Is QF Gold worth it for me? (Reward seat availability)

[smckay]

I'm hoping y'all can give me some qualified advice.
The question I have is; Do Gold FF get more reward seats available to them over Silver? Or does QF release a set amount of rewards seats and the days forward they are available is the only difference? To quote QF: On selected flights, preferential access for Gold members may be above the access available to Silver and Bronze members.

Due to this forum, I now use oneworld rewards flights in J to get where I am going for my holidays (which is really my only reason for this post) so I am only focussed on receiving better seat availability on long haul trips, and preference QF metal.

Currently I am Silver so have to wait until 330 days to pick up rewards seats, and then I have to be creative with many stops to get where I'm going.
If I shoot for Gold, which I can do by March next year by doing a few status flights to NZ (via BNE or MEL), which I will take anyway, is that going to give me a better choice of flights available to me?

The cost of this exercise is roughly double what I will spend to retain Silver + Qantas Club so is the investment worth it? If it is only to see the same amount of seats earlier then I would have to doubt the ROI.

 

[RichardMEL]

Gold does have better availability (and seat preferences) over Silver not to mention the lounge perks and other increased allowances (I understand with a J reward seat which you want those are basically already part of it). However still well behind Platinum One and Platinum members.

Gold is often seen as the "sweet spot" of the QFF program though for many reasons, but really YMMV given your specific focus on what you want out of it, which will be different to others.

If I were you I'd watch for Double Status Credits promos to make the job easier. It seems likely there will be more before March next year.

good luck with getting the flights you want.

 

[henrus]

which I can do by March next year by doing a few status flights to NZ (via BNE or MEL), which I will take anyway, is that going to give me a better choice of flights available to me?

This seems rather brave to assume flights to NZ will be readily available between now and March.

 

[jakeseven7]

Quick answer - yes Gold is much better, and worth it for this.

However Platinum is much much better than Gold! So when you get to Gold you will start enviously looking at Plat, I’m sure

 

[smckay]

Quick answer - yes Gold is much better, and worth it for this.

However Platinum is much much better than Gold! So when you get to Gold you will start enviously looking at Plat, I’m sure

Thanks. I'm going to hit the flights hard and get it.
Settle down with the Platinum talk, next I'll be shooting for Chairmans Club, seeing all the public servants in there taking gratis hospitality when I can't even accept a cup of coffee. And maybe saying something inappropriate....

 

[justinbrett]

If you can get to the US (even if you have to fly QF Y which won't get you many SCs) - once you are there, fly a couple of AA domestic first class flights and you'll be there in a single trip.

The $/SC ratio is way lower than you'll usually find on QF.

Eg - LAS-SFO via LAX - will cost you A$277 and earn you 80SC.

 

[smckay]

Good tip, which I just read about today. I can find a reason to go to the US for some me-time across the country.

 

[RichardMEL]

The current domestic (just extended) sale, including J (Business) fares offer some better than usual value on some routes....

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I'm hoping y'all can give me some qualified advice.
The question I have is; Do Gold FF get more reward seats available to them over Silver? Or does QF release a set amount of rewards seats and the days forward they are available is the only difference? To quote QF: On selected flights, preferential access for Gold members may be above the access available to Silver and Bronze members.

Due to this forum, I now use oneworld rewards flights in J to get where I am going for my holidays (which is really my only reason for this post) so I am only focussed on receiving better seat availability on long haul trips, and preference QF metal.

Currently I am Silver so have to wait until 330 days to pick up rewards seats, and then I have to be creative with many stops to get where I'm going.
If I shoot for Gold, which I can do by March next year by doing a few status flights to NZ (via BNE or MEL), which I will take anyway, is that going to give me a better choice of flights available to me?

The cost of this exercise is roughly double what I will spend to retain Silver + Qantas Club so is the investment worth it? If it is only to see the same amount of seats earlier then I would have to doubt the ROI.

As a fellow silver I probably have a different perspective to others on AFF. Personally I don't find I'm hampered by the lack of gold status when finding awards. I usually plan around 6-9 months before and pretty much can put together an itinerary within a day or two of my preferred dates. I might be missing out on some Qantas metal award availability... but by the time you pay hefty fuel surcharges on Qantas compared to other airlines, and taking into account the increased frequency of service and better product on other airlines - I don't feel I'm missing out much.

When you say 'double the spend to get gold' it might depend how much that is? If in the thousands of dollars I'd probably be using that money to buy miles in a variety of programs so you aren't limited to Oneworld. For example buying miles in Air Canada's Aeroplan opens up Europe return in business class for AUD3300 return with wide open availability on Etihad, All Nippon and Asiana. Connecting flights to Aussie gateways on Virgin.

 

[justinbrett]

As a fellow silver I probably have a different perspective to others on AFF. Personally I don't find I'm hampered by the lack of gold status when finding awards. I usually plan around 6-9 months before and pretty much can put together an itinerary within a day or two of my preferred dates. I might be missing out on some Qantas metal award availability... but by the time you pay hefty fuel surcharges on Qantas compared to other airlines, and taking into account the increased frequency of service and better product on other airlines - I don't feel I'm missing out much.

When you say 'double the spend to get gold' it might depend how much that is? If in the thousands of dollars I'd probably be using that money to buy miles in a variety of programs so you aren't limited to Oneworld. For example buying miles in Air Canada's Aeroplan opens up Europe return in business class for AUD3300 return with wide open availability on Etihad, All Nippon and Asiana. Connecting flights to Aussie gateways on Virgin.

Gold is all about the lounge access.

 

[smckay]

As a fellow silver I probably have a different perspective to others on AFF. Personally I don't find I'm hampered by the lack of gold status when finding awards. I usually plan around 6-9 months before and pretty much can put together an itinerary within a day or two of my preferred dates. I might be missing out on some Qantas metal award availability... but by the time you pay hefty fuel surcharges on Qantas compared to other airlines, and taking into account the increased frequency of service and better product on other airlines - I don't feel I'm missing out much.

When you say 'double the spend to get gold' it might depend how much that is? If in the thousands of dollars I'd probably be using that money to buy miles in a variety of programs so you aren't limited to Oneworld. For example buying miles in Air Canada's Aeroplan opens up Europe return in business class for AUD3300 return with wide open availability on Etihad, All Nippon and Asiana. Connecting flights to Aussie gateways on Virgin.

I agree - when we have not needed to be somewhere I've been happy with the seat choices, and I have now flown a lot of airlines that I would not normally have done. I also plan 9+ months out and grab seats as they come up. There are better airlines than QF in J so I don't have to be on their planes but I am in points club so the extra few SC are nice.
However, now we need to be somewhere to meet a cruise and then get out of town at the end it's a bit frustrating. And the next trips planned will be much the same, not a lot of flexibility on the start and end dates.
The costs I expect will be double - I've got family in NZ so that's the easy way. I can get there in Y for 700 bucks give or take or go J via Gold Coast for 1,200. Jag DSC and I'll make Gold for about $3,000. I'm happy for that investment as I like oneworld airlines and they go where I want to be.
As JustinBrett says the lounge benefits are what I can utilise better than Qantas Club.
I need to do some more naval gazing on the reasons and benefits.