One Year Of Gold - The good and the not so good

Dear all,

For those aspiring Gold members out there I thought I'd summarise my 1 year of being Gold. I finally reached this level for the first time in my very long history of Virgin loyalty late last year.

So, having reached the dizzy heights, I made a concerted effort this past year to favour Virgin above all others to maximize my AU status. Now, having just completed my last flight before dropping back a tier, I'm reflecting on whether it was worth the wait.

Flights taken

LHR-JFK x1 Upper/PE.
AU benefit gained - 1x JFK lounge 1 x Revivals.

LHR-HKG x1 PE/Upper.
AU Benefit gained - 1x LHR CH.

LHR-LAX x4 Econ.
AU benefit gained - 2x LHR lounge (+30 GBP each for kids), 4x ANZ lounge at LAX (had to persuade/ask v nicely to get entry for free).

LHR-JFK x1 PE/Upper.
AU Benefit gained - 1x LHR CH.

LHR-DXB x4 PE/Econ.
AU benefit gained - 2x LHR lounge (30 GBP each for kids.) Did not try at DXB.

LHR-HKG x1 Upper.
AU benefits gained - none.

So on balance quite a few lounge entries I would not otherwise have enjoyed, although I do think 30 pound each for a child in the CH is too high. Had I made all my journeys in economy, there would have been more free lounge accesses realised of course, but then I might also have a bad back and fewer salt and pepper pots in my drawer (I do wonder why I continue to "acquire" them!).

Did I get any free upgrades based on my status? No. Not that I really expected any as this really does not happen that often as far as I have heard. But don't assume that being AU gives you a magic pass to such things!

Did I ever get my status acknowledged on board, was I ever greeted by name, given champagne in economy, or otherwise made to feel particularly valued? No, not once. I am not saying that I feel let down about this especially, but just providing feedback so others might know what to expect. "Friend of the cabin crew" is still a rank above AU in all regards I have seen.

I have accumulated a few more miles than I would otherwise have done of course, and drunk more Mojitos than is strictly necessary.

Had all my trips this year not involved milage based upgrades, then I would be looking at Gold again for 2015, but sadly that is not the case. But the point that I come back to is that if you are paying enough to stay at gold the number of benefits you actually get are diminished since you will more often than not already be travelling in the class at which you get the perks included...

Its been fun to have enjoyed the perks of AU, but its actually nice to feel I don't have to be a slave to the brand and tier points now having once reached the "unattainable goal" and seen what its all about.

I will never achieve the dizzy heights of gold so I was most interested to read your comments. Thank you.
What really stays with me is your summing up that you can end up paying more to keep your status to get the very perks that you would get anyway by your class of travel. ( only you explained it better !!!)

You missed out being able to use UC check-in, fast-track security, priority boarding, priority baggage, and of course the ego-boost that comes with holding some gold-coloured plastic.

;-)

You missed out being able to use UC check-in, fast-track security, priority boarding, priority baggage, and of course the ego-boost that comes with holding some gold-coloured plastic.

;-)

But have you SEEN what that gold coloured plastic looks like? Give me BAs equivalent any day.

As for me, I'm on 36TPs for the year and don't have a natural reason to get the last 4 before I reset. Decision time...

[honey lamb]

This post resonates with me.

I attained Gold some years ago when an unexpected trip in VS pushed me to the 40 TPs required. In those days 30 TPs were needed for requalification and so it was easy for me to retain that status, especially as I had retired shortly after and so had the time to travel. With the exception of one trip, all my flights were in UC so lounge access and all the other perks were automatic. I had only one round trip in PE with the advantage of UC check-in, security channel, CH etc. On that occasion, I wasn't greeted by name nor was there any acknowledgement of my status until I requested to speak to the FSM as departure had been so seriously delayed that it cut severely into my connecting flight and I wanted to request assistance at the airport to get through Immigration. (It was granted and I did catch the flight but alas the TR got lost somewhere along the line when VF morphed from its original board to this one)

In other words, the only benefit was the bonus miles for flying UC. Oh and the useless companion vouchers.

