Pilot Gold
Oct 16, 2014, 6:12 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: bne
Programs: Velocity Gold, AIRNZ Elite, Qantas Silver ,Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,321
Pilot Gold
Has anyone had any experience with Pilot Gold?
It looks too good to be true ..
Only 80SP and one eligible sector to achieve Gold for 12months
Is there a catch somewhere?
Also the threshold for Gold in Virgin seems ridiculously low (compared with Airnz)
Can someone tell me if I am wrong
Two return trips from Brisbane to Christchurch is 80SP
This gives you gold for a year
Next 12 months only 10 of the cheapest ticket return trips to Wellington ( 400SP ) and Gold is retained
If this was airnz
I would need 810 SP to retain gold earning 7 SP on the cheapest flight I would have to do 58 flights
Same plane same flight similar cost
Could my calculation be correct ?
It looks too good to be true ..
Only 80SP and one eligible sector to achieve Gold for 12months
Is there a catch somewhere?
Also the threshold for Gold in Virgin seems ridiculously low (compared with Airnz)
Can someone tell me if I am wrong
Two return trips from Brisbane to Christchurch is 80SP
This gives you gold for a year
Next 12 months only 10 of the cheapest ticket return trips to Wellington ( 400SP ) and Gold is retained
If this was airnz
I would need 810 SP to retain gold earning 7 SP on the cheapest flight I would have to do 58 flights
Same plane same flight similar cost
Could my calculation be correct ?
Oct 16, 2014, 3:44 pm
#2
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: MEL
Programs: VAG
Posts: 1,865
No experience with Pilot Gold, although Velocity did grant me free gold status for my first year through my employer. (A large agency not entirely disconnected from the Australian government).
However you're right, Velocity Gold is relatively easy to maintain, and ten return trans-Tasman trips will definitely do it. Or possibly fewer if you do each flight in multiple sectors (is there even a nonstop BNE-WLG flight?)
Mind you, that's NZ being extremely stingy with status credits on their cheap fares rather than VA being extremely generous. If you really need 58 return trips BNE-WLG to get gold, then that's 180,000 miles!
However you're right, Velocity Gold is relatively easy to maintain, and ten return trans-Tasman trips will definitely do it. Or possibly fewer if you do each flight in multiple sectors (is there even a nonstop BNE-WLG flight?)
Mind you, that's NZ being extremely stingy with status credits on their cheap fares rather than VA being extremely generous. If you really need 58 return trips BNE-WLG to get gold, then that's 180,000 miles!
Oct 16, 2014, 5:53 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: bne
Programs: Velocity Gold, AIRNZ Elite, Qantas Silver ,Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,321
Pilot Gold
No experience with Pilot Gold, although Velocity did grant me free gold status for my first year through my employer. (A large agency not entirely disconnected from the Australian government).
However you're right, Velocity Gold is relatively easy to maintain, and ten return trans-Tasman trips will definitely do it. Or possibly fewer if you do each flight in multiple sectors (is there even a nonstop BNE-WLG flight?)
Mind you, that's NZ being extremely stingy with status credits on their cheap fares rather than VA being extremely generous. If you really need 58 return trips BNE-WLG to get gold, then that's 180,000 miles!
However you're right, Velocity Gold is relatively easy to maintain, and ten return trans-Tasman trips will definitely do it. Or possibly fewer if you do each flight in multiple sectors (is there even a nonstop BNE-WLG flight?)
Mind you, that's NZ being extremely stingy with status credits on their cheap fares rather than VA being extremely generous. If you really need 58 return trips BNE-WLG to get gold, then that's 180,000 miles!
So by being too stingy it will not long before people realise there are easier roads to gold!
Oct 24, 2014, 12:29 am
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: bne
Programs: Velocity Gold, AIRNZ Elite, Qantas Silver ,Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,321
Oct 24, 2014, 4:25 am
#6
Join Date: Jan 2009
Programs: VA Velocity, SQ KrisFlyer
Posts: 92
Pilot Gold
Perhaps can be done by booking the SQ flights on VA code will do? Since eligible sectors = VA Marketed flights.
Although by doing so, you will be losing S$20 shopping credit at your stopover...
Otherwise, during mid semester break, simply do a Melbourne run from Sydney for a visit will do!
Although by doing so, you will be losing S$20 shopping credit at your stopover...
Otherwise, during mid semester break, simply do a Melbourne run from Sydney for a visit will do!
Last edited by Metropolitan Airlines; Oct 24, 2014 at 7:17 am
Nov 2, 2014, 1:46 am
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: bne
Programs: Velocity Gold, AIRNZ Elite, Qantas Silver ,Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,321
Pilot Gold
Has any one tried Pilot Gold with family pooling?
Do you need to turn it off for the Pilot period?
Also can you reduce the the 3 month pilot period as reading the conditions the SC earnt are wiped at the end of the pilot period
Do you need to turn it off for the Pilot period?
Also can you reduce the the 3 month pilot period as reading the conditions the SC earnt are wiped at the end of the pilot period
Nov 15, 2014, 8:19 pm
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: bne
Programs: Velocity Gold, AIRNZ Elite, Qantas Silver ,Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,321
flexi-saver on SIA
per $ dollar of cost per status point and the least amount of flying
This must be the very best value especially since I also travel to Hong Kong twice a year too
With SIA having a sale now its fantastic value for achieving/maintaining Gold ....
I will do the 4 eligible sectors TT
Ps the additional cost to upgrade to 100pc earning fare class is A $240 so effectively you get 100SP for $240 !
Last edited by Beano; Nov 17, 2014 at 10:37 am Reason: correction