citiflyerUK

I'm currently Silver with 960 tier points. My membership year ends on October 8th. I'd like to get to Gold (mainly just because I doubt I'll have the opportunity for a few years after this year).

I'm looking for the cheapest way to get the remaining 540 tier points. I'm free from the 20-26th of September to do a trip or can do weekend trips.

Any help would be much appreciated. Also is it true that if you get Gold, the following year you get Silver membership even if you do not achieve the threshold or have I misunderstood an earlier post I read.

Thanks!

Paralytic

Missed opportunity on the thread title there



Do you have a budget in mind? Would you be willing to start in Europe for a reduced cost (meaning flying to, eg, Amsterdam first). Have you looked a the existing Tier Point run thread: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...er-thread.html

You're right that if you get Gold and fail to qualify the next year, you'll automatically drop to Silver even if you don't get the tier points for that level.

KenJohn

QR has some very low J fares from CDG, FRA and MXP to the Far East; (e.g. KUL) 140 TPs x 4 = 560 TPs

Alternatively ex-EUR with LCY-JFK with paid CE flights to EUR start point should get you there. Some decent prices going.

http://matrix.itasoftware.com/ is the tool to play with. Doubt if you can do it under £1000. Its too many TPs.

citiflyerUK

I'd ideally like to keep it below £1000. I'm happy to start in Europe. I have a few avios which can get me to Europe to start with.

I had looked at doing LHR-JFK-LHR in Y and then a first class trip in the US (JFK-Anchorage via DFW) but then the price shot up. I did have it at about £800 in total before it increased.

Sorry if the thread is in the wrong place. I did look through the trip run thread but there those which are quoted I couldn't find at the prices very similar to those quoted.

paul4040

Under £1000 is going to be unlikely to be honest. There are some good sale fares in Europe for 80TP destinations at the moment, but these would require more time and compulsory Saturday night stays.

Fly Baby

I have to ask - are you sure you want to do this? Spending over £1000 to sit in the Flounge a couple of times next year doesn't strike me as very good value for money. You already get lounge access and seat selection with silver. What is that £1000+ going to do for you if you hand it over to BA?

It may be more enjoyable and rewarding to put that money towards a holiday destination that you really want to see at a time that really suits you next year?

Of course its up to you, but gold is worth very little above silver. Especially so if you aren't planning to fly much with BA next year as your post suggests?

Ultimately, its your choice and I hope you have real fun spending it (whatever you choose) - just don't be influenced by the perceived importance of FF status. At the end of the day - the flounge is just a public waiting room!

LondonElite

Very wise advice!

RolandLondon

I agree with FlyBaby. Spending £1000 of your own money and giving up a few days for Gold just doesn't seem worth it. You get most of the benefits with Silver.

Getting GGL for GUFs and Jokers may be justified by a TP run if you are on your way there anyway but Gold in itself doesn't seem to justify the time, cost and effort.

IFE Wizard

If you get to New York you can do LGA-PHL-PHX-LGB return in first for £650. this gives you around 660 TP's. I say around because you may only get economy from LGB (Long Beach) to PHX giving you a total of 620 TP's.

I did look to see what LGA-PHL-PHX would cost but this is more expensive.

peck

I presume OP is doing this for the soft landing in a couple of years time. However if this is not the case, please heed Fly Baby's advice. There is so little difference between gold and silver I don't think I'd pay £100 let alone £1000, and I certainly wouldn't waste a week of holiday!

citiflyerUK

I will be flying alot but in Y and almost entirely short haul so it is unlikely that I'd get to Gold. It would also be an opportunity to go somewhere so its not completely useless. But thanks for the comments and suggestions.

IFE Wizard

I have to agree with the comments above, re is a gold card really worth £1,000.

Yes, I spent £1,500 earlier this year on a BRU-HNL trip but to me this was primarily a "road trip" and a short holiday in Hawaii. The TP' were, to me just a bonus.

I am, in the next couple of weeks, doing the LGA-PHL-PHX-LGB trip because it is far cheaper than flying direct in BA Premium Economy to LAX. I have a conference to attend so need to travel. Again the TP's are a bonus but a bonus that will get me GGL.

bluemoon68

In a similar situation myself, I see the main benefits of gold are the increased availability of reward flights and the ability to choose seats early.

paul4040

The increased availability is in Economy only, and you can choose seats for free at the time of booking as a Silver (not 1A/K in F, or first row or two of CE, but still).

bluemoon68

3 of my last 4 reward trips had the message that seats were being made available because of my Gold status.

Recent hostilities aside, LHR-TLV in particular has proved difficult to get sufficient seats on one flight without the gold benefit.

Also, now that my children holiday without me, I don't want to get them too accustomed to non-economy flying!