travel I have done on appropriate carriers, get SCs.

Dave

 

[JohnK]

But I'm not entirely convinced that the Lifetime levels are worth heading for. Silver gives a few benefits, but when the best is that you don't have to queue with the common herd, hmmmm. I fly out of Canberra so there's a lot of elite travellers clogging up the Business lane anyway, and the QC usually has about as many folk inside as in the lounge outside.

Assuming the goal posts do not change then lifetime Silver for someone who is not a frequent flyer is quite good. And yes not lining up with the herd for 1-3 hours is a huge bonus. I have done this many a time in SYD and BKK.

Ideally lifetime Gold would be really good but will be hard to achieve. With a few carefully planned status runs, high yielding SC's low cost short hops like the one Kiwi Flyer mentioned on CX, I can probably get there by the time I am 50 so still young enough to enjoy the benefits.

 

[bfmi]

I reckon the best benefit is never having to use economy check-in ever again..

Have you noticed Self Service Check-in puts us essentially all in the same queue again.

Yeh, enjoy it while it lasts. Once QF end up being an airline holding and services company and Jet* gets handed all of the QF routes. Then we'll all be back lining up with the masses.

These are the next phases to the erosion of the QF FF programs.

 

[Commuter]

$2,000 a month is a problem? That is almost half my yearly budget.

It is a bit of a problem because despite it, my SCs are very slow to accumulate. I would like to get there faster.

 

[JohnK]

It is a bit of a problem because despite it, my SCs are very slow to accumulate. I would like to get there faster.

We are all still learning but if you start being a little more creative with your routings you may get there faster.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

We are all still learning but if you start being a little more creative with your routings you may get there faster.

With some domestic travel that can be a bit difficult. Eg business day trip between SYD and MEL - yes going through CBR gets more SCs but adds a lot of time and unlikely to fit in with schedule for meetings.

 

[JohnK]

With some domestic travel that can be a bit difficult. Eg business day trip between SYD and MEL - yes going through CBR gets more SCs but adds a lot of time and unlikely to fit in with schedule for meetings.

I didn't say it was easy. But you can re-route flight coming back from business meetings!

Just to give my example. Looking at airfare SIN-SYD return from QF Singapore website. If I route SIN-SYD-SIN with taxes it is S$1050 and 60 SC's whereas if I route SIN-BNE-SYD-CNS-SIN with taxes it is S$1133 and 85 SC's. It is only an extra S$83 for the extra 25 SC's. I think worth it for the slight inconvenience!

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

The example I gave was east coast domestic. If you're in meetings from 8ish - 6ish out of town and returning home in the evening there isn't much opportunity to do earn extra SCs!

 

[Commuter]

JohnK,

Good suggestion, but unfortunately, I can really only route it one way (i.e. direct) as I commute and I'd be taking a very long way round if I went via somewhere else (or gets very expensive). Also I always end up on expensive flights anyway (too many commuters wanting the same flight as I do, I think), so unfortunately my travelling pattern is a bit inefficient for SC accumulation.

 

[JohnK]

The example I gave was east coast domestic. If you're in meetings from 8ish - 6ish out of town and returning home in the evening there isn't much opportunity to do earn extra SCs!

Yes I understood your example and again I never said it was easy.

Personally I think it is possible to detour even if travelling short distances. I don't know what sort of work most people do or their relationship with their employer but I have some simple rules. If I live in SYD and I am wanted for a meeting in MEL/BNE at 8am there is no way on this earth I am waking at 3am to get there that morning. They will need to fly me there the night before and put me up in a nice hotel room and shout a few beers to go with the well done rump steak. That leaves plenty of time to take some detours as long as it falls within budget guidelines for trip. Also I choose the carrier I fly with, not the company.

 

[bfmi]

I didn't say it was easy. But you can re-route flight coming back from business meetings!

Just to give my example. Looking at airfare SIN-SYD return from QF Singapore website. If I route SIN-SYD-SIN with taxes it is S$1050 and 60 SC's whereas if I route SIN-BNE-SYD-CNS-SIN with taxes it is S$1133 and 85 SC's. It is only an extra S$83 for the extra 25 SC's. I think worth it for the slight inconvenience!

You must have more time to waste sitting in a tube and bouncing thru airports chasing SCs than I. I set the rules and work with agent who charges it to the corp CC and still manage to be top tier in 3 programs.

 

[Dave Noble]

You must have more time to waste sitting in a tube and bouncing thru airports chasing SCs than I. I set the rules and work with agent who charges it to the corp CC and still manage to be top tier in 3 programs.

Im with you on the the idea that when going from A-B, that not going through C,D,E,F and G is desirable and the non-stop is normally the preference. To me. SCs or qpoints are normally just a byproduct of the flight , not the reason for it

Dave

 

[JohnK]

You must have more time to waste sitting in a tube and bouncing thru airports chasing SCs than I. I set the rules and work with agent who charges it to the corp CC and still manage to be top tier in 3 programs.

