The Velocity Status Run Master thread

[deangelj]

Hi - I'm currently on VA Gold and have enough SC for Platinum. But I need to fly some sectors to retain Gold (4) or get Platinum (8). I've got a pooled membership with my wife. My understanding is that I need to fly VA flights to get qualifying sectors. What would be the cheapest way to get the qualifying sectors ex SYD? If my wife flies with me do her sectors pool to me as well? Thanks

 

[andye]

Hi - I'm currently on VA Gold and have enough SC for Platinum. But I need to fly some sectors to retain Gold (4) or get Platinum (8). I've got a pooled membership with my wife. My understanding is that I need to fly VA flights to get qualifying sectors. What would be the cheapest way to get the qualifying sectors ex SYD? If my wife flies with me do her sectors pool to me as well? Thanks

I'm not up to date with the cheapest runs but sectors always credit to the flyer regardless of any pooling

I'm guessing SYD-OOL-MEL will be a good contribtor

 

[odysseus]

Yeah, OOL is fairly reliable.

CBR or Ballina or COF can be slightly cheaper, but have less frequency.

In respect of SCs, yes they pool as well.

 

[serfty]

If my wife flies with me do her sectors pool to me as well? Thanks

To be clear - with Family Pooling, Velocity points and SC's pool. Eligible Sectors do not.

 

[Sestrooper]

Any advice on obtaining 235 status credits? I am gold and needing platinum to enter the Etihad first class lounge (+ guest). From OOL Or Ballina (only an hour drive and I guess can add a leg)

 

[lilkid28]

Any advice on obtaining 235 status credits? I am gold and needing platinum to enter the Etihad first class lounge (+ guest). From OOL Or Ballina (only an hour drive and I guess can add a leg)

OOL-SYD-MEL in Business Saver return gets 200 SC or 220SC if Business return. Recent double SC offer would have gotten you double that. Maybe some shopping in Coles for the balance SC needed.

 

[Sestrooper]

OOL-SYD-MEL in Business Saver return gets 200 SC or 220SC if Business return. Recent double SC offer would have gotten you double that. Maybe some shopping in Coles for the balance SC needed.

Thanks. I'm gutted I missed out on that. I need the status points within a few weeks unfortunately.. My partner is flying 1 week before me on etihad economy BNE to athens via AUH. I dont think they will credit me these points quickly though (I have pooled her account to mine)

 

[Mattg]

Using promo code BJT37, HBA-MEL-BNE-DUD currently costs $1,119 return in Business Saver, picking up 380 status credits.

 

[MiRaNtZ]

Hi guys,

I've seen posts re: trips with multiple legs. Wondering how you actually book it?

I only found that by reading from here that you can earn sectors by flying SQ if booked through VA (something which I didn't do), so now I still have 8 sectors but 431 credits to maintain my Plat by March next year.

Any suggestions as to how I can achieve that? Seems that heaps of the tips start from SYD, but I'm based in MEL.

I'm also currently pooling with my partner, so that'll help with status (but not sectors).

Thanks a dozen in advance. =)

 

[Ade]

Hi guys,

I've seen posts re: trips with multiple legs. Wondering how you actually book it?

I only found that by reading from here that you can earn sectors by flying SQ if booked through VA (something which I didn't do), so now I still have 8 sectors but 431 credits to maintain my Plat by March next year.

Any suggestions as to how I can achieve that? Seems that heaps of the tips start from SYD, but I'm based in MEL.

I'm also currently pooling with my partner, so that'll help with status (but not sectors).

Thanks a dozen in advance. =)

Hey @MiRaNtZ ,

Having 431 SC needed (almost 50% earned so far to retain Plat) could mean that you are not doing as much flying (or flying with VA) as you did earlier ?? and so I'd ask the question if do you really need to retain Plat ? or if you'd be happy to do a soft landing to Gold ?

If the soft landing to Gold would still be sufficient for your travel pattern - then that's an option you could look into

Re getting 431 SC by end of March next year : To start with ;

Q1 : It would help if you can tell us if you work pays for your flights or if you pay for your trips ?

If it's work paying for your trips - then you can look into how often you fly and that would be an indicator of if you'd be able to secure 431 SC and 8 sectors to retain Plat by March 2020. As a guideline, return J between SYD and MEL would net 100 SC's. So ideally two return J between MEL and SYD with your partner would net you 400SC and you can do a Elevate for the remaining 30 SC's​

​

If your trips are self funded - then you may consider a soft landing to Gold ?​

Next, regardless of who pays for the trip (work or self funded) & as you are pooling SC from your partner - you may consider a smaller status run

For status run to accrue 431 SC between 2 people, I'd think of doing LST-MEL-BNE-DUD one way in J would net 360 SC for 2 people and another J return MEL-SYD would be more than sufficient to get 431 SC

Alternatively, you could also try MEL-SYD-OOL J return.

There are some promo codes that can be used to get discounted fares from VA website.

Refer to this link for more information Virgin Australia - Promo Codes (ongoing)

Good luck

 

[MiRaNtZ]

Hey @MiRaNtZ ,

Having 431 SC needed (almost 50% earned so far to retain Plat) could mean that you are not doing as much flying (or flying with VA) as you did earlier ?? and so I'd ask the question if do you really need to retain Plat ? or if you'd be happy to do a soft landing to Gold ?

If the soft landing to Gold would still be sufficient for your travel pattern - then that's an option you could look into

Re getting 431 SC by end of March next year : To start with ;

Q1 : It would help if you can tell us if you work pays for your flights or if you pay for your trips ?

