NZbutterfly

Hi there. A number of people are members of QF VA and NZ FFP. Knowing where to credit becomes a juggling act. (First world problem I know).

Should I start crediting to VA or stick with the other 2?

NZ is my main FFP (despite the reports of crapiness). I'm more likely to redeem on them (for family members) and like that my partner sometimes reaches silver for the RU. He will get more use out of the elite partner card than any other FFP I fly.

QF I think I'll requalify platinum so could keep flying them to earn points given the increased earn rate. To date I've used points once to upgrade econ to business transcon. I've only flown 3 personal flights in oz, rest is work. Would redeem on EK/LAN via QF TT but have yet to do this. Don't see us flying QF long haul unless some ridiculously low fare going in the same direction as us.

VA I joined, have zero points with. I'm not convinced I need status with them as I can get 2 bags and lounge via NZ FFP and TBH the security lines have been fine. Don't see myself flying them long haul ever. Like the family pooling thing. I like that I can fly the NZ planes TT on them. Aiming to fly EY next yr xmas so can credit that to VA for both myself and partner which I like. And the points last for awhile I think. If EY is good we may fly them preferentially to UK.

Should I credit to VA or should I continue flying QF to earn points which I'm not sure I'll redeem much and NZ which I'm likely to redeem or start flying crediting VA as I could redeem on NZ TT and don't mind flying VA on east coast either and accumulate points. VAs FFP is more redeemable from what I read than QF? Does that include NZ domestic flights?

Preferred airlines are NZ, SQ, EK and going to try EY. Apart from EK, VA has strong partnerships with the rest. I'm really not sure going for status on VA is useful or achievable for me.

A lot of you fly QF and VA and sometimes NZ. Should I just fly QF, NZ or add VA for points and possibly more likely to redeem than QF? Your experience and thoughts would be appreciated.

serfty

Everyone's circumstance is different - as such there is really no 'right' answer.

Generally, airpoints really does not make sense unless one is an NZ resident whereas velocity may.

In relation to velocity, a couple of things to consider:


-Velocity points do not expire,

-fuel surcharges are not applied to redemptions.

-Family pooling - on a return trip to CNS booked in flexi; I earned 120+120 SC's ... There's nearly half platinum earn alone.

NZbutterfly

Based in NZ here, but I feel like an Australian sometimes!

Do you have to be gold for velocity points not expiring? What's the catch?
No fuel charges - is that both domestic and international?
If we had to fly Oz internally I'd probably go VA internally due to family pooling (or use QF points as no point in partner earning points).
Is the redemption rate on VA better than QF and easier to do? Or does it differ between upgrades and rewards?
Can we get access to VA domestic lounge with VA website purchased ticket with VA flight number, VA operated and no status using NZ elite card? Have only used with NZ purchased ticket on VA metal.

Side question, would you credit an SQ flight to VA or NZ?

serfty

[1]No - points have no specific expiry.
[2]None whatsoever.
[3]As one would ...
[4]Generally less points than QF - one's perspective with could vary depending on how easy it is to generate Velocity points when compared with generating QF points. With velocity, points upgrades are generally less expensive then with QF. However tghis is somewhat clouded by differences with type of booking. For example, only SG and WP can upgrade international flights with points and this must be from Flexi ecomomy or Y+.
[5]Except for when travelling on "Pacific Is. Flights", then Yes.
[6]Personally VA, others may consider SQ better ... from a generalised Australian perspective, never to NZ.

(Caveat, I was a BIS NZ *E for 5 years, living in Oz)

AustralianPoochie

I would put as much of my air business, as I do with QF.
Easier to maintain status.
Au to NZ where I fly to the most, earns me 80 QF SC from say, SYD/BNE/MEL to AKL/CHC/WLG in J, lower of course in whY. Same flying EK with the QF flight number, as with flying QF's JC services.
But VA and NZ only provide 60 VA SC from Au's east coast to NZ, so over the year, you need to fly more.
Also EK & QF both have your ability to earn flying F TT, where as VA & NZ don't have F class.
Too hard to retain status with VA & NZ, unless you fly NZ to US then UK, for eg with NZ, then over that long flight, your earning of SC will slowly rise.
As you say, you are already with QF at such a high status, the fall to Red of VA is a long drop!
Starting from the bottom of the VA status ladder will take a very long time to climb to the lofty heights of VA WP, doable but long way. Many more flights needed.

nux

Again, incorrect. I thought you were going to 'read and digest' rather than continue posting incorrect information?

