I have an upcoming work trip from Perth to London in BC.

I have an upcoming work trip from Perth to London in BC. I have QF gold, but because of the new QF points earning scheme, even travelling on flights with QF flight numbers on a flexible BC ticket won't earn me enough status credits to make it to Platinum in time before my SC's expire in Oct (i will fall about 50 SCs short of Plat). Is it still worth using QF flights, in the hope QF will be kind enough to give me Plat, or should I not even bother and just go for the best option (which seems to be SQ or CX or QR or EY from Perth)?

50 SCs is not a lot, so if you think Platinum (WP) is worthwhile, then take a quick domestic status run to get you just over the line to WP.

Thanks - unfortunately won't have time for a status run trip. Any other ideas? Or do I let the WP go this time round and opt for a different carrier (e.g. Try to get *A gold with one flight by crediting points to Aegean)?

Isn't 50 SC just a return in J MEL/BNE? You could knock that out on a Saturday morning!

You only need to go J one way, as that earns 40 SC on its own. The other leg can be in Y, as that earns 10SC. All up, the 50 SC required.

Spend Saturday morning in the lounge. The pancakes taste better when you don't need to work.

"Spend Saturday morning in the lounge. The pancakes taste better when you don't need to work."

Truer words have never been spoken.

Can you do a J flight with a QF code flight, but on EK metal from Au to NZ?

50SC is quite close, and SYD to AKL one way in J or F will put you into the space for QF WP.

I know I certain would do it if I was only 50SC short.

If I was 150SC short, then not worth it, but only 50SC short, you might as well make use of it and go across the ditch.

Book the EK flight on the QF website though.

Seriously send the FF centre an email.  This has happened a number of times with me and they have always given me the benefit of the doubt and given me plat :) 

That's a possibility. OP, could you give them a ring and ask for double status credits?

Always a possibility, but I'm guessing you would need to be a very valued customer for Qantas to entend any ration of 'kindness'!  With the new slashing of SCs using partner airlines I'm guessinf the ranks of Plat. members (and Gold too) will decline dramatically in next 12 months. I don't know if this would especially bother Qantas though.

Either you ring, and they say NO, or you fly.

I would fly, but then, I love the feeling of take off and landing, thats me though.

Only going to make it to PS this one year, 85, hoping to make 300 by end of Jul 15.

You are lucky to be that close to WP.

Fly it mate, fly it. 

Thats the only (2nd or 1st) way to get status.  Fly/plead with the call centre!

Buying goods and services (non flying activities) will not you SC, which is what you need nowadays, rather then plain FF points.

Ex PER your options aren't that simple to get the SC's cheaply.  Probably best try an all Y PER-MEL-SYD-MEL-PER.  With the first leg being a red eye.  I think you can do it in a "day" (ie no o/night in hotels) but it is a long one.

Will you get much benefit out of Platinum that you don't get out of Gold in the next calendar year? 

If the OP prefers to do it all in Y, he could use Red e-Deals to stack a triangle routing ex-PER without overnight stays.

One possibility is to start on a Friday night and run PER-SYD-MEL-PER (or PER-BNE-SYD-PER or equivalent). SYD and BNE are better redeyes than MEL simply being longer flights. Each transcon leg earns 20SC, and the triangle hop earns 10SC. This gets the OP the 50SC he needs.

The easiest is still to take a PER-ADL-PER return, one way in J and the other in Y. This will net 75SC.

OP, what's your points balance? It may be time to bring out the Any Seat Award.

Got plenty of points in the bank.... Would I earn SCs on an Any Seat Award booking??