Fastest way to reach Platinum (QF WP)
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: +61
Programs: SQ*PPS, QF-WP1 & LTG, VA-Gold, Marriott*LTT, Hilton*Gold, Accor*Platinum
Posts: 5,735
Fastest way to reach Platinum (QF WP)
East Coast AUS friend who wants to earn Plat (1400SC). Obviously tried to talk him out of it, but he’s got a bit more free time... I thought (to be booked during double status credit time)
- 1 Discount Business to Europe or Eastern US (280SC each way * 2 = 560 * 2 = 1,120).
- +50 status credits @ 500SC = 1,170
- 1 Business Medium intra-Australia (60SC each way * 2 = 120 * 2 = 240) = 1,410.
Last edited by shuuy; Jan 7, 2019 at 4:02 pm
#2
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Portland OR Double Emerald (QF and AA), DL PM/MM, Starwood Plat
Posts: 19,589
Without double SC you can do it with AONE4 fare with creative routing. Harder now with lack of A inventory and fare has gone up, but would be more fun as a trip with time to spare. I used to fly on a brutal schedule, sleeping more nights in air than in hotel room, and made WP in 8 days, not quite the first week of membership year (that got me CIP those years better than WP1). Don't do that now, thankfully, flying F isn't fun now days.
#3
#4
Join Date: Feb 2018
Programs: Qantas
Posts: 103
If your mate is going to do it, it also needs to be timed for maximum benefit. I booked in February DSC offer for 1st two weekends in May which made me Platinum until April 2020. I've collected 2.5 million points since March 16 and had a couple of redemptions in mind with a first class trip just completed to the US. I did ADL - BRI - MEL - SYD - NOU and return in J from a Thursday to Sunday which netted 820 SC. Someone else booked 30 minutes before I did so missed the cheapest price but it was $1,285 and I paid $1800. The following weekend for something different, I used points to get to Perth, did PER - MEL - SYD - NOU - BRI - ADL gaining another 540 SC for $1300 and then had one bonus of 50 SC.
Total cost including all accomodation, car hire and Uber rides were under $4k so don't think it could be done any cheaper than that. Qantas has now found out about the costing of the status run and it is now about $3k.
My thoughts will soon turn to meeting the minimum flight requirements after May next year and see if I'll soft land back to Gold or crash back to bronze. If I drop to gold, I might book another run for the following year if I then drop to Silver.
Regards,
Michael
Total cost including all accomodation, car hire and Uber rides were under $4k so don't think it could be done any cheaper than that. Qantas has now found out about the costing of the status run and it is now about $3k.
My thoughts will soon turn to meeting the minimum flight requirements after May next year and see if I'll soft land back to Gold or crash back to bronze. If I drop to gold, I might book another run for the following year if I then drop to Silver.
Regards,
Michael
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: +61
Programs: SQ*PPS, QF-WP1 & LTG, VA-Gold, Marriott*LTT, Hilton*Gold, Accor*Platinum
Posts: 5,735
If your mate is going to do it, it also needs to be timed for maximum benefit. I booked in February DSC offer for 1st two weekends in May which made me Platinum until April 2020. I've collected 2.5 million points since March 16 and had a couple of redemptions in mind with a first class trip just completed to the US. I did ADL - BRI - MEL - SYD - NOU and return in J from a Thursday to Sunday which netted 820 SC. Someone else booked 30 minutes before I did so missed the cheapest price but it was $1,285 and I paid $1800. The following weekend for something different, I used points to get to Perth, did PER - MEL - SYD - NOU - BRI - ADL gaining another 540 SC for $1300 and then had one bonus of 50 SC.
Total cost including all accomodation, car hire and Uber rides were under $4k so don't think it could be done any cheaper than that. Qantas has now found out about the costing of the status run and it is now about $3k.
Total cost including all accomodation, car hire and Uber rides were under $4k so don't think it could be done any cheaper than that. Qantas has now found out about the costing of the status run and it is now about $3k.
#7
Join Date: Feb 2018
Programs: Qantas
Posts: 103
*New Caledonia
There were 3 others doing Status runs on the return from Noumea including 1 that was on the same 4 return flights back to Adelaide. It was his booking that increased the cost of mine.
I stayed overnight in Noumea and hired a car whereas the other 3 came on the same plane from Sydney and then returned straight away.
There were 3 others doing Status runs on the return from Noumea including 1 that was on the same 4 return flights back to Adelaide. It was his booking that increased the cost of mine.
I stayed overnight in Noumea and hired a car whereas the other 3 came on the same plane from Sydney and then returned straight away.
#8
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Newcastle, Australia.
Programs: QF Plat+ LTG/ OW Emerald, VA Plat, NZ Gold, HH Diamond, Hyatt Whatsit. Taxation is theft.
Posts: 2,637
I pick up a lot of mine on domestic connections. Eg: typical trip of NTL-BNE-SIN-SGN-HKG-DEL-CMB-SIN-BNE-NTL.
If the domestic sectors were in J, during a double SC period you would really rack them up. If he's SYD based doing SYD-BNE or SYD-MEL then international would help a lot. Including on the return leg.
Bonus: If you don't have F lounge access, flying out of BNE means a MUCH better and MUCH cleaner lounge experience.
If the domestic sectors were in J, during a double SC period you would really rack them up. If he's SYD based doing SYD-BNE or SYD-MEL then international would help a lot. Including on the return leg.
Bonus: If you don't have F lounge access, flying out of BNE means a MUCH better and MUCH cleaner lounge experience.
#9
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: SYD
Programs: QF LTG, VASG, NZ*S, OZD, IHG SpireAMB, HHD
Posts: 1,421
#12
Join Date: Feb 2018
Programs: Qantas
Posts: 103
Less than 100k came from travelling...
Good credit rating and good debt. Multiple credit cards and sign up bonuses. Keep rotating cards for maximum effect.
2 first class redemptions in 2018, Emirates to Auckland and Qantas to JFK. I fly for fun. Looking at a possible trip to LHR in first aswell this year.
Good credit rating and good debt. Multiple credit cards and sign up bonuses. Keep rotating cards for maximum effect.
2 first class redemptions in 2018, Emirates to Auckland and Qantas to JFK. I fly for fun. Looking at a possible trip to LHR in first aswell this year.
#13
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: mostly MEL
Programs: QF WP LTG, HHonors Diamond, NZ Gold
Posts: 1,750
I pick up a lot of mine on domestic connections. Eg: typical trip of NTL-BNE-SIN-SGN-HKG-DEL-CMB-SIN-BNE-NTL.
If the domestic sectors were in J, during a double SC period you would really rack them up. If he's SYD based doing SYD-BNE or SYD-MEL then international would help a lot. Including on the return leg.
Bonus: If you don't have F lounge access, flying out of BNE means a MUCH better and MUCH cleaner lounge experience.
If the domestic sectors were in J, during a double SC period you would really rack them up. If he's SYD based doing SYD-BNE or SYD-MEL then international would help a lot. Including on the return leg.
Bonus: If you don't have F lounge access, flying out of BNE means a MUCH better and MUCH cleaner lounge experience.
Regards,
BD
#14
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Bay Area, California
Programs: Hilton Diamond, IHG Spire Amb., A3 *G, QF Plat
Posts: 107
Oh wow, so what happens to routes like POM-BNE where service is 95% local carrier such as Air Niugini (PX), and in which QF is a major shareholder/investor? I've made use of DSC runs a while back going through that region.
#15
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: mostly MEL
Programs: QF WP LTG, HHonors Diamond, NZ Gold
Posts: 1,750
Regards,
BD