xjk1

Dear all,

I'm a secondary school student due to graduate this summer and begin studying Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) at the University of Oxford in October. I'm now considering potential career paths to pursue thereafter. My interests lie namely in (i) Industrial Organisation (ii) Finance (iii) Development. I enjoy intellectually-challenging and research-type tasks.

As such, to date, I've considered all of (i) Pursuing an Economics PhD, preferably at a US top5 program, and then becoming a professor or, alternatively, working as an Economist at the World Bank/IMF or an Economist at an Economic/Legal consulting firm (especially one that specialises in Industrial Organisation/ antitrust such as Compass Lexecon) (ii) Working at a firm such as Compass Lexecon directly after my undergraduate degree (albeit not as an Economist) (iii) Pursuing US law school and becoming an Antitrust or corporate M&A lawyer or antitrust prosecutor (iv) Working in equity research (directly out of undergrad).

I've always enjoyed flying and would like to do a lot of it before I turn 40 (at which point heavy flying would likely become boring and come at a cost of family).

Although, of course, what I chose will not be based entirely off this, which of these careers (or which similar alternatives) would allow for the most and highest-quality flying right from the start?

Specifically, which would allow me to fly enough (at the front) to become GGL before I turn 30 and allow me to maintain a heavy flying schedule until about 40 before cooling down to max. 10 trips a year from then onwards?

I'd be thinking of working in either London, New York, or Hong Kong (or all of them simultaneously) so would have all of BA/AA/CX to rack up the TPs on!

Thank you for your help!

creflo

Beaulieu

So, I'm 26 and I've been GGL now for almost 2 years now and am normally earning about 6000TP per year.

I fell into my job while at university as a result of a side project I did, so I wouldn't pin anything particularly on the degree you end up doing. Apart from my specific degree (Computer Science) course, most of the friends I made at university ended up doing things mostly unrelated to their subject area. Anyway, I personally work predominantly on software in the rail industry - most of my recent work has been consulting with European and foreign entities. I do a reasonable amount of work that is in the public domain but this is all UK based, ironically the amount of travel required for that normally means I take domestic flights instead of using the trains that I provide information for...

Work travel contributes anywhere between a third and two thirds of my TP count normally and has done for about the last 5 years. About 1000TP/year comes from charitable work I do in Zambia supporting the computer systems and network at a hospital in its eastern province as a result of family links, I travel there on my own dime and contribute a good amount of equipment. The remaining amount is normally done from cheap fares on holidays and normally doing some more TP efficient itineraries. Having said that, the latter is normally because I quite enjoy flying and like trying out various different aircraft in any case. It's possibly worth adding that I personally have a business class or higher policy for anything over an hour or two for long standing health reasons.

BAfromZRH

Dear xjk1
Please don't get me wrong, but I think your optimism needs some advice. First; choose a career that fits your preferences, a position that gives you joy to work in an environment where you can develop and grow. Second; finish your studies first, there is a long way to bachelor, then master and maybe a PhD. And please, write a doctoral thesis about something that interests you personally, because it's a p* in the a* if you have to write some papers for peer review about something you are not interested in. Third; a status has no inherent value itself. It's worth almost nothing if your employer pays you a first flight anyway and if he does, make him pay for Lufthansa or Emirates. All the fuzz around status is made by airlines to bind the paying customers, it's really not important in the end.

If you like flying that much, why don't you become a pilot? Why the detour in academics?

All the best!

bisonrav

Flying only really becomes fun when you don't have to do it. One of life's little paradoxes.

frandrake

LOL

Setting aside for a second that it is indeed odd to choose a career and a lifestyle just based on a airline status, we can transform this in a question like: what industries are more likely to offer a generous travel policy?

The answer in my experience is quite easy and obvious: follow the money.

If you work for profit rich industries in one of the top 3-4 companies, you would probably get J class travel quite easily even if not very senior. You also need a regional or global role, so that travel is instrumental in achieving your goals and can happen without you begging your boss for it.

