Changing loyalty from Qantas to Virgin ?

[AstroBBoy]

I've been thinking about this for a while now and my recent interactions with Qantas is pushing me further in the direction of moving my loyalty to Virgin & Star Alliance.

I've been loyal to Qantas for a long time now, and have had a bunch of reward flights across difference cabin classes and am currently sitting on a lot of points (which I will of course still use), but I'm just getting fed up and frustrated by the lack of service.

So as a Star Alliance potential newbie, can anyone comment on:

• How many points are we looking at for Business Class Australia to Europe return?
• How easy is it to find reward seats for someone with low status?
• Do they have an equivalent to the One World Around the World Trip?

 

[MH_fan]

Saver awards (via UA's Mileage Plus) from Aus to Europe is 99k each way. A bit cheaper if you book a return ticket but I find that I need to book 2x one-ways to get the flights I want. If you wait for the return flights to become available, the outward flight availability may have already gone.
Availability is pretty good for non-status members as long as you look at flights around 10-11 months out.
Can't comment on RTW. I think there used to be but not sure about now...

 

[andye]

1.On SQ 232k Krisflyer, 278k VA. KF has Advantage redemptions for 300k but more availability. Fewer points for PER/DRW. Surcharges mostly lower on SQ. Also 278K on EY with VA points but steep surcharges
2. With KF miles significantly less hard than QF (Status doesn't make a difference). Very little availability with VA miles currently. Not too sure of EY availability
3. KF does have an equivalent . Fewer points needed but has to be booked in one go rather than stepwise. Surcharges on LH and LX quite high

VA to KF transfers are supposed to come back at some point but no-one knows at what exchange rate. This may help the disadvantage of fewer KF-earning credit cards to churn (or Flybuys transfers for that matter) if that is a way you accumulate points

 

[Mwenenzi]

I've been thinking about this for a while now and my recent interactions with Qantas is pushing me further in the direction of moving my loyalty to Virgin & Star Alliance.

I've been loyal to Qantas for a long time now, and have had a bunch of reward flights across difference cabin classes and am currently sitting on a lot of points (which I will of course still use), but I'm just getting fed up and frustrated by the lack of service.

So as a Star Alliance potential newbie, can anyone comment on:

• How many points are we looking at for Business Class Australia to Europe return?
• How easy is it to find reward seats for someone with low status?
• Do they have an equivalent to the One World Around the World Trip?

Virgin are not in Star Alliance. Or any (public) information they are may join.
VA are/will be ff partner with some Star Alliance members.
Crediting to UA ffp is not the same as crediting to VA ffp

UA have excursionist perk

https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly/mileageplus/awards/travel/types.html

How to travel more for fewer miles with United's Excursionist Perk - The Points Guy

Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information.

thepointsguy.com

Understanding and Maximizing the United Excursionist Perk

Take advantage of United's Excursionist Perk to save yourself money and MileagePlus miles on multi-city flight itineraries around the world.

upgradedpoints.com

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

If you are really keen on dumping QF, go for UA.
Their FF points do not expire, you can fly with partners and put in the (your) UA FF #, VAd too.
SQ's KF points do expire after 3 years, hard rule, but due/though due to covid they have been extending the life of their (KF) life, by 6 months each time.
Air NZ's Airpoint dollars has a life of 4 years.
So, if you don't fly that often, with SQ and Air NZ or partners, the points do expire at 3/4 years.
With SQ and Air NZ, there is no way of extending the life of your miles you have, with VA, so long as there is activity, ie, hotel stay bookings, or Coles FB transfers to VA, you do not loose your points.
VA is not a member of *A, but they have FF partnerships with various *A airlines, except Air NZ.
If you choose to fly AC, SQ, UA, NH, Eva Air, and VAd you can put in your UA FF # and earn the relevant points, and your points in UA FF program stay with you for life.

