Booking return trips as individually sourced sectors?

Hi all,

Having been around here for a little while has absolutely served to show me how little I know of the ins/outs of FC and booking.

So, educate me:-)

Is there much mileage (pardon the pun) in booking legs of a return trip individually using mixed redemption/payment strategies?

To give an example...

LGW-MCO rtn (again!) - I can look at K return fares, I can look at MPM returns etc etc.
What about MPM on way out, then K on return? Or, using the miles cabin upgrade options etc etc.

In many ways, this over-complicates things I guess, but obviously, if availability of U/G is patchy, you might want to (if possible) look at different strategies on each leg of the journey.

I know there are many on here that know chapter and verse on this kind of stuff, so am I barking up totally the wrong tree, or can this work sometimes?

In general, I used to expect a single journey to cost more than half of the return journey, but is this true of VS?

Obviously, my goal is to do this is economically as possible (so I can do more flights), and not "burn" my miles and/or PE upgrade rewards inefficiently.

Many thanks for any insights offered...

Hey,

First of all, MPM fares can't be used as one ways I'm afraid - nor can one sector be used as MPM and the other as a reward; the fare classes are non-combinable.

With regards to one way fares being higher than half the cost of a return; this is, unfortunately, true - though it's across the entire industry. Were I to try and fare you a one way journey, even if you were returning on mileage, it would still fare you as a full Y, W or J. Not terribly fair I'm afraid, but is the same as BA or AA.

Your best option for maximum use of miles as a way of bringing down the fare is to purchase an upgradable ticket (Y,B, L, S or W) and use miles to bump it up. Downside is that you only earn miles for revenue booking, but, on average, you still pay less.

Best thing is to give FC a ring to discuss options - and ask to speak to a senior agent If your not getting anywhere - since we're the ones who know what we're talking about! :p

Cheers.

Thanks IGuy - that's good info for me in terms of MPM etc.

I will call FC soon to book (yet another) flight, but am the kind of person that likes to know my options/constraints before I start!!!

And yes, will remember to ask for a senior agent if I'm having no joy. On the many occasions I've spoken with FC, I've definitely found that there are many that know the system and come up with options a plenty for me, some of you guys are fantastically helpful; and then, there are those that don't!

[Neil]

iGuyHD has pretty much covered everything you asked. The biggest problem you will have is finding reward seats available on the MCO route, they seem to be very limited for a lot of next year which seems to be due to the new smaller a/c that will be operating some of the flights next year.

I went through exactly the same dilemma last year, for my LHR LAX trip, which I wanted to book in UC using mileage. I was convinced that it I waited for the return to be available on mileage (We're going for 3 weeks) then the outward would be full. So I booked as two separate bookings - and it all worked out OK. Trip report to follow at the end of April!

Hey,

First of all, MPM fares can't be used as one ways I'm afraid - nor can one sector be used as MPM and the other as a reward; the fare classes are non-combinable.

With regards to one way fares being higher than half the cost of a return; this is, unfortunately, true - though it's across the entire industry. Were I to try and fare you a one way journey, even if you were returning on mileage, it would still fare you as a full Y, W or J. Not terribly fair I'm afraid, but is the same as BA or AA.

Your best option for maximum use of miles as a way of bringing down the fare is to purchase an upgradable ticket (Y,B, L, S or W) and use miles to bump it up. Downside is that you only earn miles for revenue booking, but, on average, you still pay less.

Best thing is to give FC a ring to discuss options - and ask to speak to a senior agent If your not getting anywhere - since we're the ones who know what we're talking about! :p

Cheers.

You've forgotten to mention the new Combination Reward, in which you can use miles to travel in G, U or T class on one sector of the journey, and travel at a reduced economy revenue fare for the other sector (Y, B, L, Q, X, N, O)

You've forgotten to mention the new Combination Reward, in which you can use miles to travel in G, U or T class on one sector of the journey, and travel at a reduced economy revenue fare for the other sector (Y, B, L, Q, X, N, O)

Could someone run the detail of this one past me, please?

[Nottingham Nick]

Could someone run the detail of this one past me, please?

See this thread.

Nick

Any more news regarding how the COMBINATION flights trails started last November, is progressing, all seems to have gone quiet regarding them. Someone on here must be in the know about them. ?|

With regards to one way fares being higher than half the cost of a return; this is, unfortunately, true - though it's across the entire industry....

Keen to understand this, is this only on long haul flights?

I always book separate outwards & returns on all my domestic & European flights and, from what I can see, there's no difference at all, ie. no saving by booking a return.

I've been doing this for a couple of years, in fact it was a BA ticket agent who told me "if you'd booked them separately you wouldn't have a problem"....that was on an occasion when I needed to cancel the outbound but keep the inbound. As I'd booked a return I had to forfeit the entire return ticket.

Just looked on ba.com and a return fare from London to Athens or Glasgow is bang on identical to purchasing two singles. Same on Easyjet.

Thanks
James

[Neil]

Any more news regarding how the COMBINATION flights trails started last November, is progressing, all seems to have gone quiet regarding them. Someone on here must be in the know about them. ?|

You just need to call VS to book them now. It covers both Y and PE cabins now.

You just need to call VS to book them now. It covers both Y and PE cabins now.

Oh thats great thanks Neil. Do you know if its just the outbound you can upgrade still or have they allowed it the other way round (i.e. Y out PE back)