Should I go for WP or just stay with SG?

[smit0847]

I made SG for the first time 6 months ago. So far Im extremely happy with the benefits (fly ahead, MEL lounge, priority boarding, Row 3 etc). With some crafty family pooling I managed to make my partner SG last month as we usually travel together but sometimes separately. I've mapped out our travel for the rest of this year and will easily re-qual for SG by my Review Date (god bless that $200 J happy hour). All of my travel is domestic leisure (we use USDM and LM for intl J) but we maximise opportunities for cheap weekends away (happy hours, Flyer CC 2-4-1s etc). I've realised that around June I will be somewhere between 850 and 900 SCs. I could burn somewhere around 20 - 30,000 points on 1.5 Status Runs to get to the magic 1000 SCs mark to make WP before June 30 (thanks to the magical spreadsheet) but Im not sure if its worth it.

We are currently hoarding points for 2 x MEL-LAX J redemptions in mid 2015 which we just about have the points for.

While we travel monthly this year (the benefits of SG really do encourage us to travel more because the travel is a lot more enjoyable - we especially love Row 3), we are planning to scale the travel right back next year as Im purchasing my first home. I know the big benefit of WP over SG is the 4 free upgrades and the best use of these is to PER but to be honest neither or us have any desire or need to go to PER. We love CNS so would probably use them on a MEL-CNS trip mid next year if we had them (this is a reasonably good use of them isnt it?). We dont really stay in hotels (use airbnb) or hire cars (use PT or friends) so no real need for elite car or hotel status.

Whats playing on my mind is that I think I'll really struggle to requal SG NEXT year with the limited flying next year and while it would be a bit silly to make WP when you dont have a lot of flying that following year I am aware that if I dont requal WP (which I definitely wont) I will only drop down to SG meaning I essentially get an extra year of SG for free which would be a big benefit to me. Im not expecting there will be many other benefits of WP (to be honest I think VA SG get too many benefits while VA WP dont get enough).

Do you think it's worth spending the extra 20-30,000 points doing runs to make WP when the only real benefits I think I'll use are the 4 free upgrades (which would only be 40k points to upgrade from flexis anyway) and the 'free' extra year of SG?

 

[notzac]

Your last paragraph outlines the most important benefits, but there are three additional ones that I think are important:

• For domestic travel - access to all available seats on the plane at time of booking
• [-]For travel to Europe with EY - access to a decent lounge at AUH[/-]
• Generally - better bonus point earn when flying on a VA code

Make your own mind up, but especially while you can earn status from reward bookings - it's not such a terrible idea to go for Platinum

Edit: didn't read that you use miles for international travel in J - second bennie I mentioned probably isn't of much use. I'd still go for it if you're going to be as close as 900 SCs.

 

[hummel]

Keeping an eye on this thread. I'll maintain SG with a couple of spreadsheet runs however I may even make it to WP if I get a bit creative.

 

[jmphoto]

I just booked a SC run for the first time. I may not need it to requalify, thus booked it towards the end of June and will cancel if not required.

For me, I shuttle back and forth in Y between SYD and ADL, so row 3 is a great perk of WP, and as mentioned the better lounge in AUH is a hell of a perk when you're 14 hours in to the commute. The extra year of SG would seem a worthwhile benefit in itself, and as notzac said, with reward bookings offering SC at the moment it's too hard to refuse.

 

[smit0847]

I just booked a SC run for the first time. I may not need it to requalify, thus booked it towards the end of June and will cancel if not required.

For me, I shuttle back and forth in Y between SYD and ADL, so row 3 is a great perk of WP, and as mentioned the better lounge in AUH is a hell of a perk when you're 14 hours in to the commute. The extra year of SG would seem a worthwhile benefit in itself, and as notzac said, with reward bookings offering SC at the moment it's too hard to refuse.

Thanks - travelling only for leisure I almost always travel outside of peak and am pretty organised with my OLCI so almost always get Row 3 (even since the Sabre changeover).

Im very unlikely to fly Etihad Y ever - the only time I would fly them is if I was flying J or F on points.

I guess the question Im really asking is 'how many points would you burn just to get WP?'

 

[simongr]

• For domestic travel - access to all available seats on the plane at time of booking

Was that a change when they went to SABRE? I thought you could only pre-select at 14 days? It was one of the key reasons I didnt try and stay with VA.

 

[jmphoto]

I guess the question Im really asking is 'how many points would you burn just to get WP?'

Depends how many you've got and how many you're earning. Once your WP you'll be getting the 100% bonus, but that really only matters much if you're flying a fair bit.

I use my J upgrades SYD-PER-SYD with a 2-4-1 Flyer Card, if I upgraded with points it would be 39,600 points. So for me WP is worth at least that, plus the other benefits.

 

[notzac]

Was that a change when they went to SABRE? I thought you could only pre-select at 14 days? It was one of the key reasons I didnt try and stay with VA.

Yup, it was changed as a part of the Sabre rollout.

 

[serfty]

Yup, it was changed as a part of the Sabre rollout.

Certainly.

It went from:

SG/WP[/PS?] being able to select seating online within 14 days of the flight (also at time of booking if within 14 days) and at check-in. (Also could call up within 14 days).

to:

All being being able to select seating online at time of booking (with varying availability depending on status) and at check-in. (Also could call up anytime after booking).