Retaining Platinum on VA

[nuthq]

Evening All,

Happy Holidays - I hope everyone had a good one!

I have a quick question about retaining platinum status on VA. I have a business saver return booked for 20 March MEL - LAX on VA metal. I currently need 540 status credits to retain plat status by 30th April 2014. I need to book internal flights (probably 3 lots of returns) is there any difference between booking with Delta and Virgin America? I think at this stage all of my destinations will be served by both airlines. (Currently thinking LA - Chicago, Chicago - Seattle, Seattle - San Fran, San Fran - LA)

Should I have any issues retaining status?

Thanks
nuthq

 

[erkpod]

Have you got your eligible VA sector requirement completed?

 

[Intra]

No difference earning SCs on either airline, as long as you punch in your VFF number of course... Doesn't seem to be any fine print we can somehow overlook on the Earning Status Credits page on the Velocity website...

As for IF you'll retain.. I was going to do the calculations, but food and lack of sleep is catching up to me... - You do the maths, and maybe we can compare notes?

 

[notzac]

I have a quick question about retaining platinum status on VA. I have a business saver return booked for 20 March MEL - LAX on VA metal. I currently need 540 status credits to retain plat status by 30th April 2014. I need to book internal flights (probably 3 lots of returns) is there any difference between booking with Delta and Virgin America? I think at this stage all of my destinations will be served by both airlines. (Currently thinking LA - Chicago, Chicago - Seattle, Seattle - San Fran, San Fran - LA)

You haven't mentioned what cabin you'll be flying in the US - I'll assume it's discount whY. I'd recommend DL over VX, if for no other reason than DL are quite prompt in crediting to your Velocity account, which could save some time and stress come requalification time. That said - in terms of points and SCs earnt, there should be no difference.

MEL-LAX-MEL in J is 320 SCs
LAX-ORD in Y (VX) is 20 SCs or LAX-MSP-ORD in Y (DL) is 30 SCs
ORD-DTW-SEA in Y is 30 SCs (this is the highest earning connection at a sane price)
SEA-SFO in Y is 10 SCs
SFO-LAX in Y is 10 SCs

That comes to a grand total of 390 SCs - a fair bit short of what you need. If your budget will stretch to flying the domestic sectors in F, you could do something like..:

LAX-MSP-ORD on DL in F is 120 SCs
ORD-DTW-SEA on DL in F is 120 SCs
SEA-SFO on VX in F is 40 SCs
SFO-LAX on DL in F is 40 SCs

If you bought everything in F, that will put you way over what you need - so you can mix and match to see what suits you best. A few thoughts:

• Consider getting SFO-LAX in F on DL; it's 2-3 times the price of the dirt-cheap Y fare so it's almost "might as well" territory (also if you'll be connecting to the VA LAX-MEL flight, chances are good that DL will through-check luggage for you even across separate tickets)
• Definitely don't book SEA-SFO on DL because it is a codeshare on AS metal that won't earn anything
• DL operate in to both ORD and MDW for Chicago - one or the other may have better prices / convenience
• CHI-SEA is pretty much the best value F for $$ spent vs. SCs earnt in your entire trip, so I'd definitely fly that in F

There are a few ways going about this one -- hopefully this gives you a few ideas!

 

[jordanva]

when did you book your business class ticket to LAX? if between 18 Dec-31 Dec you will receive the double SC promo from VA so that trip in itself will give you enough SC to retain platinum. I do the SYD-LAX-ORD route a lot and I will give you advice now, if you have the option of a F ticket fly Virgin America hands down. DL sucks all in all. only thing DL has over VX is their lounges.

If you do not get the double SC offer and looking for extra SC's then a good option that i usually do is F with VX LAX-SFO-ORD - gives you 120 SC. I do this at the beginning of march only so i have enough SC to gift Gold membership to my dad.

 

[nuthq]

Hi All,

Thanks for the replies. I didn't book during the double status offer - very annoying! I need to fly 2 sectors required to meet qualification.

I could potentially book all my travel in F on VX which would see me over. I also have 4 comp upgrades to use in Australia from flexi fares so I could potentially look at that as well. Having flown both VX and DL previously I would def book VX where possible.

Does anyone know if VX is due a first class sale in the New Year? Having missed out on the double status offer with VA I don't want to miss another opportunity to save some $$!

Thanks

 

[jordanva]

VX doesn't usually put F on sale. For LAX-ORD it has always been 544 or 555 via SFO which I usually do.
As you need 2 sectors still with VA you could either use the money on F with VX over in America and buy a cheap saver return in AUS to get ur 2 sectors with VA
OR
you could purchase a flexi to perth and use ur comp upgrades to fly business, if you can do this during the SC offer you will get the same SC as your F VX ticket and then buy a cheaper ticket in america if there is a budget.

That way you get your sectors, use your upgrades and still get the same SC as you would for a F ticket with VX.

I had my 4 comp upgrades till left so im taking the mother goose for a business class trip to perth on the 332. from the reviews it should be a great product but dont know if it will beat VX F, I love those seats!

 

[Clivem]

That way you get your sectors, use your upgrades and still get the same SC as you would for a F ticket with VX.

I had my 4 comp upgrades till left so im taking the mother goose for a business class trip to perth on the 332. from the reviews it should be a great product but dont know if it will beat VX F, I love those seats!

You will find VA 'J' trans continental is way way better than VX 'F' .......

 

[nuthq]

If I paid the change fee and re-booked the flight to travel on the same dates, would I get double SC's?

 

[serfty]

I could be wrong here, but if you cancel to your "travel bank" and then use the credit as part payment for a new booking then the travel would likely qualify.

 

[Gold Member]

Ummm, last time I checked, VA only allows you to credit back business status credits. So no matter if your flying DL or VX first! it will still be credited back to VFF as business SC equivalent (unlike AA to QFF).

 

[Jurahn]

If I paid the change fee and re-booked the flight to travel on the same dates, would I get double SC's?

Doubtful - terms and conditions of the double SC offer specifically state "new bookings made between 18 December - 31 December 2013 inclusive".

As Serfty mentioned, if you cancelled the booking and then rebooked, it would probably qualify, but might pay to give VA a call to check first.

 

[notzac]

Ummm, last time I checked, VA only allows you to credit back business status credits. So no matter if your flying DL or VX first! it will still be credited back to VFF as business SC equivalent (unlike AA to QFF).

True - though the qualification levels for VA are lower as compared with QF, which kinda makes up for that.

 

[nuthq]

Thanks serfty - this was how I understood it as well. It will be interesting to see if we are correct!

 

[Kieran2274]

You will find VA 'J' trans continental is way way better than VX 'F' .......

+1 to that. VX First nice for Domestic American flights, but like most "First" in the old US of A (excluding Coast to Coast direct services) Australian Domestic Business flights generally surpass in both product and service.