Having said that, there were several occasions where staff came to me during my flights and acknowledged me as a frequent flyer as asked where could they improve the in-flight experience. On a couple of occasions I've had staff remember me from previous flights even to the extent of remembering what I wanted to drink (answers of a £50 note, please) and one gave me champagne and chocolates to compensate for a less than stellar CH experience when the Cloak of Invisibility was working overtime!

When the requalification was raised to 40TPs, that put an end to any further Gold status but it has had an immensely liberating effect. Since then I have flown long-haul on Singapore Airlines, Emirates and BA . Some of them have been to VS destinations but price has been the deciding factor.

I still miss VS though

.....and of course the ego-boost that comes with holding some gold-coloured plastic.

;-)

OMG - you need a silly bit of coloured plastic in order to have an ego boost

In my world, someone saying I'm a nice, kind and helpful person is enough make it a perfect rewarding day

I know but when I got my Hilton Gold Status on my Birthday trip to Ireland I was totally made up, and to be fair, the Hilton programme has a lot less value than VS' does!

I must be in my 6th year of Au now after losing it for a few years due my companies silly move to go BA only and not getting anything for it!!!
Now things have got a lot tighter for a lot of companies UC travel is frowned upon unless the length of flight dictates it (all East Coast US flight are now PE day and UC night etc, etc) the lounge access for me is a massive benefit. I can work before the flight and not waste the extra hour / two hours while waiting.
Revivals lounge, why not a real need has many times made me fit for a full days work in the office, without it it would have been very hard, almost impossible.
However, the thing that wins being Au above everything else is the extra mile the CS teams will go to assist you. I have had a number of issues over the past few years (flights cancelled by other airlines, weather issues) and VS has always gone above and beyond to to get me where I need to be, even when it's cost them, perhaps not in real-terms but in "if you had to to pay for this" terms
Just those three items above make it worthwhile for me. The welcome on-board, the gold card, the birthday bonus, the extra little things that come thru the post, don't need any of those.
Would I take an extra flight if I was on 38 TP's, yes. I think I would.
We are all different in out outlook and needs.

I've just lost my gold card to be replaced by BA Silver. Flew Virgin to Mumbai last week in UC to use some miles. Very empty flight, but a great flight. I do like BA, but miss the Virgin experience. For me the GC is ideal for passengers who fly part PE. BA silver offer a lounge service but not the full service lounge or revivals equivalent that comes with BA Gold. BA gold is possible but harder than Virgin gold.

.....and of course the ego-boost that comes with holding some gold-coloured plastic.

;-)

OMG - you need a silly bit of coloured plastic in order to have an ego boost

In my world, someone saying I'm a nice, kind and helpful person is enough make it a perfect rewarding day

I think you may have missed the carefully crafted nuance of sarcasm in McCoy's post.

I think you may have missed the carefully crafted nuance of sarcasm in McCoy's post.

I even inserted a winkie-smilie, for the avoidance of doubt!
hehe....

Thanks for the responses all.

I won't be ditching Virgin completely, I still have lots of miles (and a credit card that keeps earning even more - for the momment at least) I have no problem with the airline in fact I love many things about it, but (especially now Sydney has gone) with only 4 anticipated long haul work trips a year on Virgin's route network I'd have to pay up to Upper on them all to reach gold again and that is one expensive bit of plastic to obtain.

I'm not a BA fan, but it will be easier for me to reach a vaguely worthwhile tier with them as I do a fair amount of European trips, and without trying too hard. Sad but true. Can't help but think Virgin's lack of a decent short haul partner will have many more thinking as I do now.

I had forgotten the joys of the private security channel McCoy, and this is a great perk when travelling with the kids, but I have to accept the reality, I am not going to achieve Gold again with Virgin and I consider myself a fairly frequent flier.

Virgin, give AG some better perks and you might keep my long haul loyalty!

What a great post. If all goes to plan I should be pretty close to attaining AU by May/June next year, and whether, if needed, I would take an extra LR return has been on my mind for quite some time. That would be quite an achievement given that I won't have flown UC once in the 13 months other than on Gs.

