ArthurSFO

Hi,

I reviewed my status points on VA. They say that points are accumulated based on Base Fare X 5, but I am seeing point accruals in the past months that do not appear to match my Base Fare X 5. It looks like some modifier is being applied (just for legacy points prior to the changes, perhaps?).

Anyone figure out the math here yet?

Arthur

Zacnlinc

I'll bite!

Others may have noted that unexpected points were deposited into their accounts and don't want to signal any alerts as they like the favor. But I will have to investigate some more on my end as I too don't get their math but like the favor!

Cheers!

Mike_K

My points haven't changed... I really wish I could do a points dump from my AMEX for status. I don't feel like waiting a couple months to reach status.

ArthurSFO

Your redeemable points have not changed, but your status points only became visible 2 days ago, for the first time.

NewGirl

My status points still haven't shown up yet for reaching $25k in spend this year.

Mike_K

Can you elaborate? I thought they were one in the same? Now I'm seeing both listed separately but they are both the same number.

Let's say I book a flight today, how would that affect each?

ArthurSFO

They say that we get our status points at a rate of 5 points per dollar spent on base rate of air travel. If you look back at your past recent flights, are the point accruals that show up in your history 5 times what you paid for the flight legs?

In my case I am close to a status tier, and for me to know if I will make it this year depends on understand the math of past flights, which so far I do not. I would be very curious to hear, if you do indeed book a flight (and fly on it), what the point accruals end up looking like for you, relative to the base fare you pay for.

Arthur

Zacnlinc

You may need to contact VX if your points were equalling 25K prior to the status point being made available!

Mike_K

This just got relatively frustrating for me. I just realized that the only points I'm accruing are for me. Even though I'm booking (and paying for) my wife, I don't get status points (or any points for that matter) for her ticket. She gets them on her own account.

That kind of messes up my qualification. I'm on a $600 2 person round trip about 9 times a year which translates to 13,500 status points if it's just my seat I'm getting points for.

Is this the norm? I was under the impression that since I'm paying for airfare I'd get the points on all airfare I'm purchasing, not just my ticket.

The problem then is let's say I get the VX credit card and grab the 10,000 status points bonus (the spend isn't an issue but it's annoying because the benefit kind of sucks)... So that puts me at silver status if I add on the 13,500 points I have. Now since I'm silver status can I upgrade my wife's seat too if it's on the same itinerary or does she also have to have status?

This is rather frustrating for me... I understand not letting me dump points for status but if you're going to offer me a sub-par credit card, don't cap my status earning at 10,000 pts. It's a bit of a slap in the face.

Mike_K

I might have jumped the gun here. I didn't realize that points are accrued as you fly. I assumed they were tallied after I purchased the airfare.

Just for clarification though, I should be getting status points for anyone on an itinerary I purchase, correct?

Why does the website allow me to put in an elevate number for my wife? What would that accomplish if I'm getting the points?

Zacnlinc

Mike,

You might be on to something with regards to the initial question about the "math".

Like you, I purchased a couple tickets for my companions and to complicate things perhaps, I used my VX visa for the purchases. I didn't bother to look back to calculate exactly how many points I've gotten with the card since January as well as flights taken on VX. All I know is that there were more points in my status account than I was expecting. Not much, but more.

It's all good. I'm almost at gold level if my travel plans keep up like they have been.

Guess their math is correct after all.

ArthurSFO

I didn't think it worked like that (accruing points for passengers other than yourself), but if it is true it might be a step towards explaining 'the math'.

Mike_K

I don't understand why it wouldn't which is why I was originally flustered when I thought it didn't. But I can see two set of points earned on each of our travel dates which means I must be getting them.

The way I see it, if I'm booking an itinerary that I travel on and I'm picking up the airfare for other people, I should get those points so long as I'm also on the itinerary.

ArthurSFO

I am definitely not, nor was I expecting to based on my experiences with other airlines. Especially if your wife also has a FF# registered with them and is receiving points for these flights which you are paying for.

My history shows 2 sets of numbers for each roundtrip: 1 for each leg. And I am seeing family trips with less or the same point accruals as solo trips I made under similar or identical base fares.

So I am back to mystery math.