Having recently read about Qantas Lifetime Gold at 14,000 lifetime credits, I was curious as to whether or not other airlines or alliances offer this perk and how the qualifying process compared.
Jono: a few airlines offer 'lifetime' status, one of the best is British Airways Lifetime Gold which equates to Lifetime Platinum with Qantas (via both airlines' membership of the Oneworld alliance, which sees BA Gold and Qantas Platinum both sitting on the same Oneworld Emerald tier)... but it takes a lot of flying to get there! More info at British Airways Lifetime Gold is the next best thing to Qantas Lifetime Platinum.
Anyone know if Velocity has or is contemplating lifetime status?
They don't have it and we've heard nothing to indicate this is on the cards for now... that said, Velocity tends to keep its powder dry in this competitive area, so don't be surprised if Lifetime Gold did suddenly appear one day!
It's a long slog to Qantas Lifetime Gold, you need to start early and fly a lot to get there so you can enjoy Gold privileges for the rest of your life's flying, but it's worth it when you consider that you never again have to line up with economy class for checking in for your flight, will always have lounge access on any QF or OneWorld flight and will also always have a higher checked bag allowance too.
If your goal for attaining QF Lifetime Gold is to:
1) Attain Qantas Club access for domestic flights and Qantas operated international flights,
2) You do not fly internationally with other oneworld carriers.
And:
1) You're currently 35 years old, and
2) You expect to live till 80 years old
The cost of obtaining 14,000 Status Credits = 25 x SYD/LHR vv @ 560 SC per return trip costing on average $7,000 per trip = $175,000
The cost of obtaining Qantas Club for 45 (80 - 35) years @ $510 a year = $22,950
Clearly, if your goal is limited to those listed above, the cheaper option would be to purchase Qantas Club.
The difference of $152,050 would be more than sufficient, in your lifetime, to purchase outright business class fares on other carriers to destinations not served by Qantas metal, so that you can gain lounge access for those trips, assuming you travel on most international flights with Qantas metal.
My father, in his infinite wisdom, bought me a Qantas Club life membership as a teenager back in about 1985. I recall it was $900, which seemed a huge amount of money at the time, but has well and truly paid for itself many times over now that I'm traveling more(but some years not enough for status). They no longer sell lifetime membership but I think it was about $4000 when they stopped about 10 years ago.
Air Canada has three "lifetime Gold" levels: Million Miler, 2 Million Miler, and 3 Million Miler. The lowest of these, for which you fairly obviously have to fly a million miles on Air Canada, gives you lifetime gold status aka Altitude 50K (and moves you to the front of your status band when applying for an upgrade); 2MM gives you and a partner lifetime Gold Status at 50K level; 3MM gives you lifetime SuperElite status (AC's highest level, 100K), which comes with quite a lot of useful goodies including always-available Aeroplan reward seats (at Classic Rewards level), and first in line for upgrades.
Wow, so much detailed knowledge and advice offered here, very much appreciated. I received QF Lifetime Gold membership a few years back before QF changed all the rules and conditions to the loyalty system and mileage accrual arrangements. I have not had to use it yet as I am fighting every year to retain Platinum status, except that it is becoming so much more difficult. They require 1200 status points and that can only be achieved with many business class tickets in their higher classes, even discounted biz will not always get you the required number of status points. Also I am finding that no matter the number of flights I take, it seems that the actual mileage points seem almost insignificant as QF gives very little if one flies domestically or internationally on the cheapest economy classes. So the rules have changed and these days is it is almost impossible to gain or retain Platinum status, much worse Platinum Plus (which I really don't understand why they would have introduced this new Platinum tier at 2400 status points annually, that means quite a lot of biz or first class flights!), my travel agent told me that most loyalty programs now offer very little as airlines have imposed very complicated algorithms and super strict (not very generous) conditions!
If your goal for attaining QF Lifetime Gold is to:
1) Attain Qantas Club access for domestic flights and Qantas operated international flights,
2) You do not fly internationally with other oneworld carriers.
And:
1) You're currently 35 years old, and
2) You expect to live till 80 years old
The cost of obtaining 14,000 Status Credits = 25 x SYD/LHR vv @ 560 SC per return trip costing on average $7,000 per trip = $175,000
The cost of obtaining Qantas Club for 45 (80 - 35) years @ $510 a year = $22,950
Clearly, if your goal is limited to those listed above, the cheaper option would be to purchase Qantas Club.
The difference of $152,050 would be more than sufficient, in your lifetime, to purchase outright business class fares on other carriers to destinations not served by Qantas metal, so that you can gain lounge access for those trips, assuming you travel on most international flights with Qantas metal.
