Where to now - life after LTG and P1

[juddles]

Hi there everyone,

this is mainly a thread/post to express exasperation.

Due to a combination of fortuitous work/life circumstances, I have found myself in a situation I never believed possible. This year by August I will reach the dizzy heights of P1 and LTG. But I still have heaps of necessary travel for the last few months of the year. I am truly at a loss.

Previously I had a clear goal when organizing travel to maximize QF SC, but now I have no such target. QF "points" are, IMHO, great to have, but due to their fees for redemptions, not really that valuable anyway. I am a devout lover of Qantas. Truly. But given my situation, I see a failing in their FF system where there is no longer anything to aim for.

I am also Star Alliance Gold for the foreseeable future. And I wont touch Skyteam.

So what do I do? What do I aspire for? How can QF have a system that leaves a very frequent flyer with no further gain??

Just venting. I know the reality that there is nothing left.

 

[UP4014]

What about aspiring to just enjoy and making use of what you have

Society seems to have become to competitive for me, always aiming for the next thing.

Slow down, enjoy the view.

Cheerio

 

[opusman]

You never know, there might be a LTP one day. May as well build your SCs for that eventuality.

 

[juddles]

You never know, there might be a LTP one day. May as well build your SCs for that eventuality.

I wish that were a possibility, but I just don't feel it will happen. But I get your point

 

[juddles]

...Slow down, enjoy the view.

...

Am trying!!

 

[RooFlyer]

As you are already Star Gold, I'd suggest crediting the flights after getting QFF P1 to AA. I know you are a devotee of QF, but no harm in being double statused on oneworld, especially with your being in the Americas a lot of the time, you should be able to pass their flights qualifying hurdle. And the recent "interlining" snafu also points one towards AA.

You could probably get a status match and start from near the AA top.

 

[juddles]

5 years ago I was crossing the USA like any crazed FF fanatic would. I did lunatic trips, maximizing stops / legs / SC. And it was so much fun. (except I lost my love of warm nuts and balsamic dressings)

But now I still have the yearn for FF nonsense, but just nowhere to express / live it.

 

[amaroo]

You never know, there might be a LTP one day. May as well build your SCs for that eventuality.

That's my excuse for being lazy

 

[QF WP]

5 years ago I was crossing the USA like any crazed FF fanatic would. I did lunatic trips, maximizing stops / legs / SC. And it was so much fun. (except I lost my love of warm nuts and balsamic dressings)

Yup, been there, did that...but still love the warm nuts (VA do them after all)

But now I still have the yearn for FF nonsense, but just nowhere to express / live it.

I would believe that you have here to express it - to people who either yearn to be like you, or to those that have been there at the heady heights of elite status and now see it as moreso a revenue generator for the airlines (the jaded view).

When I finally woke up to the merry-go-round, I added AA to my aresnal of oneworld carrier statuses. Back in the day when my flying was prolific (and included regular overseas trips) I threw all my flying to QF first (to reach Plat) and then started an AA Platinum Challenge...and then I had the best of both worlds (QF status for eating on QF metal, AA status for seating on AA metal, QF status for access to to Admiral Club / Flagship lounges, AAPlat for upgrades when purchasing full Y fares).

Given your Sth American location, I'd think you'd be a great candidate for the double elite status...plus 1M flown miles get you Lifetime Gold on AA (and 2M gets you Lifetime Plat).

 

[medhead]

Aside from the rumours of an unofficial LT plat. Isn't BAEC the place to be for redemptions? Or has that changed?

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Skywards with EK maybe.

 

[dajop]

Aside from the rumours of an unofficial LT plat. Isn't BAEC the place to be for redemptions? Or has that changed?

There is an official LT gold (OW emerald) status on BA (and one other .... Finnair?). BA not good for Long haul premium awards anymore. Excellent value on short haul awards though (

 

[trippin_the_rift]

One thing to remember is to get the benefit from P1 you'll need to fly Qantas flights.
So I wouldn't necessarily go flying star alliance to clock up a new status level when you have a top tier status drying up each day.

In saying that, as you're P1 you will basically receive a 2 year soft landing to Plat then onto LTG. This gives you a number of years at Emerald level to try a few new airlines/programs.

Every LTG I know has gone in varying directions. Some go BFOD, BA, AA, CX, AY... really depends on you.
You may well decide staying with Qantas is best. I don't believe there is a right or wrong answer...

 

[serfty]

...

You could probably get a status match and start from near the AA top.

... or at the very least a platinum challenge.

 

[serfty]

...