Interestingly (and again quite obviously) I must say that when I was travelling mostly Y and I needed status the most, it was very hard to attain and retain. Now that I climbed the ladder and always travel (LH) in J, status is easy to attain/retain but less useful as most perks come with the tariff anyway.

Beaulieu

Too true. Travelling when you have to is not enjoyable in the slightest, I do rather enjoy flying trips when when it has nothing to do with work though!

ScienceTeacher

I love your enthusiasm of flying! I caught it at 17 and it hasn't faded... even a little bit! I have gone so far to actually learn to fly a small plane... Anyway. I'd also like to offer my sincere congratulations on getting into a prestigious place for your further education. I have two students headed to Oxbridge this year; Physics at Oxford and Natural Sciences at Cambridge (grades permitting!) this October. They are really excited. And Scared!

Now the serious bit. University is really weird lesson in life where you get a sum of money every month, have a weird variety of classes (some you like) and you're also surrounded by like minded people. Your afforded amazing life stories by people who have dedicated their lives to what you will study in only one term. My advice is do not shy away from all options just yet; see where University takes you. You might find yourself longing for a job which is travel intensive or something that pays well but is 9-5. Whatever you do chose, all the best and make sure you are are happy... not the airline!

gms

Why the obsession with obtaining GGL?

As others have pointed out, trying to pick a career based on achieving airline status is crazy. Pick a career path you will enjoy. But trying to plan 5 years ahead, let alone 25 years ahead in this day and age is in my view pointless. The world, technology and business are changing at a faster pace than ever before.

Carmer

I would say consulting--think something along the lines of McKinsey. I work at a comparable firm, and the travel is as much as you would like. I was, for instance, back and forth between London/NY weekly for a stint; typical policy for long-haul is 2x month fly backs, so clearly the TPs would add up quickly.

Clearly, the disadvantage is the wear-and-tear on yourself.

C

ClubflyerLondon

I echo the comments of not planning your career around some airline status, pursue what interests you and you cant go wrong. I am in my mid thirties and have become a GGL recently, the last five years i have been running my own businesses primarily in the tech sector across a number of countries /Regions inc USA, EMEA and APAC. before i went in to setting up my own business i spent nearly 10 years in Investment banking with frequent travel to New York, Tokyo and Hong Kong etc so frequent J and now F class travel is art of my life achieving status was never a goal/ambition but simply a outcome/byproduct of work and business needs.
However a premier card would be nice with my corporate spend on BA approaching > 1m GBP (group travel spend not just me!) in 2018. I also now spend a minimum of 50-70% of my time travelling and the excitement went many years ago

xjk1

Thank you all for the responses! Sorry if it might not have been clear but I'm not trying to plan the next 25 years of my life based solely off of the prospect of getting GGL. As I stated before, my main interests are in Industrial organisation and antitrust etc, Finance, and Development. I also very much enjoy Political Theory & Political Philosophy, Logic, Philosophy of Science, Mathematical Analysis and much more (PPE is a degree that will allow me to pursue all these interests and will also make me very analytical, rigorous, and understanding - hence why I chose to apply for it). I enjoy playing and watching various sports too, and enjoy watching films etc. etc. etc. However, at least at this point: (i) Industrial Organisation (ii) Finance (iii) Development are what interest me most and are fields which various career paths (namely those I listed) would allow me to explore/ approach in different manners. @BAfromZRH , for example, I would love writing a thesis on one of these fields and pursuing a PhD specialising in it (in fact even to date I've written various brief 20-page or so papers on optimal patents, patent races, derivatives, financial crises etc) and would also enjoy working in equity research (based off work experience I've done) and assume I'd enjoy working somewhere such as Compass Lexecon based off the fact that what they do aligns very heavily with my interests. I'm not just listing random careers and asking which one I should pursue just to get GGL!!

I have always loved flying and as such, how much I get to fly, and the quality of that flying, will play a role in determining what career to pursue (which I don't think is OTT for FT given that on the thread pertaining to whether or not one would ever choose to take a job with a Y-only policy, many said no, even if the job would come with substantial financial perks, and given that some fly for days on TP-runs all the way to Hawaii to get status!).

