The Virgin Australia Newbie Questions Thread

[MooTime]

So would that also mean in the 2nd Scenario that I would have 100 Gold Maintain points as well?

I take it as scenario 1. All excess SC's on that flight that got you to Gold are wasted. They all in same transaction, you were upgraded to Gold & you start from 0.

had a very very similar scenario, had couple hundred SC's from Family Pooling & all were scrapped & started new status with 0.

Happy to be incorrect, but that was my experience & it does make sense.

Not that it probably matters, but you could separate youfamily pooling for this flight as the extra SCs won't be required & the other person could achieve status on own with this 55SC's.

 

[sidplayos2]

I take it as scenario 1. All excess SC's on that flight that got you to Gold are wasted. They all in same transaction, you were upgraded to Gold & you start from 0.

Yeah that was my thinking also.

Since it's only the eligible sector holding me back, I might be better off to do a short status run to bump up to Gold before our trip. That way the 220 SC's from the return trip will already have me over 50% maintained, and can actually use the Gold status on the trip, rather than just on the way back.

 

[ols]

Yeah that was my thinking also.

Since it's only the eligible sector holding me back, I might be better off to do a short status run to bump up to Gold before our trip. That way the 220 SC's from the return trip will already have me over 50% maintained, and can actually use the Gold status on the trip, rather than just on the way back.

If you are really close some Coles Fly Buys SC's could get you over the line rather than take a staus credit run

 

[sidplayos2]

If you are really close some Coles Fly Buys SC's could get you over the line rather than take a staus credit run

It's the required 1 eligible sector more than SC's. I was just trying to maximize my Maintain for the next level (Gold) without wasting to many of the SC's.

Thanks all for the input, I think a cheap Choice SR will be the best option.

 

[bolkoff]

Real newbie question here but does anyone else's Velocity App show something similar to the following:
You need 170 more SCs and 2 sectors to maintain Silver
but then states
You need 250 SCs and. only 1 sector to upgrade to Gold?

I was on track to return to Gold by my normal review date but then started a '6 month Gold trial' with a different review date (mid month) and missed out on continuing as Coles SCs land at the end of the month.

Anyway I am trying to get Velocity to ignore the trial and return me to Gold based on screenshots showing the SCs and sectors required (which I achieved) prior to the changes due to the trial.
Anyone else had this issue?
Is the Velocity activity history the only way to track SCs dropping off? I find the whole Velocity hard to know what is required to maintain status as the goal posts are always changing.

Thanks

 

[stm1sydney]

Not really a newbie question but this is as good a place as any for this question. Does anyone have an email address for someone at Velocity/VA customer service in Australia who has some sort of management authority?

I was only a few status credits off gifting Companion Gold (the 1300 threshold) as at 28 Feb and am looking for a discretionary decision by VA to grant it to a long term loyal customer, but of course ringing Velocity customer service and emailing the Platinum email address just gets you Philippines and they give the rote reply and reject. Thanks to anyone who can help.

 

[_TheTraveller_]

Does anyone have any data points as to how long it takes IHG to grant platinum status from VA WP?

 

[MooTime]

Does anyone have any data points as to how long it takes IHG to grant platinum status from VA WP?

Couple years ago it took nearly 2 months on my account. Didn't faze me, but rather poor.

 

[SYD]

Does anyone have any data points as to how long it takes IHG to grant platinum status from VA WP?

Can‘t answer for IHG but Hilton processed my VA Gold -> HH Gold in a day or so this week. Just in time for a couple of stays.

 

[sidplayos2]

It's the required 1 eligible sector more than SC's. I was just trying to maximize my Maintain for the next level (Gold) without wasting to many of the SC's.

Thanks all for the input, I think a cheap Choice SR will be the best option.

Just reporting back, the Choice SR worked a treat, upgraded to Gold now. Great community here.

Do have another n00b question about the 'maintain' review date though. I have obviously a full 12 months now to maintain Gold, what happens if you maintain very early on in that 12 month period? Do they extend the status for another 12 months from 'maintain date', or they just make a new review date 12 months from when you maintained?

Reason I ask, is with out latest GC flight, and taking up (and receiving the 250SC Virgin CC offer) I am now in a position where I only need 40SC and a review date of 09/04/2024.

If I were to say meet the sectors/SC maintain lets say today 14/04/2023 as an example, would I now be extended to 09/04/2025, or my review date would just shift 1 week to 14/04/2024?

 

[MooTime]

Just reporting back, the Choice SR worked a treat, upgraded to Gold now. Great community here.

