Go Platinum or pool my points to my partner?

[laurawing]

Hi All,

My partner has been pooling to my Velocity account for over a year and I've reached Gold and also just retained my Gold status for another year. I have 820 points and was wondering if it was worth going to Platinum or start pooling my points + status to my partner in the hopes they might get Silver or Gold.

The advantages of Platinum vs. Gold don't seem that great and I've already reached Gold for the next year.

By the way I understand that if I reach Platinum to gift Gold I would have to get another 500 status points. Why not start giving them the points now so they get a chance to earn it faster. If I don't change anything we will need 680 for me to gift gold, if I start pooling to them now it would only be 500 more points for them to reach gold. Second option is faster.

Can anyone see a flaw with this plan?

 

[Boris spatsky]

How often do you fly? You imply that your partner flies and pools to you?? Pointless getting WP unless you fly a bit. The 4 guaranteed upgrades per year are great, but you have to buy a pricey flexi Y to use them.

As for point 2, yes, pool rather than get to 1500. You are spot on!

 

[leemin]

Does your partner fly with you all the time or on their own? If always with you, maybe consider WP (i.e. would they actually get use out of having Gold themselves?). Otherwise, definitely pool to them to get SG IMO.

 

[laurawing]

How often do you fly? You imply that your partner flies and pools to you?? Pointless getting WP unless you fly a bit. The 4 guaranteed upgrades per year are great, but you have to buy a pricey flexi Y to use them.

As for point 2, yes, pool rather than get to 1500. You are spot on!

I definitely fly much more with my work, but there was two occasions last year, one overseas flight and one domestic where my partner flew alone. I felt kinda bad because they didn't get any priority 'anything' or lounge privileges. I've also considered using points to buy them a Lounge membership, but it's highly discounted for silvers (40K) vs 105k non-Silver. I get them to Silver, then pay for a lounge membership I save heaps of points and/or money.

I'm concerned about jeopardizing my next next year gold membership, but from what I can tell, it will only start to matter after my anniversary date, in May 2013. This is what I'm not clear on. When do my points start to accumulate for my NEXT NEXT year? As I mentioned before I have already met the requirement for this year, where my anniversary is May 2013. I remember in the old system that when you hit silver or gold you started a new anniversary date (maybe I'm wrong??), but that doesn't seem to be the case this time .

Thanks for your reply.

 

[laurawing]

Does your partner fly with you all the time or on their own? If always with you, maybe consider WP (i.e. would they actually get use out of having Gold themselves?). Otherwise, definitely pool to them to get SG IMO.

Thanks for the reply, we mostly fly together... I'm a newbie and I don't know what 'WP' or 'SG' is.... I assume IMO is "in my opinion'.. Cheers

 

[bullerdude]

I definitely fly much more with my work, but there was two occasions last year, one overseas flight and one domestic where my partner flew alone. I felt kinda bad because they didn't get any priority 'anything' or lounge privileges. I've also considered using points to buy them a Lounge membership, but it's highly discounted for silvers (40K) vs 105k non-Silver. I get them to Silver, then pay for a lounge membership I save heaps of points and/or money.

I'm concerned about jeopardizing my next next year gold membership, but from what I can tell, it will only start to matter after my anniversary date, in May 2013. This is what I'm not clear on. When do my points start to accumulate for my NEXT NEXT year? As I mentioned before I have already met the requirement for this year, where my anniversary is May 2013. I remember in the old system that when you hit silver or gold you started a new anniversary date (maybe I'm wrong??), but that doesn't seem to be the case this time .

Thanks for your reply.

One other benefit of making Plat is that you guarantee gold membership the year after (should you not retain plat). Plus if your flying for work then it may not be long before you can get the 500 status credits needed to 'gift' partner gold.

Your second option may be a little faster, but 680 vs 500 isn't a super massive difference - I'd probably go for the partner gold.

 

[laurawing]

One other benefit of making Plat is that you guarantee gold membership the year after (should you not retain plat). Plus if your flying for work then it may not be long before you can get the 500 status credits needed to 'gift' partner gold.

Wow, I didn't know that! I might not be flying so much next year and if I'm guaranteed gold then I think it's worth reaching platinum. Thanks so much for the info!

