Is lifetime platinum Star Alliance Membership worth 50,000 AUD?

[Gary. Wang]

Air China has a lifetime platinum membership which need fly 1 million kilometers only on CA flights ( not any other Star Alliance flights)

If doing mileage run, it usually takes 150,000 AUD and two months achieve it.
However, I just find a speaky Air route that can only spend 50,000 AUD with 15 round flights (30 single flights) and of course two months to achieve it.

At the meantime, you will get 1,500,000 miles in CA program. If you use CA Miles to redeem Cathy pacific flights, you will get HKG-Europe first class round trip at the cost of 110,000 Miles. This CX first classround trip usually cost 10,000 AUD to 15,000 AUD. Within 1,500,000 Miles you will get at least 15 round first class to Europe value at from 150,000AUD to 225,000AUD.
But it is just a measurement. You cannot trade the Mile as actual money. And I have no needs to visit Europe so many times. But I can for sure use it for Asia to Australia or somewhere else.

At the bottom of my heart, I think it is the best deal to get an lifetime platinum membership for any major airlines in the world. And with Air China platinum, you would have all the privilege with Star Alliance and Cathay pacific. But I am not a rich. 50,000 AUD is still A big number. And this money could be directly used to buy first or business class. Then the membership previlege will be useless.

So is this lifelong platinum worth 50,000 AUD and two months?

 

[Princess Fiona]

Air China has a lifetime platinum membership which need fly 1 million kilometers only on CA flights ( not any other Star Alliance flights)

If doing mileage run, it usually takes 150,000 AUD and two months achieve it.
However, I just find a speaky Air route that can only spend 50,000 AUD with 15 round flights (30 single flights) and of course two months to achieve it.

At the meantime, you will get 1,500,000 miles in CA program. If you use CA Miles to redeem Cathy pacific flights, you will get HKG-Europe first class round trip at the cost of 110,000 Miles. This CX first classround trip usually cost 10,000 AUD to 15,000 AUD. Within 1,500,000 Miles you will get at least 15 round first class to Europe value at from 150,000AUD to 225,000AUD.
But it is just a measurement. You cannot trade the Mile as actual money. And I have no needs to visit Europe so many times. But I can for sure use it for Asia to Australia or somewhere else.

At the bottom of my heart, I think it is the best deal to get an lifetime platinum membership for any major airlines in the world. And with Air China platinum, you would have all the privilege with Star Alliance and Cathay pacific. But I am not a rich. 50,000 AUD is still A big number. And this money could be directly used to buy first or business class. Then the membership previlege will be useless.

So is this lifelong platinum worth 50,000 AUD and two months?

Short answer

No

 

[leadman]

Agree, No. Not only is $50,000 a lot of money, but your going to enjoy the lounges, priority, etc. anyway.

And you never know how your circumstances will change in the future. I remember a boss buying lifetime Ansett Golden Wing club access and within 3 years Ansett was gone and he had a new job that only required 2 trips ADL to MEL a year. i spoke to him a few years ago now and said it was a waste of money in many ways.

 

[glasszon]

Also no for me, rather have $50k in the bank earning interest than getting a lifetime membership that have 100's of conditions. For example what happens if Air China leaves Star Alliance?

 

[Gary. Wang]

Agree, No. Not only is $50,000 a lot of money, but your going to enjoy the lounges, priority, etc. anyway.

And you never know how your circumstances will change in the future. I remember a boss buying lifetime Ansett Golden Wing club access and within 3 years Ansett was gone and he had a new job that only required 2 trips ADL to MEL a year. i spoke to him a few years ago now and said it was a waste of money in many ways.

I agree, but Air China is more stable right now.

Also no for me, rather have $50k in the bank earning interest than getting a lifetime membership that have 100's of conditions. For example what happens if Air China leaves Star Alliance?

Even though Air China leaves Star Alliance, it could Join Oneworld or Skyteams.

 

[Flying Fox]

Adding more food for thought, can you claim the $50,000 AUD as a tax deduction?

This would change your actual out of pocket expenses.

You should consider your current age. If you are 15 then a life time is considerable. If you are 93, probably not.

Also, what does Star Alliance Platinum give you?

 

[leadman]

I agree, but Air China is more stable right now.

