- Joined
- Apr 1, 2009
- Posts
- 19,098
- Qantas
- LT Gold
- Oneworld
- Sapphire
Backstory
I thought I could live without Platinum status, but the status addiction grip was too strong. By the end of the double status credit promotion I had booked a 12 flights, taking me from nought to 1400 in one swift (albeit over several days) motion.
On Thursday 20th April I set off from the Gold Coast to Perth, via Melbourne. I return the same way on the evening of Sunday 23rd April, with both sets of flights earning a total of 70 (140 doubled) status credits towards my goal. These flights just get me to the start and pick me up at the end of my status run however, so I'm in economy.
The run itself was booked into flexible business on purpose. Had I simply been re-qualifying for Platinum I could maybe have chosen discount business, but I needed every last status credit towards the 1400 goal on this occasion, so spent a little bit more to extract the value. Setting off on Friday 21 April I fly the first day from Perth to Sydney, via first Brisbane and then Melbourne. The next day, Saturday 22 April I fly overseas briefly, departing Sydney for Noumea, before returning the same day and heading for Melbourne and then Brisbane. Finally, on Sunday 23 April I take the last flight of the run back to Perth. These flights earn me 560 (1120 doubled) status credits.
Together with my positioning flights, I end up with 1260 status credits from the run. I have earned 20 status credits from a trip to Sydney last weekend for the opera (Carmen was amazing, you should definitely go see it), and I will earn 30 status credits from a trip to Adelaide this weekend. The final 90 (technically 100) will come from using my loyalty bonuses on status credits rather than points.
Spare a thought for me, all but one of the business class flights will be in a 737!
Plans
With this being a status run, I should be trying to keep costs down as much as possible.
Tentatively at this stage I have two hotels booked – one for Perth and the other Sydney – as I'm not quite as young as I once was, so sleeping on a bench at the airport doesn't interest me anymore.
The evening of the 20th April is in Perth at the Crowne Plaza (unless I find a better offer between now and then). I briefly toyed with an AirBnB by the airport, but nothing came of it. With my flight arriving at 17:00 I should be free for a drink/dinner in the city with any AFFers that may be around. I fly out the next morning at 07:35.
The evening of the 21st April is in Sydney at the Holiday Inn Potts Point (unless I find a better offer between now and then). I'll be arriving late this day – 20:25 – so may not want to drift too far from the hotel as I'll have had a big day, and one immediately following. My flight the next morning departs SYD T1 at 07:40 and I'll have no F lounge access
The evening of the 22nd April is in Brisbane, so I'll be heading home to the Gold Coast for a free night of accommodation for a change.
The afternoon and evening of the 23rd April will be in Perth before I head home on the red-eye that night. I figure lunch or dinner, or both, may be appropriate on this date.
I thought I could live without Platinum status, but the status addiction grip was too strong. By the end of the double status credit promotion I had booked a 12 flights, taking me from nought to 1400 in one swift (albeit over several days) motion.
On Thursday 20th April I set off from the Gold Coast to Perth, via Melbourne. I return the same way on the evening of Sunday 23rd April, with both sets of flights earning a total of 70 (140 doubled) status credits towards my goal. These flights just get me to the start and pick me up at the end of my status run however, so I'm in economy.
The run itself was booked into flexible business on purpose. Had I simply been re-qualifying for Platinum I could maybe have chosen discount business, but I needed every last status credit towards the 1400 goal on this occasion, so spent a little bit more to extract the value. Setting off on Friday 21 April I fly the first day from Perth to Sydney, via first Brisbane and then Melbourne. The next day, Saturday 22 April I fly overseas briefly, departing Sydney for Noumea, before returning the same day and heading for Melbourne and then Brisbane. Finally, on Sunday 23 April I take the last flight of the run back to Perth. These flights earn me 560 (1120 doubled) status credits.
Together with my positioning flights, I end up with 1260 status credits from the run. I have earned 20 status credits from a trip to Sydney last weekend for the opera (Carmen was amazing, you should definitely go see it), and I will earn 30 status credits from a trip to Adelaide this weekend. The final 90 (technically 100) will come from using my loyalty bonuses on status credits rather than points.
Spare a thought for me, all but one of the business class flights will be in a 737!
Plans
With this being a status run, I should be trying to keep costs down as much as possible.
Tentatively at this stage I have two hotels booked – one for Perth and the other Sydney – as I'm not quite as young as I once was, so sleeping on a bench at the airport doesn't interest me anymore.
The evening of the 20th April is in Perth at the Crowne Plaza (unless I find a better offer between now and then). I briefly toyed with an AirBnB by the airport, but nothing came of it. With my flight arriving at 17:00 I should be free for a drink/dinner in the city with any AFFers that may be around. I fly out the next morning at 07:35.
The evening of the 21st April is in Sydney at the Holiday Inn Potts Point (unless I find a better offer between now and then). I'll be arriving late this day – 20:25 – so may not want to drift too far from the hotel as I'll have had a big day, and one immediately following. My flight the next morning departs SYD T1 at 07:40 and I'll have no F lounge access
The evening of the 22nd April is in Brisbane, so I'll be heading home to the Gold Coast for a free night of accommodation for a change.
The afternoon and evening of the 23rd April will be in Perth before I head home on the red-eye that night. I figure lunch or dinner, or both, may be appropriate on this date.
