Advice Please on using miles

Ok, I know this will cause some rolling of eyes, I'm sure I should have been able to find the answer in a previous thread somewhere but ......

Hubby turns 50 end of next November, and he really wants to celebrate in Vegas, Anticipate that I will only have around 50,000 miles by then, so my query is how best could I use them for maximum benefit? He really fancies PE, so what would be the best way to use what little I have for maximum benefit? Is it worth buying extra miles? ?|

The best use of miles is to go from PE to UC burning 12,500 per sector per person.

Going from EC to PE usually involves buying an expensive EC fare class that sometimes isn't very far off a regular PE ticket!!

The best use of miles is to go from PE to UC burning 12,500 per sector per person.

Going from EC to PE usually involves buying an expensive EC fare class that sometimes isn't very far off a regular PE ticket!!

And to use miles to move from PE to UC requires a S or W class fare which presents exactly the same problem as described above .
DL

[Neil]

Hi and welcome to the site.

50,000 miles isn't the easiest number to work with unfortunately. As stated above, you could buy an upgradable economy fare (not just the cheapest ticket, but an L fare) and then upgrade to PE for 25k each round trip. If you really wanted to splash the cash you could buy an upgradable PE fare (S fare) and upgrade to UC for 25k each round trip.

As already pointed out though, sometimes, and especially on the Y to PE upgrade, the cost of an L fare can be as much as the cost of a lowest PE cash ticket, this is especially the case when sales are on. There isn't usually such similarity on prices when doing to PE to UC scenario.

The other obstical shall we say, is finding reward seats on flights to LAS. The premium cabins on these flights are very popular and this means the the revenue management folk at VS aren't very generous with their release of rewards. Of course, some do get released, but flexibility on your dates is key.

To help get around this issue, have you thought about flying in to SFO or LAX and doing a cheap internal flight to LAS? Many on here, including myself, tend to use this option and the cost usually is about the same, plus due to the configs of the a/c there are more premium seats thus meaning more reward seats (again though, during busy and popular periods that isn't always the case).

As you can see, it isn't going to be straight forward, but with a bit of clever planning you could really save some cash and end up flying in either PE or even UC for a very good price. If you have any more questions I am sure people will be willing to help if they can.

Thanks,
Neil

We have managed to upgrade a K(PE) to a Z(UC)a couple of times but only when VA had shown the option on the MMB page

[Neil]

We have managed to upgrade a K(PE) to a Z(UC)a couple of times but only when VA had shown the option on the MMB page

But that is just using cash I assume? The OP is talking about upgrading using miles, which would be S to G.

We have managed to upgrade a K(PE) to a Z(UC)a couple of times but only when VA had shown the option on the MMB page

But that is just using cash I assume? The OP is talking about upgrading using miles, which would be S to G.

Ah must read post correctly before I reply

We have managed to upgrade a K(PE) to a Z(UC)a couple of times but only when VA had shown the option on the MMB page

But that is just using cash I assume? The OP is talking about upgrading using miles, which would be S to G.

Upgrading from a K to a G using miles (and paying tax and surcharges) is possible... need to have a corp account though and give the folks over there a call

To the OP - as Neil suggests the way to get maximum chance to use miles is to fly ex-LHR into either SFO or LAX and then connect into LAS from there internally - VX perhaps?!?

However if your dates are flexible give the direct flight into LAS a shot, who knows you may get lucky.

If you would like to hear my ramblings I call advice, I would say, if you can afford it, buy 'S' class PE tickets into and out of SFO and upgrade to upper with your 50,000 miles. Then an internal flight from SFO to LAS can be picked up for under $100 return on some US sites.... y) y)

I looked into this a while back and found, as Neil says the better way is to go to SF then internal flight to LV, (from memory to go to LA then internal flight to LV entails going via SF anyway) did a dummy run and there is more availability (more flights to SF nowadays too) for upgrading with miles doing it that way. The flight times are good as well. Check that out, you could do an overnight in SF as well as a little surprise.