I understand your logic, although I would like to add:
1) Assuming that you would need / want to travel 25 times SYD-LHR, there would be a cost involved anyway (say, $2,000 per flight for economy class). That would cost $50,000 over a lifetime.
2) There are cheaper ways to obtain status credits - some partner airlines have flights where status credit earn is under $3 per SC.
3) If you bought Qantas Club for 45 years you'd need to fly fairly often (no point having it otherwise) which a) costs money and b) earns you status credits. Assuming 100 status credits a year you'd earn 4,500 status credits just from your usual flying.
This does bring down the total 'saving' dramatically, so (depending on your individual travel patterns) lifetime gold may have some value.
Amongst oneworld carriers I believe the following offer some form of lifetime status:
American Airlines: 1,000,000 miles (Ruby); 2,000,000 miles (Sapphire)
British Airways: 35,000 tier points (Emerald)
Finnair: 3,000,000 miles (Sapphire); 5,000,000 (Emerald)
Iberia: 125,000 elite points (Emerald)
Qantas: 7,000 status credits (Ruby); 14,000 status credits (Sapphire)
Unless you do a lot of long-haul flying it's probably easier to earn Ruby & Sapphire through the Qantas or Emerald through BA as the status multipliers for higher classes are easier to obtain through a tier point / status credit system rather than a distance travelled system.
I'm not so familiar with other airlines although I believe various Star Alliance carriers offer it too. Asiana Airlines at 500,000 lifetime miles for Star Alliance Gold is probably easiest to obtain.
My father, in his infinite wisdom, bought me a Qantas Club life membership as a teenager back in about 1985. I recall it was $900, which seemed a huge amount of money at the time, but has well and truly paid for itself many times over now that I'm traveling more(but some years not enough for status). They no longer sell lifetime membership but I think it was about $4000 when they stopped about 10 years ago.
I think I paid $7000 for QC Life just before the offer was removed...!
My father, in his infinite wisdom, bought me a Qantas Club life membership as a teenager back in about 1985. I recall it was $900, which seemed a huge amount of money at the time, but has well and truly paid for itself many times over now that I'm traveling more(but some years not enough for status). They no longer sell lifetime membership but I think it was about $4000 when they stopped about 10 years ago.
I think I paid $7000 for QC Life just before the offer was removed...!
I Think VA still sell lifetime lounge membership. But the price tag is bowel trembling and you don't get a lot of the goodies that QC gives you. Like priority check in, priority bags etc.
Air New Zealand offer some kind of "bank a year" perk which rolls their Elite status forward using additional status credits earned in any given year. So you could in theory end up with Elite status for a good few years if you're flying quite a bit.
Hi Guest, join in the discussion on
Lifetime Status: Which is the fastest alliance/program to get it?
Jono
Jono
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 25 Jan 2013
Total posts 108
Having recently read about Qantas Lifetime Gold at 14,000 lifetime credits, I was curious as to whether or not other airlines or alliances offer this perk and how the qualifying process compared.
TheRealBabushka
TheRealBabushka
Member since 21 Apr 2012
Total posts 2,058
BA offers Lifetime Gold (OW Emerald) at 35,000 Tier Points.
David
David
Member since 24 Oct 2010
Total posts 1,016
Jono: a few airlines offer 'lifetime' status, one of the best is British Airways Lifetime Gold which equates to Lifetime Platinum with Qantas (via both airlines' membership of the Oneworld alliance, which sees BA Gold and Qantas Platinum both sitting on the same Oneworld Emerald tier)... but it takes a lot of flying to get there! More info at British Airways Lifetime Gold is the next best thing to Qantas Lifetime Platinum.
Jono
Jono
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 25 Jan 2013
Total posts 108
Anyone know if Velocity has or is contemplating lifetime status?
David
David
Member since 24 Oct 2010
Total posts 1,016
Tim Saunders
Tim Saunders
Member since 13 Sep 2016
Total posts 30
It's a long slog to Qantas Lifetime Gold, you need to start early and fly a lot to get there so you can enjoy Gold privileges for the rest of your life's flying, but it's worth it when you consider that you never again have to line up with economy class for checking in for your flight, will always have lounge access on any QF or OneWorld flight and will also always have a higher checked bag allowance too.
TheRealBabushka
TheRealBabushka
Member since 21 Apr 2012
Total posts 2,058
If your goal for attaining QF Lifetime Gold is to:
1) Attain Qantas Club access for domestic flights and Qantas operated international flights,
2) You do not fly internationally with other oneworld carriers.
