V-Flyer

Heya guys newbie here hoping for a bit of help!

I'm planning a trip to the US next year for my 30th, the plan is fly out to LA, 5 days there train cross country a few days in IAD, train down to MIA and fly back from there!!

I am a total Virgin convert!! My first ever flight was with them last year in Y from MAN to MCO and they are the only airline I would consider for this trip!! I'm looking at spending about £4k on the trip, and the train travel and hotels (I only do Hilton) are looking at circa £2.5-3k. My plan was to fly PE and looking at it I can get LHR-LAX and MIA-LHR for about £1-1.2k! I was looking at getting a guest list pack for access to the Clubhouse and the chauffeur to LHR.

Then I started reading this site and learned of the AMS trick!

Looking on Expedia I seem to be able to get a return AMS-LHR-LAX for £1.8k in UC so nit too much more than the flights in PE when you add on the guest list!

The problem is I cannot find any way of doing a MultiCity trip as in out to LAX and returning from MIA, the issue becomes that getting an internal in First ratchets up the whole thing too much to make it worthwhile! Is there anyway you can do this and how?

Next question is that if I do change my itinerary and go to and from LAX to do UC my intention would be to do a "stopover" in London by taking Eurostar and Thalys out to AMS and flying back the day before my flight to LA to get a little day trip in AMS. Now if I don't check a bag in on that flight from AMS to LHR will that mean that I cannot check a back on the LHR to LAX leg or would I really have to lug a massive case around Amsterdam all day?

Many thanks in advance!!!

Hi,

If I understand you correctly, the issue is the internal flight between LAX - MIA, as part of your multi destination booking on Expedia as it try's to book it in first.

The best option, is to just book the AMS-LAX, MIA-AMS on Expedia, then book your internal direct with the airline in economy picking the cheapest option.

No, you don't have to check any luggage on the AMS-LHR leg.

Welcome to V-Flyer

Have you tried clicking the 'Multiple destinations' option when searching for flights? Use the full desktop version of expedia.co.uk as the mobile and app versions are very limited for adding flight/cabin/specific airline options etc.

You do have to enter each flight leg separately but this should allow open-jaw flights, though no idea if open-jaw flights are allowed with these Euro fares?

Also, have you tried flying from DUB rather than AMS as well? There's large thread about this trick here as I found flying from DUB saved me about £400 compared to flying from AMS.

Also try BCN and BRU (about two months ago BRU was the cheapest by far).

Cheers guys will give it a go when I get home am on mobile at the moment!!

The ITA matrix is your friend here, start from many diff EU airports that you dont mind traveling from. This is possible, and easily done on BA/AA, so I can't see why it couldn't be done on VS.

ITA matrix?

Just to say just done a bit if playing and managed to get the UC price down to roughly the same as the price of PE, by a little trip to the Dmerald isle so thanks for the advice and guidance!! Looks like Cinderella will be going to the ball in style :-D

I did this in July, everything worked out really well. Planning on doing this again in November and found starting from Dublin was the best price, and you get some cheap flights from MAN-DUB. Just a thought for you.

I love it when a plan cones together

ColOrd wrote:ITA matrix?

http://matrix.itasoftware.com/

Owned now by the Google.

Here's a link to a very good site explaining how to use ITA Matrix when you first start, and then further articles explaining every last detail of Matrix.

http://hackmytrip.com/2012/09/introduct ... re-matrix/

This was really useful! Once again, thanks guys

Hi guys, just a little bump with a few more questions if I may?

So I am planning this trip to travel outbound on the 29th of September 2015, now obviously this is more than 330 days away, so I can't quite book this yet.

Looking at the same dates for THIS year, for the whole trip originating from DUB-LHR-LAX and MIA-LHR-DUB I get a price of circa £1400. Now looking at a lot of similar "off peak" (non holiday, school holidays, or high summer times) times I get similar fares varying by about £20-30 quid. Now I realise that this next question is like asking someone how long a piece of string is but.....how likely is it that a similar level fare will be released for the flights that I am wanting to take?

