Need 245 Status Credits for Gold by Sept.

[clifford]

Just received a 50% bonus offer for flights to 13 Feb. I have had a bit of a look around and have come up with the following option:

- 1-way J class CHC-SYD-MEL-CBR next month for approx $950, giving 240 SC's. Could purchase a JQ SYD-CHC ticket (I have a $50 JQ voucher) for approx $200 for the other 5 SC's required, making a total of $1150-1200 (depending on exchange rates).

While I am quite happy to go along with this option, I was wondering if there might be any lower cost options ex SYD/MEL/CBR?

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

SYD - CHC in F would be what I would do.
SG does not give access to the F lounge but that EK 777 with a QF flight number and you in F will.
If you have WP in mind, then no need the F class back to NZ but if not, that F class seat will be good.
The other colleagues on here will disagree with me as normal.

 

[clifford]

Thanks for that.

I checked out the pricing for F-class one way and it's several hundred dollars more than my option. It would be nice, but I really can't justify it.

I have to assume, on the basis of no comments to the contrary, that my suggestion is the most cost effective way of getting 240 status credits, departing from an Australian airport, all costs being considered.

 

[11sjw]

Are you going to be flying much in the next year? Seems like you're a reasonable way from requalifying. If the amount of flying isn't going to pick up then it might not be worth it.

 

[RichardMEL]

Thanks for that.

I checked out the pricing for F-class one way and it's several hundred dollars more than my option. It would be nice, but I really can't justify it.

I have to assume, on the basis of no comments to the contrary, that my suggestion is the most cost effective way of getting 240 status credits, departing from an Australian airport, all costs being considered.

The $950ish option is a pretty good one if you can actually book it that way. Of course as you note you have to get to CHC.

What I'd be doing is looking out for the (almost monthly) EK sales ex NZ where they can give you a one way F fare for ~$NZ900 or so

one thing I'm a little confused about - what is the goal here? looking at your profile you are a 2MM on UA (I feel for you ) and an EK Gold which trumps QF Silver. From the context if your post you want to go to QF Gold? What about the EK status? do you want to keep that too or move? I think given the EK status it may be better to work towards requalifying there? but obviously it's your goals.

Anyway I've been seeing these ex-NZ sale fares it seems monthly, but for short periods. It is the best way in this region, without bouncing around Asia or the USA for "cheap"(relatively) SC's.

Your other option is a return SYD-AKL/CHC in J fare for 160SC+50%=240. However the last decent sale ended recently, and even that was more than your budget (as you say) at around $1300ish return.

My only other thought is that given with your plan above you'd need to get to CHC that's an extra couple of hundred $. So your total would be, let's say $1200-$1300, and you may find something like a CBR-SYD/MEL-OOL return in J may be just a tad more(sadly you just missed the 95th anniversary sale) but would still get you 160SC without the passport use and could do it in a day.

Your other options would involve flex Y fares to things like CBR-SYD-DRW or something which would not be as much fun.

good luck but as 11sjw notes, it may not be worth it to you to attain QF gold, given your EK status and potential future travel, which going purely on your profile would seem to be spread out a bit.

 

[opusman]

Much as it surprises me to agree with AP, if you're spending a grand on a status run anyway spend a few hundred more and go F in EK. Much nicer experience.

 

[clifford]

Thanks for all your help.

I found and booked a $771 sale fare in business class (I) CHC-SYD-MEL-CBR (where I live) and a SYD-CHC fare on Qantas for $280, making a total of $1051, which I thought was pretty good and gives me a total of 270 SC, which is more than enough for my Gold qualification. The CHC-SYD flight is on an EK 777, so better than the QF 737. I have flown EK J class many times and flew J class on an EK 777 as recently as a couple of weeks ago SIN-MEL and it wasn't too bad. I can forego F class, especially for a short flight.

Why am I doing this? Well, I'm letting my EK Gold lapse in a couple of months, as EK have made it quite a bit more expensive to retain if flying mainly Y. My wife and I fly quite a bit on cheap JQ fares, so it would be nice to get lounge access, and I fly QF/EK internationally from time to time so it would be helpful there. Is it cost-effective? Well, possibly not, but I have been QF Gold before and quite enjoyed it.

As for my UA lifetime Platinum status (which my wife also has), I use this mainly to book trips to Asia/Europe using Mileage Plus miles (of which I have approx 1 million). Result of a misspent youth, I guess.

So there you are, a bit eccentric maybe, but it seems to work for me.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Why am I doing this? Well, I'm letting my EK Gold lapse in a couple of months, as EK have made it quite a bit more expensive to retain if flying mainly Y.

My wife and I fly quite a bit on cheap JQ fares, so it would be nice to get lounge access, and I fly QF/EK internationally from time to time so it would be helpful there.

Is it cost-effective? Well, possibly not, but I have been QF Gold before and quite enjoyed it.

If you focus on getting QF SG then you can use that as leverage to try and get EK to comp you SW Gold.

It's pretty easy to even get ME carriers like EK & EY to give you Gold right from the get go if you hold elite status with another airline so I'd be very surprised if EK don't comp you.

In any case QF SG will get you lounge access with EK when flying with them so you've got nothing to lose.