The true value of status - why NOT to spend to seek status...

[HockeyMonkey]

Likely saved 24 hours of my life over the weekend by using status to get an earlier flight ORD-LAX connecting LAX- MEL.

The original flight I was supposed to catch was delayed 3.5 hours which would have resulted in a missed connection.

I suspect AA wouldn’t have allowed me to fly ahead if I wasn’t OWE

How much is that worth?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Likely saved 24 hours of my life over the weekend by using status to get an earlier flight ORD-LAX connecting LAX- MEL.

The original flight I was supposed to catch was delayed 3.5 hours which would have resulted in a missed connection.

I suspect AA wouldn’t have allowed me to fly ahead if I wasn’t OWE

How much is that worth?

This might be a case of the 'unknown'. US carriers will generally go to extraordinary lengths compared to what we're used to in Australia in the event of IRROPS - regardless of status (although status usually gets you the benefit of being able to rearrange flights in the relative peace and quiet of an airline lounge). I had a 6 hour delay on an award ticket (no status) and the airline was willing to accommodate me on a commercial basis on an airline in a different alliance. Generally once there's IRROPS (or anticipated IRROPS) pretty much anything goes. Which is the nice thing about the US.

 

[HockeyMonkey]

This might be a case of the 'unknown'. US carriers will generally go to extraordinary lengths compared to what we're used to in Australia in the event of IRROPS - regardless of status (although status usually gets you the benefit of being able to rearrange flights in the relative peace and quiet of an airline lounge). I had a 6 hour delay on an award ticket (no status) and the airline was willing to accommodate me on a commercial basis on an airline in a different alliance. Generally once there's IRROPS (or anticipated IRROPS) pretty much anything goes. Which is the nice thing about the US.

I guess it is possible they knew the later flight would be delayed. It certainly wasn’t apparent when I boarded the earlier flight.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I guess it is possible they knew the later flight would be delayed. It certainly wasn’t apparent when I boarded the earlier flight.

Ah ok. I thought this fly forward was after the delay had been announced. Looking at AA's page for standby it looks like domestic operations OWE/OWS/OWR can standby to fly earlier free of charge: Same-day travel – Plan travel – American Airlines

 

[bertflyer]

When I first started flying regularly for work (higher education sector so always in Y) I used a domestic JASA per year to ensure maintenance of SG. Yes, this was for lounge access, but priority check in and boarding really made travel so much less painful. Thankfully I travel enough now to maintain SG without requiring status runs and usually land at 700-800 SCs per year.

 

[Quickstatus]

A lounge shower needs to be compared with shower elsewhere. Other non lounge showers are mostly located in nearby hotels (unless there is paid access intra airport).

So the cost of a lounge shower should be equated with a day rate at a nearby hotel

The value of a lounge shower is then compared with hotel shower plus hassles of checking in to hotel plus hassles of checking in at airport and getting through security after shower by which time you need another shower

 

[RichardMEL]

A lounge shower needs to be compared with shower elsewhere. Other non lounge showers are mostly located in nearby hotels (unless there is paid access intra airport).

So the cost of a lounge shower should be equated with a day rate at a nearby hotel

The value of a lounge shower is then compared with hotel shower plus hassles of checking in to hotel plus hassles of checking in at airport and getting through security after shower by which time you need another shower

not always. Some terminals, like SIN, have facilities one can use in the terminal for a modest cost (S$10 for example maybe $15 these days).

 

[nickfromeastryde]

Only fly for leisure and have never chased status though have been guilty of choosing some indirect routes around the US and Sth America quite often with no impact to final arrival time and sometimes at lower cost

Have only ever reached SG and tend to fall back every second year due to habit of revenue fares one year followed by award flights the next. As we generally fly long haul J have really only used status for lounge access 2 or 3 times but status has definitely helped us successfully book 3 280K awards and a couple of other long haul awards over the last few years. It has also helped with a couple of hiccups in the states and a diverted flight from AKL to SYD where we were given priority for emergency accommodation and rescheduled flights so it has been handy.

Have only been in the game for a few years and still 3K away from LTS so LTG really not a priority. However will keep chipping away and who knows, with kids and now grandkids living overseas may get there yet

Anyway for the reasons above will continue to fly OW and especially QF when possible. With a fair degree of flexibility I don't feel there is too many disadvantages financially or otherwise following that strategy, I just wait for the sales and go from there

 

[CaptJCool]

Found this thread today ...

Short answer is Gold is a happy compromise. The earlier in the year the better. As it rolls over at years end.

So on the financial front,
Many buy QC membership,
public offer 2 years ($1200 including joining fee, Our AFF corporate deal saves about $400 and don’t come

Gold is elusive flying discount J admittedly In comm govt BFOD WAS in vogue and fares paid with other people’s money (OPM)..... but at 10 status credits a trip that’s a lot fo flying to reap 700..... that’s 70 gate lounge visits and queues which you can’t bypass and no row 4. 70 trips at $100 = $7000 BEFORE you can access said Club

In the end, I was fortunate comp’d Gold last year so spent the year doing classic awards and a few red-e deals (110 status credits). And now being that close to LTG (60:40) OPM:Mine, so far, the final push to reach the threshold is my spend....

DSC, a dog leg J or two, and plenty of free alcohol will tipple me there.....so that I can enjoy the next 70 trips sitting in the lounge, tippling more.
And as much as the QF 100th anniversary is looming, it may be a Longreach to visit all 56 destinations in one year. That’d be 112 lounge tipples... on the QF Dime (OPM) not mine...

jokes(Does Horn Island have a QF lounge or will I be left Weipa? Does Paraburdoo have a bar or two ?)


I do like the other ideas from other people on here so I will stick them on the to do list. Eg Lifemiles

As a side-note. I don’t think QF has gotten this loyalty thing for when it’s your own cash, and you’re flying a family of 3-4 you’re splitting the spending and despite spending say $8000 on 4 family members occasionally or every couple of years, there’s no Gold and no Lounge, and no family pooling. Plus even if you use the no spending points reward tics, there’s no status earn on them either (JASA now long gone)

And no I’ve not graced a gate lounge except in Hobart flying JQ direct to Adelaide after a surprise visit to my brother on the December day a bag was left outside the terminal. All heck broke loose and then there was my tantrum at this RED sign...

 

[CaptJCool]

Friday the week before last, THE DAY FOLLOWING the AFF dinner arranged by Mal, I did brave the terribly full terminal at OOL

QF flights ran late because one had to leave before the next could dock...



I did like their zig zag stairways !