The Velocity Status Run Master thread

[robd]

Thanks guys! I wanted to see how easily I could get Plat on VA. I've found some $USD 2.17/SC. Plus I don't have to ditch the Mrs for the run.. Very interesting comparison with QF..

Care to share?

I am much happier if I can add a good SC earning flight into a planned itinerary (which I'm sure most ppl are), rather than doing a status run.

Has anyone factored in their time, petrol, car parking & sundries into the SC/$ value on a status run?

 

[_TheTraveller_]

Care to share?

I am much happier if I can add a good SC earning flight into a planned itinerary (which I'm sure most ppl are), rather than doing a status run.

Has anyone factored in their time, petrol, car parking & sundries into the SC/$ value on a status run?

Pmd.

You're right. I would prob be planning it into a holiday. Trip coming up to the LOTFAP so I wonder if I can fit a day/night in...

 

[stoneman]

I have a leisure trip coming up too if you would care to pm me to share...

 

[_TheTraveller_]

Yea I'll just post it here. Not a mistaken fare just gotta try a couple destinations on ITA.

IAD-MSP-LAX-OAK-LAX-MSP-IAD

$853.20 USD

try 7/12-8/12

Bookable on DL. Books into G outbound A inbound. should net you 360SC if I'm correct (not too sure as I'm not a VA guy). $2.37/SC, not sure where I found the $2.17 (probably miscalculations )


Edit: There are also like some variations of it like out at IAD in at BWI. If you force LAX/MSP it tends to fluctuate around this price.

 

[robd]

Yea I'll just post it here. Not a mistaken fare just gotta try a couple destinations on ITA.

IAD-MSP-LAX-OAK-LAX-MSP-IAD

$853.20 USD

try 7/12-8/12

Bookable on DL. Books into G outbound A inbound. should net you 360SC if I'm correct (not too sure as I'm not a VA guy). $2.37/SC, not sure where I found the $2.17 (probably miscalculations )


Edit: There are also like some variations of it like out at IAD in at BWI. If you force LAX/MSP it tends to fluctuate around this price.

No harm in posting if it's not a mistake fare. It may well be seasonal though. I'm sure us Aussies are little fish not worthy of "enhancing" their routings within the big picture.

Great find!

 

[_TheTraveller_]

Decided to look around a bit more.. Generally speaking you have force 2 stops from either RIC/BWI/IAD/CHO to GEG

For those on the east coast during Jan, there are fares for 9/1 same day return.

EWR-MSP-LAX-OAK-LAX-MSP-IAD

$806~ making it around $USD 2.23/SC. By forcing 2 stops you can pretty much get 300-360 SC's which differentiate in price but the $/sc is below $3 so I guess its still a good deal.

If I didn't book $1000 worth of SC's for OW I would probably do this . Just a question, does status make getting awards easier on VA?

Edit: People can also try TPA-DTW-MSP-GEG-SEA-ATL-MCO. Not as nice but still decent.

 

[SimonF]

Decided to look around a bit more.. Generally speaking you have force 2 stops from either RIC/BWI/IAD/CHO to GEG

For those on the east coast during Jan, there are fares for 9/1 same day return.

EWR-MSP-LAX-OAK-LAX-MSP-IAD

$806~ making it around $USD 2.23/SC. By forcing 2 stops you can pretty much get 300-360 SC's which differentiate in price but the $/sc is below $3 so I guess its still a good deal.

If I didn't book $1000 worth of SC's for OW I would probably do this . Just a question, does status make getting awards easier on VA?

Edit: People can also try TPA-DTW-MSP-GEG-SEA-ATL-MCO. Not as nice but still decent.

No not really.

 

[flzdaley]

May as well delete the VA Status Run tab on the AFF spreadsheet 

How do new members get access to the spreadsheet?

 

[JessicaTam]

How do new members get access to the spreadsheet?

Lobo76 is the owner of the spreadsheet. From memory the requirements were a few months membership and 100 posts or so. It is not really relevant any more as a lot of the costs have gone up, reducing the advantage the runs once had.

