Life Time Gold - The [Realistic] Holy Grail

[craven morehead]

It is a LONG time period. Something like 23 years to LTG

~21 years was pretty much how long it took me to reach LTG

 

[esseeeayeenn]

It is a LONG time period. Something like 23 years to LTG

I only started accumulating SCs seriously in 2012.
Peaked at 85 flights in 2014.
I achieved LTS in 2018.
So that took 6 years.
However I was also VA Platinum for most of those 6 years.
Was on track to achieve LTG in 2022.
But then COVID hit.
Only 5 flights in each of 2021 & 2022.
Almost no work travel after early 2020 because my (then) employer discovered Teams during COVID.
Finally achieved LTG in June 2025.
So from LTS to LTG took 7 years.
The negative impact of COVID was softened because I all but stopped flying VA after COVID.
And my best friend (who gave me access to staff travel) moved from EY to QFi.
So my loyalty was no longer divided and almost every flight was credited to QF.
I have no realistic prospect of ever achieving QF LTP1 (I refuse to call it LTP) so I am considering crediting to BA instead.
It's crazy that it would be easier to start afresh and achieve lifetime gold (OWE) with BA than continue with QF..

 

[Chrizztofa]

I only started accumulating SCs seriously in 2012.
Peaked at 85 flights in 2014.
I achieved LTS in 2018.
Was on track to achieve LTG in 2022.
But then COVID hit.
Only 5 flights in each of 2021 & 2022.
Almost no work travel after early 2020 because my (then) employer discovered Teams during COVID.
Finally achieved LTG in June 2025.
No realistic prospect of ever achieving QF LTP1 (I refuse to call it LTP) so I am considering crediting to BA instead.
It's crazy that it would be easier to start afresh and achieve lifetime gold (OWE) with BA than continue with QF..

Is that still the case after BA gutted their program last year?

Now you need 550,000 tier points (roughly GBP550,000 spend excluding taxes and fees) for Lifetime Gold with BA, and for partner airlines you only get a certain percentage of miles flown (2% for discount Y up to 30% for full F when flying QF for example).

 

[esseeeayeenn]

Is that still the case after BA gutted their program last year?

Now you need 550,000 tier points (roughly GBP550,000 spend excluding taxes and fees) for Lifetime Gold with BA, and for partner airlines you only get a certain percentage of miles flown (2% for discount Y up to 30% for full F when flying QF for example).

It may no longer be the case.
That's why I said I was only "considering" crediting to BA.
I haven't had the time (or the inclination) to thoroughly reassess the situation in light of the changes to which you have referred.
I still think it's absurd that I should even be considering this because of the ludicrous state of the QF lifetime loyalty scheme.
The worst thing is that they know it's unfair: hence the recent changes to try to keep us happy loyalty prisoners.

 

[CaptJCool]

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Kinda says it all
Airlines are now banks who happen to fly occasionally
Both sides of the transaction. Sets the inflation rate

 

[Bundy Bear]

It took me from July 1999 to May 2025,
15 years to get to LTS and then another 11 years to get to LTG,
I am happy I made it; just got to be persistent and take the good deals when on offer.

 

[Fergo747]

Is that still the case after BA gutted their program last year?

Now you need 550,000 tier points (roughly GBP550,000 spend excluding taxes and fees) for Lifetime Gold with BA, and for partner airlines you only get a certain percentage of miles flown (2% for discount Y up to 30% for full F when flying QF for example).

If the cost is now GPB550K (~$1.05m AUD) for LTG with BA, then I would suggest it (just) tips it in QF's favour for LTP based on the below analysis (note that the analysis assumes a mix of both dom / intl Y + J as well as sale / non-sale fares - effectively trying to give an average).

 

[esseeeayeenn]

If the cost is now GPB550K (~$1.05m AUD) for LTG with BA, then I would suggest it (just) tips it in QF's favour for LTP based on the below analysis (note that the analysis assumes a mix of both dom / intl Y + J as well as sale / non-sale fares - effectively trying to give an average).

View attachment 517467

Thanks for that work!
If anything it would probably be more in QF's favour for me, as I wouldn't be flying Y and I would be taking advantage of DSC promos as often as possible.
Looks like I might be doing a lot of status runs from Perth to the South Pacific and return in J!
I just hope things continue to calm down in New Caledonia so I can dive and improve my French at the same time.

 

[Cessna 180]

As of now my lifetime tally is 13948. Currently in Taupo, preparing to drive to AKL and catch the 156. Booked as a "sale" J which should earn 80SC.

(Probably need to do one of Matt's One page trip reports) Taupo is a great place for a fun weekend.

I am delighted to share this milestone with the good folks on AFF. There are few people I talk about this with. Most people at my work are so far away that I would be bragging and anyone else I hang out with would not understand.

I joined QFF in 2010 when I began flying RPT a little bit for work. I was already in Velocity and tended to favour that early on if I could. I made Platinum in V around 2013 when there was a fair bit of competition ramping up domestically. QF offered me a DSC soon after coinciding with when I had to do a few trips to ZNE and I was soon gold. Just short of Platinum that year I did my one and only "JASA" as I was just learning about them from people on AFF. MEL-CBR-ADL. WP with a week to spare.

Since then, I have been able to just scrape in to WP each year. Status keeper helped through Covid.
I would guess 90-95% domestic bookings in economy including a few trans tasman when I was working in NZ on and off for a couple of years.

Anyway, time to get organised and head off to AKL where we will see the new lounge there for my first time. 52 SC to go!

 

[Seat0B]

Congratulations @Cessna 180 on reaching this milestone