Zero to GGL as a leisure traveller
Dec 4, 2018, 8:54 am
#16
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: New York, NY
Programs: BAEC Gold, Delta Platinum, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold, AMEX Platinum (US)
Posts: 18,487
Certainly not *that* difficult to earn GGL as a leisure traveller. Back in 2008 I did a 4 continent RTW in FC, back when you could do 20 flights on the one ticket (although mine was only 19 segments), and FC of 2000+ miles was just 180 tier points. I think I made about 3000 tier points on that one trip alone and other oneworld travel added another 1000 tier points. If I hadn't been bothered about retaining Star Alliance Gold as well I could have concentrated that travel onto oneworld for a comfortable 5000+ tier points in the one calendar year. Alas my membership year fell right in the middle of all the travel so it was split across two years.
Dec 4, 2018, 9:03 am
#17
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Egham, Surrey, UK
Programs: Mucci Champion des Champions, BAG4L, *A Gold, HH DIA, Hyatt Explorist, Hertz Gold, Avis President
Posts: 3,416
I'm another leisure GGL flyer. My earlier work travel contributed substantially to Gold for Life but over the past 10 years have managed GGL level TP's with virtually no business flights. Does take a bit of planning and GUF2's are useful for the few extra TP's. Haven't had to do a TP run for a few years but am tempted by the AA 321T transcon flights from BOS and JFK to LAX and onto HNL so may well do that next year. SWMBO regularly gets 3-4K TP's as well - I tend to do some extra flights as I have more time on my hands.
Dec 4, 2018, 12:54 pm
#20
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 331
Whatever brings you happiness, etc - however, I can’t help but feel that if you are scraping GGL through leisure travel alone, then you are probably not maximising your opportunities for travel using Avios and rewards. Only you can say whether GGL brings you more happiness than effecting solid mileage accrural and redemption strategies.
Dec 5, 2018, 1:43 am
#23
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Middle of Nowhere
Programs: Lowly BAEC Bronze, VS, IHG Platinum, HHonors Gold, Hotels.com Gold
Posts: 231
Maybe OP would consider a charity raffle, or donating them to somehow raise money for a good cause, given the season. I'm sure there are sites out there that could help. Raffles perhaps?
I'm not trying to suggest that us FT folk are not "a good cause", obviously
... just that there are... *better* causes out there.
/sanctimony
P.S. I know there has been controversy with Gold / Silver cards being donated previously
I'm not trying to suggest that us FT folk are not "a good cause", obviously
... just that there are... *better* causes out there./sanctimony
P.S. I know there has been controversy with Gold / Silver cards being donated previously
Dec 5, 2018, 2:21 am
#24
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: coastal Croatia
Programs: BAEC Gold, M&M Senator
Posts: 2,181
Maybe OP would consider a charity raffle, or donating them to somehow raise money for a good cause, given the season. I'm sure there are sites out there that could help. Raffles perhaps?
I'm not trying to suggest that us FT folk are not "a good cause", obviously... just that there are... *better* causes out there.
/sanctimony
P.S. I know there has been controversy with Gold / Silver cards being donated previously
I'm not trying to suggest that us FT folk are not "a good cause", obviously
... just that there are... *better* causes out there./sanctimony
P.S. I know there has been controversy with Gold / Silver cards being donated previously
Dec 5, 2018, 3:00 am
#25
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Barcelona, London, on a plane
Programs: BA Silver, TK E+, AA PP, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 13,048
Whatever brings you happiness, etc - however, I can’t help but feel that if you are scraping GGL through leisure travel alone, then you are probably not maximising your opportunities for travel using Avios and rewards. Only you can say whether GGL brings you more happiness than effecting solid mileage accrural and redemption strategies.
That said, fare sales (+ error fares) can work out far easier and even cost effective than paying those BA surcharges for reward tickets, GUF + Joker or not...
Dec 5, 2018, 6:32 am
#26
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Middle of Nowhere
Programs: Lowly BAEC Bronze, VS, IHG Platinum, HHonors Gold, Hotels.com Gold
Posts: 231
Dec 5, 2018, 1:40 pm
#28
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: coastal Croatia
Programs: BAEC Gold, M&M Senator
Posts: 2,181
Of course! Don't feel any obligation to do so. I was more poking fun at those being cheeky enough to ask for the donation, as in if you're going to give it away to someone random off the internet, it may as well be for charity! But hopefully all in good fun - I didn't meant to offend!
Dec 5, 2018, 2:54 pm
#29
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: NYC/LAX/ATL
Programs: JAL Diamond, BAEC Gold, AS 75K, VS Gold, AC 50K, WoH Globalist, HHonors Diamond, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 237
This is literarily the life I want!
I am on 58 flights this year (111,120 miles), 34 domestic (mainly AA LAX-JFK runs) and 24 intl. There are three more flights coming up (2AA, 1BA, but they count for the 2019 cycle). But as I definitely WON'T be able to make GGL I stopped at Gold and just enjoy all Emerald benefits on OW flights.
I am on 58 flights this year (111,120 miles), 34 domestic (mainly AA LAX-JFK runs) and 24 intl. There are three more flights coming up (2AA, 1BA, but they count for the 2019 cycle). But as I definitely WON'T be able to make GGL I stopped at Gold and just enjoy all Emerald benefits on OW flights.
Dec 6, 2018, 1:28 am
#30
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: Jersey
Programs: BA Bronze Executive Club Member
Posts: 50
You make a valid point but sometimes you want to achieve certain goals even though it makes absolutely no sense whatsoever to do them. Take me for instance... I am doing two TP runs next year to get me to get me to BAEC Gold but I may never really benefit from being Gold. I am not a frequent flyer and normally only fly a few times a year when, for the most part, being a gold will not really give me any benefits... certainly nothing worth the money it took to get me there... yet I want to do it! Don't ask me why. Call it a challenge if you like but there you are. I accept all the criticism I get for spending money on something that, for me in my circumstances, seems totally trivial and pointless. I cannot argue against it but sometimes it isn't only about the money. In my case, I wanted to do a cheap RTW run and the good price for OTP-PHX came up so I went for it. My wife thinks I am mad!!!!
In my case, I wanted to do a cheap RTW run and the good price for OTP-PHX came up so I went for it. My wife thinks I am mad!!!!