First time Platinum: best SC plan for the next 12 months?

[kylemcd]

After a bit of business travel in the last year, along with some overseas travel with my family and pooling their status to me, my latest trip to NY sees me suddenly having Platinum status with Virgin!

This is all thanks to AFF, and reading about the different ways of earning status. I realised I was on the cusp of gaining gold with our trip to Singapore last year, but needed to do a status run before hand. So my wife and I did a day trip to CNS to get me to Silver, so our later trip would get me to Gold. Then when I was planning my current trip to NY, I realised that if I booked our USA internal trips on Delta, I’d be recognised for my Gold status — not having to pay for checked luggage is definitely handy — and gain status for those trips. So, pooling SC from my son, I’ve just earned Platinum.

My quandry is what to do now with the return leg. We’re a family of three, based in MEL, but on this trip at the moment, it’s just me and my son.

The route is JFK-LAX-BNE-MEL, in Delta Comfort+ to LAX; Premium Economy to BNE; and Economy to MEL. The trip will earn a total of 420 SC per PAX.

The options I’m weighing up are these.

First, I could pool my son’s SC to me, which combined with mine, would see me re-qualify for Platinum, mere days after first gaining, and giving me a full two years at that level. But I’m not that regular a flyer, so although it’s very nice to have, I won’t get that much benefit from it.

Second, my son could keep his SC on this return trip, which would get him gold. I could keep my SC, which would re-qualify me for gold. (Although, as I understand, I don’t need to re-qualify for gold, because even if I earn 0 SC in the next year, I’ll get a soft landing to Gold. Is that right?)

Third, my son could keep his SC and earn gold, and I could pool my points to my wife, and she would earn gold. (I am definitely not going to earn enough SC to gift gold to her. Or am I, if I keep my SC, and pool my son’s SC to me?)

I keep flip-flopping between the various options, but every time I think I’ve settled on the best value option, I then doubt my choice. I figure the combined brains trust here will have a more informed view of the best option.

 

[Ribbo83]

How old is your son? Will he get benefit from GS? Does your wife fly without you often? If she does it could be worth pooling to her, otherwise you are probable best to keep the points for yourself and maintain WP giving you another another 4 complimentary upgrades.

 

[Denali]

If I understand your timeline, you've just earned WP? Any additional SCs you earn until you're renewal date will not go towards the next years SCs earn, it will remain this year.

This year my husband will earn 1000 SCs above what's needed for the year so he can gift WP.

 

[kylemcd]

That’s right, “just” earnt WP. But why do you say SC earnt from now won’t count for renewal? As I understand it, I’ve got to earn 800 SC before my review date — shown as 16 Jan 2018 in my Virgin app — or I’ll drop back go Gold? So, the SC from these upcoming flights would count?

Ribbo83, My boy is 14, so not at travelling-on-his own age. My wife rarely travels on her own, so perhaps there’s better value for us if I aim to keep WP. (Ironically, she’s travelling today without me, so can’t gain access to the QF lounge because we get access with my Qantas Club membership.)

 

[Denali]

That’s right, “just” earnt WP. But why do you say SC earnt from now won’t count for renewal? As I understand it, I’ve got to earn 800 SC before my review date — shown as 16 Jan 2018 in my Virgin app — or I’ll drop back go Gold? So, the SC from these upcoming flights would count?....)

Sorry, 6am reading comprehension is not my strong point.

Sorry for the confusion - I was thinking about the black hole where you requal for WP before youre due date but are still earning SCs. Your SC earn will go to your 2018 requalification

 

[Dannyism]

A little bit off topic, I thought I'd share my strategy. But you seem to have all this covered.

Best way to keep plat is to;
Fly delta W in the US (try to connect as much as you can)
Flexi saver SQ to asia/Europe (the chepest fare class that credits as flexible economy)
Synergise all this with family pooling.

I would also advise periodically earning '0'SC for the year, flying on points, pooling to your wife, whatever. For the purpose of dropping back to gold.
This keeps the program cheap for you, and resets your Hilton/ihg/hertz/Europecar status matches.

This is my strategy anyways. Good luck!

 

[Jet L]

A quick note on the black hole; If you call velocity they will do their magic and fix it as long as the SCs weren't earned on the same sector that pushed you to WP

 

[Denali]

A quick note on the black hole; If you call velocity they will do their magic and fix it as long as the SCs weren't earned on the same sector that pushed you to WP

Huh? What did they do to "fix it"? Do they transfer the SCs to the new earning year?

And for the OP, dont forget earning SCs with Flybuys. 3 or 10 SCs per month add up over the year.

 

[andye]

A little bit off topic, I thought I'd share my strategy. But you seem to have all this covered.

Best way to keep plat is to;
Fly delta W in the US (try to connect as much as you can)
Flexi saver SQ to asia/Europe (the chepest fare class that credits as flexible economy)
Synergise all this with family pooling.

I would also advise periodically earning '0'SC for the year, flying on points, pooling to your wife, whatever. For the purpose of dropping back to gold.
This keeps the program cheap for you, and resets your Hilton/ihg/hertz/Europecar status matches.

This is my strategy anyways. Good luck!

I thought the status match loophole had been closed

Its often handy to have 2 (or more) Golds (rather than 1 Plat) in a family for partner lounge access

Doesn't seem to be any difference between Gold and Platinum with Delta from what I can see

 

[Jet L]

Huh? What did they do to "fix it"? Do they transfer the SCs to the new earning year?

And for the OP, dont forget earning SCs with Flybuys. 3 or 10 SCs per month add up over the year.

They somehow make them count towards maintaining

 

[kylemcd]

I thought the status match loophole had been closed

Its often handy to have 2 (or more) Golds (rather than 1 Plat) in a family for partner lounge access

Doesn't seem to be any difference between Gold and Platinum with Delta from what I can see

That, and the other point that it makes for a cheap year while I drop down to Gold, makes me think my best option is to funnel our SC to my wife on the return leg, and get her gold.

Thanks all for your thoughts.