Obtaining Silver?

[MelbGemini]

Hi There,

I have a measly 20 SC in my Velocity account but I would like to obtain Silver (I know I'm weird but just for the fun of it) by around June next year. Being a student I have limited funds so I assume that flights around Australia might be the best option?

I'm planning MEL-AKL AKL-SYD for a trip soon so would that be a good earner? Then would a couple of MEL-BNE get me over the line?

Or would you suggest another route to earn some points?

Any tips from the brains trust here would be appreciated! I hope this isn't such a silly question.

 

[ozjuice]

if you're not a frequent flyer then what do you want Silver for? What perks do you want that will benefit you? Also there are many details missing. Family pooling might be a way to do it easier?

 

[Fiches Mouser]

Hi There,

I have a measly 20 SC in my Velocity account but I would like to obtain Silver (I know I'm weird but just for the fun of it) by around June next year. Being a student I have limited funds so I assume that flights around Australia might be the best option?

I'm planning MEL-AKL AKL-SYD for a trip soon so would that be a good earner? Then would a couple of MEL-BNE get me over the line?

Or would you suggest another route to earn some points?

Any tips from the brains trust here would be appreciated! I hope this isn't such a silly question.

Welcome aboard MelbGemini! Reach for the stars – Silver (or PS, as it's known around here) is a very achievable goal in a year.

There are a few domestic sweet spots, but if you're serious about status runs, I'd suggest some multi-sector international routes. I do a number of MEL-BNE-SIN-Asia flights each year booked as flexis, and with just one of these and a few domestic flights, you'll get to PS easily. A few of these over the year and you could make it to Gold (SG).

Some also find domestic US flights can be great earners, but obviously that requires a trip to the US which may or not be feasible.

There's a whole thread dedicated to it just here: http://www.australianfrequentflyer....ity/new-velocity-status-run-master-46199.html

Everyone will tell you to do the numbers, work out if it's worth it for you blah blah blah but if you're doing it for fun, then go nuts! Nothing silly at all. That's how I started, and now I manage to hold on to Platinum (WP) each year with about 95% self-funded leisure travel. Keep in mind, though, it's not a cheap or simple game. It's also rather addictive.

Good luck!

 

[Tremere]

There isn't much benefit to Silver, shoot for Gold instead!

I would suggest SQ Flexi savers are a better SC/$ earner, look for MEL-SIN-HKG etc. You would need to do domestic VA runs to make up the eligible sectors, but that is better than paying the VA tax on the same flights.

 

[Rigs]

Hi There,

I have a measly 20 SC in my Velocity account but I would like to obtain Silver (I know I'm weird but just for the fun of it) by around June next year. Being a student I have limited funds so I assume that flights around Australia might be the best option?

I'm planning MEL-AKL AKL-SYD for a trip soon so would that be a good earner? Then would a couple of MEL-BNE get me over the line?

Or would you suggest another route to earn some points?

Any tips from the brains trust here would be appreciated! I hope this isn't such a silly question.

Not sure what you will get from the effort but the best spend per status credit is generally on international multi-sector flexible tickets. Using a return Singapore Airlines flight from any major city to a destination in Asia would probably be enough to get you close to 200 status credits. Doing it domestically is not really that easy and requires either effort or lots of time. One international trip through Singapore plus a couple of local flights and you will be comfortably Silver.

 

[Lemon_Party]

As alluded to above Family Pooling is a quick way to climb the status ladder - if you fly with a partner I'd look into this and sign up so all credits go to one account.

I'd agree with Rigs. Me and the +1 flew to Tokyo on SQ and got 400 SCs just from that flight. A couple of flights to Asia in SQ and a few VA domestic flights a year can comfortably keep you gold if you can family pool.

And if you are thinking about BNE-MEL always try and turn that into BNE-SYD-MEL if the schedule/price allows it!

 

[davidhes]

There isn't much benefit to Silver, shoot for Gold instead!

I would suggest SQ Flexi savers are a better SC/$ earner, look for MEL-SIN-HKG etc. You would need to do domestic VA runs to make up the eligible sectors, but that is better than paying the VA tax on the same flights.

Agree with this completely! I've only recently gotten into this game and I've found that the SC you get from Singapore airlines are some of the easiest to obtain if you don't fly regularly. I generally do 2 overseas trips a year and could have been gold for years if I'd realised how obtainable it is. SQs tickets that count status as full Flexi are usually only a tiny bit more than their cheapest ticket. And a stopover in Singapore on the way anywhere is always fun. I'm not gold yet but will be in a few weeks time. My wife and I flying to Tokyo from Darwin in 2 weeks and it is netting me 400 SCs with family pooling! Then the other 100 required for initial gold is made up with small eligible sector trips that I do each year to see family. Going ahead I will be easily able to keep gold with minimal changes to my flying habits. Just wish I had known this info earlier!

 

[davidsilver]

Welcome on board.

Your 20SC will have expired by June 2017.

To gain maximum SC try looking at multi city bookings, so instead of MEL-AKL-SYD why not look at MEL-BNE-AKL-BNE-SYD, the additional costs will be minimal but would earn more SC (110 on a flexi ticket as opposed to 70)

You can also use family pooling to increase your SC, but honestly the best value is with SQ. In October I did MEL-SIN-MNL-SIN-MEL for $1200 and was 180SC, was in Bangkok a couple weeks ago and needed to get across to MNL so booked BKK-SIN-MNL-SIN-BKK for $620 and was 120SC.

If you aren't flying regularly, there really isn't any point to chasing PS, if it's for lounge access then there are lots of people around here happy to guest in other members, or you could pay for lounge membership (but I don't think it's worth it). Internationally there is no real benefit of PS

 

[Coops1]

+1 for SQ flights. eg 240SC HBA-MEL-SIN-HK return booked as a Economy Flexi Savers. Check your class of booking prior to committing and look at Velocity site for status earn rate

 

[Deleted member 62084]

I spend far too long dreaming up status runs, and probably not enough on these fair pages lol.

Theoretically it is not hard to reach Silver by flying domestically; if your budget allows you can fly Melbourne-Brisbane-Darwin (I HATE those 3-letter abbreviations!) business class return for just over $2k and pick up 280 status credits in one fell swoop. This equates to only $7.40 per point!

You should familiarise yourself with the mileage calculator on the Velocity website. Soon, you will realise that Melbourne-Gold Coast direct is worth the same amount of status credits as Melbourne-Cairns direct, but for a whole lot less money (the secret is to look for destinations just over each mileage hurdle. Melbourne-Christchurch is another). Melbourne-Gold Coast via Sydney is even more lucrative, with a $285 flexi fare yielding 40 points each way. In this instance the flexi fare is better value than business, which would yield twice as many credits but for 2 1/3 times the price.

 

[Milefest]

If flying makes you happy, go for it!

"Travel, the only thing you can buy that makes you richer."

 

[Fiches Mouser]

If flying makes you happy, go for it!

"Travel, the only thing you can buy that makes you richer."

I completely agree, but every time I read that quote, I just think "what about property?"

 

[Boof1]

I completely agree, but every time I read that quote, I just think "what about property?"

I'm sure if you ask those in Ireland and USA how much richer they are after the GFC most would rather a holiday!!

As for chasing PS, do it for fun if you want to MelbGemini but don't do it expecting your world to change when traveling as PS. It won't, but the lounge passes and 50% points earn bonus is handy. SG is the sweet spot so aim for that if you can.

Good luck!!