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Hello
Given the forthcoming changes to BA’s executive club, are there any articles discussing the pro’s and cons of switching loyalty to Virgin Atlantic?
Thank you
Milt
Apart from the glaringly obvious that they only fly long-haul?? Most people that get status in these “changing times” do so via corporate travel, so they often don’t have a choice of airline. I know quite a few people who enjoy BA status for the benefits flying short-haul for leisure, where sitting in a cheap economy seat is perfectly tolerable for a couple of hours.
I have a wife and son, so realistically it’ll cost me £30k in the “new executive club the members asked for” (£10k each) to get to Silver, and it’s just not worth it.
Virgin benefits would be networked across SkyTeam partners – many of whom fly short haul within Europe. I am sure that’s why the OP was suggesting exploring it as an alternative.
@Miltomatic HfP have yet to do articles comparing the best alternatives. For my part, I won’t at present renew Virgin Gold/SkyTeam Elite Plus beyond 31 March. But I will retain Silver/SkyTeam Elite which softens the blow on any occasion I might be unable to upgrade a work flight (I don’t fly economy for personal flights).I need to do my sums on comparing Flying Blue with Virgin Flying Club re Tier Point earnings. Virgin you get TPs on reward flights, which I do say 4 a year, so that tip the balance for me towards sticking with Virgin Flying Club.
I was looking at this the other day. I concluded ( for my travel style) that it’s easier to achieve status via Air France than it is via Virgin, so I will now move all my future bookings to Flying Blue, but I guess it’s down to personal travel plans.
I fly a lot with work – the short haul is generally in economy, the long haul varies. My personal travel is mostly to the States in premium or business, and generally on redemption. VS gives me tier points for these flights, but I still think AF/ KLM is more viable.
I’ve ben loyal to BA for many years and hit silver easily every year. TBH, I’d rather fly short haul in an exit row than business anyway, so the status is important for seat selection alone. (I also decide which airline all my team fly with…it will no longer be BA as it benefits them all if they achieve status, which with the new changes, is unlikely).But wouldn’t flying short haul with SkyTeam will almost always require a change in Amsterdam or Paris, adding at least 2-3 hours to total journey, and, on the return trip, consigning you to the horrors of the non-Schengen part of the terminal or forcing you to play chicken with the passport queues? Plus the ever-present risk of missed connections, lost luggage or overbooking.
Not for me, thanks. Fewer than half of my SkyTeam connections in Europe have gone smoothly in all respects. I’d prefer a direct flight with a LCC than an indirect flight with SkyTeam status.
Its certainly cheaper to achieve status with Virgin and can even be achieved with reward flights
However the gains of status are debatable – not least because Virgin dont charge for UC seat selection !Its certainly cheaper to achieve status with Virgin and can even be achieved with reward flights
However the gains of status are debatable – not least because Virgin dont charge for UC seat selection !For most I assume the gains would be from the SkyTeam benefits, rather than on Virgin itself. Anecdotally my experience as a Gold is that the Virgin cabin manager will prioritise meal requests, though low risk anyway as Virgin operates with contemporary expectations and has meal pre-order.
TLFL has a brief comparison of the alliances. It’s very brief but my takeaway was that status on other alliances is also difficult if you want lounge access and checked bags on cheapo tickets.
TPs on reward flights does make Virgin Silver very reachable with just one UC cash flight. But SkyTeam Elite is next to useless so why bother?
Thank you for all the replies. Perhaps my original question should have been more detailed.
Most of my travel is between the UK and USA, and in Economy or PE. I have held Silver status for a few years, but it’s always pretty close. My main reason for wanting to retain status is for lounge access, especially on the journey home.
Thank you again
Milt
TLFL has a brief comparison of the alliances. It’s very brief but my takeaway was that status on other alliances is also difficult if you want lounge access and checked bags on cheapo tickets.
TPs on reward flights does make Virgin Silver very reachable with just one UC cash flight. But SkyTeam Elite is next to useless so why bother?
STE is far from useless. DL, AF, KLM all have smallprint at airports under their Sky Priority signs also inviting STE. I use DCA regularly so flying with DL I get priority check in, security and boarding.
Priority boarding counts as next to useless in my book.
Thank you for all the replies. Perhaps my original question should have been more detailed.
Most of my travel is between the UK and USA, and in Economy or PE. I have held Silver status for a few years, but it’s always pretty close. My main reason for wanting to retain status is for lounge access, especially on the journey home.
Thank you again
Milt
You’d likely be better off paying as you go with lounges then. BA Silver was oddly achievable for quite some years now. You won’t find it as easy elsewhere for their status that gets airline lounge access, especially if the flights aren’t up the front of the plane.
The Amex Plat card comes with lounge access including Delta Sky Clubs. Perhaps with joint venture pricing equalising fares across partners, you could opt to fly home on Delta rather than Virgin? Overall though I am not sure I’d let lounge access decide my airline choice for transatlantic. I always position myself to Dublin first anyway for a number of factors (price, immigration convenience, free visit to family)
But wouldn’t flying short haul with SkyTeam will almost always require a change in Amsterdam or Paris, adding at least 2-3 hours to total journey, and, on the return trip, consigning you to the horrors of the non-Schengen part of the terminal or forcing you to play chicken with the passport queues? Plus the ever-present risk of missed connections, lost luggage or overbooking.
Not for me, thanks. Fewer than half of my SkyTeam connections in Europe have gone smoothly in all respects. I’d prefer a direct flight with a LCC than an indirect flight with SkyTeam status.
If you’re located within the regions then you’re connecting anyway whether that’s at AMS or LHR.
Thank you for all the replies. Perhaps my original question should have been more detailed.
Most of my travel is between the UK and USA, and in Economy or PE. I have held Silver status for a few years, but it’s always pretty close. My main reason for wanting to retain status is for lounge access, especially on the journey home.
Thank you again
Milt
You’d likely be better off paying as you go with lounges then. BA Silver was oddly achievable for quite some years now. You won’t find it as easy elsewhere for their status that gets airline lounge access, especially if the flights aren’t up the front of the plane.
The Amex Plat card comes with lounge access including Delta Sky Clubs. Perhaps with joint venture pricing equalising fares across partners, you could opt to fly home on Delta rather than Virgin? Overall though I am not sure I’d let lounge access decide my airline choice for transatlantic. I always position myself to Dublin first anyway for a number of factors (price, immigration convenience, free visit to family)
Thank you – a good suggestion.
Milt
Flying blue are now going a status match from BA for a fee , more info on TLFL
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