Do have another n00b question about the 'maintain' review date though. I have obviously a full 12 months now to maintain Gold, what happens if you maintain very early on in that 12 month period? Do they extend the status for another 12 months from 'maintain date', or they just make a new review date 12 months from when you maintained?

Reason I ask, is with out latest GC flight, and taking up (and receiving the 250SC Virgin CC offer) I am now in a position where I only need 40SC and a review date of 09/04/2024.

If I were to say meet the sectors/SC maintain lets say today 14/04/2023 as an example, would I now be extended to 09/04/2025, or my review date would just shift 1 week to 14/04/2024?

Once you requalify for gold with the 400SC's, you'll have gold until 09/04/2025. Not from when you hit 400sc.

Once you requalify you can move towards platinum, that's 1000SCs. Few flights thou.

Nice work with the 250SC via high flyer CC.

 

[yellow22]

Anyone know how frequently family pooling transfers points? Ie. Do they immediately apply to the beneficiary account or does it occur every x days / after x points are accumulated?

 

[AIRwin]

Anyone know how frequently family pooling transfers points? Ie. Do they immediately apply to the beneficiary account or does it occur every x days / after x points are accumulated?

I remember it's almost instantaneous

 

[MooTime]

Anyone know how frequently family pooling transfers points? Ie. Do they immediately apply to the beneficiary account or does it occur every x days / after x points are accumulated?

Yes as quick as your own points/SCs land.

Just double triple check all address are exactly the same.

 

[Indiana01]

Hi All,
Newbie question: I'm a gold status member. Just booked a family holiday and was wondering when we rock up to the airport can all my family use the the priority check-in lane with me?
Cheers!

 

[jase05]

Hi All,
Newbie question: I'm a gold status member. Just booked a family holiday and was wondering when we rock up to the airport can all my family use the the priority check-in lane with me?
Cheers!

Absolutely.
Likewise for premium security line and Priority boarding

 

[MG1]

Hi,
I wasn't sure whether to ask this here or in the Status Run master thread - I was thinking of doing a status run and wanted to know how much is too much to pay (certainly for a beginner)? (I understand that this is like asking "how long is a piece of string".) I thought I'd ask more experienced members what their thoughts are. Maybe a better question to ask is what price per status credit should I be looking at in order to make it worthwhile?

To add some context, I'm close to upgrading to Velocity Platinum (for the first time) and can get there with a handful of business class flights. A lot of my flights from last year are now expiring which means that if I wait, I'll need to make up that difference too.

Another thing to consider would be my review date - based on DSC sales, what month should I try to have my review date be in?

Thanks in advance.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Hi,
I wasn't sure whether to ask this here or in the Status Run master thread - I was thinking of doing a status run and wanted to know how much is too much to pay (certainly for a beginner)? (I understand that this is like asking "how long is a piece of string".) I thought I'd ask more experienced members what their thoughts are. Maybe a better question to ask is what price per status credit should I be looking at in order to make it worthwhile?

To add some context, I'm close to upgrading to Velocity Platinum (for the first time) and can get there with a handful of business class flights. A lot of my flights from last year are now expiring which means that if I wait, I'll need to make up that difference too.

Another thing to consider would be my review date - based on DSC sales, what month should I try to have my review date be in?

Thanks in advance.

Rather than ‘dollars per SC’ I think the initial calculation has to be ‘benefits gained compared to dollars spent’.

If the incremental value of getting platinum gets you more benefits, in dollar terms, than the cost of the airfares, you are out in front.

Following that, you may wish to try and maximise value by finding the cheapest airfares to get you the SCs.

Using Qantas as an example… there may be no point doing a status run if you mainly fly domestic, and qantas has a Qantas Club sale for $399. You may get most of the benefits of gold without needing to fly.

With platinum you’ll get a soft landing to gold next year, so if something like lounge membership is important, spending less than next year’s lounge membership fee (unless you’ve already got gold) might make it worthwhile.

There are some additional overseas partner benefits with platinum, but how often will you use them? Is it worth the $1000 or more to get platinum now?

etc

 

[MG1]

Thank you very much for your considered and quick reply MEL_Traveller: much appreciated. Your reply has given me a bit to think about (in particular partner benefits and the soft landing to gold).

 

[Indiana01]

Another newbie question: I've booked a family of 4 trip to OOL in Economy. Is it possible to go on an upgrade list to Business for only the Mrs & I? (FYI Kids are 15 & 17).
If so, how is this done?
Thanx all! ;-)