Current Silver member, worth stretching for Gold?
Jan 24, 2012, 10:22 am
#16
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: JER
Programs: BA Gold/OWE, several MUCCI, and assorted Pensions!
Posts: 32,146
Contentedly Silver, and will remain so 
Personally, I have no need to push for Gold - I'm a relatively infrequent leisure pax. Silver does it for us, and we're very happy staying there. Gold does nothing for us in a practical sense.
If I spent my working life drilling holes in the sky, and being frequently exposed to the risk of Irrops, I might take a different view.
Personally, I have no need to push for Gold - I'm a relatively infrequent leisure pax. Silver does it for us, and we're very happy staying there. Gold does nothing for us in a practical sense.
If I spent my working life drilling holes in the sky, and being frequently exposed to the risk of Irrops, I might take a different view.
Jan 24, 2012, 10:55 am
#18
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: LHR / LAS
Programs: BA GfL, GGL/CCR
Posts: 2,409
like other posters the soft landing is a key benefit. We are purposely becoming Gold in a few months as we have so many avios and a few 241 vouchers to use the following year, that we would drop out of Silver to Bronze or Blue if we didn’t go for Gold.
So in this way we will be back at Silver when we start paying for flights again and the hopefully history will repeat itself and we become Gold again and then spend avios etc etc.
The use of the F lounge and also the waiver of fees for redemption changes especially now the fees have increased.
So in this way we will be back at Silver when we start paying for flights again and the hopefully history will repeat itself and we become Gold again and then spend avios etc etc.
The use of the F lounge and also the waiver of fees for redemption changes especially now the fees have increased.
Jan 24, 2012, 11:07 am
#19
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: JER
Programs: BA Gold/OWE, several MUCCI, and assorted Pensions!
Posts: 32,146
Jan 24, 2012, 11:43 am
#21
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 3,513
Jan 28, 2012, 9:08 am
#22
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: UK
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 2
Thanks everyone
Hey everyone, sorry for not responding sooner, been swamped since I last posted. I think I may try and shoot for it, I have a few business trips coming up and can try to schedule them all for before the end of my membership year.
Out of curiousity, what are some good TP runs? Anything that works out at around £2.50 per point or less would be cheaper than what I can currently get through work.
Cheers.
SS
Out of curiousity, what are some good TP runs? Anything that works out at around £2.50 per point or less would be cheaper than what I can currently get through work.
Cheers.
SS
Jan 28, 2012, 9:15 am
#23
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: London
Programs: Mucci. Nothing else matters.
Posts: 38,644
There's a whole thread of ideas here: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...per-point.html
I'd recommend starting near the end, though - it's the more up-to-date end of the thread.
I'd recommend starting near the end, though - it's the more up-to-date end of the thread.
Jan 28, 2012, 9:33 am
#24
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: France
Programs: MUCCI, BA LTG/GGL/CCR, AF PLAT, ETHIHAD AND LH USELESS PLASTIC
Posts: 2,063
I would if I were you and not too far away from it... don't cause yourself any financial hardship however. It isn't worth that!
I haven't been silver since 2004 and would only accept to go back if it meant payback was that I could avoid flying as much as I have to now.
Try gold for a year and see, is what I'd say.
I've been the grateful recipient of GGL level with the jokers as well as GUF2s before that, but I'm happiest with normal gold level as the former came as a result of a couple years of paid F travel and 5000 TPs plus per year which was not sustainable in this economic climate in my industry.
I find service is generally better as a gold and I have a good deal of confidence in BA in case of IRROPS. As a GCH I find BA staff sometimes treat me as if I were a Premier cardholder - especially at certain outstations.
Removal of 'open doors' was an unwelcome slap in the face, but I can live without as a Priority Pass cardholder ^
Otherwise it is lounges. I find GF significantly better than the GCs at T5 thanks to the space, table service and some often superb wines. I appreciate the Flagship lounges on the AA network and I find F lounges where available (BKK, SYD, JFK, LAX etc) to be quieter and more pleasant.
HL
I haven't been silver since 2004 and would only accept to go back if it meant payback was that I could avoid flying as much as I have to now.
Try gold for a year and see, is what I'd say.
I've been the grateful recipient of GGL level with the jokers as well as GUF2s before that, but I'm happiest with normal gold level as the former came as a result of a couple years of paid F travel and 5000 TPs plus per year which was not sustainable in this economic climate in my industry.
I find service is generally better as a gold and I have a good deal of confidence in BA in case of IRROPS. As a GCH I find BA staff sometimes treat me as if I were a Premier cardholder - especially at certain outstations.
