Partner airlines

Can you use miles for a reward flight with partner airlines? If so, I'm assuming this would mean a call to flying club?

yes and yes

but the experience seem to be is you phone FC with a date, they phone the airline, who then phone VS back who then phone you.

If the answer is 'no availabilty' (which it usually is) you then give VS an alternative date and the cycle then repeats itself until you get a yes.

Sounds a bit tortuous. I was just looking at the relevant page (found it eventually) and mileage quoted for business class on air new zealand is 75k...suggests probably PE to me, and not business?

[honey lamb]

Can you use miles for a reward flight with partner airlines? If so, I'm assuming this would mean a call to flying club?

Yes you can book all of them with the exception of SAS but with regard to Singapore Airlines, I believe that you can't book in any class above Economy.

Yes, you have to call Flying Club to book.

If you check with the Flying Club tab on the VS website the Airline Patners tab will show you the miles for each airline

[honey lamb]

Sounds a bit tortuous. I was just looking at the relevant page (found it eventually) and mileage quoted for business class on air new zealand is 75k...suggests probably PE to me, and not business?

No, it's Business Class

No, with ANZ the 75K miles LHR LAX is in their Business class (which of course is the same as Virgin's Upper Class)

It's not allowed to use Virgin Miles to fly ANZ PE

(and in practice, it's not allowed to use Business - look at Expert Flyer Pro for I class seats - what a surprise, there aren't any for the next 12 months....

Dissilusioned Peter

Oh dear, I'm sharing your feeling of disillusionment Peter. Miles on their own are useless, and spending them seems to be getting increasingly difficult.

Its a real pity that you can't use the miles for the ANZ business flights in practice. Their PE looks amazing and people have referred to the business class with hushed wonder in some trip reports (which I suspect they only get a glimpse of, I can't recall seeing a ANZ J trip report).

75K a bargain. I assume theres no miles for upgrades either, just a fictional chance of a Y or J seat...

Be interesting to hear from anyone who has actually managed to book anything with them. Otherwise, kind of feels misleading.

Misleading?
Surely VS wouldn't offer this as a selling point of its physically impossible to redeem.....that would be marketing spin...

At the end of the day they can offer and then blame ANZ for inability to redeem..

For those in the business... Are they allowed to offer something that's impossible to achieve ???

Can you use miles for a reward flight with partner airlines? If so, I'm assuming this would mean a call to flying club?

Yes you can book all of them with the exception of SAS but with regard to Singapore Airlines, I believe that you can't book in any class above Economy.

Yes, you have to call Flying Club to book.

If you check with the Flying Club tab on the VS website the Airline Patners tab will show you the miles for each airline

Darn, that answers a question I was thinking of today... My dear old mum is heading off to Bali on SG and I was wondering if it was possible to use some miles to treat her to an upgrade... Any idea why SG only allow redemptions for economy?

Misleading?
Surely VS wouldn't offer this as a selling point of its physically impossible to redeem.....that would be marketing spin...

At the end of the day they can offer and then blame ANZ for inability to redeem..

For those in the business... Are they allowed to offer something that's impossible to achieve ???

Much the same thoughts have gone through my head!

I'm on ANZ001 tomorrow in PE; mucho excitedo. Trip report will follow!! BTW; Crowne Plaza at Heathrow is pretty good, especially for £70 for the night via trusty Holiday Extras. Worth considering for those pre-flight nights.

I'm on ANZ001 tomorrow in PE; mucho excitedo. Trip report will follow!! BTW; Crowne Plaza at Heathrow is pretty good, especially for £70 for the night via trusty Holiday Extras. Worth considering for those pre-flight nights.

On the LHR hotel front, I recently and will be again soon, stayed with the new Hilton at T5 (it's nowhere near T5, but connected by hotel hoppa) and was amazed! It's really nice and as Diamond card holder they treated me like royalty. Upgraded and a full bottle of wine delivered to my room on the house, all that for < 100 quid a night, my next stay is at 69 a night.

Be interesting to hear from anyone who has actually managed to book anything with them. Otherwise, kind of feels misleading.

I'm sure Vegascrazy (James) booked PE from LAX to LHR on NZ using FC miles. He also managed to book something equally glam using BMI miles.

I also recall DragonLady getting NZ rewards via FC

I'm on ANZ001 tomorrow in PE; mucho excitedo. Trip report will follow!! BTW; Crowne Plaza at Heathrow is pretty good, especially for £70 for the night via trusty Holiday Extras. Worth considering for those pre-flight nights.

On the LHR hotel front, I recently and will be again soon, stayed with the new Hilton at T5 (it's nowhere near T5, but connected by hotel hoppa) and was amazed! It's really nice and as Diamond card holder they treated me like royalty. Upgraded and a full bottle of wine delivered to my room on the house, all that for < 100 quid a night, my next stay is at 69 a night.

That beats me! Although the 400 FC miles for Crowne Plaza is some consolation! Recently recommended Sofitel a T5 on the chain reputation; is it any good??

That beats me! Although the 400 FC miles for Crowne Plaza is some consolation! Recently recommended Sofitel a T5 on the chain reputation; is it any good??

I've not stayed in the Sofitel yet, I was going to on this when I head back to SF on this trip but ended up booking the Sheraton instead. I would imagine it's good though.

I also recall DragonLady getting NZ rewards via FC

Nope ! ! ! ! . Ultra flexible but no cigar ! ! ! . No availability in I class whatsoever (which is the booking class FC members need).....nothing in a 12 month period available actually v( .
DL

I'm on ANZ001 tomorrow in PE; mucho excitedo. Trip report will follow!! BTW; Crowne Plaza at Heathrow is pretty good, especially for £70 for the night via trusty Holiday Extras. Worth considering for those pre-flight nights.

On the LHR hotel front, I recently and will be again soon, stayed with the new Hilton at T5 (it's nowhere near T5, but connected by hotel hoppa) and was amazed! It's really nice and as Diamond card holder they treated me like royalty. Upgraded and a full bottle of wine delivered to my room on the house, all that for < 100 quid a night, my next stay is at 69 a night.

That beats me! Although the 400 FC miles for Crowne Plaza is some consolation! Recently recommended Sofitel a T5 on the chain reputation; is it any good??

Sounds good on the Hilton, I'm booked in there on 01/Jun. Last time I stayed at the Sofitel T5, which I have to admit was a couple of years ago, it was very nice.

[honey lamb]

Be interesting to hear from anyone who has actually managed to book anything with them. Otherwise, kind of feels misleading.

I'm sure Vegascrazy booked PE from LAX to LHR on NZ using FC miles. He also managed to book something equally glam using BMI miles.

He did fly PE on NZ but he paid for the flight. See here
I don't think you can book PE on NZ using miles

This whole thread reinforces the benefits of being in an alliance ...

This whole thread reinforces the benefits of being in an alliance ...

Absolutely..
Although big issue with VS advertising something which is unobtainable..!

This whole thread reinforces the benefits of being in an alliance ...

Absolutely..
Although big issue with VS advertising something which is unobtainable..!

Exactly.