Virgin Australia: application to ‘Discover Gold’ match – Approved

Yes, I have been accepted for three months status match challenge or ‘Discover Gold’ which gives me access to some Velocity Gold benefits, but according to the email ,excluding:

.’ . . benefits you won’t receive include: Gold member baggage tag, a physical membership card, complimentary partner memberships, guaranteed economy Reward Seat, membership pause for parental leave;  
– you’ll continue to earn Status Credits, Points and Eligible Sectors in the same way as other members; and  
– your Status Credits balance will reflect the number of Status Credits, Points and Eligible Sectors you’ve earned since receiving this Discover Gold trial.  

Talk about leading with the negatives!

So I have netherworld status of Discovery Gold, which is like Velocity Gold but less.

The benefits I get

Far as I can work out, the privileges I get are:

• Lounge access for two
• Priority check-in, security screening, boarding and baggage delivery
• Fly Ahead – free move to earlier flight

There are a few others including an extra bag, but those listed are the main ones that appeal to me. And we are talking domestic travel – because, COVID-19 international travel ban!

So effectively it gives me a three month taste of gold status, but then also challenges me to extend that to a year by completing a bit of a challenge.

If within the 3 months of my Discover Gold trial, I manage to fly at least one segment and earn a minimum of 80 status credits, then, I get the full 12 months of Velocity Gold status – I get the luggage tags!

I also get the benefit of being able to gift Companion Gold status membership to a family member or friend, provided they are a Velocity member.

2PAXfly Takeout

This is another timely reminder to wear your seatbelt when seated. Holding you close to your seat will protect you from the sort of injuries sustained on this flight, when unsecured passengers flew to the ceiling of the aircraft, and then came crashing down once the ‘drop’ ceased.

The hope will be that this is an anomaly – a ‘freak accident’ in casual parlance. If it is a systemic error either mechanical or electronic, then this is a larger concern for the airlines that fly Boeing Dreamliner 787 aircraft. Let’s hope it isn’t. If it is, it will pile on the woes to Boeing’s existing stack.

OK, its not automatic entrance to Xanadu, but its pretty good.

Now I just need to work how to earn those 80 status credits in the most economic way, to destinations I need or want to travel to, within the next three months.

That could take a bit of time working out the lowest cost way to earn my 80 status credits. Looks like I have a lot of flights to search.