Renewal of gold status

[smittykittyflying]

Hi - I'm slightly confused about my gold renewal status.

I will hit gold renewal this month about 6 months before my renewal date, will March become my new renewal date as I would prefer that it's was September 2016 as I have a RTW trip planned for August 2016 based on being gold. Or will I need to earn another 400 before to maintain gold?

If that's the case I kind of feel ripped off as I lose 6 months of gold by hitting renewal early.

 

[Fiches Mouser]

Hi - I'm slightly confused about my gold renewal status.

I will hit gold renewal this month about 6 months before my renewal date, will March become my new renewal date as I would prefer that it's was September 2016 as I have a RTW trip planned for August 2016 based on being gold. Or will I need to earn another 400 before to maintain gold?

If that's the case I kind of feel ripped off as I lose 6 months of gold by hitting renewal early.

Your renewal date remains the same, unless your qualify for platinum. Then, your new renewal date will become the day you qualify.

You wouldn't really want your renewal date to change, because you'd then be effectively getting 18 months, rather than 24, of status.

Go for plat! (Spoiler: it's not really worth it)

 

[smittykittyflying]

thanks for the reply

 

[robd]

Or pool to another family member after you have enough SC's to retain Gold and help them get to Gold too.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Hi - I'm slightly confused about my gold renewal status.

I will hit gold renewal this month about 6 months before my renewal date, will March become my new renewal date as I would prefer that it's was September 2016 as I have a RTW trip planned for August 2016 based on being gold. Or will I need to earn another 400 before to maintain gold?

If that's the case I kind of feel ripped off as I lose 6 months of gold by hitting renewal early.

As mrsmart has written, you won't be disadvantaged by renewing gold early. You will remain at gold until your current review date (printed on your card) plus 13 months. Your flying schedule for the next 6 months will dictate what you do with any "extra" SCs. If you are planning enough flying to gain an extra 600 SCs (which doesn't sound like it from your post) than plat may benefit you RTW. If you are not flying much at all in the next 6 months, than any SCs earned will be wasted unless you family pool to someone living with you (and if they cannot make at least 250 SCs they'll probably be wasted anyway), but you will still have your gold.

 

[quick_dry]

Go for plat! (Spoiler: it's not really worth it)

untrue! as a WP, VA provide you with additional traveling experiences with much higher frequency than as a mere SG - such as the joy of securing row 3 followed by the righteous indignation of having a Red put in the middle seat while plenty of seats further back remain empty

(As others have said, your requal date only changes when you move up a tier. Also, don't be put off when you do hit your requal date and it shows as checking your requal status for a month - any points you earn during that time should show up counting to the next requal period, but just double check it so they're not consigned to the VA black hole)

 

[Deleted member 29185]

any points you earn during that time should show up counting to the next requal period, but just double check it so they're not consigned to the VA black hole

I'm interested in this comment. Has that been your experience? I was under the impression everyone is in the same boat here.......SCs into the blackhole until the "review" is complete. That's been my experience and my review is coming up in a few weeks.....which coincides with a number of SCs which I'd already assumed will be consigned to the "hole"!

 

[quick_dry]

I'm interested in this comment. Has that been your experience? I was under the impression everyone is in the same boat here.......SCs into the blackhole until the "review" is complete. That's been my experience and my review is coming up in a few weeks.....which coincides with a number of SCs which I'd already assumed will be consigned to the "hole"!

I've only had the black hole when going up a tier, but not during the month or so that it showed I was being reviewed.

I was pretty paranoid that it would screw me over, but they showed up properly into the right review period (2014-15)

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I've only had the black hole when going up a tier, but not during the month or so that it showed I was being reviewed.

I was pretty paranoid that it would screw me over, but they showed up properly into the right review period (2014-15)

I hope your luck holds for me too!

 

[Jurahn]

I've only had the black hole when going up a tier, but not during the month or so that it showed I was being reviewed.

I was pretty paranoid that it would screw me over, but they showed up properly into the right review period (2014-15)

My review date was March 7 and my account was in "under review" mode until yesterday. I was pretty paranoid too, as I had 360 SCs due to credit to me during that period (two flights for me and two pooling from hubby) so was very relieved when my account was updated yesterday and the SCs credited to my account (and my two eligible sectors) since 7 March showed up as counting towards the next review period. Dropped from Plat to Gold but that was always going to happen as I got nowhere near requalifying this time!

Well, there's still 20 SCs missing from hubby's account (and to subsequently pool to me) but that's a different issue which the Velocity CSO said should be sorted out within "a couple of days" as it had to be passed on to a manager to deal with, so fingers crossed those will go through and I can finally relax and not worry about chasing up missing SCs!!

 

[Deleted member 29185]

My review date was March 7 and my account was in "under review" mode until yesterday. I was pretty paranoid too, as I had 360 SCs due to credit to me during that period (two flights for me and two pooling from hubby) so was very relieved when my account was updated yesterday and the SCs credited to my account (and my two eligible sectors) since 7 March showed up as counting towards the next review period. Dropped from Plat to Gold but that was always going to happen as I got nowhere near requalifying this time!

Well, there's still 20 SCs missing from hubby's account (and to subsequently pool to me) but that's a different issue which the Velocity CSO said should be sorted out within "a couple of days" as it had to be passed on to a manager to deal with, so fingers crossed those will go through and I can finally relax and not worry about chasing up missing SCs!!

I wonder if we're witnessing the end of the black hole?

 

[Reise]

Go for plat! (Spoiler: it's not really worth it)

@mrsmart - I have often wondered about the merits of platinum over gold. I'm rolled gold (or will be by the end of this month) but my rolling SC balance hovers around 600 and can't see it going up given that I am paying for my own tickets travelling double D discount 95% of the time. But, I have often been curious about Platinum (would have got there if I had shelled out for full tickets). So I am curious - do you see any pluses to being platinum that would justify shelling out?

