I don't think either to get gold card is easy. in UK or US you need 2100 tier point to get a gold card.(from blue to gold) It's a little bit more than 26 Eu trip. Let's say the avarage cost for the cheapest I class ticket is 250-300 pounds then you have to spend at least 6600 - 7900 pounds a year. But we have to be realistic. Business people spend more because they ususally buying D, C or J class tickets. Same on Long haul. You need 9 return flight on CW to get Gold. It would be even worse because I think an avarage ticket prices is around 2000-2500 pounds on CW. That's more than 20K a year you have to spend it. Of course there are a some back doors but most of us can't move our address to Europe, oridnary Europian business people mostly use their natinal carier because they can fly direct to their destanation. Yes if you would live in Abu Dhabi then for 1800 pounds and you can have a Gold card within a month, but I think the 99% of the gold cardholders spend around 20-25K a year minimum with BA. Also don't forget if you spend extremly lot of money there's the Premier card. (ok inivtation only so you never know who will get that card.)