Life Time Gold - The [Realistic] Holy Grail

[Stevo.1702]

I ponder if QFF considers the changes to the 'British Airways Club'. After I achieved LTG, I switched all earn to BA with the 'you never know' attitude toward lifetime emerald. This is now significantly further out of reach.

Is there a lifetime emerald easier to obtain for most Australian travellers other than QF? I'm not aware of any, so I suppose QFF doesn't have to factor in any competition (which I doubt is of much consideration to them anyway).

 

[sudoer]

I ponder if QFF considers the changes to the 'British Airways Club'.

I'm sure they have watched the BA and VA disasters, and have hopefully learned what not to do...

Is there a lifetime emerald easier to obtain for most Australian travellers other than QF? I'm not aware of any

Really depends on your personal situation. I believe AA is achievable if you go to the US a lot and/or have an AA credit card. Problem is AA status doesn't get you domestic US lounge access.

Another option is the new JAL life status program. Again both flying with JL and spending on JL credit cards can get you there - if you're eligible to sign up for one.

The JAL card in the USA can get you lifetime OWS (from nothing) with something like 500-600k USD spend, and lifetime OWE with 3.6m USD spend.

Of course those are crazy numbers for the average punter, but if you run a business and can pump spend (or have MS methods) it's an incredibly easy path to lifetime Oneworld Emerald status. The hard part for us is getting the card!!

 

[Q Class Plebeian]

I ponder if QFF considers the changes to the 'British Airways Club'. After I achieved LTG, I switched all earn to BA with the 'you never know' attitude toward lifetime emerald. This is now significantly further out of reach.

Is there a lifetime emerald easier to obtain for most Australian travellers other than QF? I'm not aware of any, so I suppose QFF doesn't have to factor in any competition (which I doubt is of much consideration to them anyway).

I hope not as I am 76 SPs away from LTG ,but my next flight is on Virgin just to keep me in the red.

 

[Beano]

I am an exclusive Y flier. It took a while but I achieved LTG a few years ago. As a Y flier it is a god-send, priority queues, some extra luggage, lounge access etc. What's not to like! It was hard work but well worth it. I would travel once a month for 10 or 11 months, about 4 or 5 sectors a trip, though last trip was 6 sectors netting 135 SCs, all in Y. Typically 10 to 25 SCs per sector. Ok, so I am WP but LTG will be a nice soft landing. Is it achievable, yes. But you have to be dedicated.

 

[mviy]

I think if they make LTG harder to get they will grandfather existing progress. If you are practically there double or triple the spend for what’s left to get LTG would still be close.

It would be more of an impact for those still a long way off getting it, but also well along the way towards it e.g. those who have only just got LTS.

Also I think they would provide some notice before the change takes effect which would give some limited opportunity to “bring forward” travel to beat the changes.

 

[Seat0B]

Not sure what a tier around 28,000 to 35,000 SCs could offer though.

Speaking as an LTG, currently WP with 35,139SC, I reckon it could offer LTP and then the ridiculous 75,000 SC target could be for lifetime P1!

Or as @sudoer suggested lifetime access to QF First Lounge and award release bot would also be nice.

Or reduced requal to annual WP by crediting you with Gold SC each year as suggested by @nerdag.

I continue to fly QF when it looks likely that I will maintain WP because I value those benefits above Gold (F Lounge, award release, priority check in etc). But as soon as I will not maintain WP on my flying (which is almost all self funded J leisure trips now), I will have no reason at all to remain loyal to QF. It would be smart of QF to realise that and do something to entice me to fly with QF so they can benefit from the 2-3 long haul trips Mr Seat 0A and I do each year now.

 

[clifford]

I continue to fly QF when it looks likely that I will maintain WP because I value those benefits above Gold (F Lounge, award release, priority check in etc). But as soon as I will not maintain WP on my flying (which is almost all self funded J leisure trips now), I will have no reason at all to remain loyal to QF. It would be smart of QF to realise that and do something to entice me to fly with QF so they can benefit from the 2-3 long haul trips Mr Seat 0A and I do each year now.

I'm a similar type of flyer, but I don't think we're the kind of people that Qantas is really interested in.

However, I did work really hard over quite a few years to achieve 2.5 million paid miles with United, to get lifetime Platinum. Pity I don't make a great deal of use of it nowadays.

 

[Dutton]

Taking my LTG flight tomorrow.

It's been a long time coming since my first long-haul on QF1 to LHR in December 77.

