Optimal Status Combination
 

Greetings

In my introductory post in the MilesBuzz forum I summarised my travel history and reported that CX kindly granted Gold to match my SQ Gold.

My question here for members experienced with top levels at both CX and SQ programs relates to the optimal combination of tier status:

Naturally being able to achieve CX Diamond + SQ Gold would be best, but if the regular scope of travel amounts to 150,000 miles per year is it better in terms of relative benefits to maintain (a) CX Gold + SQ Gold or (b) CX Diamond + SQ Silver ?

The sequencing perhaps illuminates the question: Is it better to follow path (a) to first secure SQ Gold (50k) and then do 100k on CX to secure CX Gold renewal (60k) with possible stretch of extra 20k to reach Diamond via one more long-haul round trip? Or is it better to follow path (b) to first secure CX Diamond (120k) and then do 30k on SQ to secure SQ Silver renewal (25k) with possible stretch of extra 20k to reach Gold via one more long-haul round trip?

That is, in the first instance, is it better to have at least Gold benefits on both CX and SQ, or push for Diamond level on CX with only Silver on SQ?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts and insights.

how can you make CX granted you Gold? Is it possible for me to make SQ grant me Gold to match my CX Gold?

Hello B-HXG

As I wrote in my initial post in the other forum, until I discovered FlyerTalk a few months ago I was not even aware of the concept of Tier Matching for Airlines and Hotels.

I really was not sure what the outcome would be, but pursued the idea by writing to CX to enquire about matching my SQ Gold. I included detailed information about my travel record for the past 6 years (average of 60 segments and 150k miles per year) and the initial automated response was Silver. I don't think it could be described as "making" CX do anything, but in further correspondence they offered to grant Gold status subject to confirmation of upcoming bookings on CX which I did provide.

To answer your question, I do not know if SQ does tier matching but it can't hurt to ask them if that is what you are interested in.

have you thought about other A* programs than SQ? there are other A* programs with easy star Gold status.

Hi Kleenlex

Thanks for your reply. You raise a good point. The most likely relevant StarAlliance airlines for me other than SQ would be AC or NZ. I have not examined the details of those programs but will certainly take a look.

With regard to the original post, I should add that I have actually already completed enough for SQ Silver after April 2013, and the question becomes whether to continue directy to SQ Gold before turning to CX, or to leave SQ at Silver and now focus all travel entirely to secure CX Gold and continue on to CX Diamond by October 2013.

Polarpacific,

Where are you based, and what are your travel patterns? The answer to your question would very much depend on the above.

TMT

so i guess you often travel between Auckland and Vancouver?
haha.. well you should join AEGEAN AIRLINES programme then honestly..
a R/T economy ticket for AKL/YVR already well enough for you to obtain *A Gold!
two R/T economy ticket for AKL/HKG also okay for *A Gold

<<16000 Miles only to *G for AEGEAN AIRLINES, a round trip economy class for AKL/YVR (direct flight) gives you 14122 Miles.. if it is a flight via some other places, even more than 16000 i'm sure!!>>

Plus I've heard that SQ treats their Gold members badly. I'd go with CX anytime, they are really good to their members. The 24/7 worldwide hotline comes really handy, not to mention guarantee economy seat booking. The only downside about CX, in my humble opinion, would probably be the portion size of the main course.

If someone travelled enough anyway to be able to maintain *G, it'd probably be better going for a program like UA where the points can be more easily used than with a FFP like A3.

Moving this to a more appropriate forum..

Guy Betsy
Cathay Pacific Asia Miles forum co-mod

Hi TMT

I have been based primarily in Singapore for the past 5 years with annual average of 150,000 miles (of which 100,000 long-haul) and 60 sectors (of which 20 long-haul). Thus, long-haul for me represents 2/3 of miles and 1/3 of sectors, and the pattern for 2013 should be similar. Main destinations are:

Long-haul (ex-SIN or HKG)

Canada (YVR/YYZ)
USA (SFO/NYC)
Europe (LHR/ZRH)

Regional

China (PVG/CKG)
Asean (BKK/PNH)
Oceana (SYD/AKL)

Go Aegean
 

Aegean Airlines, which is a member of Star Alliance, has a very low threshold for Gold status, which is of course matched across *A. It takes just 4,000 miles to reach silver, and 20,000 miles to reach gold. In addition, Aegean Airlines are currently providing 2,000 miles as an online sign-up bonus, so all you need are 18,000 miles. The Aegean forum on FlyerTalk also reports that once you reach Gold on A3, it is valid for 3 years.

That way, you are able to reach CX Diamond + *A Gold, assuming your travel is interchangeable in this way.

Hi Bigintangibles

Thanks -- it seems quite a few people here and elsewhere are recommending Aegean as a generally easy way to quickly get *G.

In my case, however, where I already have the SQ account and this year am currently short 20k to renew Gold by April, the choice to do the next 20K on A3 for Gold is not as clear.

There may be some advantage to A3 since it lasts 3 years, but this is offset by accumulating miles in an account which I can less easily or efficiently use for some short regional flights in Asia.

Regardless of whether the next 20k on StarAlliance flights would renew SQ Gold or achieve A3 Gold, at this point I am still not sure about my original query. Namely, is it better to push these next 20K to secure *G before turning to secure CX Gold and possibly end up 20k shy of Diamond .... or leave SQ at Silver and focus all of the next 120k to reach CX Diamond.

In other words, is it better to have the combination of SQ Gold and CX Gold ... or the combination of SQ Silver and CX Diamond?

Thanks

I will say CX DM first then SQ (or something else) later.

Being a *G, I truly understand that *G means nothing to SQ (It will be a different story if you are a PPS). Unless you travel with DJ (which SQ *G can have some benefit), your standard *G benefit is pretty much all you get, like other *G. The only thing good about SQ *G is F or J award seats (which are difficult to get for other *G).

Given that SQ *G is pretty much useless and the alternative you provide is CX, I will say CX will be a better fit in this case.

Just don't count on the 3 year/lifetime Aegean status, or your mileage balance, in the medium/long-term as there's a higher chance of them going bust than the bigger *A carriers.