Is Virgin Atlantic Silver status reductive?

[BajiNahid]

Hi there,

I just qualified for silver and I am not sure if there are many benefits to silver status with Virgin compared to other airlines. With United, I am silver and I managed to get free checked bag allowance on a basic economy ticket, free seating selection at any time, preferred seats and upgrade availability and priority. Along with all the other standard check in, lounge and boarding enhancements.

I don’t seem to see much of this with Virgin atlantic to be honest, so would like to hear from other Silver member’s if they find it of much benefit when flying VS or other Sky team alliance partners etc.

[SGJNI]

You get lounge access on United with Silver???????

[Rob]

United Silver would get you lounge access on United flights – it’s how Star works (Silver gets lounge only with the issuing airline).

Once Virgin joins SkyTeam, you’d have Elite as VS Silver which only gets you:

Priority reservation wait list (when fares permit)
Preferred seating
Priority check-in counters
Priority boarding or at leisure
Extra baggage allowance

oneworld is the only alliance where mid-tier status is worth it (ie gets you a lounge).

[BajiNahid]

SGJNI wrote:

You get lounge access on United with Silver???????

Yes only with united

[Guernsey Globetrotter]

From the perspective of a points collector for redemption flights, silver is the sweet spot with Virgin as you get to use their vouchers as a true 2-4-1 with that status. Also, it only takes two such long haul flights a year to retain Silver and you get tier points on rewards flights too. If you’re travelling J class you get Clubhouse access, extra checked bags and seat selection anyway so no complaints here …

[kai]

BajiNahid wrote:

SGJNI wrote:

You get lounge access on United with Silver???????

Yes only with united

That’s untrue. United Silver doesn’t have access to United Clubs.

[dougzz99]

I don’t think United Silver gets you in a lounge regardless of flight type. Remember US airlines operate lounges largely on a paid membership basis, and you’ll typically never get lounge access on a status basis, other than international flights and a few premium transcontinental like Newark/Lax, and that’s at higher status level than silver.

[Matt]

I am United Silver via Marriott and I’ve never seen lounge access mentioned. Lufthansa Silver would get you lounge access on their group flights, but not all *A scheme’s are the same.