Newbie here!Virgin Atlantic Rewards/Companion Flights

Hi there, newbie here looking for a little help if poss please!

We are busy accruing Virgin flying club miles from our VAA Credit Card (White), hoping for a family (2 adults, 2 children under 5) holiday to Orlando next year. Currently we have 61006 miles, and have now noticed that we have on the statement :

VAA Credit Card Companion Flight Qualification
VAA Credit Card Econ>Premium Reward Upgrade

How do we successfully use this to achieve the best price? (It expires June 2013). When is the best time to book (should we wait for a reward seat sale, would it need to be an Economy or Premium Reward Seat Sale, and are we able to use these credits then?). We are leisure flyers, and usually fly economy, although have the premium reward upgrade above - which would be nice!

Any tips much appreciated, thanks

Hello and Welcome.

The PE Upgrade reward applies to only 1 pax and is subject to rewards availability in PE. Remember, just because there might be revenue seats available on the day you want to fly, it doesn't mean that rewards seats are available.

With 61006 miles, you will have enough miles to do this. A rewards flight sale EC ticket can be used as a base ticket for a PE upgrade using the PE Upgrade award.

Unfortunately, nobody can really predict when a reward sale might happen.

You will also need to be flexible on your travel dates or, in the case of going to Orlando, VERY flexible, as it is a very popular revenue route, rewards might not be available in peak season.

The expiry of your upgrade reward means that it must be redeemed by then.

It is valid for travel beyond the expiry date as long as the booking is made before it expires (e.g book on 29th. June 2013, travel on 14th April 2012).

If the rest of the family want to fly PE with you, then they will have to purchase a discounted revenue ticket or use a miles plus money fare.

The MpM fares usually don't give good value in my opinion,and, sometimes, a discounted fare can be cheaper without using miles!.

If you have dates in mind, call VS reservations and see what can be done...you never know!

Others will probably be along to add to this, but my 2 cents worth should get you started.

Good luck

Paul

Welcome to V-Flyer.

The Companion flight has to be used with a 'full fare' ticket in the same cabin as the user of the voucher. This means it's often cheaper to buy two discounted tickets.

The Premium upgrade is used by effectively giving you a Premium Economy seat for Economy miles. If you're using it for a family of 4, this would only be applicable to 1 of the party. The other would have to buy tickets by other means.

Also, Orlando reward seats can be very difficult and nigh-on like hens teeth in the school holidays.

Thanks so much for the really helpful replies, that makes things a lot clearer. We will carry out accruing the miles and see where that takes us if a reward sale comes up.

Great site!

Just another quick question while I think about it! i)

If my husband were to transfer 45,000 miles from his account (I'm guessing there's a transfer fee here) to my account and I use that for a reward flight, could he perhaps then book his flight as a full-fare paying passenger and use his companion flight reward for one of the children's flights? (can a child's flight be a companion flight?). Subject to availability of flights etc....?

Just a thought, not sure how feasible!

Thanks,

...perhaps strike that idea! I have just noted the fees involved, £15 transaction fee, £465 transfer of 30,000 miles (max to transfer) £240 purchase of the remaining 15,000 miles for a 45,000 reward flight, nevermind it was a nice idea while it lasted...!

The companion voucher can only be used in conjunction with a paid for flexible ticket. For premium economy, this would be an S class ticket or above. Have a look for the price on the VS website - might be more than 2xK class tickets, might be less (but remember to take into account the fees/taxes on the companion ticket).

You can make bookings using miles from seperate FC accounts - as long as the amount used from an individual account covers a whole flight sector - e.g. if a return flight was 25K miles, you could use 12.5K from each account.

Personally, I would use miles bookings for the children's tickets (since you don't receive miles/tier points on reward bookings - and children wouldn't be able to claim them anyway), and then if necessary, pay for the adult fares.

Always remember you will be stung for tax on any reward seat, oh and another surcharge which Virgin themselves apply a very hefty fuel surcharge ( which is far more than the Tax element you hear so much about in the press).
Always factor this cost into the overall cost comparisons you may be doing..

well with todays sale its changed a bit !!

you could book the 2 adults for 2x 22500 miles plus 'fees' and then pay for the 2 kids

doing a dummy booking for may next year paying for 4 tickets as per normal = £3866
paying for 2 adults via miles and upgrades and 2 kids full will be around £2400
BUT you have to book by AUG 15th

you would still have 20000 miles and could possibly buy some more and do a split rev/miles ticket for one of the kids but I dont think it saves much.

lastly the full fare+ companion - forget it. One full fare is more than 2 discounts so absolutely no benefit