VA requires 500/1000 SC's for SG/WP, 400/800 to renew.
QF requires 700/1400 SC's for SG/WP, 600/1200 to renew.

In all cases, although QF would accrue more SC's in your example the SC threshold for status is higher and would requires more flights compared to VA. Therefore, it is harder to maintain status with QFF compared to VA.

AustralianPoochie

For QF FF, at least domestically within NZ, the OP would earn only QF FF points (only) on the base fares, or a bit more (bundle), and she would get QF FF points and QF SC.
With NZdom S class fares, how many VA SC earnt, none. Try finding a class for NZdom that earns VA SC, not many.
Also, granted a person needs more SC to retain in QF, but the OP is already in QF SC under WP.
Thinking of VA, she would have to start again from the bottom.
Thinking about lounges, Koru is good if you or I or others have no other choices, but with access already to QF F lounge at AKL and others in BNE/MEL/SYD, comparing the F to Koru, F is best. Sometimes being a place with less mass of people is better.
Internationally, VA does not have any lounges, and they rely on you using/have to use partner lounges.
If not interested anymore in QF, then VA is an option, but if I was already QF WP I would try hard to retain that.
I have tried QFint J lounge in SYD, and like it.
But to each their own.
VA in my books has still got a long way to make it to QF's standard, QF has a long way to make it to SQ standard, go SQ if you must. At least they are tied in with NZ in *A.

NZbutterfly

Thanks for the feedback. One more question if I may...

How would you rank ease of redemption for free flights on
VA to NZ
VA to EY
VA to SQ

And QK to EK on QF flight number? I'm guessing should be easy.

littlegreenman

Redemptions on EY and SQ are a bit hit and miss but still much better than any international flights on QF in my experience.

I know you didn't ask for DL but I found DL to be a breeze and pretty good value for my VA miles.

NZbutterfly

Thanks littlegreenman.

Um, I tried switching earning on an NZ website bought ticket that was VA metal to VA. But it showed up in my airpoints account. It was the 3rd leg of a ticket from NZ so....I'm guessing it's because I checked in in NZ that I couldn't change the earning part way through the trip? I didn't see the FQTV or FQTS on the VA ticket at all but the boarding pass looked like a VA BP. What do you look for on the VA ticket to know it's changed?

Have the same 3 legs on the way home.

On a brighter note I've found the agoda booking system through VA and filled up at BP a couple of times

littlegreenman

It doesn't matter where/which channel you check in through. You always check in with the operating carrier (online, airport...), regardless of who the marketing carrier or which metal it is. You can change your frequent flyer number until you check in for your flight. So make sure your booking and most importantly your boarding pass after checking in has the FF number you want on it. So next time you check in and your boarding pass states the wrong FF account just tell the staff at the checkin desk/lounge... to change the frequent flyer details for you. Then the miles should pop up where you want them.

Based on what you say above it seems you put your airpoints account details on the booking/boarding pass rather than your velocity details.

jozdemir

Actually...don't VA's T&Cs say that points expire after 36 months of inactivity? It could be a new thing but I was looking through the T&Cs for something else and it mentioned 36 months

"9.8.1 If a Member’s Membership Account is inactive for 36 consecutive months the Member’s Points will expire. This will occur if the Member has not earned, redeemed, or transferred Points to or from their Membership Account for a period of 36 consecutive months and if the Member is not participating (as a Contributing Account or Beneficiary Account) in a Family Pool. Expiry of Points will not affect the Member’s Membership Account."

Also, with regard to fuel surcharges that's true with redemptions on their own flights, but for at least VS and DL that I know of so far they certainly do charge YQ...

I contacted Velocity to find out which airlines they charged YQ on for award tickets and they told me to contact VS directly...they obviously didn't get the question.

NZbutterfly

Thanks. I had gone to the check in counter at VA and asked to switch to VA and given them my card with the FF number on it, and received the BP which looked like a VA boarding pass. I've embarrassingly only just found my NZ FF number on the VA BP. (Only had a cursory glance at the time - been busy!) but now I know where to look for the change I have future bookings with air NZ made ages ago so I have a few opportunities to get this right!