India & US trip

[engbren]

Hi AFF,

I am looking at a work trip in January - I am Velocity Silver, so looking to maximise points & status credits on the trip to get an upgrade to gold:
SYD->BLR (via SQ)
BLR->SFO (Jet Airways to AMS and KLM from AMS to SFO)
SFO->SYD (DL)

The BLR-> SFO leg I have found a combination of Jet Airways and KLM marketed with DL flight numbers. Not sure if they qualify for points or status credits?

Thanks

 

[CPMaverick]

The DL codeshares on non-DL metal will not earn anything with VA.

I would try to fly on DL metal from AMS-SFO if you can, KLM metal won't do anything for your velocity account. Either that or get to the USA from India via SQ or EY.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

VA/VFF PS on its own does not give you access to lounges, you get 2 Au dom lounge visits, but other than joining the Lounge, you don't get lounge access.
What I would do, is look for premY seats on any SQ sectors that offer that, and take that, plus the annual the Lounge membership.
Not a sleigh against KLM, but if earning points is important, go with SQ via SIN all the way, even on the way to the US.
Edit: as a VA/VFF PS member, you only pay Aud$300 for the Lounge membership, instead of Aud$750 or there abouts.

 

[Must...Fly!]

Pity EY cut SFO in October.

If you want to maximise, perhaps look in to an open-jaw situation, depending how much flexibility you have and book two tickets.

SYD-xSIN-BLR
BLR-SIN (stopover)
SIN-SYD

And another simple return ticket
SIN-SFO-SIN

There may be another way around this but a decent travel agent will have more ideas

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

IF (Air)NZ hadn't cut off earning on the UK - US route, an idea would have been to from India to the UK, and then from the UK to the US, then back via NZ, but that one is now out of the equation.
If the OP wants to maximize VA/VFF points earn, really, SQ is the only way.
VA/VFF does not really have a lot of partners, gotten worst since the partial split up of the (Air)NZ and VA/VFF agreement.

 

[CPMaverick]

IF (Air)NZ hadn't cut off earning on the UK - US route, an idea would have been to from India to the UK, and then from the UK to the US, then back via NZ, but that one is now out of the equation.

What would they fly from India to the UK? Not NZ...

I don't see how the old NZ option would have been any better than flying VS or DL from the UK to LAX, then hop on VA metal. Why route through New Zealand?

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Was thinking (Air)NZ US - NZ - then Au.
They could go and join SQ KF and give (Air)NZ that number on the way back from the US, then transfer the KF points to VFF.
India (maybe) Etihad to AUH then UK.
EY211 is an Etihad metal flight.
But yes, my suggestion is too much bull p** to play around with.
Edit: I know someone who flew ADL - PER - AUH - LHR in discY and got 5,000 points for the trip, with EY at an earn rate of 0.5points per mile flown, which puts into the flexY earn rate.
Part of the flights were on VA, but as it was EY ticketed, its EY earn rate rather than 5 points per $1 spent.
BLR - AUH gives 1703 miles, AUH - LHR gives 3409 miles, and LHR - LAX gives 5442 miles.
Just saying.

 

[engbren]

Thanks for all the suggestions. Unfortunately, the SQ route from BLR->SIN->SFO didn't work out as it went against our corporate policy (much more expensive than other options at the time). I didn't find any connecting EY flights that were feasible. I am now ticketed on SQ for SYD->SIN and SIN->BLR, KLM for BLR->AMS and AMS-> SFO so no points or status for these legs and Delta for SFO -> LAX -> SYD.

 

[CPMaverick]

Thanks for all the suggestions. Unfortunately, the SQ route from BLR->SIN->SFO didn't work out as it went against our corporate policy (much more expensive than other options at the time). I didn't find any connecting EY flights that were feasible. I am now ticketed on SQ for SYD->SIN and SIN->BLR, KLM for BLR->AMS and AMS-> SFO so no points or status for these legs and Delta for SFO -> LAX -> SYD.

You can open up a DL account for the KLM points at least. DL miles don't expire.