Best frequent flyer program for Virgin that's NOT Velocity - Virgin Australia

jefflu88

Saturday, 20 May 2017, 04:29:05 pm

View posts Message

jefflu88

Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards

Member since 19 May 2017

Total posts 26

Hi all,

I am currently a velocity gold with only a minimal amount of points required to retain it for the following year which I will easily clock up during my regular domestic travels. I don't have much incentive to go to platinum as I think the sweet spot for Velocity sits at Gold.

I recently got onto the RTW business deal SYD-MELB-HKG-LHR-LAX-SYD for 2 (a mixture of VA and VS flights), so there will be plenty of status points on offer. I was wondering what the best program is to get the status points from this trip credited to outside of the VA program.

Whats the most efficient program for these flights to gain premium status from this trip and open up benefits for flight network outside of Virgin's limited networks. As far as I'm aware, VA is the only one which allows family pooling of status points. Can someone confirm?

My initial thoughts are to get somebody to Status match / challenge based on my Velocity tier and then credit new travel status point towards the challenge to end up with premium tiering in the new program.

henrus

Saturday, 20 May 2017, 05:21:05 pm

View posts Message

henrus

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 23 Oct 2013

Total posts 765

Yes Virgin Australia seems to be the only program that allows pooling of status.

There aren't a lot of other programs that allow you to collect both VS and VA miles but none even have family pooling of points.

I'd double check all the numbers below before you credit to the program as they are all rounded (I did most of them down).

Air NZ : You'd earn no status or status points (nnon-star A partners don't earn NZ status) but you'd earn ~345 airpoint dollars which could be redeemed for a return trip to NZ.

VS : You'd earn the silver tier which basically does nothing (premium checkin and free seat select on VS and thats it). It would also earn ~40,000 miles enough to get return in Economy to Bali, Fiji, NZ or anywhere in Australia.

SQ : You could also reach silver on SQ and around 30,000 SQ miles.

Delta -> You could get Silver which won't get you much more than VA gold gets you when flying DL but it does come with Skyteam Elite (Priority Checkin, Extra Bag and Priority Boarding on all SkyTeam flights) and you'd also earn ~40,000 miles. The miles should also be enough for a one-way business class flight on VA domestically or to NZ.

jefflu88

Saturday, 20 May 2017, 06:01:05 pm

View posts Message

jefflu88

Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards

Member since 19 May 2017

Total posts 26

Thanks, I might just stick with getting platinum on VA then, nothing else seems to be too worthwhile

Andrew Barkery

Monday, 29 May 2017, 08:03:05 pm

View posts Message

Andrew Barkery

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 21 Mar 2011

Total posts 433

SQ would be good, but their KF points do expire I think 3 years after accrual.
That is the only downside.
In the AN (Ansett) days I did think about the (at that time) accruing of points and SC, but then of course, AN carked it.
Global Rewards at that time was a very good thing.
Now, if you fly a lot, and plan to accrue and use KF points quickly, then its the one to go for.
But other than that, VFF is the only one, thats good, easy to keep points from disappearing with Velocity too.