I recently booked a return flight CBR - OOL. I used a combination of points and cash to upgrade to Business. Are these flights eligible for status credits?
I went through my velocity app and asked to pay with points and cash. I just chose an Economy X fare to OOL, and picked the business class fares to come back to CBR. It was all done at the time of booking.
Last editedby leahcimabi at Jul 11, 2017, 09:09 AM.
It still depends on the fare purchased - if they were 'Economy/Business Reward', then no. Those fares involve paying the majority of it with points, and the taxes with cash or points. They book into fare class 'X' for Economy reward, and 'Z' for Business reward.
If it was an 'anyseat points + cash' ticket, then it would earn status credits, but we still need to know what fare class you're booked into, to know how much SC you would earn.
The fare class appears on your boarding pass when you check-in, or you could call them to find out.
"Members travelling on upgraded fares purchased with Points or any other subsidised means of upgrades on Virgin Australia or our partner airlines will earn Status Credits based on original purchased fare class."
While I may be wrong, I believe XZDAU1 and ZZDAU1 are Economy (fare class X)/Business (fare class Z) reward tickets respectively, and wouldn't earn any points or SC at all. The point you mention about upgraded fares wouldn't be applicable if you purchased a reward fare. Economy X is a product add-on and wouldn't affect the fare you're booked in.
Another way is to look at the Fare Calculation Line and Endorsements/Restrictions section of the electronic ticket receipt. On a reward booking (using my personal example of economy reward MEL-ADL-PER):
Fare calculation line: MEL VA ADL0.00VA PER0.00AUD0.00END
Endorsements/restrictions: VLD VA ONLY/REFER ISS OFF/VA VELOCITY REWARD 17800/**YOUR VELOCITY NUMBER**
So if it shows '0.00 AUD' in the fare, and the words 'VA Velocity Reward' in the endorsements, then chances are you won't earn any points or SC's on it.
Got the better of me and I spoke to the guest centre.
You are correct - no points. No status credits. Doesn't even count as eligible sectors.
But if I pay for regular tickets, I can still use some points - and get status credits, and they are counted as eligible sectors. Not sure about getting points if I am using points though. Don't think they'd allow you to double dip.
If you paid for regular tickets with using some points, then you would be booked in a normal points-earning fare, and you would continue to earn some points back (i.e. 'double dipping').
In the fares section, I ignored the 6,900 fare ADL - MEL, I went on with the booking, having decided to pay $129, ticking to pay with cash.
I think I reduced my fare from $129 to about $89, not a good way to use points, but this does earn the *now* measly SC earn on Aust short miles distances flown.
And at the payment page, it will ask you, pay in cash and points, just where you enter your credit card details.
Have had always been issued points and SC on this scenario.
In the one case where I had used the full 6,900 points and paid the taxes in cash, by choosing to pay in points, no points or SC earnt.
Hard to explain, but if and when you choose to fly VA again, and have enough points, do it the opposite way than what you would expect, ie, ignore the pay in points early in the booking process, but do the payment with cash and points at the end, when you see the visa/mastercard pictures.
You don't have to commit to anything, as you can always X out of the booking process (browsing session) to start again.
Economy X does not earn you any extra SC.
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VA status credits
leahcimabi
leahcimabi
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
Member since 08 Jul 2017
Total posts 29
I recently booked a return flight CBR - OOL. I used a combination of points and cash to upgrade to Business. Are these flights eligible for status credits?
Happytraveler00
Happytraveler00
Member since 22 Dec 2016
Total posts 33
Depends on your originally booked fare - points and SC will be based on that regardless of what you travel in after upgrade.
leahcimabi
leahcimabi
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
Member since 08 Jul 2017
Total posts 29
Sorry - I may not have explained that properly.
I went through my velocity app and asked to pay with points and cash. I just chose an Economy X fare to OOL, and picked the business class fares to come back to CBR. It was all done at the time of booking.
leahcimabi
leahcimabi
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
Member since 08 Jul 2017
Total posts 29
So I guess my question is - If you purchase flights on points, are these flights still eligible for status credits?
Happytraveler00
Happytraveler00
Member since 22 Dec 2016
Total posts 33
It still depends on the fare purchased - if they were 'Economy/Business Reward', then no. Those fares involve paying the majority of it with points, and the taxes with cash or points. They book into fare class 'X' for Economy reward, and 'Z' for Business reward.
If it was an 'anyseat points + cash' ticket, then it would earn status credits, but we still need to know what fare class you're booked into, to know how much SC you would earn.
The fare class appears on your boarding pass when you check-in, or you could call them to find out.
leahcimabi
leahcimabi
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
Member since 08 Jul 2017
Total posts 29
XZDAU1 and ZZDAU1.
"Members travelling on upgraded fares purchased with Points or any other subsidised means of upgrades on Virgin Australia or our partner airlines will earn Status Credits based on original purchased fare class."
Happytraveler00
Happytraveler00
Member since 22 Dec 2016
Total posts 33
While I may be wrong, I believe XZDAU1 and ZZDAU1 are Economy (fare class X)/Business (fare class Z) reward tickets respectively, and wouldn't earn any points or SC at all. The point you mention about upgraded fares wouldn't be applicable if you purchased a reward fare. Economy X is a product add-on and wouldn't affect the fare you're booked in.
Another way is to look at the Fare Calculation Line and Endorsements/Restrictions section of the electronic ticket receipt. On a reward booking (using my personal example of economy reward MEL-ADL-PER):
Fare calculation line: MEL VA ADL0.00VA PER0.00AUD0.00END
Endorsements/restrictions: VLD VA ONLY/REFER ISS OFF/VA VELOCITY
REWARD 17800/**YOUR VELOCITY NUMBER**
So if it shows '0.00 AUD' in the fare, and the words 'VA Velocity Reward' in the endorsements, then chances are you won't earn any points or SC's on it.
leahcimabi
leahcimabi
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
Member since 08 Jul 2017
Total posts 29
Thanks for the reply.
Happytraveler00
Happytraveler00
Member since 22 Dec 2016
Total posts 33
Andrew Barkery
Andrew Barkery
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 21 Mar 2011
Total posts 433
I have had VA SC earn in the following case.