Its the substantial flying (usually in J+) required to get GGL, and not so much the GGL card itself, that entices me (again, sorry if this wasn't clearly articulated). Also, I've always really wanted a status card, and especially a GGL/CCR card, just for the sense of achievement and prestige! (Although I feel this desire would quickly fade after actually receiving the cards and being used to J/F travel....). Overall though, its the substantial flying at the front of the plane that would get me GGL, and not so much the GGL card itself, which I'm after in a career.

And the reason for me trying to plan is mainly because to get into a highly competitive field, one needs to structure their degree in a particular way, take internships etc, and so thinking about it earlier is always better!

Ldnn1

I would also make the point that we have no idea whether GGL will still exist, or what it might look like if it does, by the time you're 30. Same goes for TPs and all the other current features of BAEC.

[Edit: your post above clarifies that it's the flying you're more interested in as opposed to the status itself.]

Ancient Observer

I would hope that doing a PPE and meeting fascinating students and tutors will open your mind even further. You might even invent your own future version of Apple/Whatever. (In which case, GGL is irrelevant as you will become Premier.) You might decide to become something completely different. Teach First??

Keep your options open...................but know that the competition for your dream job will be selling themselves to that great employer from day 3 at Uni., so open options, but an intent to compete for the best jobs is required. (Why Day 3 . ?? Day 1 is beer, day 2 is sex, and day 3 is sector/profession and employer hunting.)

Intern work is something you need to investigate carefully.

If, after 3 years of mind expansion, you still do want your employer to pay for you to fly a lot, follow frandrake's advice. Get a job in a global top 3 or 4 Company, which is in a sector with high gross margins, and seek to make the job Global. Sectors such as Pharms and Oil will continue to have high margins for many years, as will consulting. McKinsey/Bain hire a lot of Oxbridge PPEs. Make sure you get a job with a route open to a Global HQ. Being no 1 in a "we don't care about that market" subsidiary is frustrating.

Avoid becoming Audit fodder at a beancounters. They are good at spin about their jobs, but............

After a year or two of employment, if that is what you decide to do, then consider doing an MBA at a decent School. London, Manchester, Insead still have good reputations in Europe, and a pitch for Harvard, Wharton, Stanford and Columbia is always worth it.

But..........................I went to Uni and PG to have fun. Much of the rest of my career was kind of accidental, and I enjoyed most of it - including lots of Gold years. (When Gold meant GGL).

xjk1

@ClubflyerLondon , @gms , @creflo , @BAfromZRH . Thank you a lot for your responses!! Above I've outlined most of my reasoning.


Thank you @ScienceTeacher , and congratulations with your students' acceptances this year to Oxbridge! Best of luck to them. And thanks regarding the advice regarding flying and choosing. I do think university will be an interesting time that will help refine my thinking and perhaps guide me with choosing a career; my question is mainly regarding which careers are best in terms of maximising flying and TPs (things which I, bizarrely, really enjoy) which will play a role in helping me finally decide an exact path to pursue.

And interesting to hear that you had the same fascination in flying at my age! I've also been fortunate enough to have a few flying lessons (albeit nowhere near enough to get a licsense, although that may be coming down the road!

Intresting! Thank you. I mean I haven't ever travelled for work, so I couldn't really comment, but I personally really enjoy being in the air and also don't like being in one spot for too long! I'd much prefer, at least while I'm young, constantly moving around, and living primarily from hotel rooms!

And, @frandrake , @Beaulieu , and @Carmer thank you for the specific insights relating to where the flying can be found! Indeed, I've heard consulting at places like McKinsey and Boston Consulting group leads to constant flying. I'm not sure the extent to which I'd enjoy that line of work, however. Do you know if consultants at places like Compass Lexecon also fly a lot (even if its a bit less than McKinsey and Boston Consulting) and whether it's primarily short-haul/ long-haul, F/J/Y?