Platinum One membership requirementMembership requires 3600 status credits earned within one membership year,at least 2700 acquired on flights with a Qantas flight number.
Singapore Airlines Solitaire PPS Club
Solitaire PPS (Priority Passenger Service) Club is the top bunk in Singapore Airlines’ five status tiers,and working your way to the summit can only achieved by flying on full fare tickets with Singapore Airlines.
Solitaire PPS Club members get porter check-in service at Changi Terminal 2,or the first class check-in reception at Changi Terminal 3;the private immigration counter at Changi Airport on departure and preferential access to saver award availability redemption. It might not sound impressive but it comes on top of a swag of perks that apply to the lower membership tiers.
That includes access to Singapore Airlines and Star Alliance lounges,priority check-in and boarding;priority award availability redemption,seat and meal preferences on SIA;extra baggage allowance;30MB free Wi-Fi on SIA aircraft where available;extra legroom and forward zone seat selection when flying premium economy or economy class on Singapore Airlines and no expiry date for KrisFlyer miles.
Singapore Airlines reserves Solitaire membership for the cream of its flyers. PPS Value,required to ascend to the top two status tiers,is the amount spent on airfares,not the miles flown. PPS Value can only be earned on Singapore Airlines flights,and only when flying business or first class. Even within Solitaire PPS Club there are three further subdivisions,based on how much the member has spent on flights during their membership year. The top category requires a total spend of$S100,000 ($115,000) PPS Value during a membership year.
Solitaire PPS membership requirement$S250,000 in PPS Value in a five consecutive year period.
Emirates Skywards Platinum
Members resident in Dubai get home check‑in;75 per cent bonus Skywards Miles when flying Emirates;discounted and free upgrades;no expiry on Skywards Miles;guaranteed business class seats on fully booked Emirates flights;lounge access for members and guests in all Emirates First Class and Business Class lounge and Emirates Gold tier membership for a partner or friend.
Benefits that apply to membership categories lower down the ladder include free onboard Wi-Fi;access to selected worldwide lounges;excess baggage allowance;priority boarding,phone service and waitlist. The main advantages of Emirates Platinum over Gold are the Gold partner nomination,free and discounted upgrades and access to the Emirates First Class Lounge in Dubai.
Emirates Skywards Platinum membership requirementAt least 150,000 Tier Miles and one qualifying flight in Emirates first or business class.
British Airways Executive Club Gold
Sitting at the top of the four-tier status pyramid,BA’s Gold members get first-class check in and boarding,access to BA First lounges,100 per cent bonus Avios points on all BA,Iberia,American Airlines and Japan Airlines flights,lounge access for the member plus one guest,priority waitlist and additional reward flight availability. There’s also the Gold Priority Reward access feature,which allows a member to book any seat still for sale for double the Avios cost,provided it’s with 30 days’ notice.
There’s not much incentive for most Australian flyers to aspire to BA Gold,however the bonus Avios points when flying aboard partner airlines are a real plus for anyone looking to earn and burn points with American Airlines,Cathay Pacific,Japan Airlines,Malaysia Airlines and Qatar Airways.
British Airways Executive Club Gold membership requirementAt least 1500 Tier Points and four eligible flights in one membership year.
Qatar Airways Platinum
Benefits include double points on eligible Qatar Airways flights,lounge access for two guests in Doha and business class lounges at select airports,five lounge passes per year for friends to use at Hamad International Airport and no Avios points expiry. These are the only perks that separate Qatar’s Platinum from Gold members;however,there are plenty of goodies for those flyers including priority check-in and boarding,preferred seat selection,extra baggage allowance,lounge access and the Al Maha meet and greet service at Doha Airport.
Qatar’s business class is regarded as one of the world’s best,neck and neck with Singapore Airlines. Anyone flying business class even semi regularly between Australia and Europe could do worse than to choose Qatar’s as their loyalty scheme.
Qatar Airways Platinum membership requirement600 Qpoints.
Virgin Australia Platinum
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VA’s Platinum flyers get double points when travelling on VA flights,seating in the preferred zone,four complimentary business class upgrades per year when travelling on a flex fare on eligible flights,priority phone service,priority waitlist,guaranteed redemption of one economy reward seat per year to any Virgin Australia flight,priority check in,boarding and security clearance,lounge admission for up to three guests when flying on a VA domestic flight and access to VA partner airlines international lounges.
Business class travellers who fly frequently between Sydney and Melbourne or Brisbane will find it relatively easy to reach Platinum status,although there’s not too much that separates them from Gold members,and Gold comes at just half the requirements. For many flyers the most attractive benefit of VA’s Platinum tier is going to be the four upgrades,but that requires a relatively expensive flex fare which takes the shine off.
Virgin Australia Platinum membership requirementAt least 1000 status credits plus eight eligible sectors within a membership year.