Virgin 50% off Economy Reward Seat Sale.

[Samaya]

Virgin has an Economy Reward Seat Sale where you'll only need half as many miles, some of the examples are...

From London to Orlando for 22,500 Virgin Flying Club miles plus £302 in taxes-fees-surcharges for flights between October 2012 and June 2013.

Manchester to Orlando for 22,500 Virgin Flying Club miles plus £302 in taxes-fees-surcharges for flights between November 2012 and June 2013.

Offer available to book from 1 August until 15 August 2012 and travel must be completed by 30 June 2013.

http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/en/gb/frequentflyer/spendmiles/rewardflights/flightsformiles.jsp

 

[Rienchen]

We're going to Florida next year and I might take advantage of this offer as I can get LHR-MIA and then MCO-MAN for £325 and 22500 miles, which definitely beats paying £580 for the regular fare.
My partner will be getting the same flight on Miles&Money for 2000 miles and £504, so I'm getting a really good deal.

 

[heatherbelle]

We're going to Florida next year and I might take advantage of this offer as I can get LHR-MIA and then MCO-MAN for £325 and 22500 miles, which definitely beats paying £580 for the regular fare.
My partner will be getting the same flight on Miles&Money for 2000 miles and £504, so I'm getting a really good deal.

You should book it before the seats disappear.

 

[Rienchen]

A rather strange question, but if I book a seat using airmiles, can I still use more airmiles at a later point to upgrade to premium economy?

I can get two economy return flights for 45000
an upgrade is usually 12500 one way, so 50000 for both of us
=95000 total for two round trip tickets

If I were to use miles for a premium economy ticket it would be 70000 each, so 140000 round trip plus higher taxes/fees

 

[Samaya]

A rather strange question, but if I book a seat using airmiles, can I still use more airmiles at a later point to upgrade to premium economy?

I can get two economy return flights for 45000
an upgrade is usually 12500 one way, so 50000 for both of us
=95000 total for two round trip tickets

If I were to use miles for a premium economy ticket it would be 70000 each, so 140000 round trip plus higher taxes/fees

I'm not sure of the answer, but when reading the T&C's I would say you cannot upgrade the 50% off ticket to a premium economy reward upgrade.

But it would be best to check that out on the Flying Club Member helpline.

One of the conditions states... 4.4.9 Flying Club upgrades cannot be used in conjunction with any promotional fare or discount.

Another condition states ......You can upgrade when purchasing a full adult fare (W, S, Y, B, R, L,), simply contact our Flying Club helpline to book or for further information.

The ticket class of the '50% reward seat sale' is I believe in class T, so not one of those listed above.

Good luck and if you do contact the Flying Club please post their answer.

 

[BigHugsForEeyore]

This is a great deal if you have enough miles saved.

We booked our flights for Alaska in 2013. LHR - LAX going out and YVR - LHR coming home. It was 23,750 miles plus £382.29 which is a great saving as the flights are nearly £800 without miles, and especially as I was 8,000 miles short for the full 47,500 miles normally needed.

I hope everyone can find the seats on the days they need. Keep checking as the seats available change each day. They only had one seat for our flights on the first day of the offer, so we bought that and then checked again the next day and there was another seat available.

 

[katytrott]

A rather strange question, but if I book a seat using airmiles, can I still use more airmiles at a later point to upgrade to premium economy?

I can get two economy return flights for 45000
an upgrade is usually 12500 one way, so 50000 for both of us
=95000 total for two round trip tickets

If I were to use miles for a premium economy ticket it would be 70000 each, so 140000 round trip plus higher taxes/fees

I'm just checking my own knowledge here, but isn't 1 return flight to MCO 45000?

 

[wilma-bride]

I'm just checking my own knowledge here, but isn't 1 return flight to MCO 45000?

Normally it is but the current offer is 50% off so half the number of miles needed.

 

[katytrott]

Normally it is but the current offer is 50% off so half the number of miles needed.

Got it - thanks!

 

[Rienchen]

We waited too long and the outbound flight is gone. We can't be flexible about that date, we have to travel either January 11th or 12th

I was ready to book but my OH wasn't yet as she doesn't have enough miles so we were looking at buying some miles, but it's too late now.

Full price this flight is £580
Miles & Money is £504(plus 2000 miles)
and reward flight would have been £325(and 22500 miles)
such a bargain.

I'm not that tempted to be honest to go with miles & money as you don't collect miles on your flight, so we're missing out on 5000 miles.

Do they have these reward sales regularly? I could keep collecting miles for our 2014 WDW trip that way or treat us to a flight to New York.

 

[wilma-bride]

I'm not that tempted to be honest to go with miles & money as you don't collect miles on your flight, so we're missing out on 5000 miles.

We have received miles on reward flights before. You are not supposed to but sometimes you do get them. Not guaranteed though so not a good enough reason to book M+M if the savings aren't that great.

