GGL timing and companion card questions
 

It looks like I will hit my first GGL threshold - 5,000 TP - (having to date been a humble gold) on 25 Feb 2019. My TP year end is 08 Mar 2019 (i.e. a couple of weeks later).

I am a bit confused as to how the joker and executive club companion card arrangements work. On the latter there seems to be some contradictory advice as either BA has changed matters or more strictly enforces its agreement.

• Jokers: I believe I get 2 jokers on or around 25 Feb 2019 (or however long after BA's IT systems take to credit the jokers). I believe I get 2 more jokers on or around 08 Mar 2019 (when the membership year renews). Is that correct or do I only get the second pair of jokers if I hit 3,000 TP to renew GGL status? How long do I have to use (meaning use to book with) the first 2 jokers? Is it literally a matter of a few days? Or do a get a calendar year to use them like the GUFs? I appreciate that when I use the jokers, the flights can be booked for 364 days out.
• BAEC Gold membership companion card: The FAQ says "At the beginning of your membership year, you can share your membership benefits by giving someone else an Executive Club Gold Partner Card". Does this mean I have to wait until 08 Mar 2019, or can I (when hitting GGL for the first time) nominate someone else for GGL immediately? I believe it's the latter. If so, suppose I immediately nominate X, whose BAEC membership year ends on 08 Sep 2019. For how long with X's gold benefit last? Until 08 Mar 2019 (i.e. a few days)? Or until 08 Sep 2019? Or until 08 Sep 2020? If I really get to nominate someone at the beginning of the membership year for Gold, then is there any benefit in nominating X again after 08 Mar 2019? Can I instead nominate Y (let's say Y's membership year ends 08 Oct 2019) - in that case would X and Y's gold status run in parallel? Or does nominating someone else cancel a previous nomination?
• Lastly for those with companion cards, I guess their earning ability continues whether I not I nominate them. In this case X has ~1,000 TP and might (just) scrape gold anyway - X is earning rather slower than me. If that happens, can I change my nomination?

Yes I did. I don't think it answers my questions (or if it did I'm missing the answers). Particularly on the companion card section it refers to the GGL timing thread which now has information which appears to be contradictory or out of date particularly with respect to the end dates of the Gold companion nomination cards. Re the jokers that thread suggests (as I wanted to confirm above) that I'll receive 2 jokers which will expire almost immediately (on 8 Mar) and then another 2 jokers on 8 Mar - my confusion here is that knowing BAs IT and how long TPs take to post on partner airlines the first two jokers might well expire before they are issued!

Yes I'll be hitting 5,000 TP. The 3,000 TP reference was for the renewal.

A few days to use. Then you get a new pair immediately once your year ticks over. I heard a way to get over the short expiry life for your first 2 is to book a route that you will use. Then you can make changes to the dates once you firm up the dates. but otherwise quite a short period to use the first pair if you qualify late in the year.


IIRC, your first 3 nominations (1 gold, 2 silvers) will last for the end of the current membership + till the end of the following membership year (ie stub year + 1st full year). Then, if you qualify again, you will get another 3 nomination at the beginning of the 2nd full membership year and so forth.


To maximise the time for your nominee:
1. For a new member - register their account FIRST. Then nominate them, they should get a tad over ~2 years (ie end of their current membership year + the following). If think if you nominate an unregistered member, they only get a tad over a year (i have never tried the latter...)
2. For an existing member, nominate them AFTER their card expiry date. Otherwise, under a strict reading of the T&C, if you nominate between TP year end and card expiry date end, they only get the benefit till the end of the card expiry + 1 year after.

Dont' think you can change the nomination.

When is it worth earning your own tier points?
 

Guys,

I was lucky enough to be gifted a Silver partner card. My tier point collection year ends May 2020 and my Silver card expires June 2021. All good so far ...

I have some trips planned though, so am likely to get around 500 tier points of my own before May 2020. The app says I can "retain Silver" by collecting 600 points, presumably by May 2020. My question - is there any point in pushing it to 600? How long would my Silver be retained for? Will it give me an extra year of Silver, i.e. to 2022?

Would appreciate any advice!

Cheers

No there is no point, getting to 600 this year will do nothing, your expiry will still be June 2021.

I'm very glad I asked! Thanks very much. Let's hope my boy still has his GGL in June 2021 :)