Back to Blue
Aug 7, 2018, 2:53 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Cambridge, UK
Programs: BAEC Silver, IHG Platinum
Posts: 1,366
Back to Blue
Well, this is depressing. After about 15 years of Silver and more recently Bronze (around 5000 lifetime TPs) I now find myself downgraded to lowly Blue.
Initially it was fairly easy to maintain Silver. in the mid-2000s I was flying to the US in WTP around 4 times a year plus a few European trips for work and I usually flew BA on holidays and weekend breaks too. I then found myself flying less for work, travel expenses policies being less generous and I was using budget carriers more but was still able to maintain Bronze usually with a sneaky TP-run at the end of the year. In my membership year which just finished however, I was only able to collect a feeble 50 TPs of which none was business travel. Damn you WebEx.
So, I need to decide whether it is worth trying to make it back up the membership ladder or accept that my BAEC days are over.
Initially it was fairly easy to maintain Silver. in the mid-2000s I was flying to the US in WTP around 4 times a year plus a few European trips for work and I usually flew BA on holidays and weekend breaks too. I then found myself flying less for work, travel expenses policies being less generous and I was using budget carriers more but was still able to maintain Bronze usually with a sneaky TP-run at the end of the year. In my membership year which just finished however, I was only able to collect a feeble 50 TPs of which none was business travel. Damn you WebEx.
So, I need to decide whether it is worth trying to make it back up the membership ladder or accept that my BAEC days are over.
Aug 7, 2018, 3:31 pm
#2
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: LHR, LGW
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 3,418
If I could, I’d try a TP run just to get silver and repeat most years. I’m only a leisure flyer currently. Depends on your ‘now and future’ travel pattern...and whether it’s worth getting silver for the pattern.
Aug 7, 2018, 3:46 pm
#4
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Malta
Programs: BAEC Bronze
Posts: 671
Yes, me too, back to .blue next month. Senor Cruz’s ‘enhancements’ have not appealed, so I’ve been looking elsewhere. I generally fly in J unless prices are silly, so get a lounge anyway. However without going too much out of my way I should be in with a good chance of getting back to Silver next year. Even one long haul for you could put you half way there. If you are usually a Y or Y+ travelller it would be worth it,
Aug 7, 2018, 3:48 pm
#6
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,572
I would just get a priority pass card for lounges (if you want lounge access) and just use whatever carrier is best
If you arn't doing enough travel to earn status, is it really worth trying to spend money and waste a lot of time to buy it back?
If you arn't doing enough travel to earn status, is it really worth trying to spend money and waste a lot of time to buy it back?
Aug 7, 2018, 11:29 pm
#7
Join Date: Nov 2004
Programs: BA GGL, LH FTL
Posts: 3,578
At 50 tier points paying for priority boarding and a drink/snack at an airport restaurant will probably be cheaper overall than going on a tier point run.
Enjoy the fact that you have a life outside a metal tube!
Enjoy the fact that you have a life outside a metal tube!
Aug 8, 2018, 12:33 am
#8
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 6,349
But BAEC days over, definitely not. Still a handy repository for Avios earned through other means and airlines. And occasionally you will get unexpected bonus....I manage to get status whilst rarely using BA.
Aug 8, 2018, 12:45 am
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Cambridge, UK
Programs: BAEC Silver, IHG Platinum
Posts: 1,366
Probably not - but it's just something that I had got used to having for so long. The benefit I'm going to miss the most from Silver/Bronze is priority check-in. That alone can save over 30 minutes at some airports.
Aug 8, 2018, 4:32 am
#10
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: All good weekends in the UK begin at Heathrow :)
Programs: Amex MR, A3, BAEC
Posts: 195
Yes, me too, back to .blue next month. Senor Cruz’s ‘enhancements’ have not appealed, so I’ve been looking elsewhere. I generally fly in J unless prices are silly, so get a lounge anyway. However without going too much out of my way I should be in with a good chance of getting back to Silver next year. Even one long haul for you could put you half way there. If you are usually a Y or Y+ travelller it would be worth it,
I've been using BA points that I haven't been paying for flights, so I can't have been very profitable for them. But on the other hand, it's one way to get lounge access and priority check-in.
Aug 8, 2018, 4:45 am
#11
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: All good weekends in the UK begin at Heathrow :)
Programs: Amex MR, A3, BAEC
Posts: 195
I agree with you on this. It has helped a lot especially at airports with huge queues. I got that free before because we were travelling with our infant, although as they grow over two years old, we lose that benefit too...
Aug 8, 2018, 5:10 am
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: London
Programs: Hilton, IHG - BA, GA, LH, QR, SV, TK
Posts: 17,008
Well, this is depressing. After about 15 years of Silver and more recently Bronze (around 5000 lifetime TPs) I now find myself downgraded to lowly Blue.
...
So, I need to decide whether it is worth trying to make it back up the membership ladder or accept that my BAEC days are over.
...
So, I need to decide whether it is worth trying to make it back up the membership ladder or accept that my BAEC days are over.
Buy the easyJet equivalent of the Gold card and get yourself a Priority Pass. Or just buy your way into some of the perfectly nice eateries at Heathrow if you are caught there with time on your hands.
Aug 8, 2018, 5:42 am
#14
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,572
How often do you travel now and how often are you queuing for 30 minutes to check in?
Just need to accept that a pretty coloured card isn't there and you will soon see that it doesn't need to make a hige difference and just book on the best airline for a particular trip
Travelling without status really doesn't need to make much difference