J class terms - explanation please?

I'm about to book my first J class fare, bit unsure what allthe terms mean - can someone decode for me?!

It sounds like I'd get a companion on the flight in a G availability in one clause. Another one sounds like Gold status for a friend, but I bet I'm wrong:

Eligible Upper Class fare class for utilisation of:
Companion - Flying Club Upper Class Mileage Redemption Companion award for 65,000 miles (double for Sydney).
Complimentary Flying Club Companion award for renewing Gold Status
Complimentary Virgin Credit Card Companion ticket award for reaching the spend threshold in the 12 month designated period. Note there must be availability in G class for the companion seat. You don't have to take the companion seat in the same class, it can be in a lower class so you could buy this qualifying revenue fare and then use 30,000 miles to get a 'companion' seat in Premium Economy.

[Neil]

Do you just want to book an UC ticket, or do you specifically want/need a J fare code because it is a LOT more than one of the lower lass fares (J fare could be say £6k whilst a Z could be £2k)

Anyway the biggest advantage of a J fare is that it is fully refundable / flexible in terms of changes and cancellations. Also, you can get a 'free' companion ticket In exchange for the correct number of miles on the same flight, but don't forget you still have to pay all the taxes. You don't get gold status for a friend, what it means is you can you the free companion voucher you get when you renew gold status with the J class ticket.

The flights/days I HAVE to travel on are J. the foundation pays, so its ok

so, still confused - how is the 'free companion ticket' 'free' if I have to spend miles and taxes? I mean I can use miles whenever I want, if there's availability, so - is this fewer miles for an UC seat, or whats the 'fee' part of the deal I'm missing?

I won;t hit renewal with this actual ticket, but will hit it this year easily.

Thanks

The 'free' is not paying the base fare.

Even on award travel you still have to pay the taxes and fees AND the VS fuel surcharge

No I understand all that, and have redeemed miles flights many, many times...

I just don't see how this J fare offer/entitlement is any different from a normal redemption.

probably being thick. usually the problem.

Not thick just confused and mixing up several different things

My reading of the section on companion reward flights

Is that you buy a J ticket ((which you have*) and you then phone and book your companion into J (assuming availability) using your 'voucher' paying just the fees and taxes.

Where it gets complicated is that sometimes (ok often!) it is cheaper to buy two Zs than one J but that might not be an issue for you

(* - am not sure if you can do this if someone else directly paid for your J - you mention a 'foundation' but wortj trying anyway?)

so just my 'voucher', no miles, required for companion in UC redemption if available? yes, but + taxes and fees, I get that bit.

am I finally understanding this right?!

(I buy the J myself and get re-imbursed, so no problem, just trying to work out if the Girly-friend can come along)

so just my 'voucher', no miles, required for companion in UC redemption if available? yes, but + taxes and fees, I get that bit.

am I finally understanding this right?!

(I buy the J myself and get re-imbursed, so no problem, just trying to work out if the Girly-friend can come along)

Yes you have got it - NO miles required just availabilty in UC (G reward bucket) AND you pay the fuel surcharge, taxes & fees etc.

Thanks - it was the 'correct number of miles' in the first reply that confused moi.

but that's easily done...

appreciate the help. doubt there's a G fare available anyways, but worth the taxes, if so, to keep her happy as Larry.

[Neil]

You can only use the voucher if you have got a voucher though. You don't get a free companion voucher for booking a J class flight. If you already have a voucher (from either renewing another year as a FC gold member, or from reaching the required spend on the VS AmEx card), then you can use it in conjunction with a J class fare (like you can with a D/W/S/Y/B/L fare code also).

If you don't have a voucher, then you can use 65k miles to get a companion fare, paying the taxes etc. A companion fare uses less miles than a straight reward fare.

Neil