Status run to Silver: Is it worth it?

[kevrosmith]

At the moment, I think I'll be about 40-80 Status Credits short of qualifying for QF Silver by 31 July. What real benefits will Silver give me that would make a status run worth the $$$s? I've never done a status run before, so I'm questioning the value :?:

I'm waiting to see if some JQ flights I've done in the last few months will give me some more credits (I didn't book these direct, and failed to realise it may have been the ticket class which gives SCs), but my best guess is that I might be about 40 SCs short. I've worked out I could do a CNS-SYD status run to give me 20 SCs each way on a discount economy ticket, but that'll cost about $400-$800 with such short notice. I could possibly do something on JQ out of OOL or QF from BNE, but will take a bit more organising.

I don't fly QF a heck of a lot: not for want, but most of my travel has just worked out with JQ and DJ, and I've managed to hit DJ Silver and am very near reaching Gold in a short time. Is it worth doing the jump to Silver on QF?

I was Silver once previously, but since that time, I noticed the priority check-in benefit has disappeared. Anything else which might be useful?

Thanks

 

[Robert K]

You really don't get much with silver.

But if you are so close, why not

 

[JohnM]

You really don't get much with silver. And if you don't fly Qantas much I don't see the point.

Agree. Only worth it if approaching/wanting to maintain SG or WP.

 

[samh004]

With the recent changes, you now get a 50% bonus on points with Silver, what Gold used to get, so it's not bad if you're flying routes longer than BNE-SYD. You also get some Q bag tags, so don't have to pay for them yourself, and priority checkin internationally.

If you're not far off, I'd go for it. But only you can tell us if it's worth it to you.

 

[bryanjones]

Hi,

My advice would be no for that cost. At $400-$800 cost you're much better off paying for Qantas Club which will give you lounge access.

Silver does have its benefits, but in my opinion are more suited to international flyers (business class checkin)

As someone who always flys economy, I'm happy to have reached gold this year. As a QP member I would not have paid to Silver, but considered slightly a status run for Gold so I can get the OW lounge access. 99% of my travel is international, so my comments are based on this

 

[Awesom Andy]

Just remember that there is absolutely zero benefits for silver when flying on JQ. However, buying QP access would allow you to get into the lounge, so that would be the better option.

Better still, since you are almost DJ gold, you might as well just concentrate on that instead, especially when you hardly fly on QF.

 

[samh004]

Silver does have its benefits, but in my opinion are more suited to international flyers (business class checkin)

I thought it was premium economy checkin usually, from what I've seen in the departure hall of late anyway.

On further thinking, I wouldn't do it for $400-800, and as suggested QP access might be the better choice there. But if it wasn't too expensive or you have the points to do it, go for it.

 

[kevrosmith]

Just been checking out potential flight options: milk run down the coast to TSV, MKY etc, a hop to BNE & up to ROK & back, GOV, WEI, DRW, AYQ, ASP, even PER, but I'm looking at least $600. Great suggestion about the QP access: if I'm gonna spend that sort of money, I think that would be the wiser choice. Quite a few of my JQ are the international sector between CNS-OOL, and there's definitely not a QP at int in CNS anymore, but I don't know if I'd get access to the generic lounge that is there. Anyone know? The QP access would at least cover me for any of my JQ/QF flights out of CNS, BNE & SYD, which is currently more than my DJ lounge gives - but I'm just biding mybtime on that one till the OOL & CNS lounges open!Thanks again

 

[samh004]

Just been checking out potential flight options: milk run down the coast to TSV, MKY etc, a hop to BNE & up to ROK & back, GOV, WEI, DRW, AYQ, ASP, even PER, but I'm looking at least $600. Great suggestion about the QP access: if I'm gonna spend that sort of money, I think that would be the wiser choice. Quite a few of my JQ are the international sector between CNS-OOL, and there's definitely not a QP at int in CNS anymore, but I don't know if I'd get access to the generic lounge that is there. Anyone know? The QP access would at least cover me for any of my JQ/QF flights out of CNS, BNE & SYD, which is currently more than my DJ lounge gives - but I'm just biding mybtime on that one till the OOL & CNS lounges open!Thanks again

The Reef lounge in CNS is operated by Cathay and because Qantas has no arrangements with Cathay regarding lounge access for QP members, you wouldn't get access. I don't think it's even a part of the OneWorld lounge network either.

 

[mannej]

Depends what you use the silver for.

International on QF- seat selection, extra allowance in J/F.
On QF/JQ- 50% point bonus on top of normal points earned.

Does Silver not come with some handy little bonuses when traveling in the US?

 

[cove]

If you value seat selection as well as the outlined new earn rates of bonuses then Silver is worth it if you are close before the anniversary date.

