Companion flight confusion

Hi, I'm new to the forum so apologies that this has probably been asked and answered before. I am really quite confused about the companion flight offer with the VA credit card.

When it says that you must buy a 'full fare' flight, does this mean one which isn't in the sale, or does it mean that you would need to select the 'flexible' rather than 'lowest' fare option when it gives you the choices?

I've read lots about the different codes for flights, but I can't see how you see these codes before you have made a booking?

My other question about these flights is, can you book an economy flight, get the companion flight and then upgrade both to PE with miles, or would you need to book the PE fare to start with?

Many Thanks ?|

Hi and welcome!

Unfortunately the companion reward vouchers are extremely poor value. They're little more than a marketing gimmick used to get people to sign up to the cards.

The paid for ticket must be in an upgradeable fare bucket, which can cost significantly more than the lowest non-upgradeable fares quoted on the website (although normally not as much as the price it quotes if you select "flexible" - it's usually in between the two).

The upshot is once you've bought a potentially pricey ticket, paid the taxes and fees on the companion reward and established that there's reward seat availability on your chosen flight, which is by no means a given, you may well find it's cheaper and more convenient to buy two "lowest" cash fares.

As far as I know you can use miles to upgrade both, subject to reward availability in PE. Not 100% sure though - and if you can there'd be additional taxes & fees.

Best thing to do is check online to see how much two cheap Economy or PE tickets would cost, then call up and see if using the voucher would save you any money.

[Neil]

Just it clarify on the upgrading issue - you can only upgrade the paid for ticket with miles, you cannot upgrade the companion ticket.

Thanks for the replies.

Should I assume then that the 'lowest fare' option that it gives you on the internet is not upgradeable with miles to PE? I thought it was just the 'miles plus money' ones that you couldn't upgrade? Thanks

[Neil]

That is correct, the lowest fare on the internet is usually not upgradable with miles. To upgrade with miles you need a M economy fare or higher.

I think the best / only viable use of a 'free companion ticket' is getting an S class P/E ticket. This is only a couple of hundred pounds (?) more than a K, but allows the use of a Companion ticket.

Thanks guys, I'm guessing you need to call then to find out how much the M grade is!

[Neil]

Yes you would - don't forget there also has to be PE reward seats available.

I'm beginning to wonder if there is any point in Virgin Flying Club miles, they seem so difficult to redeem!

I'm beginning to wonder if there is any point in Virgin Flying Club miles, they seem so difficult to redeem!

Economy M fares to UC are worth doing y)

[Neil]

Your right, it's not simple, BUT if you are prepared to out a bit of time and effort in to it you can save thousands of pounds.

We have been able to fly UC many times thanks to flying club miles (and lots of help and tips from the members on this great site) for a fraction of the straight cash value.

Neil's right, there are real savings to be had IF you're willing to put in some effort to find them and are flexible, patient and persistent.

If you only look once for a reward seat on one specific flight, your chances aren't particularly good. But if you check back regularly and are prepared to be flexible with your dates and routes, your chances are much better.

Hi guys, thanks for this. I was wondering, with regards to 'checking back'. This March we flew VA MCR - MCO and return just before the kids school holidays started. I booked the flights as soon as they were released, and (stupidly) checked back several times, including at times of sales to see if they ever got any cheaper - they didn't, the 'lowest fare' available was always either higher than we paid, or they was no availability.

What I was wondering, was, if you wait to 'check back' do you not risk the price of the flight going up, or is it just that the low fares which don't qualify for upgrades with miles have gone?

Also - when you say Economy M to UC - is this all with miles or do you have to pay an upgrade as well?

Final question - is there any way that you can see what grade the 'lowest fare' flight is without booking? Many thanks for your help so far, it is really complicated!

Final question - is there any way that you can see what grade the 'lowest fare' flight is without booking? Many thanks for your help so far, it is really complicated!

If you are searching on ita matrix it will show you the class of fare for the result you have.

if you wait to 'check back' do you not risk the price of the flight going up?

If you wait until a reward seat becomes available before booking your ticket, yes the price of the M fare could have gone up from when you first looked - or worse, M fares have sold out and you have to pay even more for a higher fare bucket. That's the gamble.

