Changes to reward flight pricing

Have I missed a discussion of this already?!? Maybe I'm being stupid.

I just noticed that there are loads of changes to the pricing of reward flights. Harmonisation with the new BA/Avios pricing?

http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/en/gb/frequentflyer/spendmiles/spend_miles_table.jsp

Why doesnt this suprise me. It wont be long before one or two more increases sneak in.

I'm not particularly au fait with what the levels were before, but I can see that NY/Boston/IAD are down to 80k. I think HKG and SYD have gone up.

Not sure about the PE and Economy levels.

First time i've seen this.

Great that a few east coast destinations have seen a decrease, but more have been increased.

Perhaps VS have taken on feedback on the ease and availability of reward fares? With increased miles on the routes which are more difficult to book reward fares, we'll perhaps see more availability? One can hope.... ?|

Upgrade miles seem different too. EC to UC for LAX, 50000, it used to be 60000 (unless I've missed that change recently)

I'm not particularly au fait with what the levels were before, but I can see that NY/Boston/IAD are down to 80k. I think HKG and SYD have gone up.

I think SYD used to be 180k in UC, so yes an increase here.

NYC etc in PE -- I can't remember but it was definitely >60k. (I have a memory of it being 67.5k but perhaps I'm misremembering -- that would be a huge change.) I am pretty sure the Y fare has gone down too.

Can't remember what ORD used to be.

I too think HKG has increased.

Personally I am quite pleased as I tend to fly to America and the new fares are either the same or better.

[Darren Wheeler]

Also reflecting the value on a Miles to distance ration where BOS is the shortest and CPT the furthest

Surprised it took them so long to match BA.

Are the ones going up all the ones marked for 1 Feb 2012 increase?

HKG is going up probably because it is always full anyway.

[honey lamb]

Some years ago Aer John and I paid for UC trips to Orlando for his former child-minder and her husband using miles. It cost us 80K miles each but shortly after we had booked the level for the whole east coast of America went up to 90K for UC. This new revamping brings the NYC/BOS/IAD back to previous levels.

The other new levels I think, reflects better the distances to the various destinations especially as earning in the UK is much easier these days thanks to other options than actual flying. However I'm sure some of the increases will be unpopular with some people

So, I can't understand this move, why change the upgrade miles for example (all the changes are increases on upgrades), what purpose does it serve to FC members, and if it's related to Avios-matching, how stupid is that to have your policy dictated by your largest competitor.

FF schemes on small airlines like VS should be differentiators to help loyal passengers get rewards, not designed to match a much larger competitor. Ergo, I think the VS people managing this are stupid and taking their eye of the ball. Not a happy customer since for the way I use miles, it's largely detrimental.

HL, I think I am one in the unpopular camp!

Some are lower, such as a reward flight in UC to NYC is 10k less now I think.

VS do seem to follow BA on most things, and I can understand them lowering so if trying to compare, VS come out equal, but why put some up too to match? They might even get new business if it's lower. It's a very strange business model.

Maybe next month we'll see a new poo/brown level introduced and enhanced benefits for all.

Just saw this thread, OK I've had a a glass or two of red, but I'm scratching my head: Looking at the VS website am I right in saying that you now only need 50K miles for a round trip EC to UC upgrade LHR-LAX/SFO, whereas before it used to be 60K? So that's good news.

However PE to UC is listed as only needing 25K round trip but surely this used to be 40K, or have I had a glass too many?

If this is right I'm a tad gutted as a few months ago blew 80K miles upgrading t'other half's parents from PE to UC (40K each)for our hol next May but now it seems the same can be achieved for just 50K miles (25K each as per website)....that's a whole 30K less which is one hell of lot of miles! Having said all that I appreciate this is no different from the price of a normal ticket falling post booking so perhaps I should stop bleating and pour another glass of red!

Cheers
James

Not sure what the conditions of a reward ticket are with VS, but with BA, I rebooked with Avios and cancelled my existing reward flights, saving some miles, and just having to pay the change fee, so I felt it was worth it.

[Neil]

Not sure what the conditions of a reward ticket are with VS, but with BA, I rebooked with Avios and cancelled my existing reward flights, saving some miles, and just having to pay the change fee, so I felt it was worth it.

You can change for a fee, but if you cancel you only get 75% of miles refunded.

James, yes it does appear to be only 25k now for a W to J upgrade, although the cynic in me wonders if it might result in a higher pricing of the S/W PE fare codes, so it isn't such an attractive option.

Aren't these just the pure miles (plus taxes) miles fares?

There's nothing here about the upgrade options from revenue fares......is there?

James, yes it does appear to be only 25k now for a W to J upgrade, although the cynic in me wonders if it might result in a higher pricing of the S/W PE fare codes, so it isn't such an attractive option.

You could well be right there Neil. Either way though, given that most folk are using their miles covering more than one upgrade, a reduction from 40K to 25K is staggering IMHO! As I said, just on two ugrades this is a massive 30K miles differential which, now, would pay for a one way EC to UC upgrade ?|

It wasn't that many years ago that all of the USA destinations (including West Coast) were 80,0000 miles as pure miles redemptions (and then they were hiked to 100,000). I'm not impressed with this one iota. Pretty sneaky and all a bit underhand (one months notice v( v( ??).
DL

Good to see the amount of miles to upgrade go down. about tot ake advantage of that right now I think, more in line with what BA 'charge' now ) although you still can't get them on the cheapest PE fares like you can with BA.

Also, does the flying club pages detailing the miles needed for upgrades and to search for flights not seem to work for anyone else in Safari? Only seems to be loading about half the page

According to wayback machine, for upgrades, in 2010 it was:


And today it's

I think if you fly to the USA these changes are good, especially to east coast.
It makes upgrades more attractive than full reward fares - Y to G for 40K seems good value to me.

If this is right I'm a tad gutted as a few months ago blew 80K miles upgrading t'other half's parents from PE to UC (40K each)for our hol next May but now it seems the same can be achieved for just 50K miles (25K each as per website)....that's a whole 30K less which is one hell of lot of miles!

I've also just missed out booking PE to UC upgrade to SFO 2 weeks ago at £1618 and 40k!
The 'S' PE fare is now a little cheaper so don't think this heralds a rise in the upgradable fares.

Hi all, it's been 20k miles to upgrade PE to UC to all US destinations for quite a while, so these are hikes for e.g. The West coast.

Hi all, it's been 20k miles to upgrade PE to UC to all US destinations for quite a while, so these are hikes for e.g. The West coast.

I thought it used to be 20,000 EACH way? So 40,000 return. It could turn out its a typo and its 25,000 each way, not return as stated?

[Darren Wheeler]

Just checked back to me getting stuck in SFO last year.

A one-way PE to Upper was 12,500 miles.

Hi all, it's been 20k miles to upgrade PE to UC to all US destinations for quite a while, so these are hikes for e.g. The West coast.

Slinky, you are right with the 20K, but each way, ie. 40K return...now it is only 25K return.

Darren, bit puzzled how you got 12.5K one way last year as just 6 months ago I paid 20K per flight for PE (S) to UC (G upgrades ): ?| 12.5K right now would of course make sense based on their new web page of miles needed!