Receiving my bronze baec welcome pack has given me the hunger to reach silver
Jul 4, 2018, 6:40 am
#31
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 2,217
I do a lot of flying each year in ET, earning 5TPs on most of those sectors. For me, maintaining silver is quite important because I do value lounge access, easier boarding and seat allocation, for example. It also gives me an enhanced rate in accumulating avios which is important if I want to get the most from my AmEx 2for1s. Maintaining silver can be a challenge and, so far, I haven't had to resort to TP runs. I personally think the OP should go for it.
Jul 4, 2018, 6:53 am
#32
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,572
Jul 4, 2018, 6:55 am
#33
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold, A3 *Gold
Posts: 887
The Palma option gets you 160 tier points for Ł425 flying 20/7-23/7 and would give you 3 nights somewhere nice at that time of year - is this not worth it and then try to pick up another 35 points as part of regular travel?
Jul 4, 2018, 6:57 am
#34
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 756
Jul 4, 2018, 7:06 am
#35
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold, A3 *Gold
Posts: 887
Note you can reduce to Ł225 if you have a spare 38,000 avios as well... Or check out BA Holiday to include a hotel/car.
Jul 4, 2018, 7:32 am
#36
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2017
Programs: British Airways | Executive Club silver
Posts: 104
If you need to stick to those specific five days, and want a (relatively) low hassle, low risk option you could try nested pairs from Scotland to London and back between 20 and 24 July.
Book EDI/GLA-LON out on the morning of the 20th, back on the afternoon/evening of the 24th as one ticket - Ł225ish, 80TP in CE.
Book LON-EDI/GLA out on the afternoon/evening of the 20th and back on the morning of the 24th as one ticket - Ł225ish, 80TP in CE.
With just those two bookings, you'd get 160TP for around Ł450 (not great, not bad), no hotels needed. You could do a same-day return on the 22nd (EDI-LGW) in CE for another Ł225ish (80TP). That would be 240 TP for Ł675 with no hotels, and the 21st and 23rd off!
Or you could repeat the 20th/24th exercise on 21 and 23 July, but you'd only need CE for one of the pairs (Ł225ish, 80TP). You could do ET HBO for the other (Ł80ish, 10TP). That would be 250 TP for around Ł750, no hotels, and you can take the 22nd off!
Book EDI/GLA-LON out on the morning of the 20th, back on the afternoon/evening of the 24th as one ticket - Ł225ish, 80TP in CE.
Book LON-EDI/GLA out on the afternoon/evening of the 20th and back on the morning of the 24th as one ticket - Ł225ish, 80TP in CE.
With just those two bookings, you'd get 160TP for around Ł450 (not great, not bad), no hotels needed. You could do a same-day return on the 22nd (EDI-LGW) in CE for another Ł225ish (80TP). That would be 240 TP for Ł675 with no hotels, and the 21st and 23rd off!
Or you could repeat the 20th/24th exercise on 21 and 23 July, but you'd only need CE for one of the pairs (Ł225ish, 80TP). You could do ET HBO for the other (Ł80ish, 10TP). That would be 250 TP for around Ł750, no hotels, and you can take the 22nd off!
2nd part having probs Ł350+ and can't get lcy into it
Jul 4, 2018, 7:55 am
#37
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold, A3 *Gold
Posts: 887
You can do Gatwick nested bookings using the above trick on 22nd and 24th
Jul 4, 2018, 7:59 am
#38
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 756
Plenty of options EDI-GLA/LON.
