Reward flights

Hi all

Quick question, yesterday I was looking at reward flights LAX to LHR and EWR to LHR for May 2014. All looked good in UC for the dates I wanted. Today no dates in May available - do they really go that quick or are there gremlins in the system? Fyi was looking at end of May (the week that has only just come up on the VA site!)

Thanks in advance!

I'm seeing Gs from LAX on the 19th, 21st and 28th May and from NYC on 7 dates in May including the 24th, 26th and 27th so they are available.

But yes they do go very quickly and if you see one the general consensus is you should snap it up immediately as it may not be there tomorrow.

Don't despair though - they can and do reappear at any time between now and the flight - and failing that many V-Flyers have reported success in getting miles upgrades at the airport, particularly in the US.

yep they can go that quick!

And don't forget that end of May is a bank holiday and school 1/2 term so people will be looking for rewrds and booking early

Thanks both - managed to book into PE for the day flight I wanted so will keep an eye on the site to see if UC flights come up - guessing if they do I can call and pay the difference? Or am I being too simplistic in my approach!

As long as you have an upgradable, flexible PE ticket (S or W), yes - if you see a G on the flight you want call them and snap it up immediately. You will just pay the difference in taxes and charges.

However if you bought the cheapest, inflexible K class PE ticket (ie you selected "lowest" in the booking engine), you cannot upgrade using miles.

If you bought your PE ticket with miles then yes, you can upgrade it using more miles if a G becomes available - again you just pay the difference in taxes and charges.

Hmm,

Just checking out G's for the Autumn to IAD. NOTHING available September, October, November - don't even get alternative choice of dates just a blanket 'your class of choice is not available'. On the reward seat checker site, UC is greyed out into next year!

I foresee a lot of daily checking in my future!

Sorry I should have been clearer in my last message the PE seats were reward seats. Does that make a difference?

Hmm,

Just checking out G's for the Autumn to IAD. NOTHING available September, October, November - don't even get alternative choice of dates just a blanket 'your class of choice is not available'. On the reward seat checker site, UC is greyed out into next year!

I foresee a lot of daily checking in my future!

Yes and just tried to book Delta reward seats for May 2014 and currently unavailable as Delta has a different booking window! Good eh?

Sorry I should have been clearer in my last message the PE seats were reward seats. Does that make a difference?

Sorry I realised in hindsight you probably meant that and have amended my post. Yes you can use more miles to upgrade if a G becomes available. You'd just pay the extra taxes and charges.

Just checking out G's for the Autumn to IAD. NOTHING available September, October, November - don't even get alternative choice of dates just a blanket 'your class of choice is not available'. On the reward seat checker site, UC is greyed out into next year!!

Weird, I can see Gs available to IAD on 14 dates in September, 2 in October and 14 in November.

Whats the reward seat checker site please? Pray tell!

Gumshoe thanks for your help, much appreciated!

[mitchja]

You need to use the VS website, log-into your FC account and just do dummy reward bookings.

Also always start your reward flights from LHR or LGW as if you start from any of the Little Red airports and you select Premium or Upper Class rewards, the VS website throws a wobbler as you can only book Premium & Upper reward flights including Little Red flights by calling FC.

Whats the reward seat checker site please? Pray tell!

rewardseats.com

Just checking out G's for the Autumn to IAD. NOTHING available September, October, November - don't even get alternative choice of dates just a blanket 'your class of choice is not available'. On the reward seat checker site, UC is greyed out into next year!!

Weird, I can see Gs available to IAD on 14 dates in September, 2 in October and 14 in November.

As I've stated in another recent thread the outbound flights aren't a problem ( I was moaning about the SFO/ LAX routes in the other thread) - it's the inbound flights where there's no availability for months and months.... ?| .
DL

it's the inbound flights where there's no availability for months and months.... ?| .
DL

Ah yes that's true, I was only looking one way.

Perhaps VS release fewer Gs upfront on the return red-eye flights from the US because they know they'll sell more UC seats due to demand for a flat bed.

I suspect quite a few companies insist that their middle management go out in PE but let them fly back in UC for the bed.

Thanks Gumshoe & DL .

Yups, I can get the G's up if I do a one way - ie ex LHR but not ex IAD as yet ... hmmm

I suspect quite a few companies insist that their middle management go out in PE but let them fly back in UC for the bed.

Oh, to work for such an enlightened organisation. :# And there I'm referring to the luxury of a PE seat. Our policy is strictly economy unless you're of a grade that probably have their own private aircraft anyway.

Aha! (or so I thought)

MPM round trips in UC are available to book via the website but then when I went into price compare the MPM fare with *normal* fares the site throws a wobbler...

Do G's come out of the same bucket as MPM fares or are they from a different allocation?

(MPM is still probably out of my range...)

[honey lamb]

Aha! (or so I thought)

MPM round trips in UC are available to book via the website but then when I went into price compare the MPM fare with *normal* fares the site throws a wobbler...

Do G's come out of the same bucket as MPM fares or are they from a different allocation?

(MPM is still probably out of my range...)

Yes, Gs and MPMs are from the same bucket