Flight reward specifics...

Couple of questions for those more knowledgeable than I;

1) When the Virgin card terms talk about 'spending 5,000 in a year' is that year the year that runs from when I received the card? I'm assuming it is.

2) It says (for a black card) 'spend 5,000 GBP in a year and you'll receive a Premium Economy reward upgrade on an Economy redemption booking', and it then goes on to say 'spend 7,500 GBP in a year and enjoy a complimentary companion reward flight' - My question is do I have to spend 5K to get the first reward, and then ANOTHER 7,500 to get the second or do I have to just have to spend another 2,500 to take it to the 'running total' of 7,500 in the one year (based on the answer to my first question above)?

Many thanks,

Viz.

[Neil]

1) Yes, it is your account year, from when the card account is first opened.

2) You get your PE upgrade on 5k spend, and then on 7.5k spend you get your companion reward, it is NOT another 7.5k on top of the 5k you have already spent.

Neil

3) they are mostly pointless and when you come to use them you'll realise there are usually cheaper options available.

quote:Originally posted by locutus
3) they are mostly pointless and when you come to use them you'll realise there are usually cheaper options available.


Can't say I agree on that point, if you can find availability (moot point I know) they can come in very useful, particularly when there are reward seat sales in economy. We used x 2 reward upgardes for LGW - MCO when the reward sale was at 25k miles netting x 2 PE seats for the cost of taxes and 50k miles.

Also - as far as I recall, if you spend another 5k (10k in total) you get allocated a second reward upgrade.

Definitely agree ref the companion reward, they seems a waste of time.

A

quote:Originally posted by phantomtwin
quote:Originally posted by locutus
3) they are mostly pointless and when you come to use them you'll realise there are usually cheaper options available.


Can't say I agree on that point, if you can find availability (moot point I know) they can come in very useful, particularly when there are reward seat sales in economy. We used x 2 reward upgardes for LGW - MCO when the reward sale was at 25k miles netting x 2 PE seats for the cost of taxes and 50k miles.



Ditto for me - worked out a treat at 25k miles to Orlando in PE !!

[oo][oo][^]

Also - as far as I recall, if you spend another 5k (10k in total) you get allocated a second reward upgrade.

Definitely agree ref the companion reward, they seems a waste of time.

A

quote:Originally posted by locutus
3) they are mostly pointless and when you come to use them you'll realise there are usually cheaper options available.


Not entirely pointless, as I managed to purchase, and then upgrade 2 miles Y tickets to PE (using vouchers), for LHR-LAX-LHR for a the total princely sum of 270 GBP earlier this year. Seemed pretty good to to get 2 PE to LAX for that price, but who knows...

Viz.

[Neil]

quote:Originally posted by vizbiz
quote:Originally posted by locutus
3) they are mostly pointless and when you come to use them you'll realise there are usually cheaper options available.


Not entirely pointless, as I managed to purchase, and then upgrade 2 miles Y tickets to PE (using vouchers), for LHR-LAX-LHR for a the total princely sum of 270 GBP earlier this year. Seemed pretty good to to get 2 PE to LAX for that price, but who knows...

Viz.


The Y-PE upgrade vouchers can give an excellent saving if used correctly like you did.

The companion voucher can be less worthwhile, and certainly harder to make a saving with. To use them in UC, the ticket bought with cash must be bought in J class, which is way more than 2 Z's would cost. The best way seem to be when buying a S class PE ticket, and using it with that, as this can be quite a saving over 2 K fares.

Well that's ironic. A few days after posting the question and getting the answers, VA have moved the goalposts and in their latest postal ad for the card it now says 5K (for a black card) to get the first reward but then another 5K to get the second....[V]

[Neil]

quote:Originally posted by vizbiz
Well that's ironic. A few days after posting the question and getting the answers, VA have moved the goalposts and in their latest postal ad for the card it now says 5K (for a black card) to get the first reward but then another 5K to get the second....[V]


Are you sure that isn't just on the PE upgrade vouchers? It has always been 5k for the 1st PE upgrade voucher and then another voucher once you have spent another 5k?

So you get:
5k spend - PE upgrade voucher
7.5k spend - companion voucher
10k spend - 2nd PE upgrade voucher

This is total spend, not on top of the previous amounts already spent.

Neil

You could be right; the leaflet actually makes no mention of companion voucher awards - it's as if they've been withdrawn - it's just referring to PE upgrades vouchers.[?]

[Neil]

On this page on the VS site about the Black CC it still states the 7.5k spend for the companion voucher so it looks like it is still something that is offered.

Neil

Yep. Agree with that.