Air Miles and Tier Points.

Hi All.

I currently have just over 100.000 air miles and 10 Tier points which run out at the end of May,

I am a Red member and have never been Silver. Is there any point in flying 3 Little Red routes in the next 5ish weeks to push me over the 15 Tier Points needed to become a Silver member for the next 13 months?

I anticipate whilst a Silver member I will fly 3/4 long haul routes in various classes.

I appreciate your responses.

[Neil]

I would not spend any extra money trying to gain or maintain Silver status with Virgin. The benefits are just not worth the cost you will have to spend to achieve the status and the benefits will not offer you anywhere near enough to justify it.

Apart from a few extra miles on your flights and the use of PE check in desks, there really are no benefits to being silver.

[Decker]

Interesting question. The primary benefit of silver is 50% extra base miles. So assuming that 3 Little Red flights cost you £300 in total and let's assume an average of 10,000 miles for long haul flights. So you could stand to earn an extra 20,000 miles for £300 giving a cost of 1.5p per mile. Buying those from Virgin directly would cost you £315 - so it's a very close thing. If you enjoy flying how much value would you assign to the little red flights?

Is the Silver mileage bonus not worth it? On 3/4 long haul flights that will add up.

And of course you get PE check-in regardless of class, which can be useful (at LHR at least), plus supposedly a higher position on the op-up ladder.

Thanks guys,

Mixed bag of opinions in there.

Decker's was interesting. Assuming I earn 20,000 air miles flying the 3 routes it works out worth while plus I get to visit 3 places within the UK and enjoy 6 flights for only £300 when it would cost more to purchase the miles.

Is that right?

I would have thought the 50% bonus miles is the main decider.... Getting the Air Miles is one thing but using them another as usual.

Best comment is about what will you be getting out of The Little Reds. If doing them purely for a there and back journey it could be a little tedious. However if you are in a position to make a weekend of it then surely worth it. We just had a great weekend in Edinburgh which we would not have done if Virgin not flying there.

Assuming I earn 20,000 air miles flying the 3 routes it works out worth while plus I get to visit 3 places within the UK and enjoy 6 flights for only £300 when it would cost more to purchase the miles.

Is that right?

That's always assuming you can find Little Red flights for £100. Manchester and Edinburgh shouldn't be much more than that but Aberdeen may be quite a bit more.

But what you really want to ask yourself is "why do I want to be silver". As others have said, there are few benefits apart from use of PE check-in and 50% extra miles. But that's only a benefit if you plan to fly quite a bit over the next year, paying cash.

Personally, I wouldn't bother if I was only planning to make one or two return long-haul trips in the next 12 months. More than that, maybe - but then if you've got 100,000 miles kicking around why do you need more?

Might as well spend them rather than spend your hard-earned cash just to earn even more.

Assuming I earn 20,000 air miles flying the 3 routes it works out worth while plus I get to visit 3 places within the UK and enjoy 6 flights for only £300 when it would cost more to purchase the miles.

Is that right?

That's always assuming you can find Little Red flights for £100. Manchester and Edinburgh shouldn't be much more than that but Aberdeen may be quite a bit more.

But what you really want to ask yourself is "why do I want to be silver". As others have said, there are few benefits apart from use of PE check-in and 50% extra miles. But that's only a benefit if you plan to fly quite a bit over the next year, paying cash.

Personally, I wouldn't bother if I was only planning to make one or two return long-haul trips in the next 12 months. More than that, maybe - but then if you've got 100,000 miles kicking around why do you need more?

Might as well spend them rather than spend your hard-earned cash just to earn even more.

OP mentioned 3/4 long haul flights in Silver period.