I am an infrequent traveller making only a couple of trips a year domestically usually Per-Mel or Perth-Bne. I generally make 1 trip to the US a year although this year it looks like I may be doing 2 trips to the US for some business related conferences. Travelling from Perth to the US generally means extended layovers on the East Coast. I was looking at taking out a Qantas Club membership but then saw something about Qantas Status runs. As a current non Qantas Club member, the cost for a 2 year membership is just under $1500. I have not yet priced a Qantas Status run to get Gold status and doing this just after my upcoming Frequent Flyer anniversary date would effectively get me 2 years Qantas Club membership included in the Gold Status.
My question is, is it worth the extra to even look at a status run to get gold status as opposed to just a Qantas Club membership ?
If a status run is worth it, where should I be looking for a good route from Perth to rack up a bunch of status credits ?
I am not necessarily loyal to Qantas so if anyone has any other recommendations re: airlines / programs or links they can point me towards that would be much appreciated.
I know there was a double status credits offer from Qnatas recently so I am guessing there wont be another one any time soon to help me out with status credits
You will be spending a lot of money in a year to get QF SG, without guaranteed DSC or 1.5SC offers. Ideally, if I were in your shoes, what I would do is either pay to fly QF PremY with QP, or buy a comfort seat request (empty seat next to you) plus QP. QF SG does not guarantee you a shadow, I always thought it did, but turns out, not so, I sometimes do suceed, but my ratio ever since I got QF SG is about 30% shadow - empty seat next to me, (flew a lot with EK, plenty of Au - NZ trips with EK with a QF flight number - stopping now as EK no longer do Au - NZ in numbers as they used to), but I had to spend quite a lot to get to attain and then retain QF SG. Now, if QF did give you or I or all QF SG shadows on long flights, good then, go for QF SG, ... but do the sums. You would need to spend at least several thousand dollars, to get QF SG. MEL - SYD - DPS - SIN - BNE - MEL all in J, (I costed it), at Aud$6646 and earns about 355 or 360 QF SC, AustFF group has more ideas, read there if you haven't. Start with a cheapie, Au to Asia, and then do inter Asia hops, tip, don't fly MAS Au - KUL, fly Au - SIN with QF and then do inter Asia J/sub class of that, or Y. Edit: ah, PER based, quite easy, PER - SIN in Y with comfort seat request, and then plenty of inter Asia flights. QF SC calculator is also good, don't have a cardiac, ok, as it won't be cheap or easy achieving QF SG, even with DSC/1.5 SC offers.
I'm an infrequent flyer who barely made it to silver few years ago and have not come close to it since. So I purchase QC.
Status run isn't easy. You need to have lots of time and it can be really tiring. It's not cheaper than direct flights and in many cases, more expensive. Plus don't forget, before you reach gold, you don't have lounge access doing these status runs unless you fly in J.
Even after you've achieved it, you'll need to maintain it.
However, there are other perks as a QF gold over just a QC member:
1. You have access to worldwide OW lounges not just QF operated lounge. And you don't have to stick to QF, any OW carrier/QF partner will get you into the lounge.
2. You have higher chance of getting upgraded when you apply as a gold.
3. You have access to more classic award seats
4. Priority boarding. More seat selection choices....etc when flying QF.
So you need to work out if the above perks are worth the extra effort and money to get QF gold. In my case, I don't need most of it, I'm a very busy man so don't have time for status run plus my employer allows us to salary sacrifice airport lounge memberships, I decided to just join QC and not worry about maintaining status.
Having said that QF Gold does come with a lot of perks as mentioned by others above. But it is only useful if you travel.
If I have to pick one for you, I would go with QC membership. Since the cost is definitely lower (compare to status run), and QF Gold won't be much use in your situation. (unless you travel more frequent)
LAX QF lounge doesn’t accept lounge passes - never figured out exactly how it’s operated - but it’s not a ‘regular’ QF lounge so don’t rely on credit card or silver passes to get in there.
I’ve always taken the view that if I’m not travelling enough to get gold status then I don’t really need lounge access. I can always sit in an airport bar instead....
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Qantas Club Membership or Gold Status ?
WoodyFlies
WoodyFlies
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 22 Jan 2018
Total posts 1
I am an infrequent traveller making only a couple of trips a year domestically usually Per-Mel or Perth-Bne. I generally make 1 trip to the US a year although this year it looks like I may be doing 2 trips to the US for some business related conferences. Travelling from Perth to the US generally means extended layovers on the East Coast. I was looking at taking out a Qantas Club membership but then saw something about Qantas Status runs. As a current non Qantas Club member, the cost for a 2 year membership is just under $1500. I have not yet priced a Qantas Status run to get Gold status and doing this just after my upcoming Frequent Flyer anniversary date would effectively get me 2 years Qantas Club membership included in the Gold Status.
Andrew Barkery
Andrew Barkery
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 21 Mar 2011
Total posts 433
You will be spending a lot of money in a year to get QF SG, without guaranteed DSC or 1.5SC offers.
Ideally, if I were in your shoes, what I would do is either pay to fly QF PremY with QP, or buy a comfort seat request (empty seat next to you) plus QP.
QF SG does not guarantee you a shadow, I always thought it did, but turns out, not so, I sometimes do suceed, but my ratio ever since I got QF SG is about 30% shadow - empty seat next to me, (flew a lot with EK, plenty of Au - NZ trips with EK with a QF flight number - stopping now as EK no longer do Au - NZ in numbers as they used to), but I had to spend quite a lot to get to attain and then retain QF SG.
Now, if QF did give you or I or all QF SG shadows on long flights, good then, go for QF SG, ... but do the sums.
You would need to spend at least several thousand dollars, to get QF SG.
MEL - SYD - DPS - SIN - BNE - MEL all in J, (I costed it), at Aud$6646 and earns about 355 or 360 QF SC, AustFF group has more ideas, read there if you haven't.
Start with a cheapie, Au to Asia, and then do inter Asia hops, tip, don't fly MAS Au - KUL, fly Au - SIN with QF and then do inter Asia J/sub class of that, or Y.
Edit: ah, PER based, quite easy, PER - SIN in Y with comfort seat request, and then plenty of inter Asia flights.
QF SC calculator is also good, don't have a cardiac, ok, as it won't be cheap or easy achieving QF SG, even with DSC/1.5 SC offers.
Michael Kao
Michael Kao
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 06 Nov 2014
Total posts 163
I'm an infrequent flyer who barely made it to silver few years ago and have not come close to it since. So I purchase QC.
airly
airly
Member since 22 May 2015
Total posts 5
Having said that QF Gold does come with a lot of perks as mentioned by others above. But it is only useful if you travel.
If I have to pick one for you, I would go with QC membership. Since the cost is definitely lower (compare to status run), and QF Gold won't be much use in your situation. (unless you travel more frequent)
mannej
mannej
QF
Member since 21 May 2014
Total posts 176
If you can make SG - that is your answer. QP is limited as to the benefits, SG applies to OW as a whole.
jimjimmyjimson
jimjimmyjimson
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 22 Feb 2018
Total posts 8
LAX QF lounge doesn’t accept lounge passes - never figured out exactly how it’s operated - but it’s not a ‘regular’ QF lounge so don’t rely on credit card or silver passes to get in there.