Hi all,
I'm pretty close to LTG. Less than 2k SC to go. I've been WP ever since first starting flying (well 5 months after), around a decade ago. I'm wondering what LTGs think about stopping 'the chase' for WP every year and the realistic benefits? What I see:
- better lounges. sure, but the QP vs biz lounges aren't much of an upgrade these days tbh (food/bar wise almost identical).
- ability to request a release of classic award seats > the big one i think?
- better chance at upgrades. sure, happens so frequently now anyway, shrug?
- better baggage allowance... slightly.
- the real benefit i see is the MUCH better baggage allowance when flying AA + better lounges (well lounges of any usefulness, admirals club sucks).
thoughts and opinons?
what do people do after LTG? credit to BA or something?
I highly value extra baggage, as I travel a lot for specialist diving and often take 2 x 32kgs or even 3 x32kgs bags just based. sometimes x3 bags just for volume, weight is under 23kgs.
I also love a lounge, but thats just appealing to the 'get free stuff' person in me + comfort when traveling like showers and quiet place to sit. ie, most any lounge fulfills this.
I’ve been LTG for several years, having dropped back from WP immediately before the pandemic in Feb 2020 - so just missed out on the WP status extension.
As soon as things looked like they were opening up again last year, I booked a OW classic reward ticket in business. Unfortunately, dealing with Qantas about it ever since has been a series of unmitigated disasters - and I desperately missed the premium call centre access that comes (or, at least, used to reliably come) with WP status. The experience of trying to deal with Qantas over the past six months was so consistently bad, in fact, that notwithstanding my Qantas LTG status, I have now switched all my regular domestic travel - which is mainly for work - to Virgin. I’m also in the process of switching other points earning (eg. credit cards, etc) to Velocity.
Anyway, I know I’m not Robinson Crusoe re the customer service stuff but the point of all that is that all the advantages of LTG weren’t enough to offset the appalling customer service - so the biggest advantage of WP, as it turns out, is the access to the premium call centre. (Assuming it has been reliably restored.)
Also, as you say, I found the (unofficial) ability to request reward seats in premium cabins very useful. Mind you, that’s related to the benefit of being able to get through to someone in the call centre who knows about it!
Other worthwhile benefits are the Sydney international First lounge (less so in other cities). And the baggage allowance, sure, if you travel like an Emirati sheik.
I quite liked the ability to check in at OW First desks around the world - where they know who you are before you’ve opened your mouth - though that’s mainly just novelty/flattery more than practical benefit over gold status.