OneWorldDude

Hi All,

Quick background…. I’m going for GGL pre-31/12 as I see this as being the only feasible time I can get to a slightly more realistic TP requirement. Traditionally my wife and I have flown around together using 241’s and the odd expensive cash ticket. It was relatively easier when it was just the two of us, but we now have two small kids and finding availability for 4 seats in J to any of the exotic destinations is proving very difficult. So I want GGL and GUF’s to address this. We want to fly in J predominantly.

My question for any existing GGL’ers…. What strategy do you employ to maintain GGL and then use the befits of it?

For example, I plan on earning the majority of my TP’s alone (sometimes flying longer routes to optimize TP collection and picking up cheaper ex-EU fares on QR). I plan to do this alone as flying with small children via multiple destinations is a pain I can do without, and I know my wife won’t be quite as committed to the cause. I would therefore plan to earn the majority of TP’s alone but then spend the rewards with my family.

I’m also sat on a pretty decent Avios haul so can utilise Avios for the right bookings.

I’m expecting some kind of BA sale in September when A)The madness of the summer holiday rush has cooled and B) the cost of living issues start to bite and BA see their future bookings declining.

As I am anticipating being GGL by the end of the year, if I see a sale in September for reasonable premium economy fares (WT+) (cash ticket), is It work just buying the cash ticket and then calling the GGL line (once I’m GGL) to then upgrade the ticket using a GUF? I understand the rules are that in this scenario we SHOULD earn the TP’s based on the original cabin rather than the upgraded cabin, so those TP’s won’t help much! But I’ve read that sometimes BA’s IT get’s this wrong and the higher TP’s are awarded. Either way, is this strategy dependent on certain buckets still being available when I call to upgrade? Guessing it is.

Alternatively, if we book premium economy (WT+) tickets and then upgrade with Avios immediately (or almost at the point of booking), as I understand it, we will earn TP’s based on the higher cabin, therefore this could be more useful as the family holiday in J would add some helpful TP’s towards my 3k annual requirement.

I guess what I really want to know from the existing GGL members, is how do you optimise your travel and how do you act when a BA sales around?

Many thanks,

Chris

David_Doyle

There's a lot to digest in your mail....! Good luck on your quest for GGL.

To note - retaining GGL requires ongoing good planning. For me, maintaining GGL requires plotting out my holiday plans in advance (I'm a bucket and spade GGL) and working out what skews I need to apply - do I need to add on a special TP run to put me over qualification and/or to get a GUF2 / 2xGUF1's etc if I want them. I'm fortunate in that as my partner is Australian we tend to do a trip there each year which is TP advantageous, then augment that with another LH holiday each year then a few European side trips and see from there. These holidays are normally planned out about 6-9 months or so in order to get good pricing and book time off work etc. It helps that I like Hawaii as a holiday destination!

For the number of TP's required I never bank on receiving any extra TP's 'in error'. It has happened to me before but on the one occasion I noticed it the TP's were corrected a few days after, and I'd never assume they would not be clawed back.

LCY8737

Once upon a time these bank errors happened relatively often, but that is pretty much over. Very very rarely a ticket with manual changes (think cancelled, re-booked manually, changed, re-issued) might get points, but it is really a rare occurrence that you should not include in your qualification budgets. Also, you get tier points on what you pay with cash, not Avios. So booking WT+ with cash + upgrade with Avios or GUF gives WT+ tier points. There used to be a case where a cash ticket + immediately applied GUF booked by a travel agent into the space release bucket (D & A?) did earn TP, but I think this is also gone?

The jokers are nice, but if you think you'll be able to get the Maldives for Christmas you have to book very early. There are a lot of GGL out there.

mikeyfly

This is no longer the case Chris, and certainly don't rely on J Tier Points. Sometimes it may award in error, but the correct and expected posting will be WTP Tier Points.

OneWorldDude

[QUOTE=The jokers are nice, but if you think you'll be able to get the Maldives for Christmas you have to book very early. There are a lot of GGL out there. [/QUOTE]

Do you find the jokers difficult to use on the desirable destinations then? - I had envisaged needing some flexibility but guessing they are a significant help to open up availability?

Swanhunter

I’m an ex GGL but certainly peak peak times are not a shoe in, either if someone has already jokered or simply the availability in the right fare bucket isn’t there. Thought it’s still the one benefit I really miss from my time as a 97.

FlyingGames

GGL for me is predominantly work travel to the US West Coast. Splitting up bookings and putting the occasional stop in JFK (for free) into my solo travels means an extra 280 TP each time which soon adds up if you're doing 7/8 long haul J trips a year.

LCY8737

I tried using a joker to get away to a warm beach destination over Christmas/New Year in 2019 and started calling in November. Admittedly it doesn't get much more peak than this, but there was nothing to be had for either Caribbean, South America, Indian Ocean or South East Asia - even with some flexibility in dates before/after.

Having said that, the jokers usually work if you have some flexibility with either date or cabin. It is however not a magical unlock to whatever you desire.

Krisz

First class need A availability and no other GGL on the date so if you thinking school holidays (also major one like Christmas/Easter) then its is difficult. Many times now BA doesn't release A class at all for a route in certain busy dates so it can be difficult.
Business need D class availability and no other GGL in the cabin so it's much more doable, however I've seen it for let say Mauritius for Christmas where BA released only J and C class for sale or others can buy it up quickly the lower classes. So depends when and where if you plan it ahead it's definitely doable at least I'm able to go. European business or economy almost always doable unless you leave it like really last minute. Also many people would not value it to use it for those flights but I guess it's very personal.
I would say the joker can enable your ones a year major holiday using Avios almost anywhere in the world. Works well with 241 and GUF too so you don't need to be an Avios millionaire.

ubiest

if you enjoy flying, then kudos, you’ve found just the place in GGL. However, bear in mind what you attaining and then keeping GGL going to cost you vs the benefits.
Given your objective is to fly to somewhere “exotic” x number of times per year in J at Y+ prices, consider what it would cost to buy J outright for cash, vs how much expenditure you must first outlay TP running. For a family of 4, and only you flying and earning TPs, you will need to fly 3500TPs to earn the GUFs for one trip for the family.
Furthermore, you say you are avios rich, which suggests you could put 241 vouchers to good use.
Also consider exEU, for the family trips (probably safe to say you’ll do plenty of exEUs if your objective is TP running) since the deals or regular fares are often more attractive even than the GB sales. Not as easy as direct flight, but one more arrow in the quiver. Alas, exEU and 241 are mutually exclusive.

flyingnomad

Not correct anymore - 241 vouchers issued after September 2021 can now also be used for trips that commence outside the UK.