Dilemma: credit to Velocity or Etihad?

[Jack_OC]

Hi all. I've been EY Gold for a few years but failed to re qualify last year so I'll lose that status at the end of March.

I travel a fair but with both VA and EY, but EY is usually in J and VA is usually dom Y, hence status has been mostly utilised with VA. In light of that, and the fact that it should be easier to retain status with VA, I had pretty much decided to start crediting all EY and VA travel to Velocity from now on.

However, now I have a dilemma. EY sent me a triple miles offer if I fly J by the end of March, and amazingly a work trip to EU just cropped up yesterday and I'm booked with EY (J return). I also have a one way flight with EY from EU to MEL in J booked for April. Those two trips would be enough to get me back to Gold with EY, and thanks to triple miles on the first one, I'd get enough miles for another one way J award from MEL-EU. I also think (but I'm not sure) that since I would qualify for Gold again (from Silver) rather than retaining it, it would be valid for the rest of this year + 2 years. Anyone know if that's correct?

Now for the dilemma. If I credit to Velocity instead, I should make Platinum very soon. Thanks to family pooling I could get over 1000 SCs by April. I'd only have 2 eligible sectors, but I can easily get 2 more for Gold soon and a further 4 for Platinum over the next few months. But very few points relative to the EY option, and probably a shorter period of guaranteed lounge access than the EY option.

Any thoughts on which way to go? Is VA WP worth sacrificing that EY triple miles offer for?

 

[markis10]

The triple miles promo won't help you requal, but as you say does mean you get a lot!

The bonus miles earned will be Etihad Guest Miles and not tier Miles

 

[Jack_OC]

The triple miles promo won't help you requal, but as you say does mean you get a lot!

I know but the standard EY Guest miles from the two trips would get me back to Gold.

 

[markis10]

To answer the question, the value is probably in the extra benefits each offers, for me the Hilton Diamond offer is worth a great deal.

 

[Jack_OC]

I know but the standard EY Guest miles from the two trips would get me back to Gold.

Actually, I've just done my sums again and I would end up about 1,000 EY Tier Miles short of the 50,000 required for Gold! I think that swings things very much back in favour of Velocity.

To answer the question, the value is probably in the extra benefits each offers, for me the Hilton Diamond offer is worth a great deal.

Interesting. I have to say I've never had any kind of status with a hotel loyalty program, and didn't think it tended to be worth a lot, but clearly you value it. What's the big benefit - free upgrades?

 

[markis10]

Interesting. I have to say I've never had any kind of status with a hotel loyalty program, and didn't think it tended to be worth a lot, but clearly you value it. What's the big benefit - free upgrades?

Free upgrades that are guaranteed and help reduce costs, most Executive lounges do a decent breakfast and evening drinks often come with enough food to be a meal, in Asia that often includes free laundry as well, not to mention late checkout.

 

[DaleS]

Hey Jack3193 My EY Gold will expire this year too and as I have no Euro trips this year will have no chance to requal. I put the points from my J trip last year to VA and it helped me retain Plat which is much more useful to me for dom trips and other perks that EY Gold. It's hard to put a value on EY points unless you're doing a lot of travel with them. The VA plat benefits are useful as markis10 says. I opted for IHG and get the room upgrades regularly both here and os. I'll be using it in June in the US in 5 different cities.

Thought it was funny the first time I used the IHG Plat at the CP in Adelaide and the checkin girl raved on about how they love having their elites visit and welcome back we have upgraded you to floor 12 with a balcony, thanks for choosing us etc considering I don't think I had every stayed at an IHG property except maybe a H Inn 20 years ago.

The other reason I posted is that I think Etihad is not really respected on this forum apart from a few who make comments in the Etihad Forum. Not saying that is a bad thing but it is reflected by the lack of replies to your post. For me they are undoubtedly the best airline I have travelled on from Oz and that includes most of the main carriers. I have flown J and the occasional F, really like the cabins (although the old green ones are now pretty tired), have always had good meals and service, their schedules get me to various Euro cities at good times, the F lounge in AUH is great (as a VA Plat you get access) so I always look to them as my first choice. Interested to hear what you think.

 

[Jack_OC]

It's hard to put a value on EY points unless you're doing a lot of travel with them.

Yeah, I agree. I have made a fair bit of use of them in the past though, as I'm originally from Ireland so I travel back there with my family every couple of years or so, and EY miles have contributed to us to flying J on the past two trips.

The other reason I posted is that I think Etihad is not really respected on this forum apart from a few who make comments in the Etihad Forum. Not saying that is a bad thing but it is reflected by the lack of replies to your post. For me they are undoubtedly the best airline I have travelled on from Oz and that includes most of the main carriers. I have flown J and the occasional F, really like the cabins (although the old green ones are now pretty tired), have always had good meals and service, their schedules get me to various Euro cities at good times, the F lounge in AUH is great (as a VA Plat you get access) so I always look to them as my first choice. Interested to hear what you think.

I agree with everything you say about EY - well everything except your comment about the F Lounge in AUH as I've never had the pleasure of being in it! But that is indeed another reason to go for VA Plat (there is really no chance that I'd get to Gold Elite with EY). Also, I'm changing jobs soon and I think my o/s travel is likely to be more US and a bit of Asia, rather than EU. That's another reason to focus on VA as flying with EY may become a rarity moving forward.

Anyway, I think the clincher is that if I credited to EY I'd fall just short of regaining Gold. I'd need to either fly internationally with EY again before getting there, or fly with VA domestically numerous times - with no lounge access :shock:! So I think I'm going to reluctantly pass on the EY triple miles offer and shoot for Velocity Platinum.

 

[ywwol]

Where in Europe are you flying?
If you're flying MEL-AUH-LHR for example, you'd earn
32002 tier miles, and if you're doing 2 J returns, that's 64004. So that will qualify you for Gold Elite.

 

[Jack_OC]

Where in Europe are you flying?
If you're flying MEL-AUH-LHR for example, you'd earn
32002 tier miles, and if you're doing 2 J returns, that's 64004. So that will qualify you for Gold Elite.

No I'm doing one J rtn and then a one-way J from DUB-MEL. So I think I get just over 48k Tier Miles, just short of enough to get back to Gold.

 

[ywwol]

No I'm doing one J rtn and then a one-way J from DUB-MEL. So I think I get just over 48k Tier Miles, just short of enough to get back to Gold.

How are you getting to EU in April?

 

[Jack_OC]

How are you getting to EU in April?

On an SQ award flight, so no SCs/Tier Miles!

 

[ywwol]

Oh well. If you haven't already ticketed the work trip, you might make it if you fly via SYD.