Velocity Platinum Complimentary Upgrades

[Edge]

Hi, I understand the UpgradeMe platinum certificates are valid for 12 months. Can anyone confirm the following please?

- My review date is 3-June-18; where I will retain WP and receive 4 more upgrades.
- Do I have to physically use (actually fly) the upgrades before 2-June-19?
- Or as long as I redeem them before 2-June-19 they can be utilized on bookings made before the end of my membership year but take place after my review date (assuming upgrade availability exists, of course)?

Thanks in advance

 

[Spacetravel]

You have to redeem it before the expiry but you can fly on it at a later time. So you could redeem them on the last day before expiry for a flight booked 12 months later. However you are unable to change/ cancel your flight after the expiry date, if you do you will lose the upgrade.

 

[ozstamps]

Yes I used some for future flights one year, an hour before midnight of review date cut-off, as I recall.

 

[Ribbo83]

They seem quite flexible with them. On a side note, I had already requalified for WP and was upgrading flights with points a few months out and the call centre staff offered to let me book the upgrade as the comp J upgrade in lieu of points as I had already requalifed and my fights were after my anniversary date.

 

[Edge]

Thanks for the feedback, great to know. Will achieve enough for partner platinum this year so 8 upgrade certificates to use next year (or almost two years) will be very handy.

 

[dxwell]

When I crunch the numbers on this perk, I have always found that it is cheaper to buy a discount fare then bid for an upgrade to J. Other times, the difference between Freedom and J has been so small that it is worth buying the J to get the SC.
My wife and I are both WP and we have never used this perk.
Thoughts?

 

[Edge]

When I crunch the numbers on this perk, I have always found that it is cheaper to buy a discount fare then bid for an upgrade to J. Other times, the difference between Freedom and J has been so small that it is worth buying the J to get the SC.
My wife and I are both WP and we have never used this perk.
Thoughts?

I used my 4 this year on MEL-PER flights that were booked relatively last minute and cost around $1k return for freedom fares. They would’ve been around $800 on the ‘cheapest’ fare or $3-4K return for J fares

 

[serfty]

The Maximum value a Platinum Upgrade can have domestically is 9900 points.

That's the points cost for the upgrade from 'freedom' for the longest domestic flight.

My 'year' ends in mid May and I recently applied the last of my current ones to a flight in July.

 

[Lemon_Party]

I try to use on BNE-PER or vv. $600 or so for flexi, around $3k for J - so definitely value.
My work travel tends to need a flexible return leg anyway, so the perk is great in this instance.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

The Maximum value a Platinum Upgrade can have domestically is 9900 points. That's the points cost for the upgrade from 'freedom' for the longest domestic flight.

Don't forget that platinum upgrades can now also be used for short haul international. I will shortly use one on a company booked Freedom fare from POM to BNE. Unfortunately, they booked a Go Plus BNE to POM, but I upgraded that with an UpgradeMe bid of $130.

There are certainly still some very sweet, sweet spots with VA.

 

[Cryptarcadian]

However you are unable to change/ cancel your flight after the expiry date, if you do you will lose the upgrade.

Are you sure about changes (as opposed to cancelling)?

I remember asking VA about that once, and they said as long as I was moving the upgrade to another flight (i.e. date change) when I made the change, they could honour the upgrade even if it was after the expiry date. I never had to go through with it though, as I ended up keeping my original dates.

 

[Lemon_Party]

Are you sure about changes (as opposed to cancelling)?

I remember asking VA about that once, and they said as long as I was moving the upgrade to another flight (i.e. date change) when I made the change, they could honour the upgrade even if it was after the expiry date. I never had to go through with it though, as I ended up keeping my original dates.

I've asked a couple of times when booking the upgrade what happens if my plans change and always been told I'll lose the upgrade. But I've found in practice it depends on who you speak to when you actually need to change. I've managed to move a flight and keep the upgrade by phone, and using fly ahead at the lounge.

 

[texanaust]

Do you need to use two Plat upgrades if your flight involves a stop? For example LST-MEL-PER?

 

[ozstamps]

Yes

 

[joon8887]

Can I use plat complementary upgrade to upgrade myself and my wife (low tier red) who's travelling with me

Post automatically merged: Mar 16, 2021

am i able to upgrade my wife who is travelling with me to business class as well?

 

[serfty]

Can I use plat complementary upgrade to upgrade myself and my wife (low tier red) who's travelling with me

Post automatically merged: Mar 16, 2021

am i able to upgrade my wife who is travelling with me to business class as well?

If both of you are on the same booking , then yes.

 

[Stealthflyer]

A warning, they’re not doing upgrades at HBA check in anymore even though the website still says:
“Request an upgrade any time after you have booked your flight, up to two hours prior to scheduled departure time by contacting the Membership Contact Centre.
Requests can be made at any Virgin Australia Lounge or if departing from Hobart at Priority Check-in. Request any same-day upgrade on Virgin Australia operated Domestic flights up to 30 minutes prior to scheduled flight departure time.”

I found that out the hard way when I fronted up at HBA check in and asked to use an upgrade. It seemed quicker than enduring the membership line. Apparently they changed it three weeks ago, but still haven’t updated the Terms and conditions on the website.

 

[theoracle30]

In the past, I recall that you could use Velocity Platinum Upgrades for someone travelling on a different itinerary/booking reference, as long as they were on the same flight as the one you were upgrading.

Can anyone confirm if this is still the case? With Virgin's lines being so busy, I don't want to call up and add to it, until I'm ready to do the upgrades.

 

[Gold Member]

Yes, can still be done assuming award availability exists. The agent just needs to merge the bookings into a single PNR. its worth noting that this can’t be done if not ticketed directly with VA (eg. Amex travel).

To exploit this benefit further, you can also upgrade family/friends travelling with you on the same PNR and once applied, cancel your flight so that they have the free upgrade despite not being VA Plat. Just need to ensure that your ticket is a fully flex or award etc.

 

[cqtiger]

precovid you were able to do these upgrades as soon as you book the correct economy fare.
I have tried to do this on the past 3 flights and told by virgin the business seats haven’t been released yet and try within 24 hours prior to the flight. Did this then told try at the lounge By then either it’s sold or someone else has beaten me to it. Anyone had the same experience.