Jul 4, 2018, 8:07 am
#39
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 756
Some CE nested pairs options:
EDI-LCY and LCY-GLA (20 & 24 July): Ł450, 160TP
EDI-LGW and LGW-EDI (22 & 24 July): Ł450, 160 TP
EDI-LGW and LGW-EDI (23 & 24 July): Ł450, 160 TP
EDI-LGW and LGW-EDI (21 & 24 July): Ł500, 160 TP
Some CE same-day options:
EDI-LGW-EDI (22 July): Ł225, 80TP
EDI-LGW-EDI (23 July): Ł225, 80TP
EDI-LGW-EDI (24 July): Ł225, 80TP
EDI-LCY and LCY-GLA (20 & 24 July): Ł450, 160TP
EDI-LGW and LGW-EDI (22 & 24 July): Ł450, 160 TP
EDI-LGW and LGW-EDI (23 & 24 July): Ł450, 160 TP
EDI-LGW and LGW-EDI (21 & 24 July): Ł500, 160 TP
Some CE same-day options:
EDI-LGW-EDI (22 July): Ł225, 80TP
EDI-LGW-EDI (23 July): Ł225, 80TP
EDI-LGW-EDI (24 July): Ł225, 80TP
Jul 4, 2018, 8:15 am
#40
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Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: London
Programs: Mucci. Nothing else matters.
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But part of giving good advice is warning about possible misconceptions, and about a possible waste of time, effort and money. The post that describes Silver as a "reward" rings alarm bells. But only the OP can work out for themselves whether that's a false alarm.
Jul 4, 2018, 8:19 am
#41
Join Date: Nov 2017
Programs: BA, Hilton
Posts: 2,091
You don't even have to nest a separate ticket, could even fly an EDI-GLA as one. I don't know if your location is such that getting home from GLA later at night would be an issue, but you could do e.g. this, for 160TP:
(I admit the short connection time at LCY surprised me, seems they will support as little as 30 minutes). But as newyorklondon says, you have lots of options if you do nest one within the other, and I'd give consideration to JP Flyer's PMI suggestion to for that real TP running feel
(I admit the short connection time at LCY surprised me, seems they will support as little as 30 minutes). But as newyorklondon says, you have lots of options if you do nest one within the other, and I'd give consideration to JP Flyer's PMI suggestion to for that real TP running feel
Jul 4, 2018, 8:31 am
#42
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 756
He's perfectly free to do so if he wishes. Indeed, it's perfectly possible that the OP's normal flying patterns mean that getting to Silver would be very good value for money because he'd get a lot out of the benefits.
But part of giving good advice is warning about possible misconceptions, and about a possible waste of time, effort and money. The post that describes Silver as a "reward" rings alarm bells. But only the OP can work out for themselves whether that's a false alarm.
But part of giving good advice is warning about possible misconceptions, and about a possible waste of time, effort and money. The post that describes Silver as a "reward" rings alarm bells. But only the OP can work out for themselves whether that's a false alarm.
Jul 4, 2018, 8:40 am
#43
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Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: JER
Programs: BA Gold/OWE, several MUCCI, and assorted Pensions!
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The varous ‘caution bells’ are conveying sensible advice, rather than perhaps criticising the OP. And ONLY the OP can determine, sensibly and calmly, how beneficial Silver will be. If it is ... go for it.
It’s often an emotive subject here, and Status Addiction can be seen as an incurable disease! We decided going to HNL to get our first Gold was ‘sensible’ ... as it was a holiday. But it’s all about personal circumstances as to where the ‘benefits’ fall. I occasionally challenge myself about Gold renewal, but end up doing it anyway. Because we can
It’s often an emotive subject here, and Status Addiction can be seen as an incurable disease! We decided going to HNL to get our first Gold was ‘sensible’ ... as it was a holiday. But it’s all about personal circumstances as to where the ‘benefits’ fall. I occasionally challenge myself about Gold renewal, but end up doing it anyway. Because we can
Jul 4, 2018, 8:46 am
#44
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2017
Programs: British Airways | Executive Club silver
Posts: 104
You don't even have to nest a separate ticket, could even fly an EDI-GLA as one. I don't know if your location is such that getting home from GLA later at night would be an issue, but you could do e.g. this, for 160TP:
(I admit the short connection time at LCY surprised me, seems they will support as little as 30 minutes). But as newyorklondon says, you have lots of options if you do nest one within the other, and I'd give consideration to JP Flyer's PMI suggestion to for that real TP running feel
(I admit the short connection time at LCY surprised me, seems they will support as little as 30 minutes). But as newyorklondon says, you have lots of options if you do nest one within the other, and I'd give consideration to JP Flyer's PMI suggestion to for that real TP running feel
the nest option works and with a few avios can get it below 400