 

[Deleted member 29185]

@mrsmart - I have often wondered about the merits of platinum over gold. I'm rolled gold (or will be by the end of this month) but my rolling SC balance hovers around 600 and can't see it going up given that I am paying for my own tickets travelling double D discount 95% of the time. But, I have often been curious about Platinum (would have got there if I had shelled out for full tickets). So I am curious - do you see any pluses to being platinum that would justify shelling out?

I think mrsmart was implying that he (or she, as I'm not sure if the reading of the avatar is a giveaway or in fact whether it's Mr Smart or Mrs Mart ) thought there was only marginal difference and not worth striving extra to reach.

I've found the extra luggage was useful for a family of 5 ski holiday (where we had lots of bulky clothes and skis etc), as too were the extra lounge guests, Row 3 is a big plus and extra points are good. The 4 complementary upgrades, I believe, are still only possible from flexi fares so not much use to you and I've tried to make use of the guaranteed family holiday international economy reward seat offer, but to no avail (lots of restrictive T&Cs) so not a great deal to crow about there. I've tried to use the platinum priority flexi purchase on a sold out flight (tried to buy flexi which was sold out, to upgrade at the airport to one of the two J seats still available) but was not permitted......I've no idea why not, so that's a useless benefit (IMHO). I've made use of the companion plat and gold offer but as you state you'd struggle to get to plat yourself, that's of no benefit to you.

Apart from that, you get a shiny black and purple card.

 

[Reise]

Apart from that, you get a shiny black and purple card.

Thanks, pretty well nailed what I thought. I don't use the existing 2xluggage allowance and while the 7 up to 3 would be nice I think I will focus on getting my partner to Gold.
My loose equation is that over 2 years for me to retain (2x400) and her to make it (500) = 1300 so it should just about work out with a couple of extra trips that are scheduled in the next 12 months.
Once I retain (in the next week) switch to pool to her and switch back once she qualifies.
If need be I might indulge in a Flexi or two at the tail-end and burn some points for an upgrade and enjoy the good life for a couple of trips - something to look forward to.

 

[Coops1]

Thanks, pretty well nailed what I thought.

Totally agree as well, I generally hover ~600.
Last trip to HKG, requal'd gold in Singapore, and pooled to partner who will get to Silver easily (no worth in this anymore!) and maybe gold if I do another trip.

 

[Fiches Mouser]

I think mrsmart was implying that he (or she, as I'm not sure if the reading of the avatar is a giveaway or in fact whether it's Mr Smart or Mrs Mart ) thought there was only marginal difference and not worth striving extra to reach.

It's the first one swanning_it, but I like having the option in case I need an alter-ego down the track.

@mrsmart - I have often wondered about the merits of platinum over gold. I'm rolled gold (or will be by the end of this month) but my rolling SC balance hovers around 600 and can't see it going up given that I am paying for my own tickets travelling double D discount 95% of the time. But, I have often been curious about Platinum (would have got there if I had shelled out for full tickets). So I am curious - do you see any pluses to being platinum that would justify shelling out?

I mean, look – I enjoyed the challenge of chasing it, so for that reason it was totally worth it for me. It gave me (another) reason to take a few paid J trips to Tokyo and Singapore last year... and a few more this year to maintain it.

Holding plat status is nothing special though. I'm fortunate enough to have never had any major problems, but I'm sure if something went wrong, I'd get looked after. On a day-to-day level though, the lack of DYKWIA treatment is very disappointing.

 

[Cryptarcadian]

I'm sitting on 670 for the first time and wondering whether to keep going for Plat this year or not, and I will probably will... not because I think any of the day-to-day benefits are worthwhile, but solely for the other "benefit" of the soft landing to Gold in 2 years' time, so I can redeem points next year without any worry over re-qualifying!

 

[JohnK]

I am going to be 50SCs short of retaining Gold by 02 September.

I am not sure I want to spend extra money to get to Gold but will miss lounge access, 25% additional gold bonus and preferential seating.

Currently on my account there is an Upgrade to Platinum progress box which mentions I require 1,000 SCS and I am currently on 315 SCs.

Will the same thing happen when I drop from Gold on 03 September to Silver? I will require 500 SCs for Gold but with my rolling SCs ~350 SCs and then I will earn ~140 SCs on 04 September on SQ and say another 10 SCs for SYD-BNE flight on 20 September gets me to exactly 500 SCs. Does that mean I have attained Gold? I am guessing the review is not until end of September which could be tricky.

Any thoughts?

 

[serfty]

yes ... if 300 of those 350 SC' were earned after, say, Feb 6th, you would have until Feb 5th to earn another 200 SC's to qualify SG again.

or if 330 were earned since Nov 5th then you would have until Nov 4th to earn another 170.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

with my rolling SCs ~350 SCs and then I will earn ~140 SCs on 04 September on SQ and say another 10 SCs for SYD-BNE flight on 20 September gets me to exactly 500 SCs. Does that mean I have attained Gold? I am guessing the review is not until end of September which could be tricky.

Check your history to ascertain how many of your "rolling" balance will drop off between now and 3 Sept and then add the number you'll achieve before 3 Sept, to get what your balance will be at review date. It sounds a lot like you'd actually meet the 400SC renewal just one day late, so perhaps a PM to VFF may have the desired effect as you have a good argument (that being you'd attain gold again anyway) and let's face it, it's in situations exactly like this that you'd expect a mob like VA to actually apply some logical discretional favour to their FFers, rather than the embarrassing shambles of a status match to all and sundry that they persisted with for so long.