Originally Posted by
joshwex90
BA has CW fares for under $3K?! Maybe I should consider taking BA in May instead of CO. An Israeli resident can get Silver, just by one round-trip, TLV-NYC, in CW, correct?
Also, you wrote that F on LY doesn't even compare to C on BA - to that I disagree. C on LY doesn't come close to CW, and F on LY doesn't come close to F on BA. LY's F though and CW are closer.
You need I or R to get a fare below $3K. Usually that's not a problem, especially if you book with good notice except for Sunday mornings TLV-LHR which is what I usually book. If you have 3 legs on I/R and just TLV-LHR not you can ask them to request it. They confirmed R for me when only J was available (order is J, C, D, R, I) but I am a Gold card holder which I suppose helps with such requests. Still the TLV office is interested in your business and will usually make an effort. There is a $150 fee for booking on the phone but if that allows you to get a fare at below $3K including the fee rather than $4.5K without the fee, it's a no-brainer.
One return trip to the US in C gives you 480 tier points and you need 400 for Silver so yes - one trip is enough. 2 more after that and you would be Gold.
The reason I think BA C is better than LY F is the hard product - I find the BA C seat more comfortable than the LY F seat and love the privacy of the window seats. LY F soft product is as good as BA C or probably a notch better.