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.

Hi Garykung

Thanks -- I think you are right.

By the way, I was PPS for several years but did not find much real extra benefit over regular Gold except for access to the main SQ lounge in Singapore.

Please understand this - I am not saying *G is nothing. But simply *G means nothing to SQ.

I still encourage you, like other, to maintain as a *G, but with a different airlines (so you can get better benefits).

One more thing - since you did not say (except CX and SQ) which airlines you travel as well, so it is difficult to say what is the best choice in your case (CX is the choice because you have given CX and SQ as the choices only).

Hi Gary

Understood.

Which *G program do you think has the best benefits? [A different issue than easiest *G to achieve]

Thanks

Personally speaking, UA has the best benefits (Declaimer - I own UA's share).

Since you are Asian-based and seem to travel on SQ exclusively, I will suggest Asiana instead.

1. OZ has one of the lowest requirement for *G - 40K within 24 months. This also means OZ *G is valid for 2 years as well.

2. It has a lifetime program that count *A BIS miles.

3. It provides a small elite bonus for RDM (better than nothing).

4. Miles expiration after 12 years they are earned (SQ is 3 years. UA miles expires 18 months after no activity regardless when the miles are earned.)

The reason why UA is not for you because you do not seem to travel with UA. A lot of non-*G benefits are in fact airline specific. So given you travel on SQ, OZ may be a better choice.

*G, to SQ, means you are a second class citizen.
It does mean something to them. :rolleyes:

Hi polarpacific,

since you stated that most if not all of your longhaul travel leads to europe/US and you are based in singapore I would go for CX since HKG is a very viable transit point. This probably also counts for all the travel to China because of the excellent destinations KA offers.

As people have already stated, A3*G is perfect if you only are going for the normal *G benefits like lounge access when traveling economy. Also miles on A3 dont expire, so you can dip a few miles every year and get your award threshold in years after that...
As for Asian carriers, your miles will expire which means that if you dip enough to SQ to reach gold and enough to CX to reach gold, you might not be able to make use of all the miles in the end...

Obviously then it comes to personal preference of travel, you have to ask yourself which airline you like better in terms of seats, service etc.

Another point: Your final destinations in Europe/US... If for example you travel to smaller cities in europe I'd go for *A in your longhaul travel since they offer better connections in europe.

Another point to consider is lounge access: CX SL gives you lounge access on CX and KA while most SQ silver wont (correct me if im wrong about SQ not giving access to silver tier).

So the obvious conclusion for me would be:
- go for CX GO/DM in the long term since it has a lot more to offer than SQ gold and its easier to reach than SQ PPS.
- go for A3 *G since status validity is LONG! (got status jan.2012 and valid until 2015). Your miles will be safe as long as the airline doesnt go bankrupt ;)


PS: I forgot to mention that IMO other benefits like upgrades etc (when flying eco) are probably astronomically better with CX GO/DM than SQ GO. Even when I only was MPO green I received an opup to C.... Im pretty sure SQ GO might not be getting as many, although I shouldnt say anything since im not a SQ FT.

cheers.

Hi Gary

Thanks for the info about Asiana. I have been meaning to try them since they won some international awards the past few years. ... Would have been useful for SIN-YVR after SQ cancelled that route, but it doesn't seem that OZ has the ICN-YVR leg either.

I assume you are Singaporean.

In that case you can do SIN-ICN-SFO-YVR.

SIN-ICN-SFO can be operated by either SQ or OZ exclusively or mixed. And SFO-YVR can be UA or AC.

FWIW - OZ Lounge (I was in Business Lounge at that time) is generally better than SQ lounges IMHO (Private Room is the only exception).

Hi mxr

Thanks for the thoughtful insights.

You are right about upgrades --

In 100 flight sectors with SQ as PPS or Gold in a mix of F/J/Y over the past 6 years I cannot recall a single instance of a complimentary upgrade, although during those same years with 30 sectors on StarAlliance partner AC I did receive one a couple times.

Over at OneWorld, I had QF Gold for most of the same period and with 60 sectors on QF and 50 sectors on CX I was also pleasantly surprised to receive a few operational upgrades.

I agree with your point about the limited lounge access in the SQ program, especially in Singapore for the main Silverkris lounge. This is a key deficiency in the SQ program.

Regarding my in-flight experience between SQ and CX:

Entertainment -- CX better (especially for tv series but SQ also good for movies)
Food -- CX better (all classes)
Staff -- CX better (more genuine)
Seats -- SQ better (prefer width over length in J)
Colour -- CX better (prefer green over brown)

In terms of non-flight aspects:

Website -- CX better (new SQ web and mobile so troublesome)
Telephone -- CX better (staff more informed and efficient)


Altogether, I have decided to aim for CX Diamond and let SQ Gold fall back to Silver.

Hi Gary

Actually I am Canadian (though haven't lived there in 25 years). Have been based in Singapore the past 5 years.

I tend to go to YVR about twice per year for conferences and have tried a variety of paths/airlines --

SIN-HKG-YVR on CX and AC
SIN-PEK-YVR on AC
SIN-TPE-YVR on CI
SIN-ICN-YVR on SQ (discontinued)
SIN-LAX-YVR on SQ/AC

Not yet flown SIN-YVR via PVG or NRT

Had a bad experience last year with the SQ38 all-J flight SIN-LAX with connection to YVR. SFO is certainly a nicer and more efficient airport than LAX but I really prefer to have just 1 stop transpacific to YVR.

Anyway, will be focusing on CX over the coming year so will mainly do SIN-HKG-YVR.

Thanks

Even better - my concern is the need of visa.

As a Canadian, it will not be difficult for you to understand that why there are not many *A flights in Canada (especially Canada is a *A country) - the protection from the "Government". Only AC, CA, LH, NZ, UA, US (and BR - future member) have their presence in YVR.

If your travel is mostly with F and J, then of course 1 stop is good enough so that you can enjoy more. But if you are in Y, one more stop may not be a bad idea (as you can relax a little bit on the ground).

There is a thing I want to warn you about CX is recently AMEX has partnered with CX in certain countries to provide complimentary and "permanent" status to Platinum and Centurion cardholders. And Canada is one of those countries. Your DM may not as worth as you think.

In other word, stopping in the U.S. may not be a bad idea as you think.