I've just reached Velocity Platinum

[wattch]

Hi brains trust,

I've just hit Platinim for the first time in any airline loyalty program. Literally took the last flight on Sunday night to hit the eligiable sector minimums. I ended up with close to 2000 status credits in the past 12 months.

Anyhow, what's the first thing I should do with my new membership card and perks?

 

[RooFlyer]

Anyhow, what's the first thing I should do with my new membership card and perks?

You can apply for Hilton and Hertz elite status - they take a while to process and sometimes need follow up. However, I have in the back of my mind some caveat with the timing of applying for Hilton status. Maybe @serfty can clarify if that's real, or if I'm thinking of something else.

Enjoy booking economy x for free

 

[SYD]

You can apply for Hilton and Hertz elite status - they take a while to process and sometimes need follow up. However, I have in the back of my mind some caveat with the timing of applying for Hilton status. Maybe @serfty can clarify if that's real, or if I'm thinking of something else.

Enjoy booking economy x for free

Hotel status is usually best to apply from around April onwards - so you get the remainder of the current year, the following year and 2 mth into the year after before dropping down (if you didn’t requalify).

If you have the same email address on VFF and Hilton it only takes a couple of days to process. I used my Gold (coming down from Platinum) a few months ago.

 

[serfty]

Maybe @serfty can clarify if that's real, or if I'm thinking of something else.

If you do not have any Hilton hotel status, then apply after January 1st. That gives one that
status for up to 27 months.

If you are already Hilton Diamond then wait until after your status may drop after the end of March.

 

[PERLHR]

Hotel status is usually best to apply from around April onwards - so you get the remainder of the current year, the following year and 2 mth into the year after before dropping down (if you didn’t requalify).

If you have the same email address on VFF and Hilton it only takes a couple of days to process. I used my Gold (coming down from Platinum) a few months ago.

I did the request on 03 July as Platinum to Hilton. Not heard anything since the confirmation e mail.

 

[lovestotravel]

Anyhow, what's the first thing I should do with my new membership card and perks?

Prepare to be underwhelmed, it's not that great

 

[HeavyElectricity]

I ended up with close to 2000 status credits in the past 12 months.

If you've earnt that many status credits you should be able to gift gold (or possibly even platinum) to someone as well

 

[serfty]

I did the request on 03 July as Platinum to Hilton. Not heard anything since the confirmation e mail.

Give emtwo weeks and call

 

[MEL_Traveller]

If you've earnt that many status credits you should be able to gift gold (or possibly even platinum) to someone as well

You need to re qualify, and the. earn an extra 500 SCs to gift gold.So the first 1000 = platinum. The next 800 = re-qualify. The. another 500/1000 to gift gold/platinum.

Easy to do if you are just re-qualifying. Starting from scratch means you need 2300 in the first year(ish)

Post automatically merged: Jul 13, 2023

If you do not have any Hilton hotel status, then apply after January 1st. That gives one that
status for up to 27 months.

If you are already Hilton Diamond then wait until after your status may drop after the end of March.

Thanks! gonna do this on 1 Jan!

 

[SYD]

I did the request on 03 July as Platinum to Hilton. Not heard anything since the confirmation e mail.

Do you use the same email address on both accounts? There’s some explicit mention of it in the request page.

I waited until a dropped back to HH Silver and then fire off VA status the next day. Processed within days. I was actually surprised by how quick it took.

 

[PERLHR]

Do you use the same email address on both accounts? There’s some explicit mention of it in the request page.

I waited until a dropped back to HH Silver and then fire off VA status the next day. Processed within days. I was actually surprised by how quick it took.

Yes definitely the same e mail address for both.

 

[oz_ally]

Prepare to be underwhelmed, it's not that great

I have to agree. I was happy to finally hit it - but not much difference to Gold. It's nice to have the fancy Plat phone number that gets answered pretty quickly. But not much else. The 4 upgrades I never use (this year's ones anyway) because I'd never pay for a Flex fare unless I was desperate - they are almost the same price as Business anyway. I only used my last year ones when we were allowed to use them with Choice Fares. Getting the 100% extra velocity points for flying is OK. I had one young kid get all impressed when he saw my Platinum bag tag on my suitcase once - made me feel all fancy haha - he was probably really thinking - what's that old cat lady doing with a platinum tag - probably stole 'em from someone's bag (which did happen to me actually - or it fell off coz I had to order a new one). My bag rarely comes off the carousel in the first lot of bags. I have to wait around with the rest of the lowly Reds and Plebs I'll deffo be having a soft landing to Gold by my next review date in November. I have a couple of trips to Bris booked to see the plays my son is stage Managing. He's been travelling for months around Australia with "The Twits" - I've already been to see it when he did it down in Sydney on another tour. But he's back very soon for the September Brisbane Drama Festival thngy. Soooo I haven't had much of a chance to go back and forth which is how I usually rack my flights up.

Ohhhhh sorry to be such a downer though @wattch Congratulations on reaching Platinum - you can be a proud WP now. As for the negativity - I blame Covid. Everything bad is its fault

 

[Guvner]

I did the request on 03 July as Platinum to Hilton. Not heard anything since the confirmation e mail.

I had to follow up after 2 or 3 weeks, then got the confirmation/welcome email a week after that.

 

[im.daniel]

Anyhow, what's the first thing I should do with my new membership card and perks?

Use it to get a status match with an airline with a real alliance/partners

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I have to agree. I was happy to finally hit it - but not much difference to Gold. It's nice to have the fancy Plat phone number that gets answered pretty quickly.

Is there a special platinum number?? I just call the regular one and enter my FF number… I assumed they sorted the call at that stage? It would be great if we had access to a Hobart-style arrangement like Qantas has!

 

[im.daniel]

Is there a special platinum number?? I just call the regular one and enter my FF number… I assumed they sorted the call at that stage? It would be great if we had access to a Hobart-style arrangement like Qantas has!

Not that I'm aware of. I usually dial 136789 or 131875 and never have to wait long, it triages Platinum members quite well.

 

[oz_ally]

ooohh I forget where I read it - might have been this site. 131875 When I first hit WP I read everything about all the perks. Disappointment ensued but worked out which very few I might use and somewhere I read about that number. Yeah it might just be the fact that putting in my VFF number puts me to the front of the phone queue but every time I call it gets answered pretty much straight away - much faster than when I was unmentionable Red, PS or SG. Just let me believe I have at least one perk from being a WP

 

[MEL_Traveller]

The only thing i’m hanging out to use my upgrades for is Bali. But I suppose that’s going to be pretty hard.

I suppose Tokyo would have been an option… might still be an option if they can’t fill those business class seats? (although at the same time a whole row in economy would prolly be better!)

When I first got platinum I used fly forward twice. But now can’t be bothered… to save an hour you have to call up, or get told catering isn’t assured, and have to sit in a seat you might not want. Not really worth it.

 

[PERLHR]

The only thing i’m hanging out to use my upgrades for is Bali. But I suppose that’s going to be pretty hard.

I suppose Tokyo would have been an option… might still be an option if they can’t fill those business class seats? (although at the same time a whole row in economy would prolly be better!)

When I first got platinum I used fly forward twice. But now can’t be bothered… to save an hour you have to call up, or get told catering isn’t assured, and have to sit in a seat you might not want. Not really worth it.

Shame it has to be so awkward. It's like they are maybe trying to make us think "why bother."? They could do better I'm sure.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I guess there is one thing..l with all the recent flight delays and cancellations out of SYD, I have always been reaccommodated on the next available flight. There must be plenty of folk who have to miss out when cramming 3 or 4 flights of business class in to one.