few questions from a new AFFer

[dkmajm]

hi im Darren, fly a number of times a year for quite sometime but never till May registered for frequent flyer miles (smart hey!), did so with Virgin as we were planning our first overseas trip in a while (Aug 2011) to LA with the family (2 adults, 4 children), since that time ive hit Gold status and the missus Silver in 6 months. We are now heading back to LA (then onto NY) in March 2012 as a family. For my business I usually fly from TSV to Cairns each month/six weeks, and to Sydney or Brisbane 3 to 4 times a year. My questions are from someone whom knows very little on this subject so i apologise in advance if they seem a little basic.

1) Bought economy tickets to LAX (flight VA7) and now would like to use points to upgrade to premium economy is this possible (points arent an issue)

2) Currently Gold so i apparently get 'priority' check in how does that work when i have 5 family members travelling with me!?

3) Similar to above with relating to priority check in, wifey and i qualify, but what about the kidlets!?

4) Whats inside a Virgin lounge!?!? (also kids etc.)

5) I read the thread about status credit runs (think its called!!) when i go to Gold Coast in January, there is a flight TSV to SYD to OOL but my understanding is that is no better for miles/status credits etc.

6) If using ff points for upcoming trips (either in full or part pay) do i not get miles/status credits for those at all?

theres probably more but i will leave it at that for the moment, cheers

 

[serfty]

Welcome to AFF Darren

I'm sure there will be a Velocity expert member along to help soon.

 

[Gremlin]

hi im Darren, fly a number of times a year for quite sometime but never till May registered for frequent flyer miles (smart hey!), did so with Virgin as we were planning our first overseas trip in a while (Aug 2011) to LA with the family (2 adults, 4 children), since that time ive hit Gold status and the missus Silver in 6 months. We are now heading back to LA (then onto NY) in March 2012 as a family. For my business I usually fly from TSV to Cairns each month/six weeks, and to Sydney or Brisbane 3 to 4 times a year. My questions are from someone whom knows very little on this subject so i apologise in advance if they seem a little basic.

1) Bought economy tickets to LAX (flight VA7) and now would like to use points to upgrade to premium economy is this possible (points arent an issue)

2) Currently Gold so i apparently get 'priority' check in how does that work when i have 5 family members travelling with me!?

3) Similar to above with relating to priority check in, wifey and i qualify, but what about the kidlets!?

4) Whats inside a Virgin lounge!?!? (also kids etc.)

5) I read the thread about status credit runs (think its called!!) when i go to Gold Coast in January, there is a flight TSV to SYD to OOL but my understanding is that is no better for miles/status credits etc.

6) If using ff points for upcoming trips (either in full or part pay) do i not get miles/status credits for those at all?

theres probably more but i will leave it at that for the moment, cheers

Hi Darren,

Welcome to AFF.

1. Points upgrades aren't available for Virgin Australia Long Haul (International to LAX, AUH). Hopefully this is only until their booking engines are upgraded, but who knows? I think there's lots of ppl who would love to see this happen.

2. If you're travelling as a group, I'd check in together at the Priority Counter (or Business Counter at the Int terminal). Shouldn't be a problem.

3. See above.

4. Not sure. I've never had any problems with guesting Mrs Gremlin and the two mini-Gremlins into the Lounge (incl partner lounges internationally). I don't know if they'd let six of you in on one card, but I'd suggest you ask politely.

5. You get no extra SCs for creative routing on DJ. Unless they're legs are on separate PNRs, in which case you have to deal with missed connections if they eventuate.

6. No credit for miles/SCs for reward or any seat awards with Virgin. But in general, the SC thresholds are typically lower for Virgin than for Qantas, so this somewhat balances out - although YMMV.

Cheers,
Gremlin

 

[airtraveladdict]

hi im Darren, fly a number of times a year for quite sometime but never till May registered for frequent flyer miles (smart hey!), did so with Virgin as we were planning our first overseas trip in a while (Aug 2011) to LA with the family (2 adults, 4 children), since that time ive hit Gold status and the missus Silver in 6 months. We are now heading back to LA (then onto NY) in March 2012 as a family. For my business I usually fly from TSV to Cairns each month/six weeks, and to Sydney or Brisbane 3 to 4 times a year. My questions are from someone whom knows very little on this subject so i apologise in advance if they seem a little basic.

1) Bought economy tickets to LAX (flight VA7) and now would like to use points to upgrade to premium economy is this possible (points arent an issue)

2) Currently Gold so i apparently get 'priority' check in how does that work when i have 5 family members travelling with me!?

3) Similar to above with relating to priority check in, wifey and i qualify, but what about the kidlets!?

4) Whats inside a Virgin lounge!?!? (also kids etc.)

5) I read the thread about status credit runs (think its called!!) when i go to Gold Coast in January, there is a flight TSV to SYD to OOL but my understanding is that is no better for miles/status credits etc.

6) If using ff points for upcoming trips (either in full or part pay) do I not get miles/status credits for those at all?

theres probably more but i will leave it at that for the moment, cheers

Firstly welcome

Well Gremlin has got to all the answers before i could.

Second, have you signed up all your children to velocity? and then sign them up for family pooling? Because with some clever SC manouvering you can make your wife Gold and with more manouvering you can probably make platinum also.

