Just made SG

[travelling4fun]

As the title suggests, just made SG today! Been traveling the weekly commute from BNE to CBR monday to friday for the last 3 months. Quite a nice feeling knowing that I can now relax a bit more in the mornings in the lounge and grab some free brekky

I didn't think I would enjoy flying so much! I look forward to checking which seat I can snag that has decent leg room, it's very aircraft dependent but fun watching the points slowly tick over from about 15k to now over 52k is also nice! I've been pretty fortunate that I have been able to route many of my flights to go via SYD which generally nets me an extra 10-20 SC and an extra 1k points

Thanks AFF for keeping me company on my journey, the next goal is to retain SG!

 

[nlagalle]

As the title suggests, just made SG today! Been traveling the weekly commute from BNE to CBR monday to friday for the last 3 months. Quite a nice feeling knowing that I can now relax a bit more in the mornings in the lounge and grab some free brekky

I didn't think I would enjoy flying so much! I look forward to checking which seat I can snag that has decent leg room, it's very aircraft dependent but fun watching the points slowly tick over from about 15k to now over 52k is also nice! I've been pretty fortunate that I have been able to route many of my flights to go via SYD which generally nets me an extra 10-20 SC and an extra 1k points

Thanks AFF for keeping me company on my journey, the next goal is to retain SG!

Well done on making SG, I'm sure you will enjoy the lounge!!

Dont you think the next goal is WP?

 

[markis10]

Congrats and enjoy the experience, it makes a difference!

 

[munitalP]

Congrats. It's a good feeling. Keep your first BP with GOLD on it - I wish I had of all them years ago

 

[amaroo]

Nice post - it's all up, up & away from here:mrgreen:

Well done.

 

[travelling4fun]

Well done on making SG, I'm sure you will enjoy the lounge!!

Dont you think the next goal is WP?

My renewal period is 30th of April so I highly doubt it unfortunately! I was only ever interested in SG but now that I have a taste of it I think I want more! Haha but I am only about 290 SC away from another bonus 8k points

I will definitely remember to keep my first Gold BP although the GF will think its silly it represents a lot of loyalty to fly with one company so much for a short amount of time!

I'm also looking forward to some better seat selections opening up so I can get to a taxi quicker in the morning at CBR! That and beating the queue for security checks will be nice!

 

[Katie]

Congrats! Enjoy being SG & the temptation of being close(r) to WP.

 

[greenfish]

I'm at 13 months on the same commute - still remember the buzz of first PS, then SG (and lounge access!) then WP. I chose QF because a year ago, it was far easier to earn status than on DJ.

Mostly flying Virgin now as they're cheaper for the late bookings I'm having to make, but we should have a drink one Friday evening - I'm missing the QP in CBR!

 

[Boris spatsky]

How is the CBR -BNE commute? Am looking at a new job opportunity and would need to do it weekly.

 

[greenfish]

How is the CBR -BNE commute? Am looking at a new job opportunity and would need to do it weekly.

It is fine now that DST has finished - I can take the 8:35 / 8:45 flights and still not be too late into the office, or the 6:10am and 6:30 flights and be in bright and early.

When DST is on in the ACT, I have to take the 5:10am (QF) or 5:30 (DJ) flights which means no train to the airport, and a 3:30 am wakeup - or arriving at lunchtime if I take the 8:35 flights.

The morning flights are usually reasonably priced too. However the Friday night return can be very expensive if not booked well in advance (had a couple of $400+ shockers).

As there are so many FIFO people in Canberra, accommodation can be a real hassle. I've spent 6 months in hotels and around the same in share houses. Vastly prefer share houses, but they're hard to find, with huge demand from students early in the year in particular.

Oh, and the winters suck, but then you get to escape to warmish Brisbane every weekend, which the locals can't do.

 

[travelling4fun]

I'm at 13 months on the same commute - still remember the buzz of first PS, then SG (and lounge access!) then WP. I chose QF because a year ago, it was far easier to earn status than on DJ.

Mostly flying Virgin now as they're cheaper for the late bookings I'm having to make, but we should have a drink one Friday evening - I'm missing the QP in CBR!

Yeah for sure mate! I usually take the earliest flight on monday morning (6am flight). I have been lucky in that i have been able to route quite a few of my flights to go via SYD (and as flexi fares as they sometimes show up as cheaper than red-e-deals). This nets me 40SC to go BNE-SYD-CBR! with 2k points

DJ in comparison consider BNE-SYD-CBR as one flight and therefore only ever 10-20 SC for that trip. I made the decision to go with QF as i would be able to reach SG much quicker!

Unfortunately our company has made a decision that DJ is now the preferred carrier... unless QF has a lower airfare it doesn't look like i will be able to get on many more QF flights out of BNE but i will try!

Fortunately for me i dont pay for flights out of my pocket for work related travel so last minute bookings (>1 day out) arent really an issue PM me and i'll let you know when im travelling on QF from CBR. Looks like i can now offer guests into the lounge at BNE now as well!

How is the CBR -BNE commute? Am looking at a new job opportunity and would need to do it weekly.

I look at it this way: you will either love it or hate it, no real in between. I grew up in a small town so the "speed" (or lack thereof) of Canberra is a nice change. At the moment the most annoying thing for me is the taxi rank early in the morning - i waste up to 30mins in the morning for a taxi and when you have been up since 4am it grinds on you. If you enjoy eating out at various restaurants ever week then be prepared to sacrifice this as there isnt very many decent places to eat, especially if you dont have a car for transport.

As greenfish said, the flights arent too bad now as DST has finished (yay, no more 3am wake ups!).

 

[Limewood]

Yes well done.

I went SG last year 1st time, its so nice to be able to take the good woman into the lounges, off to USA in Aug. same applies using AA, another bonus.

 

[greenfish]

I look at it this way: you will either love it or hate it, no real in between. I grew up in a small town so the "speed" (or lack thereof) of Canberra is a nice change. At the moment the most annoying thing for me is the taxi rank early in the morning - i waste up to 30mins in the morning for a taxi and when you have been up since 4am it grinds on you. If you enjoy eating out at various restaurants ever week then be prepared to sacrifice this as there isnt very many decent places to eat, especially if you dont have a car for transport.

As greenfish said, the flights arent too bad now as DST has finished (yay, no more 3am wake ups!).

Taxis.... bane of my life for a while there. I think it is worse since they moved it into the adjacent building - I had good luck with sharing a cab some mornings when I first started commuting. I cycled to/from the airport (a bike is a great alternative to a car in Canberra) for a while, but am lazy at the moment and am mostly grabbing a cab.

Eating out is actually pretty good in Canberra. Civic, Manuka, Dickson, Griffiths, Kingston all have good restaurants, and I've sussed the bus service now, so don't have to ride everywhere. If I end up here for another winter I'm going to bring down or buy a car. Came off the bike on a -5C morning last winter going around the lake - my shoulder is still sore.

 

[nlagalle]

My renewal period is 30th of April so I highly doubt it unfortunately! I was only ever interested in SG but now that I have a taste of it I think I want more! Haha but I am only about 290 SC away from another bonus 8k points

I will definitely remember to keep my first Gold BP although the GF will think its silly it represents a lot of loyalty to fly with one company so much for a short amount of time!

I'm also looking forward to some better seat selections opening up so I can get to a taxi quicker in the morning at CBR! That and beating the queue for security checks will be nice!

There is always next year!!

 

[AirKat]

Congratulations and great post. See how you go getting into row 4... if leg room is what you're after you'll love it.

You now have the opportunity to compare the gorgeous new CBR QP with the tired overcrowded BNE QP!