When is it all to much - Flying and Chasing Status

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I loved my two years at Plat (because of the JASA's) but have slowly dropped down since - did 3 years gold and now Silver, have my 4 flights covered but doubt I will meet the SC's required. I chase points now so that we have something in the bank and have been lucky to do a couple of OWE in J and enough in the bank and with some AA miles for a couple more, the taxes kill you though with Qantas. Loved the service as a Platinum (we had to return early from os and they were amazingly helpful) but it is what it is...but I do love the perks that come with status just too expensive for me now to chase SC's to maintain
 
For me it's still worth it, I got on the status train thanks to work travel, that's over now (at least for now - we'll see what the next few jobs/positions bring) but Lady Lenny and I both enjoy travel and we should be doing enough to keep myself at VA Gold for the next few years. Thank god for family pooling!!

I'd like to try and keep it as long as possible, it's the little perks that make it worth it for me. We aren't in the position to travel Premium Economy regularly yet, let alone J so any perk I can utilise to minimise lining up or the usual Y scrum is well received. As for the future that depends, if we end up having children then I'll probably fall off the status chase in a couple of years, but if we don't then I'll keep chasing.
 
As someone who spent a good amount of time firmly outside the lounges in years past, I find lounge access something truly worth having, and I will make sure I continue to get it either by flying or paying for it.

The more points and higher in the order for upgrades doesn't hurt either.

I do find it amusing that often those who say "pft what's the point" hasn't actually flown without status in a long time, and more importantly hasn't experienced irrops as the lowest of the low in even more time.
 
To add some context to my opening thread, I have status, WP1 and VA WP for the past 4 years, platinum or equivalent across 2 hotel chains, gold or equivalent across 2 other chains (actually 3, but to not count Marriott as I am matched from SPG). Depending on how you look at this it is either a good or otherwise.

I have had my fair share of lounges, F and J flights, hotel upgrades, been looked after when thinks go wrong etc. to the point I likely take it for granted. Are there benefits? of course, but that all comes at a personal cost and time away from the family.

Maybe it was just some of the recent threads I have been reading and some of the rubbish I was reading led me to conclude that some posters (not limited to this site) do not even understand status. The concept of a "status run" is just something I do not get. I would also suspect that there are those that pass comment on J and F product who have never set foot in a premium cabin. Or should I say they have been in a premium cabin on the Y+ or Y.

There will be a time in the future when I will not have to travel but at least I will not fall below SG.

I tend to have a travel rant on a quarterly basis, just the first time I posted one.
 
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In a somewhat related way, I have found having to do 4 x QF flights a year to retain status has become a pain! Must be getting old, and of course being in a semi-retired state most of my travel is overseas (while the legs and hips hold out), and QF are well out of my budget most of the time. So why am I still trying to keep QFF Gold - I can't really give a sensible, logical explanation.

How about you like to flash the card and not have to join the long lines getting on ??
 
Maybe it’s about choice. When you no longer have the choice of having lounge access you realise how good it was.
 
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Qantas LTG solves that one.

I'm actually thinking of forgetting VA entirely, to concentrate on QF LTG. I think the benefit of that into the future can't be underestimated as it eliminates the eternal chase for SC's and allows searches to be pretty much based on price for desired class.

If I just buy in DSC offers I could be there in 2 years, so I think that may be my new strategy.
 
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Thinking outside the box, is it possible the growth of third party sites and enhancements with airlines and hotels programs means people cant get points booking through third parties but are happy with price and will forgo points for value.
 
I'm actually thinking of forgetting VA entirely, to concentrate on QF LTG. I think the benefit of that into the future can't be underestimated as it eliminates the eternal chase for SC's and allows searches to be pretty much based on price for desired class.
I'm going to be way short of qualifying VA Gold by early October. I have almost qualified Qantas Platinum with end May expiry.

What to do? Trying to get 400 VA SCs earning 5 SCs at a time is not that exciting. Long road and very costly. SQ airfares have also become more expensive with recent changes.

I don't have the luxury of someone paying my airfares. Wife and daughter not commuting as we are trying to save some money. If Qantas airfares weren't so ridiculously expensive (almost $180 one-way SYD-BNE outside of sales and last minute airfares) Qantas Platinum or even Lifetime Gold would be enough.
 
Yes every year this DSC nonsense comes about the threads seem to sway between the ridiculous to the bizarre at the lengths people seem to go to get/keep their shiny cards...

Each to their own i guess till the airlines catch on or maybe its such a money spinner they are happy to feed the frenzy... Really don't like playing the airlines game where with a level head you find they are the ones ahead...

I have had a bit of status but tend to look for ruses to get it or status matching, screw handing over bucket loads of my hard earned for it when often the value proposition just isn't there... A lounge and especially a shower can be very nice to break up a long trip which appreciate it...

I'm not obsessed with champagnes, a bourbon and coke will usually do me and you can get that in most lounges and Y cabins, but J and F cabins are nice so try to travel in them when i can rather than counting the hours down the back of the bus...
 
Thinking outside the box, is it possible the growth of third party sites and enhancements with airlines and hotels programs means people cant get points booking through third parties but are happy with price and will forgo points for value.

I wouldn't be too quick to lump hotel loyalty programs with the airlines on that score. They are very different and the hotel programs, do offer good redemptions with most throwing blackout periods out the door and having all inventory open for redemptions and in many cases being very attractive options (especially some of the point+pay deals) with the vast majority of points needed to be actually earned (most casual point earners probably wouldn't know some of the secrets to buy at good rates).

