Assistance please - tier points

All

I am trying to maximise the tier points I earn when going to Las Vegas next year.... My question is, is the miles quoted on the Virgin Atlantic booking page correct? The Delta connecting flights are now showing as options (though generally more expensive than a direct flight) but if I book in this way, will I only earn the tier points stated (i.e. direct return flight showing as 5 tier points earned in economy - flight with stopover at SFO or JFK showing as the same)?

If I want to earn more, do I need to do them as separate tickets on the Delta website? (i.e. book LHR - SFO, then SFO to LAS, or LHR to JFK then JFK to LAS). If this is the case I am less keen to do it because of the baggage charges I may incur, so I suspect this is the case.

Sorry if this is a dumb question, but I have very little chance of maintaining gold next year so trying to think of some ways I may be able to do it.

Appreciate anyones help.

If maximizing TPs, I'd book the DL tickets seperately, but get a travel agent to link the PNR's. My work agent can do that. You seem to get the cross checked baggage, travel on VS metal for the xalantic hop, and maximise TP.

If I was going all out for TP's, I'd be flying both ways via SFO with a layover or connecting option, then booking a F connecting flight from SFO via LAX on DL. (given you get 3 points per sector that way), so an additional 12 TP's for entire trip on top of the 4 I'd earn in econ, 6 in PE, or 10 in UC. DL offers some cracking one way fares if booked in advance even via an agent...

You may be required to stay overnight at SFO both ways, but it's not a bad city for that.

[Neil]

Just be careful if booking separately, if your flights are on separate PNR's you are at risk if your flights are delayed and you miss connections etc as the airlines don't have any obligation to rebook you for free.

Thanks both... Guess I need to visit a travel agent as seems I won't get those additional TP if I book direct on the Virgin website then... Weird....

Indeed, should have mentioned the risk if your flight is delayed - a good way to mitigate that is as I have done on recent trip is to overnight or longer between flights. However Delta's "fully" flexible bookings are really nice - and surprisingly reasonably priced - usually only a $25 change fee to move, so personally I'd be doing that if a connection is tight. My recent JFK-BNA was booked this way to allow work to minimize the risk if the VS plane was delayed/cancelled.

That said DL's non-flex fares are hard to beat...

However as starquake suggests, if you book F on DL you get free baggage allowances - though do check the limits. And then Neil is absolutely right to say leave plenty of time for connections to avoid missing flights, which as mentioned if you overnight you usually can guarantee avoiding.

Thanks all. I'm still confused why booking the same flights on Virgin website means I get less TP but on the way to have a chat with my local agent now

Thanks