Is platinum status even worth me chasing?

[v0idd]

Hey guys,

Is platinum status even worth me chasing? Here's my situation.

I've got the following:
Points Club Plus - so a QC membership
Titanium credit card - 2x yearly first-class lounge passes
All Domestic travel is in J with classic rewards
Long Haul travel is typically in Q suite
edit: also Sapphire
Cheers

 

[Kerrodt]

My initial response would be "No it's not worth chasing".

However, thinking it through further, what happens when your situation changes (I'm assuming here that most/all of the travel is work related) and you aren't flying domestic in J or long haul in a Q Suite? What access to benefits will you have then when you do travel? And where this question leads me to is that although attaining/retaining Platinum on an annual basis may not be worth it year in year out now you might want to consider accruing substantial Status Credits over the long term to get you to Lifetime Gold (or any equivalent OW lifetime status with another carrier) as that will lock in a certain level of benefits irrespective of your class of travel. What this may mean is that in some years now with your current travel patterns you might end up attaining Platinum which would just be a nice addition rather than a travel necessity.

 

[tdimdad]

Continuing from Kerrodt's good reflection, is also comes down to what level of status benefit you want to have, if the circumstances change. Do you definitely want to keep enjoying the first/OWE lounges or are business/OWS lounges sufficient for you (or, perhaps no lounges needed, at all)? If the priority security is limited to OWE only, do you want/need to have it or are you OK queueing in the general section? Do you definitely want to be in the boarding group 1 or is group 2/3 enough? Do you usually have complex itineraries or plenty of connecting flights and need to be at the top of the list when new arrangements are made after disruptions, or do you have the luxury of time to spend a day or two somewhere en route while waiting for your new connection?

It's these kinds of questions that will determine how much it pays off to chase the status.

 

[kpro]

Questions that come to my mind are -

• How many times a year do you travel long haul, and from what locations?
• How much of it is on QF as opposed to QR?
  • F lounge access would be a benefit and QF F lounge passes won't work on Qatar flights.
• Could you benefit from additional luggage allowance?
• How often do you need to call QF for phone assistance?

Even then without these, there's some tangible soft benefits of being emerald on Qatar. First selection of in-flight meals and more attention from the lead flight attendant.

 

[exceladdict]

After hitting WP for the first time last week, I got to speak to Hobart for the first time in 10 years. The agent changed a ticket with no errors, and chased up a refund that had been outstanding for 2 months (and was credited the same day).

Haven't tried the request-an-award-seat yet, but I would be lying if I said the above experience didn't make me want to retain WP even though it's otherwise probably illogical for me.

 

[SYD]

If your normal travel patterns are getting you close to qualifying for QF WP (sounds like it could), then it‘s probably worth exploring.

The 100 SCs rollover from PC+ and maybe a cheeky Green Tier for another 50 SCs plus your other travel?

 

[smckay]

I am 6 months into my first Platinum year. And I will requalify for next membership year.
I didn't 'chase' it but I needed to make a few flights and chose strategic ones for SC. By virtue of the covid rollovers and the bonus SC I will make the 2nd year, but I doubt you'll see me in black past that.
My travel is mainly leisure and long haul. Since becoming a member of this fine forum I have become accustomed to business class seating on long haul and I do not wish to turn right again, the life on the left turn is great.

So far, I have enjoyed excellent service from Hobart, not so from South Africa (they booked a connecting flight in UK departing 6 hours before I left Sydney). I have requested and instantly was approved for a J reward flight SYD-DFW and YVR-SYD. I get to sit in the first few rows. On international flights the CSM comes and says hello. I get to eat in domestic J lounges (so, better toasted sanga's, yay). Spent some time in Mel F lounge. Have so many pairs of QF pj's that I don't need any more for a while (oh, OK, I'll take a pair thanks). I have 2 requests in for a J reward Sydney-LHR in 12 months which may or may not happen.
What's not changed for me; priority boarding, seeing more rewards flights on a QF website search, priority luggage (pfffftttt crew bags come out before mine). American Airlines doesn't rate me, so I had to pay for Main Cabin Extra seat on an upcoming flight, but the other OW peeps get it comp'd.

I cannot pay for a Q suite or a QF J 'suite' on most flights past NZ so the Platinum request benefit is valuable to me. Although that is HARD work currently.

Seeing you are travelling premium cabins, you are not going to get much out of Plat, except for possibly easier-to-obtain J domestic seats and access to the top end lounges across the world. But most international business lounges are pretty good in my opinion if they aren't managed by QF.
Change the QR suite to a QF seat and you'll make it by the sound of it.

But for me, I'd be asking what can QF do for you that QR are not giving you now?

 

[kpro]

most international business lounges are pretty good in my opinion if they aren't managed by QF.

But international Business lounges would not be better then international First lounges which Emerald status would allow you access to. The majority of J lounges lack a la carte dining for example, though you'd still get that if there is a Qatar Premium Lounge in the location you're flying from. Sometimes it's also a matter of the Business lounge being absolutely packed, where the First lounge is peacefully quiet.

I also think that many QF international business lounges are pretty good, except the ones in Sydney and Melbourne of course.

 

[smckay]

LAX? On par with a Domestic J in my opinion. Or even a QP.

 

[kpro]

I feel like that is an overly harsh summary, but we could end up in the same conversation as another thread.

 

[Andy72]

For me it’s a matter for cost / reward. I fly trans Tasman a fair bit so with a double status credit / creative routing it’s not bad. Saved 12000 k on flights for the kids to North America this summer, which makes it worth it imo. I have considered changing alliances but I could not earn as many points otherwise, 600,000 k in this year to date. Have probly spent 25k (tax deductible) on flights this year, but will reach P1. And my last 3 trans pacific flights have had great flight crew and service, everyone is different.

 

[kpc]

With lots of Qf points sitting in my acct, the main benefits of Plat for me are access to the Hobart Call Centre and award seat releases....the Qf Syd F lounge is nice but still can't beat an above average restaurant...with the dble SCs, I have booked 2 extra trips with Qf to hopefully maintain Plat for my 14th consecutive year.