VA Gold vs VA Platinum?

[Jet L]

Is VA Platinum worth it, I will be hitting Gold after my flight on the 10th but I wanted to know if its worth making a push for Platinum before September when my first lot of status credits expire..

What are your experiences with the two status levels besides from row 3 and extra guests in the lounge, any better service from staff?

Thanks,
Jet

 

[NZflygirl]

If you use the "search forum" tool and type in platinum you'll see this has been discussed previously in other threads. I don't know how to link the other threads.

Platinum is only worth striving for if you're going to use its benefits. Otherwise it is indistinguishable from gold IMO.

 

[Denali]

The Hilton Diamond benefit, once I finally got it, has been well worth it.

I'm struggling to use our 4 upgrades this year. The new fare pricing structure made some of the routes I've looked at ridiculous to buy flexi.

 

[hydrabyss]

If you have to go to far out of your way to earn the extra status credits the money may be better spent on your destination. But if you are within 200 status credits it would be worth it as it will give you the benefit of a soft landing to gold the following year if you don't requalify.

As far as better service from staff for being platinum theres no difference. Row 3 is also a pain if you have carry on as you are forced to board early just to get overhead luggage space.

 

[pauly7]

Is VA Platinum worth it, I will be hitting Gold after my flight on the 10th but I wanted to know if its worth making a push for Platinum before September when my first lot of status credits expire..

What are your experiences with the two status levels besides from row 3 and extra guests in the lounge, any better service from staff?

Thanks,
Jet

Don't waste it for row 3 as row 3 is still easy to obtain for Gold members. Personally I don't see benefit in VA Plat.

 

[CPMaverick]

The additional benefits of Platinum are small. I don't find recognition much different. On work trips the additional guests are nice, but it doesn't really benefit me too much, just my co-workers! For a family, it would be nice. The bonus points are nice but not that significant. Row 3 is nice but I actually prefer to have storage at my feet.

I can't ever seem to use my upgrade certificates even when I am on a flexi fare (which is rare). So I've been very disappointed in those.

Probably the best benefit for me is to use the Etihad First Class Lounge in AUH. Now that is a tangible benefit, but I will probably only transit AUH 2-4 times a year.

 

[Jet L]

I think ill just aim to maintain gold and if I hit plat then I hit it if not I won't worry although a soft landing would be nice if I fail to maintain gold

 

[Deleted member 29185]

There are a few extra points and the I have used the extra luggage once for a family ski holiday in NZ (we take our own skis and ski clothes).

VA staff service/recognition is no different for plat, gold, silver, red or nobody. Every one gets treated the same (IMHO).

 

[Milefest]

VA staff service/recognition is no different for plat, gold, silver, red or nobody. Every one gets treated the same (IMHO).

That's just not true! I get the "Welcome back" where as my VFF red colleagues don't

 

[Genji88]

If you happen to live ridiculously close to an airport or getting to an airport with a VL is positively inexpensive, the ability to use the VL whether flying or not & feel no shame about regularly scarfing $60 worth of VA's food & booze (based on the price VA charges NR's for access) could be useful.

Otherwise HH Diamond is the only real advantage over SG

 

[MarkD]

If you happen to live ridiculously close to an airport or getting to an airport with a VL is positively inexpensive, the ability to use the VL whether flying or not

The horse bolted a long time ago on anytime access

 

[grubbidok]

If you have a family it can be helpful. Lounge access was already mentioned, but the annual guaranteed family flight for WP is quite a step up from SG

 

[CPMaverick]

If you have a family it can be helpful. Lounge access was already mentioned, but the annual guaranteed family flight for WP is quite a step up from SG

SG already has the annual guaranteed family flight, but WP adds international destinations (only where VA flies or codeshares). This is an interesting benefit, but given you must have a 7 day window and book more than 6 months in advance, I would have a hard time using it due to the unknowns about my work schedule. I suspect most that travel enough to be WP might have the same problem.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

(only where VA flies or codeshares)

And only for flights originating from Australia.

 

[Jack_OC]

VA staff service/recognition is no different for plat, gold, silver, red or nobody. Every one gets treated the same (IMHO).

That's just not true! I get the "Welcome back" where as my VFF red colleagues don't

I don't think I have ever got so much as a "welcome back" as a Platinum flying with VA.

If you happen to live ridiculously close to an airport or getting to an airport with a VL is positively inexpensive, the ability to use the VL whether flying or not & feel no shame about regularly scarfing $60 worth of VA's food & booze (based on the price VA charges NR's for access) could be useful.

