Status match for my first flight – book then upgrade?

[BenM]

Hi all!
I would like to book my first 2 Virgin Upper reward flights to the US and have 2 vouchers (expiry 2022 and 2023).
As a Red member I need to pay 50% more miles for my companion. I can use both vouchers and it’s about 90k points.

But I am BA Silver. If I status match then I won’t need to pay the 50% and it can cost 90k points with only 1 voucher.

To get a match I need a revenue flight booked
So I’m wondering whether to book in Premium, wait to get the status match, then upgrade. But of course I then run the risk there will no longer be reward upgrades available.
The other thing is I will get Silver about 6 months before I need to be.

If I do it the other way, then I use all my points but I do the status match a couple of weeks before I fly, giving me a full year to book more flights etc. but then I’ll be out of points anyway!! 😂

Does anyone see any pros or cons for this that I am not, or have any advice? Eg
does a reward flight actually count as a revenue flight if I chose option 2?
Is it more costly in cash to do option 1?

Many thanks!

• This topic was modified 55 years, 4 months ago by .

[BenM]

I am being told that if you use any points at all in a booking (eg to upgrade) means it doesn’t count as a revenue booking. So I might be forced down the two voucher route anyway

[Pid]

Last year I booked a reward flight and then applied for a status match and it worked fine. I then cancelled the reward flight as was unable to take it. Status was extended after the year extension which is great but still not managed to take the actual flight I wanted in the first place so it may have all been in vain!