RTW1

These stupid threads seem to pop up more and more..... what's the use of being *G if you don't fly. Great having a shiny card and maybe only using the lounge once on your yearly holiday.

sorrowfull

There are 2 possible ways that I know of to get star gold through credit cards.

The first method is with an Amex Centurion (Black) card which confers US Airways status. I don't remember the status level but it was either Platinum or Chairman's, with either getting star gold with it.

The other method is through the Chase Presidential Plus card. They don't offer the card anymore, but it allowed you to get 1000 pqm for every $5,000 spent. That means you can get *G off of $250,000 of spend.

Other ways to get status without flying:

1. Buy prepaid travel from UA. With certain amounts of spend you can get status all the way to GS level.

2. Status match.

3. Be in charge of travel at a large firm. You will be gifted status by the airlines.

I used to be a leisure 1K, but with all the changes at UA, I just stopped flying them and manufacture spend. I then use those miles to fly 1st or business to where I want to go. My back is thanking me for it.

TOMFORD

Amazing indeed, and here is why:

I pay for flights when I have to, but nowhere near enough times to earn me any elite status. The rest of the monthly or bimonthly flights I take are using points earned from manufactured spending, or regular spending. Now, because flying with points will never get me FF status, I have to seek out *G status in order to get into lounges and get whatever other perks associated with it.

See above for the use of *G.

TomVexille

A UA club card/UC Membership will get you lounge access across *A. Now if you want priority check-in and boarding, you will have to manufacture status with some sort of spend.

That being said, there are a few programs where it is easier to get *G than others. Most notably A3, TK and OZ

RTW1

That's quite a bit different than what your "little to no flying" title suggests :-).

TOMFORD

I posted on A3 asking if it is true that after achieving *G, then you only have to credit one *A flight once every 36 months to keep your *G status... Waiting for a response. Inputs are much appreciated.

I think most people understood what I meant - which is acquiring *G with little or no flying (also explained further in OP). But some went a step further and took the liberty to draw the inference that acquiring *G with little or no flying meant that I just want *G just for schnitz n giggles.

RTW1

Well I didn't understand you.... and everything about your post, even the text in your handle, screams you want something for free. So good luck with that.

TOMFORD

Thanks, I don't need luck now that people told me so many ways to get *G.

ORDnHKG

If the few flights you fly nowhere enough time to earn your any elite status, so I can easily assume you only fly domestic ?

You do realize being UA*G would not get you any lounge access when flying domestic ?

TOMFORD

I do about 1-2 international a year. All the rest are domestic. Did not realize that *G does not get me in lounges for domestic. So I guess the only way to get domestic lounges is with the UA Club card then?

TomVexille

You misunderstand, the point ORDnHKG was making is that *G with UA or US will not get you into the UA or US lounges on a domestic itinerary, but *G with any other *A airline will get you into the UC on a domestic flight.

TOMFORD

Oooooh got it. I will work on my A3 20K miles then. Thank you all for the help!

GUWonder

Why even worry about *G status when you can: get an Amex Platinum to get you lounge access when flying AA, DL or US (with US lounges you don't even need to be flying US); and get a United-affiliated credit card to get a free checked bag and priority boarding with United; and maybe use the Amex Plat airline fee credit to get an airline lounge membership with United that gets you Star Alliance business lounge access even without *G status?

xmlsoa

Very interesting and great post. This info should be in a Wiki if its not there already.