 

[a1ring23]

I've got a Flight Centre gift card and was thinking of using it to subsidise a status run. Do I literally show them the flights I want and they book for me? How does adding my Velocity number/choosing seats work? Thanks!

 

[wannabeinvestmentbanker]

I've got a Flight Centre gift card and was thinking of using it to subsidise a status run. Do I literally show them the flights I want and they book for me? How does adding my Velocity number/choosing seats work? Thanks!

Yes you should be able to do just that as form of payment with Flight Centre would not make a difference on earning VA SCs. Just make sure you stipulate what fare class if you want a flexi for example.
On your e-ticket you should receive a reservation number. You can use VA Manage My Booking to make seat selections and you can add your velocity number at anytime to VA flights.

If not, just wait until you have completed the status run and make a retro claim for your flights.

If you are not in a hurry it could be worth a gamble and waiting another month or so to see if VA have a DSC offer which tends to come out late in the year.

I have found that booking direct through Virgin is often much cheaper for short domestic flights so unless it is a significant voucher I would price the status run direct through the Virgin website first.

 

[mooingchicken]

I have found that booking direct through Virgin is often much cheaper for short domestic flights so unless it is a significant voucher I would price the status run direct through the Virgin website first.

Flight center will price match though, so if they are cheaper then he can use the voucher aswell

 

[SimonF]

Looks like status runs on VA are a thing of the past and we are back to the old duopoly. Mel-xSYD-OOL now $530 one way in flexi for 40 SC, BNE-MEL-CBR now $686 one way for 50 SC was around $310. Business class fares just look ridiculous.

Big changes. I'm going to need a cheeky 40 SC soon. Is now the best option to just fly short routes like Mel-Syd?

 

[QF WP]

I still thought that using OOL or NTL for Flexis was worthwhile...

Edit: can see MEL/OOL in Flexi for $233 up and $228 back (using Wed as an example date) or MEL/NTL/MEL $199 up and $195 back (same plane turn around)

 

[Wezza]

Gonna need 120 SC's to maintain gold after when I return from Russia. Will be back on January 12th & my review date is early May. Hoping we see some double SC promotions come up shortly! It wouldn't be a problem normally getting those SC's but my wife is pregnant & also due in May so this might pose a problem with me going anywhere.

 

[Denali]

Spent Christmas flying to Hobart as SC are plentiful but was going to be short on sectors. First domestic flights in years and scored row 3 with a shadow. We took a big bag of Lindt chocs and was handing them out to as many staff as we could and WP status secured until 2016.

 

[cnosaj]

I have a noob question in regards to booking using the points + pay option on the VA website.

If booking with points + play, do I accumulate status credits and eligible sectors for the flights? Considering this option as I'm 110 SCs and 4 sectors from platinum, which are needed by 16 January, and whether it will be worth my while to chase platinum.

 

[carwashhair]

I have a noob question in regards to booking using the points + pay option on the VA website.

If booking with points + play, do I accumulate status credits and eligible sectors for the flights? Considering this option as I'm 110 SCs and 4 sectors from platinum, which are needed by 16 January, and whether it will be worth my while to chase platinum.

No SC's, as these are reward bookings. Read upthread for possible value from BNE/OOL (via MEL)-AKL/CHC in premium economy, if yr prepared to overnite and spend $1k+ on achieving plat.

 

[markis10]

No SC's, as these are reward bookings. Read upthread for possible value from BNE/OOL (via MEL)-AKL/CHC in premium economy, if yr prepared to overnite and spend $1k+ on achieving plat.

Not always the cash, you can use points plus pay for any seat awards which do attract SCs.

 

[cnosaj]

Thanks for the replies. Logged into my Velocity account before searching this time and showed options for Economy Reward, Saver and Flexi so gathered that the Saver and Flexi fares would be ASAs.

Have been to NZ recently, so currently looking for a few days in Asia.