Moving to Australia/VA as Delta Diamond
Jul 26, 2016, 1:11 am
#16
Join Date: May 2006
Location: GA
Programs: VA-PLT, QF-GLD, DL-GM, UA-ex1K, AA-exPLT, HH-DM, IHG-PLT, MR-GLD
Posts: 8,242
You are welcome! Feel free to PM me if you have any questions. And if I helped you, consider using my AMEX referral link if you ever decide to get that card. 
I forgot a couple more good things about VA Gold. You get lounge access in the USA travelling domestically. So that perk of Diamond status is built in. Economy Comfort and DL upgrades, not so much.
The other thing to consider is VA has a 'soft landing' program. So if you can get Platinum, then you're guaranteed Gold the next year. Then Silver, etc. I am going to try for VA Platinum this year then burn some points (or credit to DL) the next year enjoying my status and knowing I'll have Gold next year regardless.
Big point for Velocity, there is no annual program! It is a rotating 12 months. So you can start anytime. Unless you need the MQM for Delta, might as well start with VA now. The only downside is the chance for an op-up is much higher as a Diamond than a nobody.... But you'd be halfway to VA Silver already even on a cheap DL fare ATL-LAX-SYD return.
I forgot a couple more good things about VA Gold. You get lounge access in the USA travelling domestically. So that perk of Diamond status is built in. Economy Comfort and DL upgrades, not so much.
The other thing to consider is VA has a 'soft landing' program. So if you can get Platinum, then you're guaranteed Gold the next year. Then Silver, etc. I am going to try for VA Platinum this year then burn some points (or credit to DL) the next year enjoying my status and knowing I'll have Gold next year regardless.
I'm flying ATL-LAX-SYD and back here in the next week and now I'm wondering if I should go ahead and sign up for Velocity and credit those flights over. It's all on DL metal though.
Definitely in coach and definitely on a discounted fare. Not worth it for the points but may be worth it for the credits, although the fact remains that I won't be able to hit anything by the end of this year so it's likely a waste if I switch at this point.
Definitely in coach and definitely on a discounted fare. Not worth it for the points but may be worth it for the credits, although the fact remains that I won't be able to hit anything by the end of this year so it's likely a waste if I switch at this point.
Jul 26, 2016, 2:57 am
#17
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Melbourne
Programs: ►QFWP/LTG►VA WP►HyattExpl.►HiltonGold►ALL Silver
Posts: 21,994
It is calculated with a rolling 12 month period.
Any SC's earned, say August 5th are still taken into account until August 4th the following year.
Jul 26, 2016, 11:44 am
#18
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Singapore
Programs: Show me the points!
Posts: 1,224
You are welcome! Feel free to PM me if you have any questions. And if I helped you, consider using my AMEX referral link if you ever decide to get that card.
I forgot a couple more good things about VA Gold. You get lounge access in the USA travelling domestically. So that perk of Diamond status is built in. Economy Comfort and DL upgrades, not so much.
The other thing to consider is VA has a 'soft landing' program. So if you can get Platinum, then you're guaranteed Gold the next year. Then Silver, etc. I am going to try for VA Platinum this year then burn some points (or credit to DL) the next year enjoying my status and knowing I'll have Gold next year regardless.
Big point for Velocity, there is no annual program! It is a rotating 12 months. So you can start anytime. Unless you need the MQM for Delta, might as well start with VA now. The only downside is the chance for an op-up is much higher as a Diamond than a nobody.... But you'd be halfway to VA Silver already even on a cheap DL fare ATL-LAX-SYD return.
I forgot a couple more good things about VA Gold. You get lounge access in the USA travelling domestically. So that perk of Diamond status is built in. Economy Comfort and DL upgrades, not so much.
The other thing to consider is VA has a 'soft landing' program. So if you can get Platinum, then you're guaranteed Gold the next year. Then Silver, etc. I am going to try for VA Platinum this year then burn some points (or credit to DL) the next year enjoying my status and knowing I'll have Gold next year regardless.
Big point for Velocity, there is no annual program! It is a rotating 12 months. So you can start anytime. Unless you need the MQM for Delta, might as well start with VA now. The only downside is the chance for an op-up is much higher as a Diamond than a nobody.... But you'd be halfway to VA Silver already even on a cheap DL fare ATL-LAX-SYD return.
I've applied Global Upgrades to this flight and one more in October so I don't need to rely on the OpUp as much as I need to make sure that re-associating my flight with VA won't remove those certs.
I guess that I may as well switch on over assuming I can put our AU office as my AU address when signing up for the program.
Jul 26, 2016, 6:07 pm
#19
Join Date: May 2006
Location: GA
Programs: VA-PLT, QF-GLD, DL-GM, UA-ex1K, AA-exPLT, HH-DM, IHG-PLT, MR-GLD
Posts: 8,242
Awesome.
I've applied Global Upgrades to this flight and one more in October so I don't need to rely on the OpUp as much as I need to make sure that re-associating my flight with VA won't remove those certs.
I guess that I may as well switch on over assuming I can put our AU office as my AU address when signing up for the program.
I've applied Global Upgrades to this flight and one more in October so I don't need to rely on the OpUp as much as I need to make sure that re-associating my flight with VA won't remove those certs.
I guess that I may as well switch on over assuming I can put our AU office as my AU address when signing up for the program.
The only concern I would have is the return leg. The VA number will be on the reservation after the outbound and you may not be able to switch it back. Being in J you will have the priority check-in all sorted already, so you don't really need the DL number on the reservation. I think if you've already cleared the upgrade you should be good to go, but I don't have a lot of experience with switching FF numbers on Delta (mostly did the other way round on VA). The worst case scenario is you get booted from your upgrade, but that *shouldn't* happen.
In the DL forum, maybe you can check to see if anyone has switched FF numbers after a GUC before... surely someone has an experience they can share.
Please report back what you experience!
Last edited by CPMaverick; Jul 26, 2016 at 6:12 pm