Does one earn points per $ on VA purchased, VA overseas flights?

[ozstamps]

I had always assumed you got points per $ spent on Virgin metal flights, if bought direct on Virgin website. (Not talking paying with the Virgin branded credit cards here, which of course gets Virgin miles.) Plus the relevant points after the flights were taken of course.

I do not track points earn too much, as I just trustingly assume the correct amounts are posted. And in the past do seem to recall one got 5 Virgin points per $ spent plus the relevant Elite tier bonus?

Reading the shiny new website link below (that seems to have other bugs in it of course) I do not see that applies anymore for Virgin metal flights to HK or USA. Was that always the case?

VIRGIN AUSTRALIA Travel with Virgin Australia and set your Velocity Points flying.

I've spent $10,000 on overseas flights in recent months, and had assumed that spend earned a ton of Virgin miles based on the $ spend - is that not the case now?

The 5 points per dollar spent does seem to apply to domestic, Pacifics and NZ purchases if website is correct?

Maybe I am reading it wrong or maybe the website is screwed up but seems weird to book a Virgin metal Flight To Tonga or Cook Is. and get 5 miles per $, but book to HK or USA and NOT get it?

 

[Saab34]

Long Haul is HK and USA and is per mile on earn, this has always been the case, even dating back to VAustralia days with JNB/HKT. There are changes to short haul, they are moving from per mile to per dollar, as with domestic.

Back in the early days it was more described as a %, but still per mile. It used to worse, 0.25% for the lowest Economy fare now .50.

Your better off on per mile long haul anyway. When a large % of the fare is taxes, under the per $ model (taxes don’t earn) you would be losing a lot of earn. If your in Business to HKG it’s about 20k points return as a red.

The system long haul on points can work incredibly well should you book a cheap premium fare and/or book premium fares under a double/triple point promo with associated tier bonuses.

 

[CPMaverick]

It's always been the case as far as I can remember...

 

[ozstamps]

OK thanks … had felt sure a per dollar credit applied for VA metal buys. Got it for a NZ flight as I recall so maybe that is why I thought it was airline wide. Can't be helped now, and booked already.

Very confusing when it works for SOME VA metal overseas flights and not for others. Makes little sense, and very inconsistent. .

 

[serfty]

Makes little sense, and very inconsistent.

Actually it is consistent and clearly stated as you were able to discern the correct situaltion (going by your OP).

With myself being a WP, on non 'getaway fares' VA flights earn double - i.e. 10 pt per $ on Domestic/Short Haul Int. and 2x on long haul (e.g. MEL-LAX in Discount Economy @7921 miles, earns 6960 x 2)

 

[Must...Fly!]

Actually it is consistent and clearly stated as you were able to discern the correct situaltion (going by your OP).

With myself being a WP, VA flights earn double - i.e. 10 pt per $ on Domestic/Short Haul Int. and 2x on long haul (e.g. MEL-LAX in Discount Economy @7921 miles, earns 6960 x 2)

Except getaway fares for domestic...which is annoying.

 

[serfty]

Except getaway fares for domestic...which is annoying.

Somewhat, but the same changes also improved SC earning on many non getaway fares.

 

[ozstamps]

Makes little sense, and very inconsistent. .

I stand by my view. Tonga is short Haul and Hong Kong is long haul .. what idiot dreamed up these zones? Where is Denpasar in this smorgasbord? Oh Indonesia is SHORT Haul but Hong Kong is LONG Haul of course despite both being n Asia. Dumber than Dirt logic.

Rarotonga is 9 hours in duration, but THAT is "Short" haul despite being as long a trip as Hong Kong. Nutty Virgin logic.

The AVERAGE member of Flyer plans wants consistency and simplicity - no-one should need an MBA to decide whether to book a ticket and have an idea of how many miles you earn for the flight.

 

[serfty]

Raratonga has always been designated as short-haul by VA.

Your comparison is invalid.

SYD-HKG is scheduled at 580 minutes, being 4595 miles; VA fly direct.

VA only fly to RAR via AKL. SYD-AKL is 3 hours and AKL-RAR is 3½ hours - that's just 6½ hours in flight, not the 9½ hours of HKG.

Even if they did fly direct, it is 3100 miles; some ⅔ HKG distance.

 

[ozstamps]

serfty on your Lear Jet it might by 6.5 hours but on VIRGIN (remember we are indeed discussing Virgin not the Lear Jet Airlines) it is around 9 hours on Virgin with an excellent connection. Exactly as I posted. That is not "Short Haul" to most sane people.

 

[serfty]

... on your Lear Jet it might by 6.5 hours but on VIRGIN ) it is around 9 hours with an excellent connection. Exactly as I posted. That is not "Short Haul" to most sane people.

8:55 is not 9 hours.

Also, that 'excellent connection' represents 80 minutes on the ground - total flying scheduled flying time is 455 minutes - still well short of the scheduled 940 to HKG.

Moreover, long haul is arguably any flight over 5 hours - you have two short haul flights there.

 

[Bagpuss]

I stand by my view.

Then this is where you submit your feedback ... https://www.velocityfrequentflyer.com/content/Help/CommentsFeedback/

 

[Bagpuss]

The AVERAGE member of Flyer plans wants consistency and simplicityt.

Can you please prove this.

I would guess an average flyer may use a travel agent or a travel agent's website in which many wouldn't even know what class fare they have purchased. They would likely just understand "Economy" "Premium Economy" "Business" "First" when booking.

 

[odysseus]

Hard to define who's "average" but their international short and long haul designations make sense to me.

 

[Must...Fly!]

ozstamps grinding axe must be wearing very thin by now...

 

[CPMaverick]

Short haul and long haul are based on destinations, not travel time. Connections which make a short distance take a long time do not mean it is long haul. If that were the case you could make the case for domestic or Trans-tasman travel being long-haul.

In my opinion long-haul from Australia means a new continent. VA's definitions make sense to me. It would certainly be more inconsistent to make RAR long haul if the other Pacific destinations were not.

 

[ozstamps]

In my opinion long-haul from Australia means a new continent. VA's definitions make sense to me.

So Denpasar ASIA is not a different Continent in your mind. Gotcha.

And contradicting yourself makes perfect sense to you. Gotcha.

 

[CPMaverick]

That's fair. DPS is an outlier using that criteria.

You don't have to be such a dick about it you know.

 

[sjk]

Why am I reminded of Serena Williams?

 

[ozstamps]

That's fair. DPS is an outlier using that criteria.

.

That example was clearly posted above, as a clear example of the Virgin inconsistency, that you disagreed with, and now agreed with. Maybe.

You are so busy insulting members, you must have overlooked it.

Very confusing when it works for SOME VA metal overseas flights and not for others. Makes little sense, and very inconsistent.

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