Do they have these reward sales regularly? I could keep collecting miles for our 2014 WDW trip that way or treat us to a flight to New York.

Yes, reward sales are pretty regular - at least a couple of times a year. There is usually limited availability, though, as you';ve discovered so always best to book as soon as you see it.

 

[Rienchen]

We have received miles on reward flights before. You are not supposed to but sometimes you do get them. Not guaranteed though so not a good enough reason to book M+M if the savings aren't that great.

Yes, reward sales are pretty regular - at least a couple of times a year. There is usually limited availability, though, as you';ve discovered so always best to book as soon as you see it.

Thank you, we'll keep checking over the next few days, maybe we're lucky and the outbound date comes back as available.

Otherwise we'll hang onto those miles and hopefully by next summer I will have collected enough to get all of us to Florida for either May 2014. I have the Virgin credit card so am not worried about miles expiring.

 

[Samaya]

We waited too long and the outbound flight is gone. We can't be flexible about that date, we have to travel either January 11th or 12th

I was ready to book but my OH wasn't yet as she doesn't have enough miles so we were looking at buying some miles, but it's too late now.

Full price this flight is £580
Miles & Money is £504(plus 2000 miles)
and reward flight would have been £325(and 22500 miles)
such a bargain.

I'm not that tempted to be honest to go with miles & money as you don't collect miles on your flight, so we're missing out on 5000 miles.

Do they have these reward sales regularly? I could keep collecting miles for our 2014 WDW trip that way or treat us to a flight to New York.

Sorry to hear your flight dates outbound are not available, I must admit I would be looking at arriving into MCO and then driving down to Miami as those prices.

Do you also save VA miles through Tesco's Club Card?

Also, you stated you have a Virgin credit card, has your partner got one, if not then you could earn 3,000 more points with a referral and your partner could receive 3,000 for opening the account and spending within 3-months plus an extra bonus of 3,000 miles because your partner joined through your e-mail invitation, so a total of 9,000 miles between you.

Here's what's stated in VA's small print....

1.0 Virgin Atlantic Credit Card Member get Member offer.
1.1 This offer is open to all existing Flying Club members (who do not necessarily need to be credit card holders), who nominate their friends for the "Credit Card Member Get Member" promotion.

1.2 Nominated friends who are not yet Flying Club members must enrol in Flying Club via the email sent to them by the recommender, prior to applying for a Virgin Atlantic Credit Card Account. Only once the nominated friend has been approved for a Virgin Atlantic Credit Card Account and made their first card purchase will both parties earn bonus miles.

1.3 Nominated friends who are already Flying Club members must register for the offer via the email sent to them by the recommender and then apply for a Virgin Atlantic Credit Card Account. Only once the nominated friend has been approved for a Virgin Atlantic Credit Card Account and has made their first card purchase will both parties earn bonus miles.

1.4 The existing Flying Club member will earn 3,000 bonus miles when the person he / she nominates, registers for the offer, applies for a credit card account, is accepted and then makes their first card purchase. Bonus miles will only be credited once the new credit card holder has made their first card purchase.

1.5 Every new Virgin Atlantic Credit Card Account holder, who has registered as part of this offer, will earn 3,000 bonus miles when they make their first card purchase on the credit card. This is in addition to the standard bonuses offered to all new Virgin Atlantic Credit Card Account holders when that first purchase is made within 90 days of their account being opened. New Virgin Atlantic Credit Card Account holders can therefore earn the following:

Virgin Atlantic White Card Account - first spend made within 90 days:
6,000 miles. Compiled from: 3,000 miles earned as part of this offer and a further 3,000 miles earned for making first card spend within 90 days of account opening.

 

[Rienchen]

Sorry to hear your flight dates outbound are not available, I must admit I would be looking at arriving into MCO and then driving down to Miami as those prices.

Do you also save VA miles through Tesco's Club Card?

Also, you stated you have a Virgin credit card, has your partner got one, if not then you could earn 3,000 more points with a referral and your partner could receive 3,000 for opening the account and spending within 3-months plus an extra bonus of 3,000 miles because your partner joined through your e-mail invitation, so a total of 9,000 miles between you.

Unfortunately driving down isn't an option for us due to medical reasons and me not having a licence.
We'd be flying into Miami a day or two before our cruise, then upon return we're flying to Orlando, from where we will be returning a week later to Manchester.

At the moment I am not saving miles through Tesco, with the current bonus offer I'd get 14000 miles.
I'm just not sure it's worth it or use my points for other rewards, I have gotten a few iTunes card with my points
I noticed an extra 1000 miles for auto opt in but I will not be doing that as I like to have the option to use my points for whatever I chose.

My partner applied for the credit card once before and was declined because she was a student on benefits.
She has just started aPhd and will be receiving a bursary, so maybe it's worth reapplying even though she is still a student.