Worth obtaining gold status through fast track?

[jamdav93]

Hi all,

I received an email today saying that if I earn 200 SC's before October, I can be fast tracked to gold status.

Thing is, I have points club plus (so I have QC access already), and I am silver status too. I'm not sure if it's worth it if I should upgrade to gold as I won't be doing much flying with Qantas/OneWorld until late next year/early 2024 (as i'll be planning a RTW trip for a honeymoon at that stage). Gold status might be valuable for booking reward seats for that honeymoon trip, but it would expire by the time we travel.

Is it worth my time/money to get gold status? From what I see, probably not. But some of you may be able to see some value that I don't yet know of...
PS. what's the easiest/cheapest flight segments to get 200 SC's from Melbourne?

Cheers!

 

[jpp42]

The best status runs will cost maybe $5 to $6 per SC (outside of a double status credit promotion) so that's still going to be $1000 or more - given you have not many cases where you need OWS (above and beyond QC), I am not sure I would recommend it. It could be worth it as you say for getting access to reward seats a bit earlier, but that is so difficult anyway without Platinum (and thus the ability to request seat releases), that I'm not sure I would spend that for this "possibility."

There are several other threads tracking status run options - try this one: Discussion/Q&A on Best QF Status Run Options

 

[RichardMEL]

Congratulations on your upcoming nuptials!

I think you've answered your own question quite well as you've thought through the various things.

My question is when is your membership anniversary? As I understand it, when you are given Gold via a challenge you will get it for the remainder of your current membership year, and the next 12 months. So if your membership anniversary is, say, May then potentially you would get gold up til May 2024 and that could factor into the decision.

I would say though, that aside, it seems like it may not be worth it to you given your projected travel pattern. Gold unfortunately, doesn't offer a lot more access to rewards seats (some though) in terms of the honneymoon booking (if it was Plat I'd say far better).. so while it might help, it's probably more about timing of making the redemptions than status (specially if you're looking to get partner flights to foreign lands where QF status doesn't matter squat to availability.

If budget is an issue, which it is for most of us it's probably not worth it specially with no doubt Wedding expenses and all the rest.. so probably not worth it to my way of thinking

However if you do consider connections like MEL-BNE-CNS/TSV or MEL-SYD-OOL (r/t) in Y or J can yueld some reasonable results for SC earn.

 

[BAM1748]

I think if you're asking the question probably not worth the spend for you.

For cheapest SC look at the tourist routes, you could get the whole 200 in a single day to Cairns and back via Brisbane.

 

[encryptededdy]

Anyone know if the fast track would let you get to Platinum with only 900SC, or would you still need the full 1400?

(purely academic, I don't have a fast track)

And to OP: I recently went from silver club to gold and tbh the only difference I've felt is priority domestic security (because Qantas doesn't do priority boarding