Newbie question
 

Hello there,

Due to the recent Air NZ upgrade rates, Im going to make a run for QF status alongside NZ Elite.

My 'year' on the QF app runs from Jan 1 to Dec 31. If I get enough points to reach gold by late 2020 then take the SYD-SCL flight in J next Christmas to tip me into Platinum status, do I only get a week or so to enjoy it or would 2021 still have me as platinum, with 1200 SC needed to requalify in 2021?

I have the option to time the SYD SCL flight pre NY or after i.e. early 2021 depending on what the answer is. The other direction will be EZE-AKL or AKL-EZE.


Thanks
H

You get at least a year of the upgraded status

Any upgrade in status is for the balance of current year and entire next year, so could be as much as 23 months if you earn WP in Jan 2020, lasting until Dec 31, 2021. An informal benefit is a soft landing back to gold even if you don't have enough SC in 2021 to qualify for gold, however this benefit may end at any time (seems to have been consistent for the past decade).

Thanks for the replies. So if theoretically you hit Platinum by Feb (or within 2 months), any SC you get beyond this are 'wasted' (assuming not reaching Platinum 1)?

Thanks though. That will help me plan my flying for 2020

there are various bits and pieces for example if you get 2500 SC in a year you get a companion gold card or a wodge of points (I think 50000), plus they count towards lifetime status but yes pretty much wasted once you’ve hit plat

(I got this exactly right my first year and now get it wrong every year!!)

You also get 8000 points every 500 status credits ;) So not completely wasted, but close enough, though lifetime status is pretty worthwhile. Your alternative is to credit to another Oneworld FF plan, Aadvantage is pretty popular but each plan has some advantages and some disadvantages, so no single "best" choice.