My point about Ansett was that life changes and what seems to be a sure thing now, may not be in 5 year time; probably called "getting older". But your point on cost and its value, I just did a rough calc on my Marriott Pt life and to make that was 750 nights + 2 mill points (down from 1000) and it would have cost my (former) employers in excess of $100,000. Would i pay personally for that? no way!

 

[JohnK]

The short answer is No.

The long answer is also No.

The biggest problem with Lifetime membership is your life can change.

 

[Hvr]

And you could die the day after you achieve it. If gained through normal travel then enjoy but to 'buy' it like that then, no.

Unless of course you're filthy rich and have a spare $50k lying about you won't miss.

 

[juddles]

Correct me if I am wrong, but this justs gets you Star Alliance Gold? You can just buy that outright through Avianca for $2000 a year - that is 25 years for the same money, and no risk if an airline or alliance goes belly up......

 

[Gary. Wang]

Adding more food for thought, can you claim the $50,000 AUD as a tax deduction?

This would change your actual out of pocket expenses.

You should consider your current age. If you are 15 then a life time is considerable. If you are 93, probably not.

Also, what does Star Alliance Platinum give you?

Basicly Star Alliance Platinum would give you first class Lounge (plus one guest), First class check in (+1) and security pass (+1), secure your seat and priority to redeem tickets for Air-China and Cathay Pacific. And you don’t have to keep your status every year.

 

[ButFli]

You could buy a lot of lounge access (or food and drinks), additional baggage etc with $50,000.

With no domestic Star Alliance airlines in Australia, it's even worse value.

 

[Gary. Wang]

How many miles will you get from buying your status?

Correct me if I am wrong, but this justs gets you Star Alliance Gold? You can just buy that outright through Avianca for $2000 a year - that is 25 years for the same money, and no risk if an airline or alliance goes belly up......

ou

Yes you are right. Based in AU, Star alliance is useless.

You could buy a lot of lounge access (or food and drinks), additional baggage etc with $50,000.

With no domestic Star Alliance airlines in Australia, it's even worse value.

For sure I am not Rich.

And you could die the day after you achieve it. If gained through normal travel then enjoy but to 'buy' it like that then, no.

Unless of course you're filthy rich and have a spare $50k lying about you won't miss.

s

My point about Ansett was that life changes and what seems to be a sure thing now, may not be in 5 year time; probably called "getting older". But your point on cost and its value, I just did a rough calc on my Marriott Pt life and to make that was 750 nights + 2 mill points (down from 1000) and it would have cost my (former) employers in excess of $100,000. Would i pay personally for that? no way!

I would love to have an employer like you did!

 

[BAM1748]

Unless of course you're filthy rich and have a spare $50k lying about you won't miss.

In which case it wouldn't matter as you'd be staying and travelling first class all the way and likely not care about points or lifetime anything.

Matt

 

[Sprucegoose]

Short answer

No

Short confirmation

Agree

 

[wannabeinvestmentbanker]

As Juddles refers to above, on a Star Alliance level, Star Gold is the highest level across the alliance from what I understand. Yes, if you travel CA a lot out of PEK or PVG then perhaps but I'm sure their equivalent home F lounge is nothing special after passing through a PEK CA lounge previously. Unlike Onewolrd, Star does not have a network of F lounges or F privileges to use. As such, it does not seem like a particularly compelling value proposition.

As a side note, I am a big proponent (perhaps like AusPoochie of the NZ runs) of Asiana. They only require 500k miles for Lifetime Star Gold. Now that seems a lot more reasonable and compelling value proposition.

 

[Gary. Wang]

As Juddles refers to above, on a Star Alliance level, Star Gold is the highest level across the alliance from what I understand. Yes, if you travel CA a lot out of PEK or PVG then perhaps but I'm sure their equivalent home F lounge is nothing special after passing through a PEK CA lounge previously. Unlike Onewolrd, Star does not have a network of F lounges or F privileges to use. As such, it does not seem like a particularly compelling value proposition.

As a side note, I am a big proponent (perhaps like AusPoochie of the NZ runs) of Asiana. They only require 500k miles for Lifetime Star Gold. Now that seems a lot more reasonable and compelling value proposition.

Yes you are right. It is not worth it. And South Africa Visa will be en issue if I do it. But with Asiana airline lifetime cannot be guaranteed. It might bankbroke someday based on what I heard.