eefor jfp

Asiana is tempting since they do offer lifetime Star Alliance Gold after 500K status miles and Star Gold status after 40,000 status miles in a two year period (with only 30K status miles in a two year period to renew). BUT Star Alliance, like BA doesn't give very much for economy tickets (even ones where you're paying $1500-$2000 for a ticket from Europe to the US) and the bonus for biz class isn't that great (like 25%). Anyway, you would need to fly 32,000 miles in biz class which is like three normal round trips to the US or to Asia to get Star Gold status and maybe two to retain it (again, in a two year period). Redeeming miles used to be a huge hassle (having to go into Asiana's offices) but it's supposed to be better now and the award chart for redemptions has some definite sweet spots (i.e. 50,000 miles one way for First from Europe to the US). And finally, Star is the largest alliance and has great reach pretty much everywhere, so having *G status can be useful if you're going off the beaten path.

crazyarmadillo

we will be gold for life in around 10 months or so, so same sort of question we are asking ourselves. We fly exclusively to the US and within the US, with the occasional ex-eu as well.

Once we both get GFL, we will still fly and choose BA where applicable, but credit our miles etc to AA, as we fly AA a lot as well domestically. So with that you get MCE, booze, the flagship lounges etc. Also benefit from upgrades stickers etc with the AAdvantage program.


On the transatlantice routes we will continue choosing BA - I suppose that stems from the fact I used to work for them when i was a kid and also the employees just can be so great.

AlreadyThere

Congratulations. And shed a tear for those of us in AA's programme, who have no possibility of attaining OneWorld Emerald status for life no matter how much we fly.

crazyarmadillo

i know, I still don't understand why AA allow so many non-AA members the benefits, whilst their own members don't get them. Doesn't make any sense to me, but I think it originates from the Admirals Clubs being a separate cost center or something like that, Its changed recently though I believe, as OWS also get in the the clubs as well now.

BAEC is a huge benefit tbh , especially for us - certainly a big plus for flying BA along with the employees being great.

HIDDY

Carry on as normal.....fly QR.

SQTraveller

I read this thread with much enjoyment though I have almost no hope of getting to Gold for Life

Dr. HFH

M,This conversation exists in various forms in several places on FT. I start from the opinion that the main point of getting status is to enjoy the benefits, whatever they are. So, while some get top tier status at one place and immediately shift their business elsewhere to get top tier status there, too; I like to stay where I am and enjoy the privileges which come with my top status. Now, I know that it's different on airlines from what it is in hotels. As someone mentioned, if you're flying in premium cabins anyway, that dilutes a lot of the value of top tier status. But you're still prioritized for operational upgrades, some type of bump in miles earned, priority boarding, checkin, etc. This might be a consideration for you given that you're now flying less anyway.

Obviously, this all depends greatly on your flying habits. Mine are consistent and predictable. I fly 4-6 roundtrips per year between BKK and BOS in J. Yes, there is the occasional trip outside of the pattern (this year, for example, some friends and I went to Vietnam for 10 days, and I met my cousin in Dubai for a week); but the BKK/BOS trips are the staple of my travel. And when I'm on an award ticket, you're just as likely to find me flying BKK-HKG-BOS or vice versa on CX F as on my usual QR. But that, too, would change if QR withdraws from OW (which I doubt is going to happen).


You're apparently staying in the wrong places. LC, StR and RC properties are all big name, big chain properties where top tier status does make a difference. And I expect that most/all will satisfy your other half's requirements, no matter how exacting they are!

GrayAnderson

Some of it is going to depend on your travel patterns. Where are you generally flying to/from? My gut would be to shoot for status on one of the other alliances.

Edit: I think the big asterisk on the "enjoying the benefits" front is that the OP was shunting business to BA to clear status. Now that he doesn't need to do that, it becomes a question of whether he could/should work on another status somewhere that can give him broader travel options.

Dave Noble

I would just focus on schedule, quality and price - it would be very rare for BA to win for me in anything other than shorthaul economy , since I don't think that the quality standard is there

Once you cut yourself feee , you may wonder why you didn't do it before

TravellerFrequently

Still sticking to BA with my GfL as I like the CCR card and the routes suit me.

GGLfL is very unlikely but not quite impossible, so that thought is at the far back of my mind.

SKT-DK

I am in sort of the "reverse" situation, at least from a BA perspective. I got my SK/*G Lifetime Gold in spring of this year which was a bit of a relief. I prioritise my BA Gold, and with the other one guaranteed I can now focus on BA easier. That said, even after hitting the 1,500 TPs, I fly oneworld wherever possible, as I appreciate the quality and service as top tier more than that of the Star Alliance equivalents, but it is nice to be covered on Star when oneworld is not a convenient option.

So guess my advise to the OP would be to go with what you prefer in terms of price versus quality. Star Alliance is huge these days, so should be fairly easy building up status there too if that is the desire (SK is pretty easy to reach Gold too).

rossmacd

Whilst I understand your sentiments, it is not so clear cut as you make out. Whilst I agree that flying BA may not live up to the quality standards some expect, you have to remember that there is a difference between flying BA and crediting OW flights to BAEC.

Many of us who are heavy creditors to BAEC, are not necessarily heavy BA fliers.

Robespierre

oxtailsoup

Wozza2404

I'm in the same boat. I only joined BAEC in 2012 and only really started using them after walking away from EK at the end of 2013. For the past couple of years I've wandered off to other airlines once I've gone past 3500TPs as I'd rather fly EY, EK, etc. than put another 1500 TPs through BA purely for a CCR card I'd hardly use.

However, I've recently realised that if I do put all my flying through OW even past the 3500TP mark I'll hit GfL in 2020 (currently on something like 24k) and being 34 that 'for life' part could end up being pretty useful for a decent amount of time.

As such, the next 2 years will see all my flying going through OW, and once I hit GfL I'll go back to putting 3500 through them as the jokers and GUF vouchers are really handy with a young family.

Should they change the goalposts for GGL at any point, then once I've got GfL I'll with whoever has the best price, route and timings - which will likely see me spending a lot more time on EY, TK, and LX.