Unfortunately I do not have corporate credit card paying business/ first class airfares to anywhere and everywhere on a regular basis. My travel is self funded on deep discount economy so every SC counts.

By the way when I did have 7 overseas trips with my old job the stingy coughs sent me in economy, direct route, wanted me to get to SE Asia travelling in my time, work 100 hours in 7 days straight without a break before or after trip and then return to work in Sydney. Just for the love of the job.

Some people take what they have for granted and do not realise the struggles others have to go through. This is not a whinge just responding to your arrogant statement that you are able to maintain top tier in 3 programs with someone else's money and laugh at me while I struggle to maintain Gold, mid tier, in one program and am ecstatic when I can find a deal that allows me 25 extra SC's for a small difference in price.

 

[serfty]

As posted by vt01 in DFW.

Hmm, 7000 status credits at an average of $10 per credit earned in revenue to Qantas, that benefit has cost someone $70000, is economy checkin that bad ????? Midweek I find sometimes it is quicker than the QP line at some airports!

Yes, my employer paid most of it... It's not so bad by myself and you're right that sometimes there isn't even a queue worth mentioning. But it is worth it with small kids who just hate standing still.. THe quicker we get through checkin the better.

Have you noticed Self Service Check-in puts us essentially all in the same queue again.

Yeh, enjoy it while it lasts. Once QF end up being an airline holding and services company and Jet* gets handed all of the QF routes. Then we'll all be back lining up with the masses.

I think you're right - enjoy it while it lasts... I will try...

Hmmm... quote a surprise; I'll try to remember to 'log off' in future (FWIW, QF QP PC's autolog off, which clears those cookies)...

 

[vt01]

Yes, my employer paid most of it... It's not so bad by myself and you're right that sometimes there isn't even a queue worth mentioning. But it is worth it with small kids who just hate standing still.. THe quicker we get through checkin the better.

I think you're right - enjoy it while it lasts... I will try...

Actually this was me who did this update at a PC in DFW Admiral's lounge.. Does that me Serfty was logged on through the same PC I am now using??
Anyhow, I logged you off serfty and logged me on...

 

[Skyring]

Actually this was me who did this update at a PC in DFW Admiral's lounge.. Does that mean Serfty was logged on through the same PC I am now using??
Anyhow, I logged you off serfty and logged me on...

Heh. Could have been me - I went through DFW twice in April and spent most of my time in the AC on the computer. I suspect my joke of a favorite luggage trolley is pretty close to the mark when it comes to computers in lounges, and I dare say there's a few cookies of mine floating around. Who else but us mob are going to log onto this board, hey?

Last time I was in the Sydney Domestic QC I noticed someone else in the computer area was checking their SCs. Perhaps I'll browse to a few of my favorite sites and see if anybody forgot to log out...

Pete, mad hacker

 

[vt01]

Heh. Could have been me - I went through DFW twice in April and spent most of my time in the AC on the computer. I suspect my joke of a favorite luggage trolley is pretty close to the mark when it comes to computers in lounges, and I dare say there's a few cookies of mine floating around. Who else but us mob are going to log onto this board, hey?

Last time I was in the Sydney Domestic QC I noticed someone else in the computer area was checking their SCs. Perhaps I'll browse to a few of my favorite sites and see if anybody forgot to log out...

Pete, mad hacker

Hang on.. let me just go and check the other PC's.. If I find you, I'll post something controversial in your name..

 

[Skyring]

Hang on.. let me just go and check the other PC's.. If I find you, I'll post something controversial in your name..

Heh. Mine's the one with the stains of spiced tomato juice on the carpet. And a free book tucked behind the screen.

 

[Commuter]

That leaves plenty of time to take some detours as long as it falls within budget guidelines for trip. Also I choose the carrier I fly with, not the company.

The only detour I have successfully taken so far has been QF TSV - BNE - MEL because it fit my schedule better than JQ TSV - MEL. I don't have enough spare time for 'leisurely detour', really.

 

[bfmi]

Some people take what they have for granted and do not realise the struggles others have to go through. This is not a whinge just responding to your arrogant statement that you are able to maintain top tier in 3 programs with someone else's money and laugh at me while I struggle to maintain Gold, mid tier, in one program and am ecstatic when I can find a deal that allows me 25 extra SC's for a small difference in price.

Sorry not meant to be arrogant. I'd just prefer less time in the tube and more time doing what either gives me more leisure or earns more money. I spent a bunch of years sitting on Gold and always just missing out on Platinum. Most earned in econ.

Then got smarter about the travel and used Circle Pac and Asia Explorer fares travelling in different directions. Actual spend has dropped and earning points/status has increased.

The corp CC just saves work on the expense report side. BTW...being a shareholder and options holder makes it some of my $$$.

All the best on your efforts. Don't chase the carrot too hard - it aint much greener on the other side. The airlines are cutting back on the fertilizer also!