I never thought reaching Gold would be so sad
#16
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Milton Keynes, UK
Programs: BA Gold (OW Emerald), TK Elite (*A Gold)
Posts: 568
#17
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Hertfordshire
Programs: BA Gold, Accor Diamond, IHG Diamond
Posts: 550
Surely if youre dropping that amount of cash on flying, it needs to be with some other purpose?
#18
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Argentina
Posts: 40,167
I once had Gold status the wife too.....courtesy of a big favour from one very kind soul who used to frequent this forum.
Funnily enough by far the best benefit we enjoyed wasn't a published benefit of Gold status at all. That was being upgraded from WT+ to CW not once but twice.
Funnily enough by far the best benefit we enjoyed wasn't a published benefit of Gold status at all. That was being upgraded from WT+ to CW not once but twice.
#19
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Edinburgh
Programs: BAEC Gold, ITA Volare Executive
Posts: 450
Similar situation, been a Silver for a couple of years but recently (feb) minted Gold. Few trips booked til the end of my work holiday year (end Jan 21) which status will help with (mixed W/Y). Now don't know if I'll get any benefit at all, despite a few flights flown just to tip over the 1500TP. :'(
#20
Join Date: Mar 2011
Programs: BA exec, HHonors Diamond
Posts: 554
my journey started back in 1981 with UK to HGK and all ports since. Sure, Ive done the tier point runs, yet have come to the conclusion that my flying going forward will revert to needs based and what I and my family will enjoy together. Ive posted here asking why folks feel the need for continuing the tier point runs, status etc..going forward. there seems an amorphous believe that status are worth continuing/pursuing/continuing - who knows what thats worth or even valued by BA under the current turmoil!
Sure I feel Empathy with those who just reached Gold/Silver, whichever way, but thats not the world we are currently in.
Your choice - Your money
#21
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: PDX
Programs: AS MVPG 75K, BA Silver, AC, AF/KL, AV, VS | Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott
Posts: 454
I was a Blue forever and only credited miscellaneous points to the program since joining (10 years now, I think) but all of that changed last year thanks to a number of flash sales and before I knew it I leapfrogged over Bronze and all the way to Silver in a matter of weeks. A few additional flights and by the time my Silver card arrived in the mail I was Gold by December! I looked forward to using the benefits this Spring like the AY lounge in Helsinki only for OWEs and the use of the First lounges while transiting through LHR... You can guess how this story ends. As it stands right now I'm unlikely to board another plane before November and I'm booked in J (and not through HEL or LHR) so I don't need any of the additional benefits.
Oh well. I'll still have a few months in 2021 to potentially use them before soft landing to Silver, which really is good enough for me.
Oh well. I'll still have a few months in 2021 to potentially use them before soft landing to Silver, which really is good enough for me.
#22
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Kazakhstan
Programs: BA Gold, AirAstana Silver (much use as chocolate teapot)
Posts: 866
I agree. Almaty is supremely present, Charynskaya canyon is really nice, and I'd say I also liked the steppe. The trip I made to Kyzylorda-Aralsk-Aqtobe-Aktau & surrounding areas was really interesting. My wish would be to see more of the Altai, lake Balkash (a friend of mine gatecrashed Priozersk for no obvious reason) and do a Urbex to Baikonur although I lack the guts to do anything of that kind...
Oneworld could do with a bit more coverage of Central Asia!
Oneworld could do with a bit more coverage of Central Asia!
In Atyrau could do with any international coverage as competition to AirAstana. Whilst they are very good in economy (actually 50% owned by BAe), the fares are eyewatering & have to go to the UK via AMS or FRA. In the bad old days used to be able to fly into Almaty with BA, via Baku.
#23
Join Date: Mar 2011
Programs: BA exec, HHonors Diamond
Posts: 554
I was a Blue forever and only credited miscellaneous points to the program since joining (10 years now, I think) but all of that changed last year thanks to a number of flash sales and before I knew it I leapfrogged over Bronze and all the way to Silver in a matter of weeks. A few additional flights and by the time my Silver card arrived in the mail I was Gold by December! I looked forward to using the benefits this Spring like the AY lounge in Helsinki only for OWEs and the use of the First lounges while transiting through LHR... You can guess how this story ends. As it stands right now I'm unlikely to board another plane before November and I'm booked in J (and not through HEL or LHR) so I don't need any of the additional benefits.
