[Anonymous]

[GoolSantchurn]

I have been a loyal BA gold card continuously for over 15 years. I reached the 3500 points just prior to my annual expiry date. I understand from other readers that once you reach this thresh hold, you will be eligible for a GGL.I have written to BA but has yet to receive an answer, the previous one saying that this may be considered. Does anyone know what are rules and eligibility requirements?

[RichardBarr]

Here’s what the BA website has on that type of benefit…
•At 2,500 Tier Points, and again at 3,500 Tier Points, we’ll award you with a voucher that you and a companion can use towards an upgrade to the next cabin on a flight of your choice, subject to availability
•At 4,500 Tier Points, you can share your membership benefits by giving someone else our prestigious Executive Club Silver Partner Card
•At 5,000 Tier Points, you will receive the Concorde Room Card, your key to the most luxurious and well-appointed lounges at London Heathrow Terminal 5 and New York JFK Terminal 7, the perfect setting for both relaxation and business

[Gold-2K]

My understanding is it is not an automatic right at 3,500 points. I got invited on to the list after having 3 consecutive years of achieving 3,500 points. However speaking to a CSD on a flight he mentioned that this was probably not the sole reason as qualificatiion is based on a number of other factors, including the number of years as a gold card holder, (18 in my case) usual class of travel and of course ultimately the amount of money spent with the airline. Regular long haul premium travellers being the target! The CSD also mentioned membership of the GGL was restricted to less than 1% of the BAEC membership. So my understanding from the conversation, there are no hard and fast rules and no automatic right to get on the GGL and you don’t get there only by hitting a tier points threshold. It’s by invitation.

[MartynSinclair]

For someone generating 4,500 tier points and with that sort of spend, the ability to give away a Silver partner card, is not really that impressive.

What happens when they travel together and due to the main card holder already having 1 guest, they would need to split up and go into seperate lounges.

The Concorde room access after 5,000 points, again, apart from the “prestige” of turning right instead of left, once airside, it really is not a WOW factor benefit.

These unpublised benefits are interesting, but for me, the lounge complex at Heathrow is excellent (not the very best in the world, but up there). Whether I turn left or right, whether its Baxter’s or someone else, as long as I am able to use the lounge complex thats benefit enough for me.

PS – I will add that I am very happy with the First lounge and do prefer it to the upstairs “staff quarters” for lower ranked club members……. BUT, would have no issue if they were all combined to make one large but well set out lounge, with an upstairs and downstairs….

[Biztraveller74]

I am a frequent C class traveller on long haul, mainly middle east and Asia and I am surprised at the effect the clear and simple rule has on me: Emirates gives Platinum card ( their highest level, only 5% of their Gold card members are expected to be elligible), and I am maximising my travel to fly with them. 150k award miles, equivalent of 13 return to Middle east, while on BA I would only reach 3500 which does not garantee best revignition (GGL).
I have requalified with BA for Gold, but I wont try to go beyond 1500!
Clarity and transparency is what makes it to me, Skywards does it.
PS: 4 trips away to reach Platinum.

[HedgeFundFlyer]

I though GGL was generally offered at two consecutive years of 3000 TPs or one year of 5000 TPs.

That’s when I got mine! 🙂

[Biztraveller74]

Well, this is the point. Looks a bit of a lottery…I am sure it is all well modelled and computerized to identify who qualifies, but if as traveller I have no leads to know how I am doing, I will not start.
A pity, I like flying BA…but also Emirates! So no real fidelity, just whoever is best with me!

[Biztraveller74]

I had 4 consecutive years above 3500, no GGL. Perhaps the fact I travel corporate businrss class tickets heavily discounted, or the fact I fly economy for leisure in Europe makes it less of a good client dor BA?

[openfly]

There is little incentive to go beyond 1500 TP to retain Gold. The upgrades at 2500 and 3500…waste of time! Trigger 1500 and move on…

[PhileasFogg]

Agree with openfly.
Upgrades are like mile redemption in BA – don´t count on using them because you will never find premium seats available on the dates you want!

[Gold-2K]

One of the benefits of GGL is that twice a year you are guaranteed redemption availability. Has enabled me to get 2 first seats to Sydney on my preferred dates and flights – a nice perk!

[Albator]

Gold-2K, this is serious value perk as far as I am concerned.
Biztraveller74, does Platinum Emirates gives you this as well?

It seems though GGL is really an unpredictable status to achieve based on various comments

[VintageKrug]

It’s not at all unpredictable; there is a clearly stated policy.

[STORMIN']

I’m with Openfly. I’ve been Gold, year-on-year, since the current Tier arrangement started in the early ’90s. On many occasions, I’ve well and truly exceeded the 1,500 points threshold with very little recognition in terms of upgrades, etc. I tend to reach 1,500 points after about 7 months and then stop flying BA, focusing upon the renewal of my LH Senator status.

It’s a shame that BA can’t seem to recognise long-term loyalty – in my case, over 20 years at Gold – by providing life-time membership. I have lifetime Platinum Elite Plus with Air France / KLM and Gold with American and am well looked after by both these airlines when I use them.

There seems to be a continued arrogance about BA in terms of recognising the value of long-term loyalty

[Author]

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