Will you still earn/retain Velocity status beyond 2025?

[straitman]

Fixed it for you:

*Excludes Lite fares, where you get 1 SC per $24
** VA Flight code, not necessarily VA flight
*** Excludes partner airlines, refer to separate tables
**** Make sure you keep a spreadsheet with your expected earnings, because the system won't tell you how many SC a segment will earn after you've booked it.

Lite fares have always had a lower earn rate I believe.

Yes, but as odysseus said - instead of (on 1st Jan) being able to go I've got X flights from A to B this year, I always book Choice fares, so I will earn Y Sc's (and need Z more to make Gold, or whatever), it's impossible to plan ahead because you have absolutely no idea what the fare will be for any of those flights until you go to book them, and hence no idea how many SC's you'll earn until that point.....

I would suggest, as above, that you are in the minority with this approach.

I believe most people (myself included) have random flights throughout the year and only ever knew their SC earn from making a booking. I have always had a spreadsheet to tally my SC earnings.

... and you could be earning more SC than previous.

 

[odysseus]

Lite fares have always had a lower earn rate I believe.

Sure... but that's because each booking category had a different earn rate as part of the encouragement to upgrade.

Now it's based on $ you have spent that Virgin receive. Except when it's not - in the case of lite, which just has some arbitrary devaluation of the $ spent. So they've taken away the carrots and just left the stick.

 

[prelude]

Returning the original topic, I just requalified to Gold within 4 months from my renewal date, with 20 flights (inc. 5 pooled). In 3 of the 20 flights, I recieved 1 less status credit compared to the prior system (14 SC vs 15 SC). With the old system, I would be approximately 100 SC short (maybe a bit less, depending on how you calculate Flex fares). No SC bonuses in this period.

Took the odd QF/JQ flight in this same time period, due to price difference/flight timings.

The increase in SC does put Plat in range, which is a positive, and mostly unexpected.

 

[moa999]

With the old system, I would be approximately 100 SC short

Agreed. For many people the new system earns more SCs.
But there are definitely a number who struggle with it including those previously flying:
- Lite fares
- Multi-leg/ connecting fares (used to be good $/SCs)
- Family pooling (particularly 3+ ppl)

 

[prelude]

Agreed. For many people the new system earns more SCs.
But there are definitely a number who struggle with it including those previously flying:
- Lite fares
- Multi-leg/ connecting fares (used to be good $/SCs)
- Family pooling (particularly 3+ ppl)

Agreed with all points. This new system also killed the multi-leg status runs in J during DSC promos, which I suspect many people enjoyed.

I will say, people buying Lite fares really aren't chasing status, before or after. Regardless, break even (5 SC) for a MEL-SYD Lite fare for example is $97 which you'd be hard pressed to find anyway, unless booking a long time out.

I do think (just a guess) that more people are in my boat than in the list above. Frustrating for those now struggling, but I don't think it's fair to describe this change as a straight devaluation (from the status perspective, the reward flight changes certainly were). I do sympathise, I've definitely gamed certain FF programs in the past...

 

[Sprucegoose]

I have VA Plats as backup status - while I will retain this, I can't see myself chasing the higher levels, as there is no improvement in VA Lounges or a J/Plats separate lounge/area. If VA were serious, they would offer their top tiers access to their Beyond Lounges (not currently their operating model) - that would be a game changer IMHO. But they don't, so I maintain Plats only.