Depending on how many spare SCs is floating amongst your family, perhaps you can make your wife a Gold VFF, so if you were both flying, there would at least be 2x Gold VFFer, which means you can take 4 people in the lounge, but i'm not sure about six. I guess you can ask at the desk.

Anyway I don't know how popular the premium product is on the AUS-LAX route, but 24 hours prior to travel, you can call the brisbane desk and enquire about cash upgrades, if Virgin haven't sold out 6 seats

however I don't know how much it costs to buy a cash upgrade (per passenger) to go from economy to premium economy. Otherwise as Gremlin points out, you can't use points to upgrade on flights for international long haul yet.

 

[MarkD]

Up to 3 kids can come in to the lounge along with one adult guest.

 

[drron]

Now I am definitely not a Virgin.wizz or not.But family pooling seems just right for you.
Family Pooling| Velocity Frequent Flyer

So your wife has already earnt 250 status credits since May-which has to be your review date as that is when you joined.
So if you put 2 of your children into a pool with your wife,and presuming you have a discount economy ticket,and it is the one ticket through to NYC then she and the 2 children will earn 300 SCs for her which gets her Gold membership.
Put yourself and the other 2 children into another pool and you have to have at least 800 SCs after this trip.
if your wife has 300 SCs already she would only need 1 child in her pool to get to gold and that with the 3 other children gives you at least 900 SCs so a great chance of getting to platinum.

Now as to upgrades.If at checkin they can ofer you say 2 upgrades then definitely upgrade your wife and 1 child.40 years of marriage have taught me Brownie points are worth a lot more than any FF points.

 

[airtraveladdict]

Now I am definitely not a Virgin.wizz or not.But family pooling seems just right for you.
Family Pooling| Velocity Frequent Flyer

So your wife has already earnt 250 status credits since May-which has to be your review date as that is when you joined.
So if you put 2 of your children into a pool with your wife,and presuming you have a discount economy ticket,and it is the one ticket through to NYC then she and the 2 children will earn 300 SCs for her which gets her Gold membership.
Put yourself and the other 2 children into another pool and you have to have at least 800 SCs after this trip.
if your wife has 300 SCs already she would only need 1 child in her pool to get to gold and that with the 3 other children gives you at least 900 SCs so a great chance of getting to platinum.

Now as to upgrades.If at checkin they can ofer you say 2 upgrades then definitely upgrade your wife and 1 child.40 years of marriage have taught me Brownie points are worth a lot more than any FF points.

Yes thank you for doing all the hard work in calculating the SC and how to juggle them.

I hope Darren joined his kids to velocity for that flight they did back in August. Because i don't think he can retrospectively claim those SC and points now.

If Darren has any spare SC, which are eligible for family pooling, he could transfer it to his wife and make her Gold VFF, that way at least they can bring their kids into the lounge for the trip in March 2012, because there are two Gold VFF.

And after March 2012, he might be able to pool enough SC from the kids to make platinum. And then after qualifying for platinum, transfer more SC to requalify for gold (400SC), so he has a soft landing for the next year, if he doesn't requalify for platinum. Because he doesn't want to go from platinum to zilch because Velocity has no soft landing

I assume if you are platinum, and you won't be able to make 800 SC to requalify, but you earn 400 SC in that year, you requalify for gold as a soft landing? Or do you need need to earn 500?

 

[Deleted member 29185]

If Darren has any spare SC, which are eligible for family pooling, he could transfer it to his wife and make her Gold VFF,

He can't transfer spare SCs. Only spare miles. He may be able to pool any of his upcoming points to his wife to get her to gold (which then allows guesting of 4 kids domestically.......how does this go internationally????) or alternatively pool all the families into his to try for plat which will also allow the guesting (I think). Or just speak nicely to the lounge angels who probably allow him to bring in his +5 (domestically, maybe. Internationally...maybe not).

 

[dkmajm]

thanks all for your input, have registered the kids in Velocity and setup family pooling, am trying to get wife to gold before US trip on 25/3/12, but shes not keen to pay "extra" for the two trips in January as she calls it "buying status credits".

...will do our seat allocation 14 days out, may call Virgin night before and see if we score cheap PE upgrades

...if i buy a domestic flexi fare and use points to upgrade to business (or PE) do i get sc's for any, some or none of the trip

thanks again
darren

 

[airtraveladdict]

thanks all for your input, have registered the kids in Velocity and setup family pooling, am trying to get wife to gold before US trip on 25/3/12, but shes not keen to pay "extra" for the two trips in January as she calls it "buying status credits".

...will do our seat allocation 14 days out, may call Virgin night before and see if we score cheap PE upgrades

...if i buy a domestic flexi fare and use points to upgrade to business (or PE) do i get sc's for any, some or none of the trip

thanks again
darren

LOL if only she knew half the things AFFers do, to get status credits, including hopping on a plane from melbourne to sydney and flying straight back to melbourne, just to get enough points to qualify gold.

If you buy a domestic flexi fare and upgrade to Biz (after Jan17) or PE (before Jan17 2012), you will get SC and miles for the original fare, which is the flexi.

Velocity doesn't award SC or points for award or upgrade award redemptions.