Dilemma LHR - LAX

I've something of a dilemma, and would welcome fellow thoughts opinions ref the following;

looking to fly LHR - LAX and currently looking at the following options

Air New Zealand both ways in Premium for circa £2,700 for the 3 of us (2 x adults, 1 x child)

or

Virgin out in UC, back in PE using a combi reward fare, net cost of 150k miles plus circa £2k

As I see it

via ANZ I save 150k points, spend £700 more, get a load of miles / status credits that will probably help me hit Platinum with Velocity (live p/t in Australia) via family pooling. But no lonuge on the outward leg as there is no ANZ lounge in LHR

Via VA I save £700, burn 150k miles, get half the miles and status credits vs. ANZ plus get lounge access both ways (I'm currently Velocity Gold).

Any thoughts welcomed, I'm, thinking it comes down to the value of 150k miles vs £700 spend and would add we flew ANZ PE on the same route before and were knocked out by the product/experience - helped albeit by the fact the aircraft was only a week old! (All Black edition).

cheers

Andrew

[Neil]

I guess it comes down I now important the status and miles are to you? Ate you saving miles for a future trip? If not then for me it's a no brainer to go with VS - it's cheaper, you get the lounge at LHR and most importantly it's J instead of W, which for such a long flight makes a big difference.