Removal of 'open doors' was an unwelcome slap in the face, but I can live without as a Priority Pass cardholder ^
Otherwise it is lounges. I find GF significantly better than the GCs at T5 thanks to the space, table service and some often superb wines. I appreciate the Flagship lounges on the AA network and I find F lounges where available (BKK, SYD, JFK, LAX etc) to be quieter and more pleasant.
HL
Jan 28, 2012, 12:54 pm
#25
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: London, Sth Africa or LAS
Programs: VS Silver, BA Blue - finally; but hotels.com Gold :)
Posts: 1,858
I'd forgot about the AA Flagship lounge access, for Golds. That's a nice little bonus.
I'm going through the same process; and will shoot for Gold. The arrivals lounge access after L/H WT helped swing it for me (some WT work trips poss in next 15 months ... not leisure!). Exit row seat choice will become a relevant benefit under the same theme.
I'm going through the same process; and will shoot for Gold. The arrivals lounge access after L/H WT helped swing it for me (some WT work trips poss in next 15 months ... not leisure!). Exit row seat choice will become a relevant benefit under the same theme.
Jan 28, 2012, 5:35 pm
#26
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: London N3
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; VS Lifetime Gold
Posts: 222
I would if I were you and not too far away from it... don't cause yourself any financial hardship however. It isn't worth that!
I haven't been silver since 2004 and would only accept to go back if it meant payback was that I could avoid flying as much as I have to now.
Try gold for a year and see, is what I'd say.
I've been the grateful recipient of GGL level with the jokers as well as GUF2s before that, but I'm happiest with normal gold level as the former came as a result of a couple years of paid F travel and 5000 TPs plus per year which was not sustainable in this economic climate in my industry.
I find service is generally better as a gold and I have a good deal of confidence in BA in case of IRROPS. As a GCH I find BA staff sometimes treat me as if I were a Premier cardholder - especially at certain outstations.
Removal of 'open doors' was an unwelcome slap in the face, but I can live without as a Priority Pass cardholder ^
Otherwise it is lounges. I find GF significantly better than the GCs at T5 thanks to the space, table service and some often superb wines. I appreciate the Flagship lounges on the AA network and I find F lounges where available (BKK, SYD, JFK, LAX etc) to be quieter and more pleasant.
HL
I haven't been silver since 2004 and would only accept to go back if it meant payback was that I could avoid flying as much as I have to now.
Try gold for a year and see, is what I'd say.
I've been the grateful recipient of GGL level with the jokers as well as GUF2s before that, but I'm happiest with normal gold level as the former came as a result of a couple years of paid F travel and 5000 TPs plus per year which was not sustainable in this economic climate in my industry.
I find service is generally better as a gold and I have a good deal of confidence in BA in case of IRROPS. As a GCH I find BA staff sometimes treat me as if I were a Premier cardholder - especially at certain outstations.
Removal of 'open doors' was an unwelcome slap in the face, but I can live without as a Priority Pass cardholder ^
Otherwise it is lounges. I find GF significantly better than the GCs at T5 thanks to the space, table service and some often superb wines. I appreciate the Flagship lounges on the AA network and I find F lounges where available (BKK, SYD, JFK, LAX etc) to be quieter and more pleasant.
HL
Jan 28, 2012, 5:50 pm
#27
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: SZD
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 674
Agree it's worth stretching to Gold for access to GF at T5 and AA Flagship Lounges at JFK and LAX (sadly no longer MIA), priority for involuntary UG (when, improbably, flying WT+) and prompt recognition during IRROPS; but only if already past 1000 TP and prepared/needing to spend approx. £3,500 on (eg) 3 CE in I x £500 + 1 CW in J x £2,000 to earn the 500 TP required.
Last edited by timezonehopper; Jan 28, 2012 at 6:29 pm
Jan 29, 2012, 7:37 am
#28
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: London N3
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; VS Lifetime Gold
Posts: 222
However, when planned CE trips didn't materialise but CW (LHR-MIA/JFK-LHR)did, AA in F (KUP) MIA-LAS-LAX-LAS-JFK + BA in Y (V) LHR-NCL-LHR earned me 500 TP (180+60+60+180+10+10) and retained Gold for £1,100.
Jan 29, 2012, 8:07 am
#29
Join Date: Dec 2009
Programs: BA GGL, Hilton Diamond, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,314
Gold is nice to have but not worth doing a run for I don't think. T5 F lounge is very nice, flagship lounges are variable IMHO, some of the F lounges are worth having (thinking LAX where J lounge gets really busy). Plus you get the occasional OpUp and soft benefits where it all goes Pete Tong.
My summary would be nice to have but not worth spending cash just to achieve. Now if BA could add some differentiation back........
My summary would be nice to have but not worth spending cash just to achieve. Now if BA could add some differentiation back........