 

[nonpop]

When we had to make the same decision, we elected to go for it (remember it is then easiy to requalify that to attain).
For us we liked the single Qantas pub pass plus seat selection (if if not as good as Gold / Plat). International (even to Fiji) we used the business check-in counters where there was no Qantas Club line. So for international just being able to jump the lines was well worth it. We also had an experience on holidays a few years back where an Air Pacific plane went tech and the only flight back to Oz was cancelled until the following day. Because we were in the business line, we noticed we got a better free hotel vs the economy pax.

And when we hit Silver, we then found ourselves travelling more. So managed to use the Qantas pub pass at LAX when a flight was delayed home by about 5 hrs. Again well worth it. And from memory we also got free domestic baggage in the US.

Then a funny thing happened ... we shot for Gold ... then Platinum followed quickly.
So do be careful as it becomes a sickness collecting those SCs.

If it were I, I'd say ... go for it.

 

[markis10]

The Reef lounge in CNS is operated by Cathay and because Qantas has no arrangements with Cathay regarding lounge access for QP members, you wouldn't get access. I don't think it's even a part of the OneWorld lounge network either.

Its a OneWorld lounge (third party), but thats irrelevant, you only get access to a OW lounge when flying on a OW flight operated by a OW member, and there is only one of those in Cairns, and that's CX.

Just been checking out potential flight options: milk run down the coast to TSV, MKY etc, a hop to BNE & up to ROK & back, GOV, WEI, DRW, AYQ, ASP, even PER, but I'm looking at least $600. Great suggestion about the QP access: if I'm gonna spend that sort of money, I think that would be the wiser choice. Quite a few of my JQ are the international sector between CNS-OOL, and there's definitely not a QP at int in CNS anymore, but I don't know if I'd get access to the generic lounge that is there. Anyone know? The QP access would at least cover me for any of my JQ/QF flights out of CNS, BNE & SYD, which is currently more than my DJ lounge gives - but I'm just biding mybtime on that one till the OOL & CNS lounges open!Thanks again

If you have a lazy 50K of points you could always try a TSV-DRW-TSV JASA via BNE, thats 280 SC in one day, which starts to mean Gold is a possibility .

 

[Limewood]

I did the CNS/TSV/BNE/DRW run recently as I was offered the double status points deal from Q, went from SB to SG in one hit, however even without the double Q status points its a good deal if you can find one like mine, TSV/BNE/DRW return 48K points and about $250 in taxes, get 280 status points (i got double).

 

[kevrosmith]

If you have a lazy 50K of points you could always try a TSV-DRW-TSV JASA via BNE, thats 280 SC in one day, which starts to mean Gold is a possibility .

Unfortunately I've only got 10K points available (used some on shopping vouchers recently), so it's cash only at the moment.

(remember it is then easiy to requalify that to attain).


So do be careful as it becomes a sickness collecting those SCs.


If it were I, I'd say ... go for it.

The re-qualify issue is valid, I just wish I'd started looking at this earlier! I think I'm starting to appreciate all the more why DJ's SC expiry system has some advantages over this fixed-period approach.

And yes, I'm wanting to guard against that illness... while business is doing well enough, it's not that good that I can start splashing cash around for the heck of it just at the moment!

 

[Simo]

QF has all but got rid of any benefits for Silver members..

A few if going to do international flights.

Save some money and pay for QP membership..

 

[elbarto]

Even though QF have removed a lot of the privileges of silver, some of their OW partners haven't. If you're planning a trip to the US and flying AA, silver comes in handy for avoiding checked baggage charge, priority check in and boarding. Having some status is better than no status.

Sent from my iPad using Aust Freq Fly app

 

[Sprucegoose]

QF has all but got rid of any benefits for Silver members..

A few if going to do international flights.

Save some money and pay for QP membership..

certainly one way to look at it.

If you dont get to Silver then you wont get to Gold, then you wont get to Platinum.........see it as evolutionary dear Simo.

 

[blu]

Our status run is a long weekend in NZ for 40 SC's, which cost $209 over + $169 return in last weeks sale.

 

[Moopere]

I had to have a think about this stuff recently myself. My QFF year ends 31st December and I'm not going to make Gold, got pretty despondent about that but Silver despite a general lack of useful features, does now seem to offer 50% more FF points and this will be a decent leg-up to hitting Gold next year (free/cheap/upgrade flights).

In the meantime, I went for QP membership. Little measurable value in that either (why is there _never_ any food?), but its been nice to sit in the (busy) QP lounge instead of the zoo. Sometimes seemingly little things do make a big difference.

I'd seriously consider outlaying a small amount of cash to hit silver to get access to the 50% FF bonus, but if the required funding for a run was anything like 600-700$ then I'd suggest the QP is probably a better and more useful spend.