And:
1) You're currently 35 years old, and
2) You expect to live till 80 years old
The cost of obtaining 14,000 Status Credits = 25 x SYD/LHR vv @ 560 SC per return trip costing on average $7,000 per trip = $175,000
The cost of obtaining Qantas Club for 45 (80 - 35) years @ $510 a year = $22,950
Clearly, if your goal is limited to those listed above, the cheaper option would be to purchase Qantas Club.
The difference of $152,050 would be more than sufficient, in your lifetime, to purchase outright business class fares on other carriers to destinations not served by Qantas metal, so that you can gain lounge access for those trips, assuming you travel on most international flights with Qantas metal.
latham1
latham1
Virgin Blue - Velocity Rewards
Member since 02 May 2011
Total posts 1
My father, in his infinite wisdom, bought me a Qantas Club life membership as a teenager back in about 1985. I recall it was $900, which seemed a huge amount of money at the time, but has well and truly paid for itself many times over now that I'm traveling more(but some years not enough for status).
They no longer sell lifetime membership but I think it was about $4000 when they stopped about 10 years ago.
outthere1000
outthere1000
Air Canada - Aeroplan
Member since 28 Feb 2015
Total posts 10
Air Canada has three "lifetime Gold" levels: Million Miler, 2 Million Miler, and 3 Million Miler. The lowest of these, for which you fairly obviously have to fly a million miles on Air Canada, gives you lifetime gold status aka Altitude 50K (and moves you to the front of your status band when applying for an upgrade); 2MM gives you and a partner lifetime Gold Status at 50K level; 3MM gives you lifetime SuperElite status (AC's highest level, 100K), which comes with quite a lot of useful goodies including always-available Aeroplan reward seats (at Classic Rewards level), and first in line for upgrades.
1Worldfreqflyer
1Worldfreqflyer
Member since 29 Jun 2016
Total posts 15
Wow, so much detailed knowledge and advice offered here, very much appreciated. I received QF Lifetime Gold membership a few years back before QF changed all the rules and conditions to the loyalty system and mileage accrual arrangements. I have not had to use it yet as I am fighting every year to retain Platinum status, except that it is becoming so much more difficult. They require 1200 status points and that can only be achieved with many business class tickets in their higher classes, even discounted biz will not always get you the required number of status points. Also I am finding that no matter the number of flights I take, it seems that the actual mileage points seem almost insignificant as QF gives very little if one flies domestically or internationally on the cheapest economy classes. So the rules have changed and these days is it is almost impossible to gain or retain Platinum status, much worse Platinum Plus (which I really don't understand why they would have introduced this new Platinum tier at 2400 status points annually, that means quite a lot of biz or first class flights!), my travel agent told me that most loyalty programs now offer very little as airlines have imposed very complicated algorithms and super strict (not very generous) conditions!
Chrizztofa
Chrizztofa
Member since 16 Oct 2016
Total posts 2
If your goal for attaining QF Lifetime Gold is to:
1) Attain Qantas Club access for domestic flights and Qantas operated international flights,
2) You do not fly internationally with other oneworld carriers.
And:
1) You're currently 35 years old, and
2) You expect to live till 80 years old
The cost of obtaining 14,000 Status Credits = 25 x SYD/LHR vv @ 560 SC per return trip costing on average $7,000 per trip = $175,000
The cost of obtaining Qantas Club for 45 (80 - 35) years @ $510 a year = $22,950
Clearly, if your goal is limited to those listed above, the cheaper option would be to purchase Qantas Club.
The difference of $152,050 would be more than sufficient, in your lifetime, to purchase outright business class fares on other carriers to destinations not served by Qantas metal, so that you can gain lounge access for those trips, assuming you travel on most international flights with Qantas metal.
flychrisfly
flychrisfly
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 09 Jun 2011
Total posts 40
They no longer sell lifetime membership but I think it was about $4000 when they stopped about 10 years ago.
Jono
Jono
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 25 Jan 2013
Total posts 108
Thanks to the AusBT Universe! For the insights and knowledge :)
Jono
Jono
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 25 Jan 2013
Total posts 108
They no longer sell lifetime membership but I think it was about $4000 when they stopped about 10 years ago.
drgmarshall
drgmarshall
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 10 May 2012
Total posts 106
Air New Zealand offer some kind of "bank a year" perk which rolls their Elite status forward using additional status credits earned in any given year. So you could in theory end up with Elite status for a good few years if you're flying quite a bit.