A sad day for a leisure traveller.
#31
Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 1,281
But the flip-side is that you can now purchase most of the benefits of status. In fact this might actually save you money, as the underlying plane ticket can be booked on a time and price basis.
Want priority boarding - any LCC will sell it to you. Or get EasyJet plus. Virgin does "economy Delight" which gives priority too. And get lounge access off your credit card.
Want priority boarding - any LCC will sell it to you. Or get EasyJet plus. Virgin does "economy Delight" which gives priority too. And get lounge access off your credit card.
#32
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: AMS
Programs: BAEC Silver, Flying Blue Gold, TK M&S Nobody
Posts: 2,482
I made Gold kinda by accident last year - and I doubt I’ll miss it because I haven’t really used it much. My TP year falls a little awkwardly and the trips we’ve done this year haven’t provided any benefits for it so far (only one F lounge).
I’ve also gone about it all wrong - having booked an Avios trip for just after my new year starts for the RWC, so while I will still be Gold I ought to be trying to rack up points. On the other hand, I doubt I’d be going to Japan if I hadn’t done it on points.
I will try to maintain Silver - for me and the other half, who has gotten used to that a little (and hates herself for it!) - and maybe maintaining Gold will be a thing in a few years, but for now I’m just glad of the soft landing.
I’ve also gone about it all wrong - having booked an Avios trip for just after my new year starts for the RWC, so while I will still be Gold I ought to be trying to rack up points. On the other hand, I doubt I’d be going to Japan if I hadn’t done it on points.
I will try to maintain Silver - for me and the other half, who has gotten used to that a little (and hates herself for it!) - and maybe maintaining Gold will be a thing in a few years, but for now I’m just glad of the soft landing.
#33
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Kent, UK
Programs: BA Gold; Virgin FF; United Airlines; American Airlines; and was frequent c/c churner - RIP!
Posts: 945
I have has Silver status for several years and have no desire (or the cash resources) to chase Gold. I am happy with the benefits of Silver, particularly seat selection in Y on short haul where I usually manage to get exit row seats, so no need to pay for CE. Will be doing a 600pts TPR in late Oct/early Nov to retain that status.
#34
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: UK
Programs: BA Blue, IC Spire Ambassador
Posts: 5,229
I was Gold for a while and then Silver. I miss Gold. As a leisure traveller I normally fly Club so Silver doesn’t make much difference, but I miss the F Lounge / Terrace and check in, as well as allocating front row seats short haul & the softer unpublished benefits.
That said, I am not as loyal to BA as I used to be. I find their shorthaul J now to be underwhelming both in terms of hard and soft product - the small touches such as dedicated CE loo, wardrobe space and attentive service seem to be slowly going away. I find the lounges busier than ever, and I think as I have got holder, I value family time more than ever so the novelty factor wears off. I’ve just booked with easyjet to go away this summer as schedule is better, I can get exit row seats + speedy boarding & I’ll have more legroom than in CE. Gatwick North Clubroom access booked & same price as BA ET where I’d not get a drink anyway - so why book BA traveller over easyjet? You pay your money and take your choice.
That said, I am not as loyal to BA as I used to be. I find their shorthaul J now to be underwhelming both in terms of hard and soft product - the small touches such as dedicated CE loo, wardrobe space and attentive service seem to be slowly going away. I find the lounges busier than ever, and I think as I have got holder, I value family time more than ever so the novelty factor wears off. I’ve just booked with easyjet to go away this summer as schedule is better, I can get exit row seats + speedy boarding & I’ll have more legroom than in CE. Gatwick North Clubroom access booked & same price as BA ET where I’d not get a drink anyway - so why book BA traveller over easyjet? You pay your money and take your choice.
#35
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Balham - Gateway to The South
Programs: BA Bronze
Posts: 2,020
Silver for 4 years - dropping to bronze after November.
I will miss immediate free seat selection but have convinced myself that I will have new and interesting experiences in the airport when I travel less than business class.
I will definitely miss the Flagship lounge in ORD on domestic flights with AA.
I will miss immediate free seat selection but have convinced myself that I will have new and interesting experiences in the airport when I travel less than business class.
I will definitely miss the Flagship lounge in ORD on domestic flights with AA.
#36
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: Hilton Honors Gold, Marriott Gold, BA Silver, Hertz President's Club
Posts: 486
(On the other hand) As a leisure traveller, just hit Silver for the first time after many years! Not planning to go any further though, another 900 TP to gold sounds too far away!
#37
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Henley-On-Thames
Programs: BAEC Silver (but only temporarily) AVIS Presidents Club, Starbucks Gold
Posts: 486
Dropping from Gold to Silver
I count myself pretty lucky to have maintained Gold for this long. I first achieved this dizzy height in Q2 2016 so knew it would be there until Aug 17. Being caught up in the May 2017 fiasco I had my Gold statu extedned out until July 2019 (Card epxired Aug 19) and considering in that time I would have only achieved Silver in each year the fact this year I drop (if that's the right term to use) to Silver I've got no complaints. I've been thoroughly spoiled with First Check-in at T5 and spending hours watching landings and departures from the First lounge. I'll miss the fat check-in, the additional award seats available but at least as a Silver I can still use the lounge and I assume still get free seat assignment. But I will miss the First lounge that's for sure.
There is light at the end of the tunnel. My future life as a Silver will be relatively short as future travel pland mean I will attain Gold again April 2020.
Put into persepive, things could be a Sh*t load worse in life.
ML
There is light at the end of the tunnel. My future life as a Silver will be relatively short as future travel pland mean I will attain Gold again April 2020.
Put into persepive, things could be a Sh*t load worse in life.
