V-Flyer

We've planning to fly return to the US in September, and were trying to plan it now, but its not very clear of the costs.

We bought (and I gifted to the other half) miles to get the 40K upgrade from PE to UC.

Now what? I've got my dates I'd like to fly, but will I be able to secure an upgrade this far in advance? How can I check that the upgrade will go ahead before I book my tickets?

Also, I'm unclear of the costs, I know the taxes/costs are to paid, but are those the difference between the taxes/costs I already paid (PE) and the taxes I should pay (UC)? Hoping its not all the taxes/costs again.

And one last thing, I assume the answer is no, the 30K limit of bought miles (in case I decided to go and push through to get a Econ-UC upgrade), does that include someone gifting those miles, ie: can I buy my miles (30K max) and then gift my spouse the max (19K?), can she then do the same for her, buy her 30K miles and gift me 19K? The 15% bonus at moment is lovely...

Thanks,

Welcome to the site and welcome to the world of trying to use miles for upgrades.

Unfortunately there is no guarantee that you will be able to use miles to upgrade. Even if there are UC seats available it doesn't mean you will be able to use miles to upgrade to them. The amount of G fare UC reward seats are strictly limited. The way to check if there are any miles seats available is to do a dummy miles booking on the VS site, this will let you know if seats are available, or to give VS a call.

Once you have done that, if there are some available you can then give VS a call and put a 24 hour hold on them, which will enable you to book your minimum S class PE fare (or L class economy fare) which will allow you to upgrade.

Yes - it is the difference in tax between the PE taxes you have paid plus any additional taxes for UC.

Yes, you can buy 30k each and receive 19k each as a gift. Do check though that it is working out as a cost efficient way to upgrade, as obviously you are spending a lot on the miles. There have been reports of some excellent Miles Plus Money fares to the West Coast, which *might* work out cheaper overall.

Thanks,
Neil

Actually you can receive up to 30k each if you gift them to each other. You can also gift 30k to as many people as you wish each year plus right now there is a 15% bonus so you actually get 34500

Trube with miles plus money is that you do not get miles credit for the flight nor the TP so very limited advantage.

If I were you I'd get on the website and locate some Upper Class availability first. You do this by making a normal booking except hit 'spend miles'. Once you've found suitable dates, get on the phone to Flying Club and work out the best (most cost/miles effective) way of getting your bottom on to those seats!

Ah its all fallen down on the complete lack of availability of UC miles seats 3 months in the future. A lesson learned about planning these things well in advance...

One question though, if I booked the flights I wanted in PE, if UC was emptyish on the day, is it likely I'd have a chance to upgrade to UC at checkin using my miles?

I understand the ones who pay the big bucks need their seats available, but if they aren't flying...

As long as you buy a S or W fare of the PE ticket you can upgrade at any time there is availability right up until check-in. (it will never happen once you leave the check-in desk unless it is an opp up - despite what they may tell you they will not allow you to upgrade with miles once you go through security at LHR).

Availability changes daily and you ought to check each day for the route you want if you want to bag an UC seat. For example I have been checking LHR-HKG each day for 2 weeks and then yesterday suddenly an upgrade seat was available so I called immediately. I checked the website 1 hour later and there were no upgrade seats so you have to check constantly and don't hang around when you see one. Grab it before someone else does.
You do have to pay tax as if you have purchased the UC ticket though - watch that as it is well over GBP100

JCBR wrote:As long as you buy a S or W fare of the PE ticket you can upgrade at any time there is availability right up until check-in. (it will never happen once you leave the check-in desk unless it is an opp up - despite what they may tell you they will not allow you to upgrade with miles once you go through security at LHR).

Erm nope, done it in the Club House on many an occasion.

slinky09 wrote:

JCBR wrote:As long as you buy a S or W fare of the PE ticket you can upgrade at any time there is availability right up until check-in. (it will never happen once you leave the check-in desk unless it is an opp up - despite what they may tell you they will not allow you to upgrade with miles once you go through security at LHR).

Erm nope, done it in the Club House on many an occasion.

That is interesting. Last year I tried to change my seat in the CH and they told me that they were no longer allowed to do anything regarding the seats it had been taken away (due to a power struggle with the gate !). They could not upgrade or even move you within the same cabin.
Has that changed ? It ought to as that was bizare.

Thanks all for your help, I might be tempted by the low UC flights to other places like Boston or Miami instead...

JCBR wrote:.
You do have to pay tax as if you have purchased the UC ticket though - watch that as it is well over GBP100

The extra 'taxes' are not tax at all. APD is the same for PE and UC. What is different is the Fuel Surcharge which is more expensive in UC that PE - approx £100 return

Ok, one last question...

Upgrades from PE are only valid with W and S seats. While the W seats are close to full UC fares anyway (3100 quid to LV, say), how do you book a S seat? The website only allows lowest or flexible, but S is in between...

Are the S seats as madly priced as W seats? If so, I will have to give up the UC upgrade idea... And use my miles for Miles + Money for other classes...

On the main VS website

Flying Club >>>>> Spend Miles >>>>> Upgrade/Companion Flights

enter route / dates etc

Select 'Premium Economy Lowest' then select 'S' in the 'class' drop down menu

:O)

tontybear wrote:

JCBR wrote:.
You do have to pay tax as if you have purchased the UC ticket though - watch that as it is well over GBP100

The extra 'taxes' are not tax at all. APD is the same for PE and UC. What is different is the Fuel Surcharge which is more expensive in UC that PE - approx £100 return

Didn't realise UC used more fuel than the rest of the plane but then it does get there a bit quicker so makes sense.

JCBR wrote:
Didn't realise UC used more fuel than the rest of the plane but then it does get there a bit quicker so makes sense.

JCBR

The extra fuel used in UC comes in glass bottles and has a certain "pop" when opened. Much more of this fuel is used in UC than the rest of the plane

Cheers

Martin

More bags = more fuel and especially if Jackie or DragonLady are on board!!

Smid wrote:Thanks all for your help, I might be tempted by the low UC flights to other places like Boston or Miami instead...

There's a very nice MIA UC sale on at the moment .

slinky09 wrote:

Smid wrote:Thanks all for your help, I might be tempted by the low UC flights to other places like Boston or Miami instead...

There's a very nice MIA UC sale on at the moment .

That nice MIA fare has now gone and there's another fare sale which to my mind, isn't half as good !

honey lamb wrote:That nice MIA fare has now gone and there's another fare sale which to my mind, isn't half as good !

And the Boston + New York deals which were at £1,440 / £1,700 have all gone up. Thank heavens I booked last week.

I think it goes to show that if you see a really good deal, you just have to go for it at the time. Its easy to believe that there will be another, better deal round the corner, but that is not often the case.

Martin wrote:And the Boston + New York deals which were at £1,440 / £1,700 have all gone up. Thank heavens I booked last week.

Well they did say the sale was going to end on 26th May

honey lamb wrote:That nice MIA fare has now gone and there's another fare sale which to my mind, isn't half as good !

Definitely not! Ever so slightly cheaper than the "normal" (non-sale) fares last year... Must also be less availability, looking at the flights I booked last week, the price is nowhere near this new sale price, 3 days either side!

tontybear wrote:More bags = more fuel and especially if Jackie or DragonLady are on board!!

But Jacki and I travel light :0 :0 (not) .
DL