V-Flyer

We're flying to New York for work in Upper thanks to some great business class sale fares earlier in the year. However, I was a bit sad as I realised we didn't have anything trips booked at all after that.

This week that has all been rectified! Thanks to the slew of reward availability released on the new MAN > SFO route next year, we get to travel to our usual July work conference in California in Upper. We booked full miles redemptions for this in order to keep costs low (it's an expensive trip for us, especially looking at the price of hotels in SF for our three night stay at the end of the trip). I initially booked the flights as two one ways to secure availability, but needn't have done so as the availability is still plentiful. I did end up paying too much in taxes as a result, but have since consolidated it onto one booking at no extra cost thanks to a very helpful FC helpline agent, and am now awaiting a refund for the remaining taxes.

Then today I just booked a holiday for my OH's 40th in January. We're finally getting to spend a week in Hong Kong! Alas, our expenditure on the SFO flights means our miles accounts are wiped clean (I have 266 left... *sob*), but there were some very good PE fares combined with a great hotel deal on Expedia, so we booked it as a package deal through them.

I just have another flight to California in March to coordinate, but for now, that can wait. I think I am currently excited enough about our current upcoming adventures None of it would be possible without the existence of v-flyer.

In my haste, I forgot that we're flying to Tokyo with SAS in business in November thanks to another great sale (we're crediting the miles and TP to VS). I think I might actually officially class as "spoiled" when it comes to travelling if I can momentarily forget a ten day trip to a different continent. Sorry

great news! I booked my reqRDS AS 2X single fares as well but the FC agent said i couldn't get the extra taxes back unless I cancelled and rebooked (providing the Gs went back to availability). I decided not to risk it.

Yes, that was also a worry of mine. The FC agent was very helpful. In the end, I am not quite sure how it worked out, but we have been ticketed and I received a message saying that the refund had been actioned and I would be receiving it within their two week time frame, so I'm hoping it's OK! I booked both legs separately and it was only after hanging up the phone after paying in full for the inbound that I realised it had cost me about £400 more. So I called back and spoke to a different agent, who basically refunded me for the outbound ticket and rebooked the whole trip under the same PNR for the inbound. There was plenty of reward availability so it didn't seem to be a problem, and we weren't charged the £30 change fees either (she checked with a supervisor and they said it was fine to waive it, even though it wasn't a date change). So anyway, now all is good as long as I receive my refund ;)

I hope you have a fantastic flight, I think even booked as two one ways it really is a remarkable deal. I only risked the rebooking because award availability was plentiful on our dates, so I totally understand your reasoning.

sounds like you got a good agent and sounds like a great trip. San Fran is my favourite US city. Have fun!

Enjoy your trips. The reward availability to and from Manchester to San Francisco has been fantastic for next summer. I was presently surprised to bag 5 Gs coming home SFO-MAN to go with our 5 to JFK from LHR on the way out.
Just hope the LHR Clubhouse is open next summer as the kids are unlikely to get the experience again anytime soon

I don't understand the extra taxes for two single journeys. I recall reading a thread some time ago where doing it this way they actually paid less. Unless I totally misread it.

I know when I did my return booking for next year they said it couldn't be combined, so well done on getting that.
Enjoy all of your upcoming trips.

Dick D

when I booked my return they offered me the option to pay in pounds thankfully so i could use my Virgin back for the bonus miles. I think the extra taxes were around £40 so wasn't worth cancelling and rebooking.

mdhayes wrote:when I booked my return they offered me the option to pay in pounds thankfully so i could use my Virgin back for the bonus miles. I think the extra taxes were around £40 so wasn't worth cancelling and rebooking.

Maybe they would have offered me the same, but at 5.30 in the morning the only words I really heard were, "yes we can do two Upper Class reward seats," From that point I was already on cloud 9.
It's a lesson learned for next time. Thanks for the tip.

Dick D