VA upgrade to UC with miles - A question

[Chris and Pooh]

Hello All,

I have a question that I am hoping you maybe able to clarify.

I am looking at using miles to fly UC with VA in 2010, however my DW and I do not have enough points to qualify ( me 79000, DW 73000).

By using a theoretical date as an example March 2nd 2010 til March 16th 2010, would require 200000 points in total with £498.80 taxes

the full price without miles as of today is £2171.40

I have three alternatives:

1) Part miles, part cash, Unfortunately I could not get prices for this option

2) Use the companion scheme, This would cost me £1357.40 which includes taxes for both of us ( for some reason the taxes and surcharges are more expensive - £543.40) and 60000 miles

3) Pay for two economy seats and then upgrade to UC, This would cost £821.40, including taxes of £403.40 and a total of 120000 miles, which we have.

This would seem to be the ideal option, however the terms and conditions do not make it clear if extra taxes and surcharges apply as they would in the prevoius examples. I am guessing that an extra charge would be added but cannot see it stated anywhere.

 

[Claire L]

How about buying and gifting each other the extra miles to make it to 100000? For about £750 you could get to 200000 combined miles or you could open a VA Amex card account and get 3000 miles

Claire

 

[MickeyMcMouse]

Hello All,

I have a question that I am hoping you maybe able to clarify.

I am looking at using miles to fly UC with VA in 2010, however my DW and I do not have enough points to qualify ( me 79000, DW 73000).


the full price without miles as of today is £2171.40

If I am reading this correctly, £ 2171.40 seems very cheap for 2 upper class fares

I think I would also go with the buying miles option, but before you do, check your availability as 2 upper seats on an Orlando flight can be very difficult to get at busy times.

Just log into virginatlantic.com and search for for available seats - you don't need the full amount of miles to check for available free seats.

David

 

[Chris and Pooh]

As I said this is a theoretical example as I do not know exactly when we will be going yet and it may even be LA flights, but the figures are correct and were from VA's website yesterday 03/09/2009.
The choice of buying miles is an option but as the taxes are £498.40 and an additional cost of £750 to buy miles, this would cost around £1250 + my full quota of miles that I currently have, so idealy I would rather use 120000 miles to upgrade, but would like to know how much extra in taxes I would have to pay if ant.

 

[Claire L]

I am sure if upgrading from one class to another you cannot buy the cheapest ticket and have to have a fully flexible ticket, for £820 for both of you which fare code is that? I recall taxes for SF for 2 in UC is about £540 if that helps.

Claire

 

[Chris and Pooh]

I am sure if upgrading from one class to another you cannot buy the cheapest ticket and have to have a fully flexible ticket, for £820 for both of you which fare code is that? I recall taxes for SF for 2 in UC is about £540 if that helps.

Claire

Thanks Claire,
That would make a difference to my decision, the fares I quoted were for lowest economy

 

[Claire L]

You can go to the Flying club part of the VA website and choose Y, B or L fare code which are the ones that are upgradable to find out the lowest fare, and I think L is often the lowest of the three.

Claire

 

[MickeyMcMouse]

You can go to the Flying club part of the VA website and choose Y, B or L fare code which are the ones that are upgradable to find out the lowest fare, and I think L is often the lowest of the three.

Claire

, once you have decided on your route, you can then log onto VA.com and search for any miles only upper class seats.

Before you are able to either upgrade any fares with miles to an upper seat or use a companion fare there still needs to be "G" fare available (which is the same class as a miles only upper class seat)

To use a companion fare, you unfortunately need to purchase a "J" class upper fare which is the most expensive.

Unfortunately this is the only way to check for upgradable fares on their website. Your other option would be to phone flying club.

There is another option where you are able to combine a percentage of your miles - I think its something like 75% of yours and 25% of someone elses in the same household but you would have to phone flying club to do that. That would let you buy one ticket with miles and pay the taxes, then pay for the other one with cash letting you keep someof your miles for the next time. This option would also ensure you get miles and tier points for one of the fares.

Happy hunting - I sometimes find this is the exciting part of planning the trip, because once you start you can find so many options and ways of spending your miles (and unfortunately your money )

David