ML
#38
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Kyiv, Ukraine
Programs: Mucci, BA Gold, TK Elite, HHonors Lifetime Diamond
Posts: 7,691
But the flip-side is that you can now purchase most of the benefits of status. In fact this might actually save you money, as the underlying plane ticket can be booked on a time and price basis.
Want priority boarding - any LCC will sell it to you. Or get EasyJet plus. Virgin does "economy Delight" which gives priority too. And get lounge access off your credit card.
Want priority boarding - any LCC will sell it to you. Or get EasyJet plus. Virgin does "economy Delight" which gives priority too. And get lounge access off your credit card.
#41
Join Date: Jul 2014
Programs: BAEC, Flying Blue, Eurobonus
Posts: 180
As a mainly blue with a bit of bronze every now and then, I completed my rise from Gold some time ago.
Once one realises that lounges are uncleaned sweat pits of fools with loud mobile phones and noisy children, which often have no space as individuals seek to occupy four seats, all you have to do is seek out the right coffee bars and bars, and areas for the great unwashed that are pleasant.
The coffee bars serve freshly made barrista coffee which beats any lounge, and the almond croissants are never stale.
I am not going to tell you where to go at T5 and LGW as you might make it crowded. It is more secret than T5B lounge.
Once one realises that lounges are uncleaned sweat pits of fools with loud mobile phones and noisy children, which often have no space as individuals seek to occupy four seats, all you have to do is seek out the right coffee bars and bars, and areas for the great unwashed that are pleasant.
The coffee bars serve freshly made barrista coffee which beats any lounge, and the almond croissants are never stale.
I am not going to tell you where to go at T5 and LGW as you might make it crowded. It is more secret than T5B lounge.
If connection is longer I will go to lounge for sure.
#42
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: HKG
Programs: BA GGL & CCR
Posts: 600
65% and 77% of the way to Gold for life... The only worry is they’ll move the goal posts in the next 3-4 years.
BA is acceptable for now, I’d very fast switch to a competitor if I lost seat selection, was relegated to galleries club lounge or the first class cabin disappeared or became inaccessible...
BA is acceptable for now, I’d very fast switch to a competitor if I lost seat selection, was relegated to galleries club lounge or the first class cabin disappeared or became inaccessible...
#43
Join Date: Jan 2017
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 474
Surely status is only worth it if you fly a lot? Otherwise just buy the benefits and it's cheaper. Yeah it's nice being a GCH but only because it makes flying LH (which I do most weeks) more pleasant. If I'm not flying long haul most weeks then I care not a jot.
#45
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: LON
Programs: BAEC - Silver, Virgin Flying Club, Delta Skymiles
Posts: 229
We are just about to both hit silver for the first time due to a QR flight last year in J and some CE travel on BA more recently. Once Other Half got a taste of Lounge Life and early boarding at the front of the plane I'm not sure he will ever go back. Neither of us travel right now for work, however in reality Silver probably isn't that hard to maintain - one really good QR flight ex-EU (and we usually have reasons to be in Stockholm for family) and some CE BA returns and you are pretty much there.
However, while we have done a BA redemption in CW/First this year and just did the CE in the big 777 to Madrid (and the IB version on return), when it came down to book revenue flights home to the US later this summer we went with SAS in their Plus long haul cabin for better value. For the same price as BA WT+ out of London, we get: better seats to ORD, an overnight at the Radisson Blu Arlanda, five days car hire in Sweden, and our LHR-ARN flights (on BA, in econ). We liked the SAS Plus product and amenities included (ARN/ORD lounge for what its worth, extra luggage, priority boarding,seat selection), ORD is a 'short' run for us, we have to stop and see family anyway, and while I would like to try the SK biz offering, it just isn't worth the premium on this flight. Besides, the SK miles slot into my VS account and other half has his Eurobonus account, so its not like they are going to waste.
I like to think of the BA status as a tool to 'smooth the way' rather than being the only way. The perks on the BA flights (mostly luggage allowance) were the decider over taking the similarly timed SAS flights to ARN. Bronze status helped earlier in the year when our AA flights got changed and helped us get luggage checked, and if we had silver then I imagine would have helped with some of the layovers. I can believe that if you are a very frequent biz traveler and more likely to get stuck in delays or cancellation then status is helpful, but for a leisure traveler like us it comes down to price/value/destination/aircraft type/layovers and mixing and matching to find the best value possible.
However, while we have done a BA redemption in CW/First this year and just did the CE in the big 777 to Madrid (and the IB version on return), when it came down to book revenue flights home to the US later this summer we went with SAS in their Plus long haul cabin for better value. For the same price as BA WT+ out of London, we get: better seats to ORD, an overnight at the Radisson Blu Arlanda, five days car hire in Sweden, and our LHR-ARN flights (on BA, in econ). We liked the SAS Plus product and amenities included (ARN/ORD lounge for what its worth, extra luggage, priority boarding,seat selection), ORD is a 'short' run for us, we have to stop and see family anyway, and while I would like to try the SK biz offering, it just isn't worth the premium on this flight. Besides, the SK miles slot into my VS account and other half has his Eurobonus account, so its not like they are going to waste.
I like to think of the BA status as a tool to 'smooth the way' rather than being the only way. The perks on the BA flights (mostly luggage allowance) were the decider over taking the similarly timed SAS flights to ARN. Bronze status helped earlier in the year when our AA flights got changed and helped us get luggage checked, and if we had silver then I imagine would have helped with some of the layovers. I can believe that if you are a very frequent biz traveler and more likely to get stuck in delays or cancellation then status is helpful, but for a leisure traveler like us it comes down to price/value/destination/aircraft type/layovers and mixing and matching to find the best value possible.