If it's work paying for your trips - then you can look into how often you fly and that would be an indicator of if you'd be able to secure 431 SC and 8 sectors to retain Plat by March 2020. As a guideline, return J between SYD and MEL would net 100 SC's. So ideally two return J between MEL and SYD with your partner would net you 400SC and you can do a Elevate for the remaining 30 SC's​

​

If your trips are self funded - then you may consider a soft landing to Gold ?​

Next, regardless of who pays for the trip (work or self funded) & as you are pooling SC from your partner - you may consider a smaller status run

For status run to accrue 431 SC between 2 people, I'd think of doing LST-MEL-BNE-DUD one way in J would net 360 SC for 2 people and another J return MEL-SYD would be more than sufficient to get 431 SC

Alternatively, you could also try MEL-SYD-OOL J return.

There are some promo codes that can be used to get discounted fares from VA website.

Refer to this link for more information Virgin Australia - Promo Codes (ongoing)

Good luck

Thanks very much for that. All the trips I've made was using my own money - nothing paid for by work (unfortunately, as I don't have to travel for work). We thought of pooling so that I could maintain my Plat, instead of going back to Gold.

LST-MEL-BNE-DUD -> This journey would start in LST instead of MEL? So I'll fly to LST first?

Do I book a Multi-city trip in this instance? Unsure of how to book such trips actually. Thanks.

 

[Ade]

Thanks very much for that. All the trips I've made was using my own money - nothing paid for by work (unfortunately, as I don't have to travel for work). We thought of pooling so that I could maintain my Plat, instead of going back to Gold.

LST-MEL-BNE-DUD -> This journey would start in LST instead of MEL? So I'll fly to LST first?

Do I book a Multi-city trip in this instance? Unsure of how to book such trips actually. Thanks.

You may start the trip in MEL and do MEL-BNE-DUD, which would earn lesser SC than starting the trip at LST, depending on how many stopovers you're making when starting from MEL

As a thumb-rule, more the stopovers, more the SC's

The route LST-MEL/SYD-BNE-DUD can be booked directly as a Round Trip on the VA website. However, there area a few routes that you may try depending on which gives more SC/$

As an example, MEL-SYD-DRW return in J would net 280SC/person

I always use ITA Matrix (Matrix - ITA Software by Google) when I search for flights or when I'm planning to do a status run. Once you've found the flights you are interested in, use the Earn Tables (https://experience.velocityfrequentflyer.com/the-basics/status/earn-tables) on VA website to calculate the SC earned

I did a quick search on ITA Matrix for MEL-BNE-SYD for a random 1 night return in October (around the long weekend) and the fares returned are in the A$1140 mark/person, yielding at least 260 SC/person

Generally, doing a status run during double status credit promos give the most $/SC value. As an example, doing the above mentioned route (MEL-BNE-DUD) during DSC would yield at least 520 SC/person. Also given that you've mentioned that you've got time until Mar 2020, you may also consider waiting for another DSC promo from VA

As I mentioned in my earlier post, check the below link on AFF ; it has got some promo codes that you may use when doing a booking and save some $. The savings might be small, but big enough to atleast pay for your Uber to/from airport

Virgin Australia - Promo Codes (ongoing)

Where in the Virgin website do you enter promo codes?

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

 

[Mattg]

NTL-AKL is currently $695 return in J and picks up 160 SCs.

 

[ward_FF]

NTL-AKL is currently $695 return in J and picks up 160 SCs.

View attachment 178519

This looks enticing - Question which sort of relates... Next year ski season I want to got Melbourne>Queenstown, what the best was to get there (some direct flights) and to utilise the Platinum Business upgrade from Freedom fare...?

Looking at this just for research entering in June dates Freedom fares are $600 each way or there abouts...

any suggestions apart from waiting for a sales to get a cheap Freedom fare and weigh up if it is worth it...

 

[Mattg]

This looks enticing - Question which sort of relates... Next year ski season I want to got Melbourne>Queenstown, what the best was to get there (some direct flights) and to utilise the Platinum Business upgrade from Freedom fare...?

Looking at this just for research entering in June dates Freedom fares are $600 each way or there abouts...

any suggestions apart from waiting for a sales to get a cheap Freedom fare and weigh up if it is worth it...

Freedom fares, by definition, don't really go on sale. You could try using a promo code to bring the cost down: Current Virgin Australia Discount Codes

You could also consider flying into Dunedin instead of Queenstown. From a status credit earn perspective, MEL-BNE-DUD in J is often a good deal.

 

[ward_FF]

Freedom fares, by definition, don't really go on sale. You could try using a promo code to bring the cost down: Current Virgin Australia Discount Codes

You could also consider flying into Dunedin instead of Queenstown. From a status credit earn perspective, MEL-BNE-DUD in J is often a good deal.

Thanks for that will definitely look at that option. Any advice how to best utilise the platinum upgrade from Freedom for any destination...?

 

[knagelli]

Hi Everyone, I am a VA Silver and have a trip to LA planned in Dec 2019. In order to attain Gold before December will need to attain 290 SCs. Can you please share any best possible trip ex-Melbourne so I can attain the required SCs. If I take the flight , I will meet the sectors flown category as well.

Thanks for your time.

 

[jase05]

MEL-BNE-DUD return is often around the $1k mark in Business Saver which would net you 280SC’s

 

[knagelli]

NTL-AKL is currently $695 return in J and picks up 160 SCs.

View attachment 178519

Did you use any specific discount as I am not able to find anything less than $1100 for that route even after using one of the discount codes.

 

[westsurf]

Hi new member here ... wife and I are pooling status & points and on the next flight will finally make Gold status.

Any initial advice for us being Perth based to help us in our quest to hit Platinum with the comp Gold for my wife and then maintaining both?

I am slowly trying to get through the 106 pages but thought an expert may be able to give some quick pointers.

Thanks in advance.