Now I am keeping an active countdown for that crucial 330 mark to get this booked, and this might make me sound dense as well, but do I need to wait for 330 days from outbound or from the return?

Now the next phase, when I am finally getting the fare I want for the dates I want which is going to be mid November this year, is Expedia the best site to use?

Once the E-Tickets are issued, which am I right in thinking will not be as soon as I buy the ticket online? Do you still get to manage your booking and select seats through the VS website?

Thanks in advance!!

Hi ColOrd, I don't know if price will be same next year, but can't imagine it will be much different. I'm doing SFO ex-DUB next June and my prices were around £1470 (can't give you exact figure without checking my email).

Expedia is probably the best site to use, but might be worth checking others. You will get a confirmation of your itinerary from Expedia as soon as you book with your VS reference and BA reference if you're doing the ex-DUB thingy, or within a couple of hours and you should be able to log in to MMB on the VS website. If you add your FC number when booking it will automatically be linked.

Brilliant thanks mate!!

Sound like a great trip and well done on hunting down that bargain fare!

Can I ask why you "only do Hilton"? Maybe you are an avid Hilton points collector? It's just with such a narrow choice you may miss out on some of the many fantastic independent hotels out there or even some of the other good big chain hotels. Personally I think Hyatt and Sofitel over-shadow Hiltons, but you can disagree

Saying that I am staying at The Hilton Logan Airport next month in Boston. Just because I have a morning flight and I am a lazy arse and the hotel in annexed to the terminal I fly from

ColOrd, if you've got any of the VS credit cards, it would make sense to book these flights directly with VS over the phone (even though the DUB-LHR/LHR-DUB legs will be non-VS).

You will need to manually pull your BA reference via the BA website, but that takes about 30 seconds.

It's also worth doing this with any DL flights, by the way (assuming you want VS miles and Tier Points).

There's no need to do that, using the VS Amex on Expedia, the payment is charged through VS and a portion is charged directly to Expedia, I guess their finders fee / commission. So with my booking the flights were quoted at £1477pp, and VS charged £1467pp, the other £10pp went to Expedia. And I got my bonus miles 4 per £ on my Amex.

As for hotels, if you're prepared to pay now, Expedia will offer you a fantastic deal on destination hotels because you booked flights. Flexible rates too.

Very good to know, thanks Bretty. Is that the same for all OTAs or just Expedia do you know?

I think the last time the reason I phoned up VS was because my multi-city flights (AMS/LHR/JFK::JFK/LHR/AMS) were BA/DL::DL/BA, which VS were happy to book on the phone, as the DL legs were VS codeshares (but they were turning up on Expedia as DL, as it was on DL metal). I assume if I'd paid on Expedia, it's DL who would have taken payment.

I don't know about other OTA, I only use Expedia for flights if I'm not booking direct with the carrier. I suppose yes, if you'd booked via Expedia for your DL flights it would be DL that takes the money.

I've had my Amex statement in the last few days, it looks like I've been given 2 miles £ as usual, and then when I calculate the bonus miles they gave me, which are listed separately, I've got 4 per £, so I've had 6!

Bonus (literally), Bretty!

One other thing: I'm assuming you're using the UK Expedia site?

NYLON wrote:ColOrd, if you've got any of the VS credit cards, it would make sense to book these flights directly with VS over the phone (even though the DUB-LHR/LHR-DUB legs will be non-VS).

You will need to manually pull your BA reference via the BA website, but that takes about 30 seconds.

It's also worth doing this with any DL flights, by the way (assuming you want VS miles and Tier Points).

I've not got a VA Amex but there's nothing stopping an application going in!! Won't they question why I want to book from DUB if I did it over the phone?

It's a legitimate fare, so just say you're flying from and back to relatives/friends/obligations in Dublin.

But if you don't want to speak with VS, then follow Bretty's advice and book on Expedia!