Happy to get in now in case they enhance the program and it will be all set up for when I will (probably) lose WP in March 27.

Maybe I'll ask them for a refund on the 3 months of Q Club membership that has carried over for the last 15 years or so.

 

[QF WP]

Really depends on your personal situation. I believe AA is achievable if you go to the US a lot and/or have an AA credit card. Problem is AA status doesn't get you domestic US lounge access.

I think that's my next target (AA LTG) because LTP is unachievable.

I'm sitting on Million Miler: 659,675 miles; so a fair way to go - and that will mean a lot of flying on QF and OW. Maybe when I retire.

 

[VPS]

Taking my LTG flight tomorrow.

It's been a long time coming since my first long-haul on QF1 to LHR in December 77.

Happy to get in now in case they enhance the program and it will be all set up for when I will (probably) lose WP in March 27.

Maybe I'll ask them for a refund on the 3 months of Q Club membership that has carried over for the last 15 years or so.
View attachment 460091

You most certainly can ask for a refund of your Qantas club. There’s a thread somewhere and if you can’t find it, let me know.

 

[Flashback]

At least you guys got notice. BA blindsided everyone the week between Christmas and NY.

I was 75% of the way to LTG (OWE). All gone down the drain now. Not happy.

QF will do similar and they'll either go revenue based... or something similar without having the name revenue attached to it. Be warned.

 

[Beano]

You most certainly can ask for a refund of your Qantas club. There’s a thread somewhere and if you can’t find it, let me know.

At the time I first achieved Gold I had QC membership paid by my company. I was not aware that you could get a refund on your unused QC membership. Too late now and I don't have the details but interesting info.

 

[VPS]

At the time I first achieved Gold I had QC membership paid by my company. I was not aware that you could get a refund on your unused QC membership. Too late now and I don't have the details but interesting info.

You can still apply. I took ages to get around to itand again it was paid for by work but Qantas doesn’t know that. Got my refund.

 

[arrow]

Speaking as an LTG, currently WP with 35,139SC,

WOW!!! 35k SCs, You could get to LTP if you keep up the current rate

 

[Beano]

You can still apply. I took ages to get around to itand again it was paid for by work but Qantas doesn’t know that. Got my refund.

Thanks. I'll give it a try.

 

[Dutton]

You can still apply. I took ages to get around to itand again it was paid for by work but Qantas doesn’t know that. Got my refund.

Thanks VPS, good to know.

 

[justin23]

At least you guys got notice. BA blindsided everyone the week between Christmas and NY.

I was 75% of the way to LTG (OWE). All gone down the drain now. Not happy.

QF will do similar and they'll either go revenue based... or something similar without having the name revenue attached to it. Be warned.

Qantas though do have an extremely profitable frequent flyer program. One of the most profitable parts of the airline, so a major change like that might be too risky. Sure they might increase the SCs required for LT status, but not sure they’ll go the revenue route. The fact they introduced points club, one of the many things is earning little bits of status to try and entice you to pay for revenue fares to earn more SCs and get off bronze suggests they probably won’t. They will continue to enhance what the amount of points can get and they may one day enhance the SC earning as well.

 

[XavierP]

6 years after joining QFF I can say it was an intense climb up the SC's ladder all the way to P1 and finally, LTG.
I must admit I was very motivated to collect SC's and it often helped me to get through the hundreds of domestic Y flights I had to endure for my biz trips.

To celebrate this special occasion I reckon there is no better place then SYD Flounge, so I booked my return to MEL this week on JQ35.
I checked in exactly 3 hours before the flight and went straight to the lounge to book a massage. There was one spot available so I didn't even have to wait, my lucky day!! After that I had a lovely 3 course lunch with 3 glasses of 'matching' wines and even had an extra half hour to relax before boarding.
All in all a great experience, I must do it more often...

It's a strange feeling getting LTG. On one hand, it's great for all the obvious reasons, on the other hand, I'm not sure how I will keep motivating myself to fly so much now that I don't have anymore 'challenges' left.
Anyway, 1st world problems...

I would also like to use this thread to thank all the people in this forum for the huge amount of information and all the great tips they share with everyone.
I read a lot of interesting threads in the short time I'm a member.

Cheers

This is a great inspiration for someone like me. This is also my exact goal, LTG. Great to hear about your journey and a great celebration in style.
I hope you can continue to impart the knowledge and help to those like me on here sir.