What would you do .. Not sure how's best to use miles

Hi guys

Well I am hoping to book some flights in the next week or so

We are hoping to fly around 29th sept to 10th October man-mco using our miles for UC.
I've got around 57000 mile in my FC and I'm due the 32000 for my VA black card next week (that's a month from opening date - is this right ?) and if I need to I can boost from my last flight to get upto the 100000 .. So could be a reward seat using this method or buy a flex ticket and 50000 miles for upgrades. BF has 55000 in his so his will be the upgrade option.

We are hoping to keep mounting the miles up for future trips so was thinking the upgrade options might be best as would save me some miles and I think I would still get miles from our flights ? (Not sure of this ?)

So what do you think is best ? Any advice would be great

Thanks
Lisa x

[Neil]

Cheapest option is a straight reward, but as you have said, if you want use miles for future flights, then the
upgradable economy fare would be my personal choice. Another positive for doing it that way is that you would have to buy some miles in some way to get the full 100k needed for a full reward, something not necessary doing it the other way.

Your bonus miles will be posted when your first statement is generated usually, along with any miles from spends.

Great thanks ...
Will I still get points from my spends on the black card ? I have spent around £4500 so have hit the £3000 minimum spend for the promotional bonus but I didn't think I would get any points from the actual spends ?

Lisa x

Yes, with the black card you earn 2 miles/£ on the Amex and 1 mile/£ on the Visa. And double that for any spending with VS.

I've been considering the options here of for the 250K miles I've left untouched in recent years. Previous usage of miles was with an upgradable fare, M class (and whatever it was before it was M class, L class?). Did that about 3 or 4 times.

So, I've been pricing outright buying of reward vs M upgrade route vs ex-DUB (this might not be an option, dates tend to be limited to match BA's sales ex-DUB). I've added the ex-DUB because recently on the FT BA forum people have been pointing out that reward flights have actually been bad value singly (not using the 2 for 1) vs ex-DUB fares.

So taking one example for LHR to Washington, some point next summer.

Outright = about 470 pounds taxes + 80K miles. Earn no TP's or points.

M class upgrade = 924 M class + think 150 pounds taxes extra (taken from ITA matrix) = £1074 plus 40K miles. Earns economy TP's and, I dunno, 9K miles?

ex-DUB = £1236, of course there are positioning flight issues to add to cost. Earns Upper TP's and about 15K miles?

I'd be heading towards either outright or ex-Dub myself. ex-Dub to generate the miles, occasional full reward to use them.

What has struck me which is different in recent years is that the M Class fare has gone up in price quite a lot. I remember doing JFK around 2012 and it was about 600 quid for an M, so the price rise here of the upgradable fare has kind of made it much less appealing. I remember paying a significantly higher M fare to go to Vancouver a few years ago, so its not that recent a rise. I can't get the matrix to spit out an LAX M class fare price though for comparison...

As has been said to the OP, you'll get miles on your monthly spend on the VS card as well as your bonus. Personally, whilst you're building miles I'd go for the M fare and upgrade with miles to UC.

I was trying to do this for flights to SFO next year, or even LAX or LAS, but none available so I opted for the ex-DUB which as Smid has said works out roughly the same price, if you go the M upgrade route you'll automatically get miles and tier points and if you go for an outright reward you won't, but you can do a miles boost on reward flights to get some miles.

It's whatever works best for you and your plans (and future plans) really.

Thanks guys ... Think you's are right and I will stick to the upgrades if available (pinkies crossed)
I've checked the VA site and they have rewards available most days until 4th October so fingers crossed .. I'm guessing it will probs be next week that my return dates are announced, does anyone know when's best to call ? Am I best just keep checking the website as I've noticed that reward seats show up here a week or so after flight realise date ?

Thanks
Lisa x

Keep checking on a daily basis.
If you have already seen a pattern namely rewards a week after release then on that day call up and grab them.
When I am hunting the reward seat I could be checking the site 6 times a day!
Dick D

I noticed that to dicky on the morning no availability then by the afternoon it's showing ... I'm guessing Virgin just like to keep us on our toes
Lisa x