Free Seventh “free stuff” 2019 -"VA Companion Gold" - the gift of gold

[Matt_01]

Here we go again up for grabs is a VA Companion Gold. I have no one to give it to, MrsM still has the QF complementary WP and does not need this one as well.

I have called the VA CC and they confirmed I am good to go. Like most of my "free stuff" posts there are a few condition, being:

• AFF member for at least 6 months
• At least 50 posts
• Preference will go to a VA Silver, I may ask for evidence.
• You can be QF silver but no higher, however you will need to have a VA FF account.

Also I would prefer to give this to someone who will get some use out of it, e.g. a moderate traveler who normally has to fly on the cheapest VA flights, earning stuff all SC and ideally someone that could retain the SG but just needs a hand to get there. If selected, you will need to provide me with your name and VA FF number, I need to give your details to VA. If you are not comfortable providing this detail don’t throw your hat in the ring.

So in the interests of not just putting your hand up, like last year post a picture of your favourite travel destination. If you are having another crack the picture cannot be the same as 2018.

I will leave the thread open for a week or so and when I get home we will look at responses, create a short list based on those who have expressed an interest and meet the above rules. I will ask MissM and MissM agree on which response they like the best and that will be the winner. Simple.

I’ll contact the recipient and may seek evidence of your VA d QF status, including expiry date.

All the best.

 

[Denali]

Once again, very generous of you!

Good luck to all that put their hands up for this

 

[mrsterryn]

Very nice of you

 

[Genji88]

I'm only a VA Red but have 112 status credits & happy to verify. Would also donate $50 to the charity of your choice

 

[Milboo]

I’m going to throw my hat into the ring. I’m VA silver after falling from loftier heights and VA not wanting to show some compassion. Not being gold means flying to VA to the US is out of the question (as can’t use points to upgrade).

I missed out on requalification as I had to cancel a trip to Myanmar for my friend’s wedding a week out from departure, as my dog ended up in emergency surgery which cost me $10k...

The flight would have got me over the line to gold requalification and fell 2 days before my review date so no time for a status run.

So that’s my sob story!!

And my travel photo...from a few years ago when I went to Cuba. To me it feels like it embodies so much of Cuba.

 

[daft009]

Nice one Matt. If I flew more domestic I'd definitely put my hand up.

I don't even make it to Silver, usually borderline.

 

[PDF]

Dude, you are too kind Keep up the good work.

 

[redwoodw]

A very generous offer. Not sure if this’d qualify but I’m just a CX Silver, flying regularly between AUS and Asia via HKG. Would appreciate the opportunity to see if the grass is any greener on the VA side.
Favourite destination is the Lake Biwa Marriott featuring an onsen bath right by the window with Great Lake view, superb breakkie and happy hour for elites too. Hope I qualify and if not good luck to those who do.

 

[ff-jr]

Matt, you are a very good man and I'm definitely throwing my hat into the ring for this one!

I'm frustratingly stuck at VA Silver; I soft landed back on Silver after a pilot Gold offer late last year (activated via Flybuys) during which my work travel was mostly frozen, although I came close! The freeze ended in Jan and my travels have increased a lot on PY, but are always booked at the lowest fares (Elevate is the best I can do) and the status credits I earn tend to cycle with expiring credits.

All of my work travel is domestic (predominantly SYD-MEL with occasional visits to most capital cities) and I have some personal int'l travel planned for Sept (USA and Japan). To note: I frequently use the UpgradeMe feature (to mixed success), which I fund personally despite being for work travel, purely to enjoy lounge access and priority luggage.

My favourite part of travel is people watching, and lounges are such a great space for that (and getting in work in transit, and freshening up during long haul trips), so I'd definitely put Gold to good use. Funnily enough, I used the last of my free Silver lounge passes today. I'm also very confident that I could retain SG; I just need that initial push over the line!

Happy to provide whatever evidence/details you need.

I can't take photo credit for this, but my favourite destination is Portland, Maine (USA). I've spent a lot of time in the region; Oldport, in particular, has a lot of charm and the place just makes me smile.

 

[Jurahn]

Wow, that's a tremendously generous offer. I'd like to throw my hat in the ring for this one too. Dropped back to Silver recently after several years at Gold - we moved from WA to Tasmania last year, and whilst I've been able to find some part-time work, Mr J is still looking so the budget is tight and there was no way we could afford to do enough travel for me to maintain Gold, and oh how I miss everything associated with it ... especially the lounge access and the dedicated call centre. Going back to dealing with the GCC gives me the horrors, after previous experiences! Things have improved a bit for us, and hoping to do some more domestic travel in the coming year, but it will be a struggle to get those extra SCs to claw my way back from Silver to Gold, so would very much appreciate being considered for your kind offer. So currently VFF Silver and QF Bronze.

My picture is from the Maldives (Conrad Rangali, as it was then, I think it's a Hilton now). It was back in 2008 and was the first holiday Mr J and I took together - an absolutely magical experience, made even more special as my birthday fell during our time there. We stayed in an overwater bungalow, which had been a lifelong dream of mine, and i will never forget the incredible experience of standing on the footbridge which joined the two islands, watching manta rays swoop and feed in the shallow water under the bridge, you could almost reach out and touch them.

 

[PDog]

Generous offer, thanks Matt!

 

[RisingPhoenix]

Wow, the generosity in the VA thread is off the charts lately. Hat tip to @Matt_01 and @Denali honestly amazing people here. Not throwing my hat in the ring for this, just blown away by the willingness to help others in the community.

 

[suze2000]

That is a generous offer - I'd put my hand up but I suspect I won't be travelling alone much at all this year because I just had knee surgery and hubby is VA WP.
Well done @Matt_01, maybe next year I might put my hand up.

 

[debgow]

I might have just about kept Gold this year but I opted to use family pooling to make my hubby silver. Being Gold helps so much with checking in at Priority line and the lounge is so useful as I can sometimes have hours in between flights. Had a trip to Japan in December, family had great fun at Mario Karts. Freezing cold, beautiful lights in the trees.

 

[Matt_01]

Well done @Matt_01, maybe next year I might put my hand up.

May not have to wait to next year. My VA roll over is 18 May and looking at forward bookings will have passed the 1300 mark prior to Aug 19.

 

[Matt_01]

And the winner is @crumpet. I will send you a PM for the next steps.

For those who put their hand up see post 15, there will be another 'Gift of Gold' in the future.

 

[Jurahn]

Congratulations crumpet! And thanks Matt for making such a great offer.

 

[Humbaobao]

Very generous of you, Matt. Congrats crumpet!!!!

 

[jasecao]

And the winner is @crumpet. I will send you a PM for the next steps.

For those who put their hand up see post 15, there will be another 'Gift of Gold' in the future.

should be able to gift platinum at that rate!

 

[Matt_01]

should be able to gift platinum at that rate!

There is every chance that the next one may hit platinum however I normally switch back to QF in August and fly QF until P1 is retained then start on VA again.