My dilemma has been exactly around whether I'd get anything valuable from AU, given that the only flights I've booked so far which would potentially fall within the AU period are all in UC (Gs and ex-DUB). I do, however, travel twice a week to Dubai (in economy - company policy), but that's assuming that DXB won't be dropped by VS by then , and I'm planning on using my PE upgrade vouchers at some point, so just the lounge access alone might be worthwhile. Another annoying thing is that my OH will get to silver all by himself around the same time, so he won't even benefit from the AG card that comes with the AU.

The current conclusion I've reached is that I should go for it, as it's safe to assume that I won't be able to get anywhere near as close again (but AG is maintainable), especially given the closing of the LR. I may as well experience AU once . But I can already feel the liberating feeling that you mentioned when I get there.

I think you may have missed the carefully crafted nuance of sarcasm in McCoy's post.

Totally

Interesting. Thanks for posting.

The 100% bonus miles shouldn't be forgotten as well, of course, although clearly they have a value and can be obtained through other means.

I made gold for the first time last year, and just renewed this month for a second year. It would take some determined effort for me to maintain enough TPs for a third year -- something I have been considering recently but probably won't seek to do. I think hiljil's summary 'that you can end up paying more to keep your status to get the very perks that you would get anyway by your class of travel' is spot on for my case. And yet, there's a definite psychological factor I think -- not in terms of a DYKWIA ego-boost, more in terms of it making the (natural) earning of TPs more of a worthwhile endeavour which appeals to me I think.

I'm never going to make gold.
I only made silver this year because I was visiting my mum in Scotland a few times.
I am one tier point short of keeping silver but don't think I'll do anything about it as the only benefit was 50% extra miles and since mum has moved south that's only going to be for one US trip a year.
I have 2015 trip sorted with 2 G seats to MCO and enough miles for 2016 so I'll be red for ever more.
Dick D

I have enjoyed reading all the posts on this thread.
In 2010 I decided to give Virgin a try, previously having had Elite status with Delta and Continental. First flight if I remember was UC from LGW to MCO, and I was seriously underwhelmed! The aircraft was tired, the inflight entertainment pathetic and the cabin crew totally engrossed in playing happy families with their mates who had , presumably, been upgraded?
However I gave them the benefit of the doubt and have experinced some rather improved levels of service and revamped equipment. Over the years I think that I have been on all types of aircraft, including two class 330s (except the 787), in both UC and PE.
I have been AU since then, paid for out of my own pocket not some Plc, but have to agree with others that on the whole I can confirm that so far as Virginatlantic staff is concerned "so what "!
Don't get me wrong, I'm not a diva, but when I have shelved out the price of a second hand Mondeo for a ticket a bit of recognition would be nice.
Next year it will all be dream, family problems have clipped my wings, and I will be lucky to make it red. However I have plenty of miles in the bank, enjoyed the Clubhouse, Revivals, Birthday bonus, priority boarding and the fancy luggage tags ( shouldn't they give me "I used to travel UC" ones?).
Strangely I feel liberated, at last I feel free to ,!!

I fell short by 6 TPs this year to retain Gold but due to earn 6TP next month, so asked FC to extend my earning period by a month to secure Gold again. Delighted to say, they added the 6 onto this period so it's been renewed with 6 already booked early in the next period.

Is it worth it? I'd say so as it offers so much more than Silver; double miles are great for upgrades, the lounges are superb, double luggage, better chances of 'last second reward seats' @ check in, priority check in and security lane at LHR, revival lounge etc. And yes, Cabin Crew do know and have always acknowledged my 'status'

For me, the key has been TPs on Little Red (e.g., LHR-MAN-LHR gets 2 TPs for about £100 and only 90 min's in the air), partner airlines overseas and keeping alert to the TP bonus scheme which seems to come up annually.

With SYD stopped and Little Red on the way out though, there'll need to be more LH flights to do next year ...

INCIDNETALLY:
Earning TPs on the Bank of America VA CC is great for US citizens (only), but it's very poor the VA Amex/Visa combo does not offer the same. Come on Virgin, a UK company offering a better deal to its US customers than its UK ones? that really ought to be changed..... Can anyone at The Office respond please?