QF SG - is it worth it?

[Sheumack]

If you are doing any flying in the US, SG status gets you priority boarding on AA domestic flights, meaning you get on first and claim your spot in the overhead baggage compartment before everybody else gets on, each with their two wheelie bags, laptop bag, jacket, and box of Krispy Kremes.

 

[Basalt]

FWIW, I did my first ever status run a few months back to get me to SG for the first time. I weighed it up and decided for the ~$300 to get the 35 points to get over the line was well worth it. Especially given we're flying twice with the kids this year, so that means 4 separate QP visits for the 4 of us - kids are ravenous eaters, and the missus and moi like our booze. As for other benefits; I got an upgrade from Y saver to J Mel-BNE the other day, peak time, flight was packed - my gut is the SG helped with the upgrade as I applied v last min; got stuck in OOL for 3 hours heading back to MEL via SYD a few months ago - for me, having the lounge access was magic as the hordes outside were packed due to all the delayed flights and the lounge dragons (lounge angels!) were incredibly helpful re-schedulng the SYD-MEL leg; I've got a MEL-LHR return trip in Y+ coming up soon with a request for J upgrade, no guarantee of course, but my gut is the SG will get some segments upgraded; flown 6 Y legs since being SG and every allocated seat has been great.

So not WP yet but I've had a definite positive vibe from SG over PS or NB! :-D

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

I have had a few shadows ie empty seats next to me as a QF SG flying QFd.
More benefits than flying as a VA PS on VA flights.
QF will be my airline of choice from now on.

 

[RichardMEL]

I have had a few shadows ie empty seats next to me as a QF SG flying QFd.
More benefits than flying as a VA PS on VA flights.
QF will be my airline of choice from now on.

"shadows" are not a published (or even unpublished, despite anecdotal evidence) benefit of QF Gold status. You've probably had more luck than anything else to go an empty seat next to you.

Also equating VA Silver with QF Gold seems nonsensical as they are not even equivalent status levels within the two programs.

IMHO.

 

[Pushka]

Shadows have not been associated with SG but WP. I can see them when comparing MrP and my account online. Having an empty seat next to you doesn't mean the shadow effect has happened.

 

[opusman]

Sometimes an empty seat is just an empty seat.

 

[mviy]

As SG you could be benefiting from a WP's shadow. If a Y seat near the front is available when the seats open up the middle seat may already be blocked as a shadow for a WP.

When I did a status run earlier this year in J I had a spare seat next to me on one of the legs as a PS. Clearly this was just a vacant seat. QANTAS is prepared to leave some seats in J vacant if they don't sell and don't get enough upgrade requests/don't wish to accept them.

 

[JohnK]

I have had a few shadows ie empty seats next to me as a QF SG flying QFd.
More benefits than flying as a VA PS on VA flights.
QF will be my airline of choice from now on.

More out of luck than anything else unless you have been specifically told they are blocking the middle seat close to departure.