The title should read: Best FFP to earn *Gold Status FAST!!!
I am based out of DTW. Fly domestically about 6 times with 1-2 intl trips per year. I usually fly as cheap as possible and therefore I'm not committed to a single airline. But I do tend to fly CO/UA/US more often than others. I want to earn *Gold status as fast as possible. I've studied several frequent flyer programs, mainly the domestic ones, and the # of miles needed to earn Gold status are the same. I'm not as familiar with FFPs outside of the US, but perhaps there is one which is easier to earn status on? I searched the archived threads and came across a few intl programs, but they require you to fly their airline frequently, which is a requirement that I cannot commit to right now. Do you have any suggestions?
Programs: BMI Silver, BA Blue and Jersey European Passport to Freedom
Posts: 1,924
My suggestion would be to find a list of the *A airlines and check out the FFP sections of their websites for the terms and conditions. Your ideal programme will be determined by a multitude of factors which we couldn't possibly know or guess on your behalf.
Air Canada requires 35K EQMs for *G rather than 50K. Being *G with AC also gives you access to lounges when flying domestically.
On the other hand, if you never fly AC, you will miss "native" benefits on UA/US/CO like mileage bonuses and upgrades. So if you can hit 50K EQMs, I'd go with the program of the airline you tend to fly the most. If you can hit 35K EQMs but not 50K EQMs, then AC is a good option.
There are other programs like Turkish or Asiana that are good at renewing *G or keeping it for a long time, but getting it for the first time is quicker on AC.
Note: no *A airline requires to fly their metal to get status on their program. Many people who have status on bmi or Asiana have never set foot on their planes.
Being *G with AC also gives you access to lounges when flying domestically.
Really? So I wouldn't need to have an international itinerary to access a *Gold lounge if I was an AC Elite? That is unique to AC, right? No other *A FF program offers this perk, no?
Programs: SPG Gold, PriorityClub Plat, EmeraldClub Exec, Airmiles Gold, AC E (*G)
Posts: 155
Quote:
Originally Posted by Statguy
Really? So I wouldn't need to have an international itinerary to access a *Gold lounge if I was an AC Elite? That is unique to AC, right? No other *A FF program offers this perk, no?
yes, you could access a domestic *G lounge in USA even if not on an international itinerary if a *G on AC. You could not do this without paid lounge membership if you where a UA/US *G member trying to access the same lounges.
This isn't exclusive to AC though - EVERY other *A program offers this if you are *G. The exception to this is US-based programs, who restrict domestic lounge access so thier own *G members don't have access without a seperate paid membership.
Programs: LH Gold, CO Gold, BA Blue, HH Gold, PC Platinum, SW Gold, Sixt Platinum, ex-Avis PC, Hertz G
Posts: 236
In the rest of the world, your best options are Asiana Airlines or Turkish with their Miles and Smiles program because of their low thresholds to reach *G status. In the NA, Aeroplan program is the best with Mileage Plus close behind second but more flying needed. Only good think going for Dividend Miles is their current promo that helps reach status faster...
BTW, I don't think you fly enough to reach *G status unless you do your flying during DEQM periods.
Programs: QF WP (LT Gold), LH SEN, OZ Diamond, CO Nothing, HH Gold, SPG Platinum, Avis PC
Posts: 6,877
Quote:
Originally Posted by sindjic
In the rest of the world, your best options are Asiana Airlines or Turkish with their Miles and Smiles program because of their low thresholds to reach *G status. In the NA, Aeroplan program is the best with Mileage Plus close behind second but more flying needed. Only good think going for Dividend Miles is their current promo that helps reach status faster...
BTW, I don't think you fly enough to reach *G status unless you do your flying during DEQM periods.
OZ is indeed a great program for easy *G with 40k miles required for *G status and this status is good for up to 4 years. The problem is that a lot of booking classes on OZ don't earn any miles so the OP would need to check whether his booking classes would give him the miles.
Another thing to consider for the OP is the availability of either a US based credit card to get the points or the ability to transfer via Amex Membership rewards or by getting the Starwood Amex and transfer to the program of choice this way.
OZ is indeed a great program for easy *G with 40k miles required for *G status and this status is good for up to 4 years. The problem is that a lot of booking classes on OZ don't earn any miles so the OP would need to check whether his booking classes would give him the miles.
