Back in early 2023, I found myself with a shiny new Star Alliance Gold card in my wallet – courtesy of Aegean Airlines. While I did have to go a little out of my way to get it, their program makes it quite easy to retain it after that. I had just about enough business travel a year to make it work.
I enjoyed the perks – priority lanes, lounges, and the occasional upgrade – but eventually lost the status in 2025 due to personal health reasons that kept me grounded. That felt like the right moment to reflect, was it worth it?
In 2023, I flew 40 times, clocking just over 40,000 miles. Almost all of it was short-haul, both for business and personal reasons. I was upgraded to business class twice (not counting the four upgrade coupons Aegean includes each year). But let's be honest – European business class is far from a life-changing experience. What I valued far more was the ability to use business check-in counters, priority security, and airline lounges, which were generally much better than anything offered by Priority Pass.
One perk I'd never paid much attention to was waitlist priority. That changed during a snowstorm in Germany. Flights were a mess that day. Passengers were being turned away at the counter, told there were no seats for days. I walked up without much confidence, only to hear: "I'm sorry sir, the flight is full, so we had to upgrade you to business class."
In that moment, it wasn't just about a blocked middle seat – it meant the difference between getting home or not flying at all.
Would I chase gold again? Yes... but. The perks are great if you're already flying a lot, and it's just a matter of making sure your miles are credited wisely or taking one more trip for the year. Otherwise, I'd argue it's better to spend your time and money elsewhere – like getting a proper meal at an airport restaurant, which I can almost guarantee will taste much better than anything served in the vast majority of lounges.