 

[AstroBBoy]

That's a good point about expiring points.
So if I was to accrue Virgin points from flights/shopping/creditcard ...
- Can I use them to book flights on their partner airlines? Or I would need to transfer them to another point scheme first?
- Am I able to transfer them to UA?

 

[andye]

You can use VA points to book on partners (though some such as SQ have less availability for partners)
There was the capability to transfer VA points to SQ Krisflyer previously. It is reported to return but unknown when or exchange rate.
No ability to transfer VA to UA is expected (the VA/SQ arrangement was unusual when it was around)

 

[serfty]

Can I use them to book flights on their partner airlines?

Yes.

I currently have upcoming bookings in SQ Business booked using velocity points.

Here's a web page with more information about booking on partner airlines:

Velocity Help and Support

We've got your back with frequently asked questions, how to guides and details to get in contact with us.

experience.velocityfrequentflyer.com

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

For Astrobboy, if you fly a lot, both domestically and one or two return with VA partners internationally, then you can get lots of points to VFF, apart from the Coles FB system.
Some people do not like the Coles FB system, they feel that Coles FB gets too much info about them, about what they buy, etc.
But if you only fly once a year, then its better to get all your groceries from Coles FB, every 2000 FB points gets you 1000 VFF points, they (FB) allow you to auto transfer, as soon as your Coles FB points get to 1000, they auto transfer it to VFF, so you get 500 VFF points.
You can't combine this (FB) with any other FF system, except VFF.
If you buy all your food from Coles, and things from Kmart/Target/Liquorland etc, the points do add up fast, esp if you get Coles FB bonus offers.
You can also climb the VFF status ladder by shopping at Coles, this differs from the WWR system with QF.
If you have to fly for work, say 5 times domestic J per year, plus maybe one return business international a year, plus shopping at Coles, you could make VFF SG quite easily.
Just have to make 100% sure that any class you fly, do earn points, esp their international partners.
Domestic, if you fly VA J, usually, their J class do earn a lot of points, 7 to 10 points per $1 spent, basic Y class earn 5 points per $1 spent, VFF do not have a minimum of 800 points, as with QF, with VA, the more $ you spend, the more you earn.
Avoid the minimum Y class, (edit: they changed class names a while back, avoid *(lite)* if you are keen on status, on VAd as this does not count towards the 4 VA sectors needed per year, in relation to status.

 

[Must...Fly!]

Domestic, if you fly VA J, usually, their J class do earn a lot of points, 7 to 10 points per $1 spent

Sorry this is wrong

Domestic fares on VA earns 5 points per $ spent regardless of class.

You get bonuses based on status. 50% silver (so 7.5ppd), 75% gold (8.75ppd), 100% platinum (10ppd)

Virgin Australia

Earn Points with Virgin Australia and Partners, also earn status credit when travelling with eligible fare types. Offering include trans tasman flights, short haul and long haul flights and international long haul flights

experience.velocityfrequentflyer.com

 

[Brittany]

That's a good point about expiring points.
So if I was to accrue Virgin points from flights/shopping/creditcard ...
- Can I use them to book flights on their partner airlines? Or I would need to transfer them to another point scheme first?
- Am I able to transfer them to UA?

Just to give another example,
I have booked, Singapore Airlines J, Etihad J, and Air Canada J, multiple times in the last few months using only the Virgin website using my Velocity points. As time goes on and UA and HA etc start to become active with partnerships and their cross relationships, their flight options will come back when searching as well.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

In order to start amassing VFF points, the OP would have to start flying.
As of now, VA is not allow revenue bookings on their website, award bookings, yes, but not revenue bookings.
Have to go to the partners website, make a booking, choose VA as the FF program to add points on the flight to, fly, and then obtain the points that way.
As to when we can make booking for international airline partner flights on VA's website, we don't know of that as yet.
***
Wasn't there more than 5 in the past, but I do agree, under VA2, its max of 5 points per $1 spent.
Thought it was more at one point.
Unless maybe I got it mixed up with their bonus points earn.
VA J fares for close Aust city flights are so cheap now.