Airlines, in contrast, are certainly more problematic, with sneaky culling of award availability and the reduction in actual points for flying in some cases, whilst still offering quite large point windfalls via non-flying promos (CC's mainly) that in many cases require minimal spend, which disadvantages those who are actually FFers by reducing the already reduced redemption availability.
 
What to do? ... I don't have the luxury of someone paying my airfares ... Qantas Platinum or even Lifetime Gold would be enough.

Whilst you and I do have different circumstances, we are similar in many respects. Yes, I do have the luxury of someone subsiding my travel, but there is certainly a cap on that. I spend far more than the subsidy I receive and far more than I actually have to and I justify that in three ways:
  1. I see the additional spend as being a savings account toward future holidays (points and status making much of the travel, accommodation and some meals/drinks, free or near free);
  2. Higher class travel making for a more tolerable experience for my current regular commutes which equates to around 2 flights a week; and
  3. By changing my MO to all QF (at the expense of VA), it will also be an investment toward more pleasurable retirement travel (provided LTG stays as it is, no one actually knows for sure what changes the future may hold).
 
Yes every year this DSC nonsense comes about the threads seem to sway between the ridiculous to the bizarre at the lengths people seem to go to get/keep their shiny cards...

Each to their own i guess till the airlines catch on or maybe its such a money spinner they are happy to feed the frenzy... Really don't like playing the airlines game where with a level head you find they are the ones ahead...

I have had a bit of status but tend to look for ruses to get it or status matching, screw handing over bucket loads of my hard earned for it when often the value proposition just isn't there... A lounge and especially a shower can be very nice to break up a long trip which appreciate it...

I'm not obsessed with champagnes, a bourbon and coke will usually do me and you can get that in most lounges and Y cabins, but J and F cabins are nice so try to travel in them when i can rather than counting the hours down the back of the bus...

I likes my precioussssss shiny thing.
 
.... a bourbon and coke will usually do me ...

Ahhh, but when Delta started getting stingy with the Woodfords in F, some of the FlyerTalk posters started having the vapors.

As someone that survived the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, not all Bourbons are made the same ;)
 
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reduction in actual points for flying in some cases, whilst still offering quite large point windfalls via non-flying promos (CC's mainly) that in many cases require minimal spend, which disadvantages those who are actually FFers by reducing the already reduced redemption availability.

Couldn't agree more, whilst ultimately it's their program, so they can do what they want, it's not so much a frequent flyers program as it's a frequent "spend at places and on things we want you to spend on" program.

At least at this stage status still requires BIS time, even if there are ways of reducing the BIS time required to earn the same status (eg DSC promos, higher fare classes, connecting flights etc...)
 
As an experiment, to those questioning the point of it all, assign yourself a middle seat in row 20 perhaps and forego any lounge access on your next flight to see to what life without AFF and status is like...I don't even want to think about it :p

I'm young so very much in the acquisitive stage of points and SCs and not a jaded road warrior yet. I ditched VA completely and am contemplating making the switch to BA as Lifetime Emerald sounds way more appealing than QF LTG and get more convinced with every Tony Hancock post. I also like how carefree travel is with status you can turn up whenever hand your passport over arrive at a hotel and not even really think as its all so seamlessly done for you.

I admit the whole thing can be completely irrational at times but for me it is my guilty pleasure and I feel at least I get great joy and value from it and it takes me to places I would never think of going so I will be flying and to an extent chasing the status for as long as I can!
 
As an experiment, to those questioning the point of it all, assign yourself a middle seat in row 20 perhaps and forego any lounge access on your next flight to see to what life without AFF and status is like...I don't even want to think about it :p
I have a golden rule about flying. Must be able to pre-allocate seats even if I have to pay for the privilege.

Last Friday evening VA cancelled 2 flights to SYD including my flight. I had 11D. In the lounge they told everyone to go away until the special team sorts out the issues.

They called the first flight and about 20-25 in queue. Didn't hear my flight called and when the queue subsided went to desk. I'm not sure they were ready but was handed boarding pass for 11F. Asked for aisle and was told flight was full and I was originally allocated middle seat and she fixed it by giving me window. VA Gold and put on next flight but middle seat?

Very uncomfortable flight. The young Scottish lass in middle seat with her male friend in aisle was drunk. She was drinking wine in lounge and looked drunk. She was so drunk they missed announcement of free beer/wine and paid for bourbon and coke instead. She bumped into me about 17 times and treated me like a poor helpless old man a number of times.

My preference is bulkhead aisle and I will do everything possible to ensure I can get that bulkhead for as long as I travel. Lifetime Gold takes care of that but I'll keep striving for Platinum.
 
As an experiment, to those questioning the point of it all, assign yourself a middle seat in row 20 perhaps and forego any lounge access on your next flight to see to what life without AFF and status is like...I don't even want to think about it :p

I also like how carefree travel is with status you can turn up whenever hand your passport over arrive at a hotel and not even really think as its all so seamlessly done for you.

Most flyers, including those with status most likely have had that middle rear seat experience, We all start at NB or equivalent. Even with status you occasionally get reminded of the middle rear seats when you choose to get home earlier and fly forward or short notice tips booked inside T-80, most of the better seats have gone.

"Care free travel" the perception of those who do not travel frequently. They miss out on the some of the pleasures of the frequent traveling experience - delays, cancellations, overbooked flights/ hotels, the DYKWIA, bad passenger behavior, inconsiderate travelers etc. The grass is always not greener. Just saying
 
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