Otherwise HH Diamond is the only real advantage over SG

Platinum doesn't get you anytime lounge access, and in my experience VA lounge staff strictly enforce the boarding pass for the day of travel rule. The only additional lounge benefits with Platinum over Gold are the number of guests allowed (3 vs 1 at Virgin lounges), lounge access on arrival (but this applies to Virgin lounges only, so you can't do it internationally, which is when it would be really useful) and in a few cases the level of lounge you can access when travelling internationally (e.g. Etihad First vs Business lounge in AUH). The EY first lounge is awesome, but clearly that's not much use to you unless you're going to be in AUH, and the Business lounge there isn't exactly a hovel!

I agree that HH Diamond is a great benefit, but also bear in mind that it's a one-off. For me Row 3 access is a decent benefit - I know people say you have a good chance of getting Row 3 anyway, but I suspect that's really only if you're travelling alone. As a Platinum, I get Row 3 virtually every time, even when travelling with my wife and kids. In fact, once the in-laws were travelling with us as well, and I managed to get all 6 Row 3 seats for us! Having said that, I can live with sitting in a different row from time to time if I have to. The upgrades are great if you can use them - especially on longer flights - but a lot of people can't use them as they never fly on flexi tickets. The bonus points and fly ahead benefits were good, but both of those have recently been removed if you're travelling on the cheapest fares.

Overall, I wouldn't bother going out of my way to reach Velocity Platinum unless you are willing/able to fly on Elevate or Freedom fares so you can maximise the benefits. If you mostly fly on the cheapest domestic fares, then I really don't think you'll notice much difference between Gold and Platinum. I've already decided not to bother going out of my way to retain Platinum status, even though I only need another 200 SCs by August to do so.

 

[grubbidok]

SG already has the annual guaranteed family flight, but WP adds international destinations (only where VA flies or codeshares). This is an interesting benefit, but given you must have a 7 day window and book more than 6 months in advance, I would have a hard time using it due to the unknowns about my work schedule. I suspect most that travel enough to be WP might have the same problem.

I've rarely had issues with availability on dates I've wanted so have always viewed that statement more as an a**e-covering exercise in case they can't find your first preference (have used for US and Asia), but yes, I guess it could potentially be an issue. The 6mo window is same

Having international options as WP as opposed to just domestic options as SG (even with slightly larger window) is a significant step up though, relative to what you get in SG, which was what the OP was asking about.

 

[grubbidok]

I don't think I have every got so much as a "welcome back" as a Platinum flying with VA.

I usually get it as a double-take (i.e. looks at ticket, starts directing, then adds "welcome back" after pause because they clearly forget the first time). Makes it look tokenistic IMHO

 

[Marty_]

This has been covered before, but I'll add my observations again (besides row 3 and lounge guests)

- IHG Platinum has been excellent and I have decided to maintain status with them since getting it through VA. I get consistent room upgrades, priority check-in and preferential service.

- I do get much better treatment from VA staff as plat. I have been in a few tricky situations where platinum has saved me, including re-opening a flight that had closed for departure (I heard the FA whispering "he's platinum" to her colleague before they got on the radios and made it happen). I wasn't being a DYKWIA - I had a legit crisis that made me late and they took the initiative without my demanding it.

- I also get fees waived for changes etc all the time. Not sure when was the last time I paid a fee. Very good phone service and no hold time.

- Better international benefits including better lounges, though this is somewhat offset by the inadequacies of VA's international offerings in general.

- People tend to overlook the 100% points bonus. Given that flying is about the #1 way of earning big points (unless you run a sizeable business through a rewards AMEX), this really does matter to me.

 

[Jack_OC]

- People tend to overlook the 100% points bonus. Given that flying is about the #1 way of earning big points (unless you run a sizeable business through a rewards AMEX), this really does matter to me.

I agree that this was a great benefit, but as I mentioned above, VA have abolished bonus points on the cheapest domestic fare class (Getaway). If you're willing and able to choose the more expensive fare classes, then bonus points and Fly Ahead remain in play, which might well make Platinum worth it. If you're flying on Getaway fares though, IMHO the difference between Gold and Platinum is now very marginal.

 

[Dannyism]

I think the best thing about going plat is the 'soft landing'.

By this I mean, get platinum. Then next year, fly on points, discount economy, Qantas, whatever, but you don't need 800, let alone 400 SC. Then the following year, you are gold and can just maintain that level by earning 400 SC.