Just venting. I know the reality that there is nothing left.

Of course there is ... I look to AA once I pass the 1200SC threshold. AAdvantage Earn/Burn is still far better than QF's for premium cabins on anything other than short flights.

Note that with your travel maybe BAEC Gold and beyond may be more appropriate.

Not sure what your SkyTeam issue is but Delta treat me very well as a Velocity WP.

 

[RichardMEL]

I'm more or less in the same boat - this weekend I qualify for a 4th year of P1, and hit LTG a couple of years ago.

yet I'm only about 20K LTSC, so even if they introduced a LTP at 28k or more, it's still a way off, so I sort of have nowhere really to go QF-wise. I feel the dilemma.

My personal feeling is that trying to go for GGL at BA or the AY LTP equivalent would be not worth me attempting at my age with my situation as it would take probably well over a decade, maybe more, and I'm not such a fan of BA, nor do I visit europe enough to make that make real sense. AA I could do maybe, but they don't have a lifetime EXP so... again not too sure it would be worth it, and I wouldn't fly AA enough to use things like SWU's and the like.

my own feeling is also that the way these programs are morphing, these lifetime type status perks may not be around forever - or at least the ability to attain them (remember how one could buy LT QP memberships?) and I'd hate to be 5 years into a plan with airline X to have them change their program and remove it.

So my personal plan is to, more or less, keep QF crediting - as I fly QF and OW the most, and hey if they introduce more (usable) perks for P1, or a fabled LTP type status then at least I'd still be adding to my LTSC tally.

I too hold UA*G and am a few years of enduring their product/service to reach lifetime Gold there, which would give LT *G.

I had thought about VA, but their proram seems limited and no real appeal to start off anew there.

for Juddles I would think your situation is extra unique given where you're currently based, and AA could well make some sense - you won't lose your QF LTG and P1 doesn't mean a lot over there (sadly) but you probably have more options via AA to get places.

it is a dilemma for sure. good luck with whatever you choose.

 

[TonyHancock]

My personal feeling is that trying to go for GGL at BA or the AY LTP equivalent....

Not sure if that is a typo but GGL is the sort of equivalent of P1, but with actual benefits, rather than a lifetime level. You can reach lifetime GGL but that requires 100,000 TP's, LTG (OWE) with BA is 35,000 TP's. Much like you I can't see me reaching that at my time of life but the benefits of GGL are just so over and above P1 it is crazy for me not to stick with BA whilst my travel plans remain as they are.

 

[RichardMEL]

Not sure if that is a typo but GGL is the sort of equivalent of P1, but with actual benefits, rather than a lifetime level. You can reach lifetime GGL but that requires 100,000 TP's, LTG (OWE) with BA is 35,000 TP's. Much like you I can't see me reaching that at my time of life but the benefits of GGL are just so over and above P1 it is crazy for me not to stick with BA whilst my travel plans remain as they are.

yes, thanks you TH. I meant BA LTG (I got GGL confused )

I'd contemplate it but I just don't fly BA and 35000 TP's... yeah.. wouldn't happen.

 

[TonyHancock]

I'd contemplate it but I just don't fly BA and 35000 TP's... yeah.. wouldn't happen.

You don't have to, you just need to fly OW......although to maximise the benefits you need to fly with BA a bit.

I kicked off my BA odyssey in Jan 2015, but didn't really take it seriously until August 2015. (I wanted to secure QF P1 as a back up for a final year, starting August 1st) I have just passed 10,000 TP's with BA. (8155 since August 1st) That said my travel won't continue like this after next year so I will be highly unlikely to hit the 35k.

If you fly a lot I always think it is best to maintain status with the airline you fly the most with. So if you head to the US a fair bit BA is probably not the best choice.

 

[kermatu]

For what it's worth I think QF should offer a lifetime platinum benefit. I don't mind if the bar is very high but there should be something to aim for and some special recognition of those that have actually flown a lot with the airline. A very high number of SCs or perhaps, say, 10 years as a P1 t qualify.

unfortunately I don't see it happening as QF doesn't see itself or rate as an international carrier anymore. P1 (which has been largely a fail, to me at least) gets no recognition on other carriers, and the CL system is so flawed (domestic focus, open to people who in my experience direct no additional service to QF -- I know at least 60 CLs but acknowledge that may not be a great sample) but is regarded as the priority for QF. Makes little sense to me.

Cutback significantly on the CL membership and convert that to a similar number of lifetime platinum memberships for people who have genuinely contributed to QF would be my personal preference!