Is finally attaining Platinum actually worth it?

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Flanjam1

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Jan 18, 2010
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I have held and enjoyed Velocity Gold status since 2016 and since that time have maintained that level without too much problem. Due to circumstances of a quick couple of trips to Bali and NZ along with some domestic travel as well I have suddenly acquired Platinum status after a recent trip to HK. My problem is that my Gold status has already been re-confirmed for the Aug 2019-20 period before the HK trip whereas the Platinum one has begun now. I'm not planning on doing that much travel in the next 12 months and have seemingly lost three months of the Gold 2018-19 travel period. Effectively I now have only 9 months to achieve the newly acquired status and it's highly unlikely that this will happen. Advice please on the way forward with this 1st world problem. I'm hopeful that some experienced traveller can advise me how best to handle this dilemma :) P.S. I also family share points with my partner.
 
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You get a soft landing back to SG for the following year if you fail to requalify for WP, so you are no worse off. And in the meantime you enjoy all the VA WP benefits like YX, better Fly Ahead, free upgrades, etc (plus a year of Diamond Hilton Honors or the equivalent with the other mob).
 
As stm1sydney says, you’ll get a soft fall back to SG. So if you’ve just hit WP this month, you have that until May-2020, then drop back to SG until May-2021, even if you don’t take another flight at all.
 
Only thing I like is the 100% bonus points, otherwise I no difference between platinum or Gold for us (both hubby and I have status).

The "free" upgrades are often unused as you have to buy the most expensive Y fare.

F lounge in Abu Dhabi was really nice and but don't travel that route often to care.
 
The biggest benefit for WP if you're doing most travel domestically, is the free YX.
I use up my 4 free J upgrades pretty quickly, as 1 of my most frequent routes is CNS-BNE, and the difference between Elevate and Freedom fares is usually only a few dollars.
 
3 guest into the lounge
- I normally have a few trips with cousins each year and taking them into the lounge and seeing them go crazy for "free stuff" is hilarious
- Handy when I have new work colleges and we have to go around Australia to meet clients.

YX is definitely a bonus, and the 4 free upgrades from Flexi is to in my situation.
- we are allowed 1 leg flexi per domestic of NZ trip, so I normally save it for Sydney to Perth in the A330

F lounge in Etihad in AUH
- I have only used this twice, but have 2 more trips this year which i will.

Bonus Points over Gold
- it is not life changing but it certainly does help.

If you are chasing it of your own money then I am not sure its quite worth it esp with 4 x upgrades
However if there is a proportion of your travel based on work or other means then I think you should just let it naturally occur.
 
For me it's free YX, and the "subjective" benefits. I do feel I get treated uncommonly well. Had a few free upgrades to business recently, and my status has gotten me out of lots of change fees and various travel headaches.
 
The Hilton honors status is worth it if you travel to countries where they are well represented as are all the other perks mentioned.

As for being treated well, I used to think that UNTIL my flight from ZQN went technical and they said to everyone "nothing we can do, come back tomorrow, we will let you know then when we can depart, we've arranged to keep the Airport open, so you can sleep here."

Platinum status and those travelling business class made zip difference. NZ & JQ departed a couple of hours later with empty seats and no attempt was made to rebook a single VA passenger or find anyone a hotel for the night. Overseas passengers were pretty horrified by the treatment by VA. After that experience, VA lost a lot of my business and my respect as a company.
 
Thanks for your replies. I wasn't aware of the "soft fall back" so that makes me feel better.
If you do plan on activating the bonus hotel and car hire status make sure to do it before you drop to gold. Same as the 4 business upgrades need to be used before you drop status, the flight dates can be after your platinum drops off.
 
I've had free upgrades as VA Gold I'm fairly certain there is no correlation.

Gold is the sweet spot for me, there isn't enough in VA Platinum to really work for or value. I can often get YX seats anyway as Gold with a smile and a cheeky ask at the Lounge.

As others have pointed out thought it basically gives you 'another' year of Gold though so if you get it, great...
 
Yes. The main perk I use is fly ahead. Free Economy X is good as well but being able to book the last flight of the day 8pm back to my home city and just show up and get on a plane after my meetings are done is awesome. Generally exclusively use VA for my return flights now because of this.
 
Yes. The main perk I use is fly ahead. Free Economy X is good as well but being able to book the last flight of the day 8pm back to my home city and just show up and get on a plane after my meetings are done is awesome. Generally exclusively use VA for my return flights now because of this.

Fly Ahead is also available to anyone Gold, or have you had success as a Plat using Fly Ahead on Getaway Fares as an unadvertised benefit?
 
I enjoy the free upgrades as I like to book the A330 on SYD-PER to go home for xmas, feels more like an international than domestic flight.
The extra baggage allowance ~90kg was great when moving cities, but otherwise, usually, just carry on.
Always great to get an economy X aisle seat with the middle free... the next best thing to business and fine for east coast hops
Used fly ahead on the gold coast when a meeting was cancelled to jump a few flights ahead, when officially there is a time restriction.

Etihad lounge was good on a recent trip to Europe, watching AFL app, having a lamb rogan josh and red wine being topped up generously, before a quick message and hopping on the flight.
"Platinum line" has generally been really good and answered most queries on the spot or soon after.
Saving the hotel match for when I will use it to take advantage of the executive lounge, but usually, I value the flights more than the rooms.

About to do a DSC run (cost ~$1,400) which will make me easily qualify for next period, so hopefully the benefits are worth more than this.
I guess will make the decision year on year.

Wish they would open the Sydney upstairs lounge for Platinums in the busy morning/evening peak and provide extra business award seats on long haul.
 
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Fly Ahead is also available to anyone Gold, or have you had success as a Plat using Fly Ahead on Getaway Fares as an unadvertised benefit?
I think Fly Ahead is much the same for SG as for WP. The one difference (and it is very useful indeed) is that WPs can ring into the call centre - if my meeting finishes earlier, I jump in the Uber/taxi and then get straight on the phone to the WP number and get my Fly Ahead sorted immediately.
 
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I don't fly very often so I only get to use the benefits a few times a year. But I find the black card works well in my wallet. When I was Gold I was constantly removing the wrong card when getting fuel at BP or paying for items with eftpos everywhere else.
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