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Economy to upper using miles

PostPosted: 15 Jul 2013, 22:18
by Hutchinson79
Booking London to Cancun over next few days.7/6/14 to 17/6/14. After flying upper at Christmas would love to do it again. What are the chances off upgrading using miles for 2 people? If I book upper going out and premium coming back mpm fare can I upgrade to upper on the return at a later date and what sort of money am I looking at?

Re: Economy to upper using miles

PostPosted: 16 Jul 2013, 08:04
by Neil
Hi - if you book a MPM fare, then you can only upgrade using cash or to another MPM, not just with miles You don't say how many miles you have, but MPM fares, while sometimes they offer a saving, aren't usually the best use of miles.

Availability will obviously be the issue, so it really would just be a matter of checking probably daily to see if any UC reward or MPM seats become available and grab them asap if they do.

Neil

Re: Economy to upper using miles

PostPosted: 16 Jul 2013, 18:44
by Hutchinson79
Thanks for the advice, just called flying club to book but seats still not up despite being able to book on travel republic. Bit strange I thought :0

Re: Economy to upper using miles

PostPosted: 16 Jul 2013, 18:55
by Neil
Assume Travel Republic are classed as an agent and offering the flights as part of a package or flydrive? It is right on the cusp of the 11 month period to book on the VS site direct.

Re: Economy to upper using miles

PostPosted: 16 Jul 2013, 20:36
by Hutchinson79
no package just straight forward flights. not sure why thet can sell them yet virgin cannot.

Re: Economy to upper using miles

PostPosted: 16 Jul 2013, 21:56
by honey lamb
Hutchinson79 wrote:no package just straight forward flights. not sure why thet can sell them yet virgin cannot.

Agents get an allocation that they can sell ahead of the 11 month availability on airlines. It also must remembered that airlines can only sell the outbound on the earliest date available but not the return. That too must wait till the 11 month deadline

Re: Economy to upper using miles

PostPosted: 16 Jul 2013, 21:57
by tontybear
Hutchinson79 wrote:no package just straight forward flights. not sure why thet can sell them yet virgin cannot.


They will be taking a well educated punt that VS will be operating the flight and that they will get an allocation to seats.

Remember though that tickets bought through a travel agent generally can't be upgraded in advance and will be in the cheapest non-upgradable fare buckets.