 

[dmw144]

maybe once you reach platinum rather than going for partner gold, start pooling the other way - at least your partner should hit silver faster

 

[leemin]

Thanks for the reply, we mostly fly together... I'm a newbie and I don't know what 'WP' or 'SG' is.... I assume IMO is "in my opinion'.. Cheers

WP = Platinum
SG = Gold
You're correct on IMO

There is a thread with all the acronyms somewhere (and their origins). Possibly in the introduction section..?

 

[bullerdude]

They are as follows:

Qantas/Virgin Australia Status Abbreviation Summary:
CL: Chairmans Lounge
WP1: Platininum 1 (Qantas only) (also PO, W!, WP!, ÜW [Über W@nker])
WP: W@nker Platinum
SG: Scum Gold
PG: Partner Gold
QP: Qantas Pub (er Club) Member
VP: Virgin Pub (er Lounge) Member
PS: Plebian Silver
NB: Nufin Bronze (Qantas only)
NR: Nufin Red (Velocity Only)


Edit: Here is the thread
http://www.australianfrequentflyer....viations-and-explanations-5056.html#post69096

 

[straitman]

Thanks for the reply, we mostly fly together... I'm a newbie and I don't know what 'WP' or 'SG' is.... I assume IMO is "in my opinion'.. Cheers

Hi laurawing,

Look at this for a list of great introduction threads.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I've also considered using points to buy them a Lounge membership, but it's highly discounted for silvers (40K) vs 105k non-Silver.

You may see it differently, but I don't think a lounge membership is worth 105K since your partner only flew domestically once without you (lounge membership does not entitle OS travellers lounge access AFAIK). I also don't think you can buy a single entry anymore either (but others may be able to confirm or dispute that) but it may be worth a question to VA.

About your review date, those extra SCs you have already accrued over and above your gold requal (400) will be lost unless you gain plat. Your review date will remain the same if you stay gold and any extra SCs won't start to credit toward your next year requal until after that review date. If however, your SC balance reaches 1000, you will have achieved platinum and your review date changes to that date, so any SCs earned after will straight away go toward your next year qualification. If you decide to pool to your partner now, any SCs earned over your 400 gold requal balance that are currently in your account, will also be wasted (family pooling only pools SCs not yet earned, not ones already in your account).

Another benefit of platinum is the guesting ability of 3A + 2C, which may be handy if friends or relatives wish to see you off at the airport (although I think that is domestic only).

 

[james4321]

Another benefit of platinum is the guesting ability of 3A + 2C, which may be handy if friends or relatives wish to see you off at the airport (although I think that is domestic only).

Isnt guesting only available if all are flying that day?

 

[Deleted member 29185]

[/I]

Isnt guesting only available if all are flying that day?

Not that I'm aware of.

I have post ATA experience of guesting non-flying guests and I think the official line is "as long as a boarding pass is held by someone in the group for a flight that day".

 

[djchuckles]

I think you have to renew plat, then get 500 more points before you get companion gold - so if you're only gold now, you'd have to get to plat, then 800 to renew, then 500 more for companion gold

 

[EuroFlyer]

I'm hoping to pull that off this year, 1 month down (into plat) and im at 300 status creds

I think you have to renew plat, then get 500 more points before you get companion gold - so if you're only gold now, you'd have to get to plat, then 800 to renew, then 500 more for companion gold

 

[bullerdude]

I think you have to renew plat, then get 500 more points before you get companion gold - so if you're only gold now, you'd have to get to plat, then 800 to renew, then 500 more for companion gold

That's only in year's 2, 3, 4 etc of being a Platinum.

In your first year of Platinum, its 500 status credits after being upgraded - i.e. the first 500 status credits of the 800 needed to renew.

This is exactly how it worked for me.

 

[djchuckles]

I tried that on more than one occasion and was told I had to reach plat renewal first, then another 500 on top

 

[Fruitcake]

There was a 'glitch in the matrix' during August 2012 where the T&Cs were updated in such a way that companion gold did indeed only require 500 SCs to be earned after qualifying for platinum. Virgin honoured their 'mistake T&Cs' and I was able to appoint appoint a companion platinum during this period. bullerdude might have appointed his companion gold at the same time.

T&Cs were quickly tightened up to make it clear that you had to requalify as platinum (after initially qualifying), then earn another 500 SCs before you could appoint a companion.

 

[KiwiBob]

Re pooling, doesn't the person accumulating points have to fly sectors? I was thinking of pooling, but my wife only flies 2-3 trips a year. So she would't have enough sectors.

So I think I have to just see if I reach 1300 over Plat.