What you can do instead is gamble that a reward seat will become available at some point and book your M fare anyway, if you're happy with the price. You can upgrade at any time thereafter if a reward seat appears - even, sometimes, at the airport on the day. The worse that can happen is you end up in the seat you originally paid for in economy.

when you say Economy M to UC - is this all with miles or do you have to pay an upgrade as well?

When upgrading with miles to UC you pay the M economy fare and associated taxes & fees, the miles to upgrade PLUS some additional taxes & fees for UC.

Until a month or so back you could price up M fares on the VS website. Sadly you can't now, so you'll have to phone up unless you know how to use the ITA Matrix mentioned above.

Is there any way that you can see what grade the 'lowest fare' flight is without booking?

That's easy - just do a dummy booking on the VS website (ie go through the motions but don't actually book!) - then on the page where it gives you flight options & prices click on View Fare Breakdown.

Thanks guys, tried the 'fare breakdown' bit, got that. No idea where or what the matrix is, I just see 'lowest' and 'flexible' fares?

Thanks guys, tried the 'fare breakdown' bit, got that. No idea where or what the matrix is, I just see 'lowest' and 'flexible' fares?

The ITA Matrix is nothing to do with Virgin, it's a bit of software you can download to find fares on many airlines around the world.

Useful for very frequent fliers but learning how to use it is probably more hassle than it's worth for the occasional traveller.

Cheers! I probably don't need any more distractions from work either!

Thanks guys, tried the 'fare breakdown' bit, got that. No idea where or what the matrix is, I just see 'lowest' and 'flexible' fares?

When you hunt for flights, make sure you use this search field and not the one on the "front page". It's cunningly hidden.
Then ensure you pick the correct fare code and class.
2 stage approach: example buying Economy and using miles to Upgrade to UC:

1. find the "reward seats" by doing a dumbing booking on "Spend Miles" for the cabin you want to sit in- i.e. UC - this highlights "seats" which you can upgrade into..Make note of exact flight. You can do this from the front page on the VS website.
This process makes it look like you are trying to book an all out reward seat in UC and likely tell you "you haven't enough miles" etc etc. Ignore all this- its the availability you are interested in.
2. find out the cost of the lowest M fare in Economy via the link above. NB make sure its exactly the same flight.

Then add a bit/lot for the extra fuel surcharge / tax for premium cabin and if all line up. Get on the phone.

Hope this helps. Yes can be very frustrating, but it is possible, we like many others have used to good advantage although the fuel surcharges are consistently devaluing.

Good luck.
NH

When you hunt for flights, make sure you use this search field and not the one on the "front page". It's cunningly hidden.

And, sadly, hasn't worked for the past month or so.

It appears to work, as when you request an M fare it gives you a fare. But if you click on "view fare breakdown" you'll see the fare it quotes isn't actually an M. Whenever I've checked it's been an X, which isn't upgradeable.

Whether this is a fault or deliberate has been the topic of some debate. Either way, it seems you now need to call to get an actual M fare (or any other fare that isn't the lowest or the highest).

And, sadly, hasn't worked for the past month or so.

Maybe this should be VS's new/ongoing/historic marketing tag line for their IT provision.. :w

For those who use the ITA Matrix to search and don't know how to specify fare codes, you click on 'advanced routing codes' when you've put in your departure and arrival airports and then use this code in each field:

/f bc= followed by the fare code you're searching for. E.g. /f bc=m for M fares in EC, /f bc= s for S fares in PE and so on.

For those who use the ITA Matrix

/f bc= followed by the fare code you're searching for. E.g. /f bc=m for M fares in EC, /f bc= s for S fares in PE and so on.

Bretty darling, I need a flight not a degree in quantum physics!

For those who use the ITA Matrix

/f bc= followed by the fare code you're searching for. E.g. /f bc=m for M fares in EC, /f bc= s for S fares in PE and so on.

Bretty darling, I need a flight not a degree in quantum physics!

^)

Are you intimating that I'm clever Ultreen, that I'm a brainy person? Oh thank you, thank you , thank you, I'm not generally considered smart hehe, my mum will be very happy ^) |:) ^)