Agreed on the point of flying to either LAX or SFO, we had more luck getting reward UC seats to LAX and back - am I right in saying the aircraft configurations lend themselves to more UC seats than on LAS route? In any case, it was good to spend a few days in LA then drive to Vegas - road trip!

am I right in saying the aircraft configurations lend themselves to more UC seats than on LAS route?

Your correct, as the LGW-LAS fleet only have 14 UC suites in the nose. Ex LHR you have many more seats (34-45 depending on aircraft) which gives much better flexibility on the reward seats.

Agreed on the point of flying to either LAX or SFO, we had more luck getting reward UC seats to LAX and back - am I right in saying the aircraft configurations lend themselves to more UC seats than on LAS route? In any case, it was good to spend a few days in LA then drive to Vegas - road trip!

Amazing, want to do the drive to vegas too.... maybe some day ii)

The Gatwick fleet config is more Economy loaded than premium cabins compared to the LHR fleet - def because the demand for Eco into holiday destinations is much higher.. the UC section on the LAS route only has 14 seats at the very front - 'G' class fares there are like gold dust..

Upgrading from a K to a G using miles (and paying tax and surcharges) is possible... need to have a corp account though and give the folks over there a call

One of the good benefits of Flying Company ...

thanks guys and gals,
yeah, SFO sounds good, we went there this summer and he did say we weren't there long enough, so another 2/3 night stopover would go down well, though saying that he was excited enough to be Economy in the bubble that time
Nooooo way will I ever do an LAX journey again, twice done (both times return leg of big trips) and both times the whole plane were kept awake by the spawns of Satan, cursed be Anaheim hahahahaha!!!!

So nobody advises buying the extra miles then?

Thanks everyone and happy flying y)

[Neil]

Buying miles can work, but you would need to buy a fair chunk of miles and you really should check to see if that actually ends up saving any money in the long run, as quite often it might not.

So nobody advises buying the extra miles then?

Errr if you need them, then it could work out... I believe that there is an offer of 15% bonus at the moment.

50,000 miles is enough to upgrade the 2 of you from PE to UC into SFO and back again. If you are looking for a bump from Eco to UC then you will need 100,000 miles total for the two of you. You can only buy 30,000 miles a year, leaving you a little short. I still think buying an 'S' PE fare and then upgrading from there is the best and cheapest bet for 2 UC returns from SFO.

Enjoy 8D

hmmmm food for thought, the different fare classes confuses the heck out of me, right now cheapest PE is just over £940 pp for the same period this year .... so perhaps my best option may be to buy flights straight up for this trip and continue to save the miles for the next one ....
blimey life was so much easier when I just let the travel agent book us into cattle class!! hahaha

I'd get yourself to SFO and then take a Southwest hop to LAS. Virgin America also do that route.

[Neil]

hmmmm food for thought, the different fare classes confuses the heck out of me, right now cheapest PE is just over £940 pp for the same period this year .... so perhaps my best option may be to buy flights straight up for this trip and continue to save the miles for the next one ....
blimey life was so much easier when I just let the travel agent book us into cattle class!! hahaha

Yes, fare codes can be confusing, and thankfully there are some very clever people who use these boards who can help if you ever need it.

To make it simple, it is best to call VS and get prices, for upgrading from economy with miles you need to ask for a L fare and to upgrade from PE you need an S fare. There needs to be reward seats available also.

£940pp is quite a good PE fare to be honest, and as mentioned in the first reply, you might find an L fare not that much cheaper, but it doesn't harm to check all the options first.

.. thankfully there are some very clever people who use these boards

Auww thanks Neil...

the LA/vegas drive is great fun. I did it years ago (Vegas to LA though). Miles throught the desert to be suddenly greeted by a 'checkpoint' type place at the NV/CA 'border' and being asked ' do you have any potatos !!!!!!!!'

it was like the blazing saddles sketch.

apparently it was due to some pottato weevil that can destroy crops ????????????????

was still a worthwhile drive though , you can do it in 4-5 hours or with a couple of detours take in the Mojave preserve and San Bernadino forest. rent a soft top, tunr up the radio and live the dream !!!

the LA/vegas drive is great fun.

I agree. Me and the present Mrs Treelo have done this a couple of times (both ways) and, as flabound says, the Mojave preserve is well worth a visit.