Any tips to obtain Virgin Gold status?

[anthonylevo]

Hi all. New to the thread. Does anyone have any tips to quickly get to Virgin Gold status?

 

[JohnK]

Welcome to AFF anthonylevo!

How quickly? Search for Pilot Gold.

 

[Dr Ralph]

Welcome to anthonylevo.

 

[brentremble]

depends on how quick you want to obtain it, and how much you are willing to spend $$$$$$$$

the big difference between status credits and Points is that you can only really get status credits by flying with that actual airline.
the only way to then speed up how soon you can reach Gold is by booking Flexi or business class trips to increase the credit you get for each trip. (also dont redeem your points for flights, you wont earn any status credits for them)

i'm plat now, but I remember the days of starting out on reaching silver and then anxiously awaiting gold. it can be hard watching all those people walking into the lounge (when i was silver though, they still have priority check in and boarding which helped)

best advise is to hold tight and keep flying with the same airline for personal and work trips and you will get their.

 

[andye]

Set up family pooling (assuming you have family who fly)

 

[andye]

If flying internationally and not using VA use partners (Etihad Singapore etc). If you can add a domestic leg to an international flight without extra expense do it
Eg Fly MEL-SYD-AUH rather than MEL-AUH

 

[Blockers]

Welcome anthonylveo - seems like you are about to embark into the world of status runs... have a read through the Virgin status run thread.. will help you understand how you can achieve the most status points in the most cost effective manner.

 

[Buzzard]

Welcome to AFF anthonylevo.
Hope you get to gold soon.

 

[Denali]

Why the rush? I mean I don't understand waking up and thinking, I must be SG today!

Is it because lounge access is a priority for you? Wanting to upgrade a Y seat to LAX? Row 3? Im asking because there might be other options than a massive sector run.

 

[zainman]

pilot gold.

 

[mavrick9]

...any tips to quickly get to Virgin Gold status?

A couple of quick trips on fully flex fair to Singapore , or a few PER-SYD flights Flexi or J (Business).

Get a Virgin Money Velocity Credit Card, it offers 2-For-1 Virgin Flights, book Flexi fairs , go with a (Family) err friend, pool their points to yours.

Do about 30 return flights SYD- MEL should only take a week ! + You'll be on a watch list. Or fly SYD-AKL a few times, also a watch list there too!

There are a couple of Credit card offers sometimes that give you SC's - AMEX had one recently, it's normally only 150 SC.

Either way it will cost you about $7000.

You can buy a lot of lounge entrances with $7000, or just buy the most expensive meal at the airport, and you're still ahead. + You can pay Cash for a better seat / Upgrade etc and still be ahead.

I estimate that the maximum benefit you get from VA GOLD is less than $1000 per year. Lounge Member / Greater points earn.

I wouldn't go chasing Gold if you're starting at ground Zero. It's not worth the investment. If your close to it, a couple of status runs may be a good idea.

This last 12 months, i've done 5 large international trips, on VA / SQ / JetStar / SAA / Qantas and just made gold last week on VA (After I arrived back!). I have 4 flights booked in the next 6 months, so it will get me a free beer and meal at the MEL and PER lounges. Value $25 each, plus a few extra points earn, approx $20.00 worth. Plus a meal at MEL for the flight to HBA ($25 value) but zilch on the way back from HBA. So total value of VA GOLD for me in the next 6-12mths - less than $150

I do like Priority checkin. that's a good perk.

 

[stickshaker]

I could be wrong but didnt the virgin credit card stop us from booking flexi fares ( saver only)and also stretched the booking time from 21 days to 30???

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

5 return trips from Aust east coast - NZ at 60 VA SC in C/D/Z each way, will give 600 VA SC, enough to give you VA SG at 500.
You can fly VA or if you prefer wide bodies, NZ (Air NZ). For VA, even if you fly another airline in the liaison, you get the SC. Flying VA and NZ will give the same.
Note that as VA is not in *A, the only choices are EY, DL, SQ, NZ and VA to earn the VA SC.
NOT cheap, can be fast if you have the $, but never cheap these things.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Get a Virgin Money Velocity Credit Card, it offers 2-For-1 Virgin Flights, book Flexi fairs , go with a (Family) err friend, pool their points to yours.

I could be wrong but didnt the virgin credit card stop us from booking flexi fares ( saver only)and also stretched the booking time from 21 days to 30???

Plus they are no longer two for one fares.

I think the OP should perhaps indicate if they are starting off from zilch, or whether they are well on the way. It'd help taylor suggestions.

 

[Buzzard]

Like Silver Convention would say, Fly Robin Fly.
Showing my age now

 

[bumblebee]

Would recommend keeping your eye out for credit card promotions. Doing this, in addition to my own flights, and a little family pooling, has allowed me to obtain gold status (150sc from Plantium AMEX last year) and retain gold status (150sc Virgin Money High Flyer VISA this year).

 

[Steady]

Another 'welcome aboard' from me antonylevo