Making the most of 150k velocity points?

[Nic01]

Hello all, I'm a newbie here & hoping to learn from those more experienced

Hubbie to be & I are looking to organise our honeymoon to the US & hoping to make the most of our velocity points. We won't be travlling until March 2014 so have plenty of time to look into it all.

Between the 2 of us we have approx 150,000 points. It looks as if it wil be 94k points + $847 for 1 x return flight from Sydney to LAX. That seems like a waste of points as on a good day we are now able to fly to LAX for a mere $1200 ($350 extra).

I thought maybe we could buy the fligths & use the points to upgrade but we are only Red members so they won't allow it.

Is there something I'm missing? What is the best way to use 150k worth of points?

 

[lobo76]

It sounds like upgrades are the best use to me.. I've not done intnl. upgrades yet so maybe someone else can give more info but it sounds like you can upgrade from 45k pts per leg... more info in this thread and in a linked thread inside ....

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....ocity/using-points-upgrade-mel-lax-43692.html

 

[Nic01]

I'm only a red member so they will not allow me to use points for upgardes

 

[lobo76]

D'oh!
Hmnn can you do the Any Seat thing instead? That way you can get one return fare for 152k points and pay for the other?

 

[Nic01]

I can.. Anyseat takes up almost 140k - ONE WAY. So i'd have to pay:
140k points + $116
one way fare from LAX to SYD
& another full return fare.

I'm tossing between waiting until I have a trillion points or using them for hotel stays in the USA.

 

[lovestotravel]

I think your best bet is to wait until you have 400,000 points and then using that for 2 x return flights in business class!

 

[robd]

Forget using your points at this stage for the honeymoon flights. Try and book you & hubby on a Virgin Premium Deal for your honeymoon, pool your points and SC's to one or the other and by the time you get back, you'll only be 20 SC's off SG. IMHO you will get more benefit using your points domestically for flights, upgrades etc. or if you choose to, you can then use the points to upgrade internationally for your first wedding anniversary

 

[777]

I'd actually suggest you look at etihad options to Europe. Much lower $$$ costs and not many more points involved.


Sent from AFF Mobile Edition

 

[MandM]

Have you tried calling velocity to see if they have anything with lower taxes? They advertise 47,000 odd points and $150 or so pay to LAX. I'm guessing maybe that is the Delta flights that don't show up on the website?

 

[Nic01]

I think your best bet is to wait until you have 400,000 points and then using that for 2 x return flights in business class!

mmm.... 2 x return flights in business class...i will dream! or spend big on my credit card for the next 20 years

 

[Nic01]

Forget using your points at this stage for the honeymoon flights. Try and book you & hubby on a Virgin Premium Deal for your honeymoon, pool your points and SC's to one or the other and by the time you get back, you'll only be 20 SC's off SG. IMHO you will get more benefit using your points domestically for flights, upgrades etc. or if you choose to, you can then use the points to upgrade internationally for your first wedding anniversary

I may aim for our 10 year anniversary
What is the best way to find a Virgin Premium Deal? I have only ever noticed the economy flights for $1200?

 

[Nic01]

I'd actually suggest you look at etihad options to Europe. Much lower $$$ costs and not many more points involved.


Sent from AFF Mobile Edition

We were considering europe at one point. How do you find the amount of points required to go with etihad? I can only get the Velocity to show SYD - LON w Virgin...

 

[Nic01]

Have you tried calling velocity to see if they have anything with lower taxes? They advertise 47,000 odd points and $150 or so pay to LAX. I'm guessing maybe that is the Delta flights that don't show up on the website?

My monthly statement arrived today advertising 188k + $116 return BUSINESS. I was on the phone within minutes. Unfortunately the lady said they 'sold out'. I don't think that the language barrier helped. Any other way of gaining information without calling a call centre based o/s?

 

[mella2007]

We were considering europe at one point. How do you find the amount of points required to go with etihad? I can only get the Velocity to show SYD - LON w Virgin...

Etihad indeed have terrific redemptions available in both economy and business. The catch however, is that most are not available from Ex Syd...So what I've done for an upcoming trip is as follows (will only write next to them the VA sectors and points cost)

Points from Mel to Singapore
Pay from Singapore to London
Points from Athens to Abu Dhabi in Business Etihad
Points from Abu Dhabi to Singapore in Business Etihad

For two people for the Etihad flights in Business it cost be 134,000 Velocity points which if I had of paid for the same sectors would have been well over $6000

There is good options available (of course depending on travel dates) and if you're prepared to be flexible of where you depart from

 

[james4321]

Mella, do you book these through the Virgin Australia site?

Etihad indeed have terrific redemptions available in both economy and business. The catch however, is that most are not available from Ex Syd...So what I've done for an upcoming trip is as follows (will only write next to them the VA sectors and points cost)

Points from Mel to Singapore
Pay from Singapore to London
Points from Athens to Abu Dhabi in Business Etihad
Points from Abu Dhabi to Singapore in Business Etihad

For two people for the Etihad flights in Business it cost be 134,000 Velocity points which if I had of paid for the same sectors would have been well over $6000

There is good options available (of course depending on travel dates) and if you're prepared to be flexible of where you depart from

 

[mella2007]

Mella, do you book these through the Virgin Australia site?

Yes. I have had no problem with using the booking engine online for most of the rewards I have done in the past and in the future. The call centre will actually give you higher points rates than what is shown online.

 

[lobo76]

I can.. Anyseat takes up almost 140k - ONE WAY. So i'd have to pay:
140k points + $116
one way fare from LAX to SYD
& another full return fare.

I'm tossing between waiting until I have a trillion points or using them for hotel stays in the USA.

Hmnnn I did a search in Velocity for 1st Mar returning the 23rd I think and it was 152k round trip... have you tried different dates or am I doing it wrong?

 

[Nic01]

Hmnnn I did a search in Velocity for 1st Mar returning the 23rd I think and it was 152k round trip... have you tried different dates or am I doing it wrong?

Sorry, i completely got that wrong. You are correct, it's 152k (+200) for a return fare on anyseat. So, that could work... as it would only cost us 1 x full fare return that we wouddl hopefully get for $1200. This may be a viable option..

 

[Nic01]

Etihad indeed have terrific redemptions available in both economy and business. The catch however, is that most are not available from Ex Syd...So what I've done for an upcoming trip is as follows (will only write next to them the VA sectors and points cost)

Points from Mel to Singapore
Pay from Singapore to London
Points from Athens to Abu Dhabi in Business Etihad
Points from Abu Dhabi to Singapore in Business Etihad

For two people for the Etihad flights in Business it cost be 134,000 Velocity points which if I had of paid for the same sectors would have been well over $6000

There is good options available (of course depending on travel dates) and if you're prepared to be flexible of where you depart from

Can you check the amount of points required by eithad on the velocity website? I've tried dummy dates from Melb to Singapore & it simply says thay there are no flights. Actually, how can one chekc how many points a partner airline requires?

 

[greenfrog86]

Can you check the amount of points required by eithad on the velocity website? I've tried dummy dates from Melb to Singapore & it simply says thay there are no flights. Actually, how can one chekc how many points a partner airline requires?

There are a couple of things to point out here...

The flights to London that you are seeing 'with Virgin' are actually Etihad flights... You will see a Virgin flight number, however you'll notice there is an indicator that they are operated by Etihad.

In terms of finding out the number of points required, you can look at the redemption section where you enter the two cities and it gives you an indicative amount - you'll find that on almost all routes it is usually either Virgin OR a partner airline that fly that route, and therefore the points you are seeing will be for partner airlines on many routes...