aktchi

*A newbie here, and I did try to search, so please be gentle.

The title of this post---*A Gold v Silver?---might seem like a strange question, because obviously Gold is better, what's to choose?

However, I am planning to earn the status on A3 by flying partner airlines. The lower partner fares do not earn any miles on A3. So, I can do Silver less expensively by purchasing fewer high bucket fares whereas Gold will need many more flights in higher buckets.

I won't be flying A3 very much, and will mainly use the status on partners like TK, LH, LX, SQ.

So, the question is, what do you get for *A Gold that you don't for Silver? What can I expect to lose if I stop at Silver? I am OK with Business class lounges instead of First. I don't believe that either status will mean upgrades at partners. What else to consider?

nux

http://www.staralliance.com/en/benef...silver-status/

Well, lounge access for one.

Ahuch

Gold gets you lounge access and priority boarding. Star silver really isn't very useful in my opinion.

ekwang

Gold also allows you to immediately reserve into E+ seating during booking.

IluvSQ

No it doesn't - unless it is UA *G booking a UA flight.
Any other *G is not entitled to UA's E+. ( They may get it by asking, or
paying, but the are not entitled to it)

garykung

The correct saying is, at the airlines' discretion, you may be given preferred seating. But YMMV.

Also:

1. Free and/or extra baggage allowance - in this world of crazy airline fees, *G is basically guaranteed for no baggage fee and you will get extra baggage allowance

(If a *G need to pay for baggage, it is basically charged at the rate of excess baggage.)

2. Priority Security (if offered)

vroom

Priority Security isn't a *G benefit either. Some airports / airlines offer it, but many (most?) don't.

garykung

You have answered the question yourself.

Priority Security is not a benefit. However, For those airlines who extend to their elite, *G get it as well.

behuman

Certainly not SK. http://www.flysas.com/en/ch/Travel_i...ns/Fast-track/

garykung

I understand there may be exceptions; such as:

1. The airlines/airport may not have expedited security;

2. The airlines/airport only offered to certain people.

But for the record, usually airlines will usually extend to their elite and *G, if one is available (and that's why I said "if offered").

vroom

AC Priority Security Clearance is only for Aeroplan elites, not *G.
LH/LX/OS/SN Fast Track is only for M&M elites, not *G.
SK Fast Track is only for EB Gold, not *G.

vincewy

Trust me, you will not want to settle for just Silver, you want the Gold. *G will not get you into First Class Lounge, just Business Class lounges. Silver gives you none.

Besides lounges, *G will let you check 3 bags of up to 70lb each within US flying with UA, *S will only let you check 1 for free (not sure about weight allowance) for most *A carriers.

Many *A foreign airlines have additional perks for their own *S members but those don't carry over abroad. The biggest difference between *S and *G, besides what others have mentioned, is all benefits and perks become universal once you reach *G, rather than just the membership's own host carriers and countries.

Take my favorite airlines and FFP for example (TK and M&S), if you usually travel within Turkey and by yourself, *S might be just as good as *G. You get domestic lounge access, family membership, checking in at business class counters, all those perks disappear once you venture outside Turkey. The same can be said for other *A FFPs.

Another stark example. Flying BR HKG-TPE, economy, *S gives you 0 lounge, getting to *G will give you 5 to choose from (UA, TG, SQ, VS, and HX). Although the reverse (TPE) has a dedicated lounge, the Club, for BR's own Silver members not published in *A website.

Upgrades? Other than using miles, you'll need to get to well above generic *G threshold to even enjoy the membership carriers' free upgrades (TK - Elite+, OZ - Diamond+, BR - Diamond, UA - 1K/GS, LH - HON Circle). For A3, not much.

garykung

I don't want to repeat my point again.

But FWIW - I got priority security at YVR as *G for flying AC.

flyingfkb

vincewy's explanation sums it up pretty well.

Just want to ad a few things:
*Gold have access to LH Senator Lounge which is between the LH Business Lounge and First Class Lounge.

*Silver gives you only access if at all to the Business lounge of the airline you have status with. For example a LH Silver member can access the LH Business Lounge.

Sabrina20

its also that gold lounges are more often on airports than silverlounges so it is a higher quality.