About to become FB Gold - what can I expect/look forward to?

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Nov 13, 2016, 2:53 pm

silonic

Original Poster

Join Date: Nov 2011

Location: Netherlands

Programs: BA Gold; Flying Blue Platinum, Hilton Diamond

Posts: 481

About to become FB Gold - what can I expect/look forward to?

This Tuesday I'll take a flight that will mean I've achieved FB gold. As someone who lives in Amsterdam; usually takes early morning flights and gets to Schiphol about 55 minutes before my flight - aside from lounge access, is there anything I should look forward to, or any perks I'll experience once I reach that status?

Appreciate any insights.

Nov 13, 2016, 3:21 pm

Xandrios

Moderator: Aegean Miles+Bonus

Join Date: Oct 2009

Location: AMS / ATH

Programs: AFKL Plat, A3 Gold

Posts: 7,339

Priority security, I believe that is not an official benefit for silver? Will certainly help if you arrive late at the airport..

Nov 13, 2016, 3:27 pm

sbams

Join Date: May 2012

Location: AMS

Programs: BA KL LH Hilton Marriott

Posts: 1,233

Flying Blue (or KLM) has a website which lists all of your benefits.

https://www.flyingblue.com/about-fly...fits/gold.html

Nov 13, 2016, 4:01 pm

AlicorporateUK

Join Date: Oct 2009

Location: SJJ/AMS

Posts: 4,647

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xandrios

Priority security, I believe that is not an official benefit for silver? Will certainly help if you arrive late at the airport..

Agreed - especially during peak times e.g. summer months, national holidays etc., that obviously also applies to other airports you will depart from.

G

Nov 14, 2016, 2:38 am

CyBeR

Join Date: May 2009

Location: AMS

Posts: 2,063

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xandrios

Priority security, I believe that is not an official benefit for silver? Will certainly help if you arrive late at the airport..

It is at AMS.

Nov 14, 2016, 3:52 am

t0t1t2

Join Date: May 2014

Posts: 183

A seat in an emergency exit row for free

Nov 14, 2016, 4:12 am

AlicorporateUK

Join Date: Oct 2009

Location: SJJ/AMS

Posts: 4,647

Quote:

Originally Posted by t0t1t2

A seat in an emergency exit row for free

I think that's only for P members.

G

Nov 14, 2016, 4:31 am

mfkne

Join Date: Jul 2009

Location: mostly not far from AMS, otherwise NUE

Programs: FB Silver, Hilton Diamond

Posts: 2,381

Quote:

Originally Posted by CyBeR

It is at AMS.

Not anymore. Priority security has been axed for Silvers.

Nov 14, 2016, 4:41 am

caliform

Join Date: Sep 2016

Location: San Francisco, CA

Programs: Flying Blue Platinum, JetBlue Mosaic, Hyatt Globalist, Alaska MVP Gold.

Posts: 1,962

Higher miles earning? No 'surprise' perks, really. You do get proper SkyPriority on bookings with SkyTeam partners too.

Nov 14, 2016, 10:56 pm

#10

silonic

Original Poster

Join Date: Nov 2011

Location: Netherlands

Programs: BA Gold; Flying Blue Platinum, Hilton Diamond

Posts: 481

Thank you for everyone's replies. I should have mentioned that as I fly so often from Schiphol, I do have Privium that helps with the security lines leaving Amsterdam. I've then been able to flash my Alitalia Elite Plus card when leaving an airport that isn't Schiphol be it have never used that card against a booking as that was purely a status match with BA at the time.

I guess I wanted to know if there were any unpublished "perks" such as a chance of getting upgraded at the gate should the flight be full (or anecdotal evidence that shows people have seen this when moving to Gold) or the removal of credit card fees if you book using your AMEX KLM card (that's more a wish than a belief that would ever happen)?

Nov 14, 2016, 11:27 pm

#11

t0t1t2

Join Date: May 2014

Posts: 183

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlicorporateUK

I think that's only for P members.

G

Oh, my bad. Gold indeed officially gets a 50% discount on these seating options.

But, I have seen pursers offering Elite and Elite plus members vacant seats in emergency exit rows after take off.

Nov 15, 2016, 12:37 am

#12

AlicorporateUK

Join Date: Oct 2009

Location: SJJ/AMS

Posts: 4,647

Quote:

Originally Posted by silonic

chance of getting upgraded at the gate should the flight be full (or anecdotal evidence that shows people have seen this when moving to Gold)

I often saw people with no status whatsoever (direct experience with work colleagues and even the Mrs on a couple of occasions) being upgraded whereas I noticed, on those flights, passengers with their black luggage tags proceeding towards the back of the aircraft (now, whether the tag was purchased on eBay or they kept it since 2006, je ne sais pas - I appreciate that's not an accurate way of establishing whether their status was current or not). In short, going up to G or even P, for that matter, doesn't really significantly increase the likelihood of getting upgraded.

G

Nov 15, 2016, 3:59 am

#13

Xandrios

Moderator: Aegean Miles+Bonus

Join Date: Oct 2009

Location: AMS / ATH

Programs: AFKL Plat, A3 Gold

Posts: 7,339

Quote:

Originally Posted by silonic

I guess I wanted to know if there were any unpublished "perks" such as a chance of getting upgraded at the gate should the flight be full (or anecdotal evidence that shows people have seen this when moving to Gold) or the removal of credit card fees if you book using your AMEX KLM card (that's more a wish than a belief that would ever happen)?

The Amex fees are the most ridiculous thing ever, especially when using Paypal is free for all credit cards - But amex is blocked within paypal.

Regarding upgrades: Yes it does happen - very rarely. I'd say about once per year (1 in 30 flights) for me. However nowadays this has more to do with the fare than the status level - I have seen Silver members being upgraded on full fare, while I as Gold was not upgraded on a cheaper ticket.