Reward Upgrades, Guesting and DTCI

Hello V-Flyers

Having amassed 80,000 points Mrs Armstrong and I have been looking at how to use these...

I believe the best option is to UC upgrades to NY..! Not only do we love NY, but UC is a little out of our reach so will defiantly be a reward..!

If you get the reward tickets do you still get access to the CH and DTCI..? Also, is it only 3 hours before the flight? And, can you guest in on a reward ticket at LHR and JFK - as we may be traveling with friends (who will be mega jealous!)...

Look forward to your responses - also, if anyone has a better idea on what to spend 80,000 miles on I would love to hear it...

Dan

Yes you get clubhouse access and I would presume DTCI also but I have never done it as I'm usually flying from LGW and stay in airport the night before.
I don't think there is any restriction on time of entry. I have certainly spent way more than 3 hours in the CH on a reward ticket.
Can't answer the guesting question.
Dick D

[Neil]

The answer is yes to all of your questions. A reward ticket gives you access to all the same things that a low class revenue ticket does.

There is no time limit on how long you can access the CH.

Personally, I think UC to NYC isn't the best way to use your miles. It's a short flight, especially on the return and easily enjoyable in PE and capable at worst in Y. I think think you would be better waiting until you have a few more miles and using for a destination with longer flight times, were you will really benefit from flying UC, like the West Coast etc.


Neil

our first experience of UC (using miles) was in Jan this year - the CH experience has encouraged us to fly UC again next Jan (Reward vouchers ) we stayed 5 hrs whilst awaiting our flight to CPT and although I was worried it may be a tad too long - it wasn't !!

We didn't need to route via LHR (from MAN) next time - but decided the CH was a good enough reason to divert for a few hours !!

Hello V-Flyers


If you get the reward tickets do you still get access to the CH ......Also, is it only 3 hours before the flight?

Dan

Nice one, Daniel,

I think Neil makes a good point about waiting to earn a few more miles to use on a longer route, but I'll add one thing: you just never know with airlines whether/when they might devalue their loyalty programme (as happened with BA recently).

If I were you, I'd be tempted to use them as you describe. I used to amass hundreds of thousands of miles, but after the BA devaluation, I've taken to 'earning-and-burning'

Let us know how you get on!

Thanks for all your tips V-Flyers..!

I agree, I would like to use them on a really long haul flight - perhaps with a change so I can really take advantage of the UC experience and any CH's that I may get. A route to Hawaii via San Fran / LAX may be the best use. However, that would be a very long time away with my plans at the moment.

To put it another way, if I don't use them within 12 months an addition to the family may see me giving these away!

I will let you know how I get on, but hoping that 2 UC tickets will be mine for NY. I called FC to learn more and I could even get this for £900 in December... Now, where did I leave my new virgin credit card. hummmmm

80,000 miles would only be enough for 1 upper class ticket
35,000 for one return in Economy
55,000 for one return in Premium Economy (or 35,000 if you have a PE voucher from the credit card)

1/2 the miles for one way.
so 90,000 miles with PE voucher would get PE return flights.

Hi Daniel

I agree, UC upgrade from M to G is what I consider to be the best use of FC miles and that is what we do with ours.

Certainly longer flights will give you more bang for your buck but there is no point going on the longer flight if you would prefer the nearer destination. After all the flight is just a short (but fun) part of a trip.

Our next booking via VS will be a IAD / JFK open jaw M to G upgrade all being well. I have done JFK in PE and is was great but UC will be better still

[honey lamb]

Personally, I think UC to NYC isn't the best way to use your miles. It's a short flight, especially on the return and easily enjoyable in PE and capable at worst in Y. I think think you would be better waiting until you have a few more miles and using for a destination with longer flight times, were you will really benefit from flying UC, like the West Coast etc.
Neil

While in theory, you are correct, the OP has a limited number of miles and wishes to use them; he and his good lady wife love NY; from a later post it would seem that Armstrong Jnr is on the way (congrats on this) which is going to curtail their travel plans and indeed their spending plans as their budget is going to be diverted to unruly hang-gliders, Pampers and such-like. In other words, he has miles and wants to use them.

My first experience in flying in UC was on a flight to EWR. It was my first flight to the USA although I had flown to JNB with Virgin in both economy and PE. We had booked PE for that flight but Aer John's seat was faulty and we received an on-board op-up to UC while on the ground at LHR. OK, so we didn't have the CH experience (and in those days it was the old CH) or the suites as they were the J2000 seats but we relished every single minute of the journey as, at that stage we thought it would be the only occasion we would ever set foot in UC. Oh, and it was in the days before V-Flyer when we didn't have the tips to enable us to be able to snag UC seats at a reasonable price in the days before ex-EU fares.

So, I say, go for it! Relish every single moment as we did. You won't regret it.

Hi Daniel

I agree, UC upgrade from M to G is what I consider to be the best use of FC miles and that is what we do with ours.

Certainly longer flights will give you more bang for your buck but there is no point going on the longer flight if you would prefer the nearer destination. After all the flight is just a short (but fun) part of a trip.

Our next booking via VS will be a IAD / JFK open jaw M to G upgrade all being well. I have done JFK in PE and is was great but UC will be better still

Couldn't agree more

Hi Daniel, we fly LHR to EWR twice a year to see family, M to G. We use DTCI without a problem and we have guested to the CH.

Yes a longer flight would be good but UC is just as enjoyable for six or seven hours as for eleven!

Go for it, have a wonderful time in NYC and congratulations on the new arrival.