Oh well. I'll still have a few months in 2021 to potentially use them before soft landing to Silver, which really is good enough for me.
Oh well. I'll still have a few months in 2021 to potentially use them before soft landing to Silver, which really is good enough for me.
Finnair HEL-LAX
Fin 1st lounge
#25
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Tenerife
Programs: BA Gold, BA AMEX PP, Amex Platinum
Posts: 432
Quite accidentally fell into the status game in late 2018 when the BA bargain AMS - BKK flights came up. We were already utilising Priority Pass at this point, and already had a bargain MH J fare booked to Sydney the following month. I somehow found BAEC and the penny dropped that those Sydney flights alone netted us enough tier points for Silver. We are very value conscious and Silver is worth 30+ per sector { Gold 40+ } to us and a guest when flying Y, and for the most part turns the airport experience from excruciating pain to a fun part of the holiday. In terms of product / price combination for us it can't be touched by any other omnipresent UK carrier.
So hypothetically I would spend 4 days doing Sofia back to backs every 2 years to maintain silver if the value was there. However with a little strategic planning on destinations & routing we manage it without the pain that some go through here, and that's the fun part of the game. I'm sure by the time I've finished playing it, we will have been to every "value" 80tp destination in Europe for a long weekend at least twice and lose count of the number of times we've gone to the far east via Scnadinavia and Doha.
Last edited by The Geek; Jun 10, 2020 at 9:48 am
#26
Join Date: May 2020
Posts: 15
I once had Gold status the wife too.....courtesy of a big favour from one very kind soul who used to frequent this forum.
Funnily enough by far the best benefit we enjoyed wasn't a published benefit of Gold status at all. That was being upgraded from WT+ to CW not once but twice.
Funnily enough by far the best benefit we enjoyed wasn't a published benefit of Gold status at all. That was being upgraded from WT+ to CW not once but twice.
#27
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2019
Posts: 63
In normal times Mrs Geek & I are lucky enough to get away once a month on average flying mostly J LH and Y SH. { About half of that with friends / family. }
Quite accidentally fell into the status game in late 2018 when the BA bargain AMS - BKK flights came up. We were already utilising Priority Pass at this point, and already had a bargain MH J fare booked to Sydney the following month. I somehow found BAEC and the penny dropped that those Sydney flights alone netted us enough tier points for Silver. We are very value conscious and Silver is worth 30+ per sector { Gold 40+ } to us and a guest when flying Y, and for the most part turns the airport experience from excruciating pain to a fun part of the holiday. In terms of product / price combination for us it can't be touched by any other omnipresent UK carrier.
So hypothetically I would spend 4 days doing Sofia back to backs every 2 years to maintain silver if the value was there. However with a little strategic planning on destinations & routing we manage it without the pain that some go through here, and that's the fun part of the game. I'm sure by the time I've finished playing it, we will have been to every "value" 80tp destination in Europe for a long weekend at least twice and lose count of the number of times we've gone to the far east via Scnadinavia and Doha.
Quite accidentally fell into the status game in late 2018 when the BA bargain AMS - BKK flights came up. We were already utilising Priority Pass at this point, and already had a bargain MH J fare booked to Sydney the following month. I somehow found BAEC and the penny dropped that those Sydney flights alone netted us enough tier points for Silver. We are very value conscious and Silver is worth 30+ per sector { Gold 40+ } to us and a guest when flying Y, and for the most part turns the airport experience from excruciating pain to a fun part of the holiday. In terms of product / price combination for us it can't be touched by any other omnipresent UK carrier.
So hypothetically I would spend 4 days doing Sofia back to backs every 2 years to maintain silver if the value was there. However with a little strategic planning on destinations & routing we manage it without the pain that some go through here, and that's the fun part of the game. I'm sure by the time I've finished playing it, we will have been to every "value" 80tp destination in Europe for a long weekend at least twice and lose count of the number of times we've gone to the far east via Scnadinavia and Doha.
#28
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Tenerife
Programs: BA Gold, BA AMEX PP, Amex Platinum
Posts: 432
But I did say "hypothetically" to using runs to maintain silver every couple of years. There is value there as we would get cica 2k worth of product for less than 1k outlay + time spent, however there wouldn't be value for me in doing pure mileage runs for gold. { There may however be value in a couple of strategic SH J flights or creative LH routing in your overall holiday itinerary to achieve / retain it. }
Last edited by The Geek; Jun 11, 2020 at 2:40 pm