Thoughts on switching to Velocity for Status?... again.
 

I used to have status on VA pre their NZ alliance and enjoyed their service. Now that I'm just Jade on NZ I'm thinking they're worth another look. It seems that one could get to Gold with them a lot quicker and enjoy benefits on NZ(minus Pacific island flights).

Plus their partner benefits have gotten better too. For example, As of 1 March 2015 silver and up members can request a complimentary upgrade to Delta Comfort+ 24 hours prior to departure.

I know it's not really feasible to gain VA status on domestic flights. But I've got an upcoming NZ long-haul return flight that'll get me Silver and close to Gold on VA, but just barely half way to silver on NZ.

Anyone got experience/advise on using Velocity status while living in NZ?

Chuurs!

It will be extremely difficult if you mostly travel domestically. But if you travel frequently to Australia, on SQ/MI to Asia and beyond, or on NZ long haul, it will be a hell of a lot easier to get VA status than Airpoints.

The Airpoints earning rates on SQ are just pathetic. No points for the cheapest fares and no status on MI. VA Velocity gives you both.

Yea indeed. My OZ*G is getting a bit trickier to keep since they downgraded their earning tables last year. Plus I don't know how I'll ever use those miles.

With Velocity I might have more use of my points rather than just be a member for status. Plus with VA Gold I have the option of taking a shower at LAX Sky Club when connecting via Delta. Couldn't do that at the UA club.

Don't put too much weight on the DL "upgrade" to C+ at T-24. There might not be any seats available or you could find only middle seats left. Moreover, this is not a true Premium Economy product. It's basically just regular economy seats with a few more inches of pitch and some enhanced F&B offerings, sort of like UA's Y+ but with a lot fewer seats.

MSPeconomist I hear ya, it's not amazing, but it is a nicer perk with free drinks than UA's Y+. Also, I've never been able to get Y+ on UA as a *G no matter how nicely I ask. :D

Delta Comfort +
 

How do apply for comfort plus on Delta ?

It should open up on the seatmap when you enter your VA (silver or above) number at online check-in - or at least that was my recent experience with DL domestic. It also resulted in waiving of the checked bag fee, and Sky Priority privileges (priority check-in, priority security lane at LAX, priority boarding). All very pleasant surprises as I hadn't done my homework beforehand.

Online checkin
 

So we should
1 download the delta app
2 join delta (even though it is a virgin flight)
So we can checkin online?

I didn't download an app, I just checked in via DL's website (using a PC; I'm not sure what it's like using a smartphone). This was a DL domestic flight with a DL flight number. I did have my no status DL number in the booking, and it was when I suddenly thought to try my VA silver card that suddenly I could access comfort plus seats plus other perks. Whether that would work the same way with a DL metal/VA marketed flight I don't know.

Of course about two days later I finally got a response to my status match request from DL's corporate rep, who upgraded me to Platinum Medallion. Annoying, as I'd probably have scored a free upgrade to First. It was a very short flight (LAX-LAS) so no biggie, but I might have ended up sitting next to Mike Tyson, who was sitting in the last row of F, so that at least would have made for a good story!

You can download the app - it remembers PNR's you access with it even if there is no Skymiles number.

I mainly fly First in the USA, but as a WP, was able to select a E+ seat LAS-LAX with an economy booking 20 hours out. No F&B on such a short flight, but the IFE was complimentary in E+.

Note that often a few E+ seats open up closer to a flight with the Medallions being upgraded.

FWIW, I have an AirNZ booking T-T coming up - earn indicated is 1 APD and 7 SP's. I'll be using Velocity where I get 450+ points and 20 SC's.

Using the Velocity
 

I noticed that booking initially on the AIRNZ and then switching to Virgin does not get the bonus points being a Velocity Gold

Is it not better then to book initially on the Virgin site and earn more points ?

Did the booking have a VA number?

Bonus earnings
 

They were booked on the airnz website with the airnz airpoints number .
I then changed it at the lounge
I received no bonus points but the airfares I brought on the virgin website with the virgin numberi did get the bonus points

Apologies.

I meant to ask whether the bookings had been marketed by VA and sold with VA flight numbers?

I believe only VA marketed flights can earn bonuses.

Yes - this is correct (now I see as borne out by beano's edit).