Wow. Status is good for 4 years? I don't think you can beat that anywhere else.
Are the booking class restrictions for flying OZ metal the same as flying *A partner airlines in terms of earning miles for the OZ program? I will probably never fly Asiana metal, but if there aren't many *A booking classes that allow me to earn OZ miles, then I may consider a different FF program.
Programs: AFKL Plat STE+ (LT 70%), OZ Diam+ *G (LT 25%), QF Plat OW Emerald (LT 16%), PC Plat, HH Silv, A clu
Posts: 136
Quote:
Originally Posted by Statguy
Wow. Status is good for 4 years? I don't think you can beat that anywhere else.
Actually with OZ program, you have 24 months to achieve 40K (Year 1 and 2) for *G. Then, from the end of the 24 months (ie end of year 2), you have 2 years worth of *G status (year 3 and 4) which is what you earned.
The great plus is that you still benefit from your *G status during year 1 and 2 as soon as you passed the 40K threshold.
Hence, if you accumulate quickly 40K in a few weeks from your starting date, you will enjoy *G for nearly 4 years and no pressure to requalify during year 1/2 (year 3/4 would count for qualification on year 5 and 6 = pressure to accrue).
Though if it takes you 2 years (1/2) to accrue 40K, then you will enjoy it only for 2 years (year 3/4) during which you will have to accrue to maintain your status in the following period year 5/6.
The best way to handle this program is to concentrate the flights on *A and credit to OZ at the beginning of every new four year period so to gain maximum flexibility thereafter (credit to other alliance or other * program). You have to bear in mind that earn/burn ratio of OZ program is not attractive at all.
The "countermeasure" for OZ is the life time valid platinum status from 1M miles : I personnally do not credit to another * program for the sake of chasing a redundant *G status.
Programs: AFKL Plat STE+ (LT 70%), OZ Diam+ *G (LT 25%), QF Plat OW Emerald (LT 16%), PC Plat, HH Silv, A clu
Posts: 136
Quote:
Originally Posted by Statguy
Are the booking class restrictions for flying OZ metal the same as flying *A partner airlines in terms of earning miles for the OZ program? I will probably never fly Asiana metal, but if there aren't many *A booking classes that allow me to earn OZ miles, then I may consider a different FF program.
Programs: QF WP (LT Gold), LH SEN, OZ Diamond, CO Nothing, HH Gold, SPG Platinum, Avis PC
Posts: 6,877
Quote:
Originally Posted by Statguy
Wow. Status is good for 4 years? I don't think you can beat that anywhere else.
Are the booking class restrictions for flying OZ metal the same as flying *A partner airlines in terms of earning miles for the OZ program? I will probably never fly Asiana metal, but if there aren't many *A booking classes that allow me to earn OZ miles, then I may consider a different FF program.
As mogoy has said, you need to look at this carefully as OZ can be a good or a really bad move.
The other thing to consider is that OZ has a shocking earn/burn ratio. So the program is great for status but it is not good for redeeming flights. Unless you use the miles for specialties like trips with lots of stopovers in which case OZ is great.
I earned *G on AC this year via travel on eight different StarAlliance carriers. Only problem I had is that I had a very difficult time getting my miles to post. I had to write three letters and use the weblink twice to gain credit for trips taken.
Programs: SPG Gold, PriorityClub Plat, EmeraldClub Exec, Airmiles Gold, AC E (*G)
Posts: 155
Quote:
Originally Posted by lancebanyon
I earned *G on AC this year via travel on eight different StarAlliance carriers. Only problem I had is that I had a very difficult time getting my miles to post. I had to write three letters and use the weblink twice to gain credit for trips taken.
that's odd. When I first earned *G with AC, it was on a RTW trip where most flights where non-AC. With the exception of Spanair, all miles posted easily within a few days (UA/US/LH/TP/SQ/TG/OZ/NH)
Programs: UA 1P and spouse of UA 1P, QF NB and spouse of QP Senior Lifer NB, DL nothing
Posts: 605
Quote:
Originally Posted by Statguy
..... Fly domestically about 6 times with 1-2 intl trips per year. I usually fly as cheap as possible and therefore I'm not committed to a single airline. ....
Therefore you will find it hard to make *G unless the intl trips are very long ones and made during DEQM periods.
