Is UC on LON to CPT a waste of money/miles?

Planning a trip in late Jan 15 from MAN to CPT (Via LHR). Have done PE on this route, which was great. But as you all know , this is an overnight flight so using carefully collected miles for an upgrade from E + carefully collected ££s to enjoy first experience of UC - is it a waste of money? Maybe do it just coming back just to experience UC. ? PE going out.

also, seems no advantage in booking anything until after June 25 as seat allocations can't be made until then and would fall into the T60 rule.?

We are due some AMEX vouchers mid June but these can't fund a UC seat only PE. so the complications build up.

More or less decided to pay for E and use miles to upgrade to P or UC - just need to collect advice on flying UC overnight.

thanks GUys. my first post but loving V flyer, my morning job is to check it out before anything else.

I think it's a good use of both on an overnight route where (because of the time difference or lack of it) sleep is desirable. I'd think about UC outbound if you're just doing it one way because then you will get the Clubhouse in Heathrow.

For me a night flight UC is the best use of miles.
PE on the routes I've travelled don't recline quite enough for me to get a good sleep, but they are fine for a day flight.
My OT is considering skipping the meal and bedding down early on our flight from the states next year. Hoping for UC but none released yet.
Dick D

I agree with at240 - you get to use the LHR Clubhouse which is outstanding, then once on board you can sleep in a proper bed as well as enjoy the UC service & bar - and on such a long flight there's plenty of time for both.

On a short flight like NYC the value of UC over PE might be questionable but when you're looking at 10 hours plus I think UC is more than worth it if you've got the miles.

I would have said that now SYD is ending, the CPT route is one of the best on the VS network for an Upper Class redemption.

25 hour return trip, overnight both ways, plenty of scope for Clubhouse time. What's not to like?

Some great advice and much appreciated. I will ring FC and find out what is available and keep ringing until I can secure at least a UC going out. No set dates, so flexibility should work in our favour.

such a great forum.

I agree with others too.
Overnight flight is perfect in UC.
Use of DTCI plus CH and as has been said more than enough time to enjoy all aspects of UC even if you bed down for 4 hrs.
If you can only pick one way I would go outbound

Snora - you can easily check online to see if UC reward seats are available.

On the VS home page, use the booking engine to select your dates/route, then select Upper Class and "spend your miles" instead of "money".

If the exact dates you specified aren't available it should give you a calendar showing when they are. Ignore the price it quotes - that's for a full 100% miles redemption which you don't want. The seats come from the same bucket though.

If 'G' reward seats are available on dates and at a price you're happy with, and you're willing to book there and then, I'd suggest you don't delay as they may not hang around long and you never know if or when more will become available. Just call up, ask them to put the 'G's on hold and then book the 'M' economy fares you'll need to upgrade with.

Thanks Gumshoe! Guess I can't choose actual seats yet though as T60 rule applies. Travelling with significant other so it would at least be nice to be in close proximity also I really wouldn't want seats next to the bar if I am gonna get any sleep. If I hear corks popping I can't resist temptation!

Understand the bit about booking the Ms and paying, but putting Gs on hold? What does that entail? Can securing the upgrade not happen during the same conversation?



Cheers!

You won't be affected by T-60 as it only applies to flights departing on or before August 23.

For flights departing on or after August 24, seat requests will open on June 25. If you've already booked by then, that's when the seat map will open (so you'll have first dibs).

If you book after June 25, you'll be able to request seats at the time of booking, but of course people who booked earlier will have had first dibs.

(All assuming they don't move the goalposts again and the new system works!)

When I said put Gs on hold, I simply meant ask them to do that at the start of the call just in case you go through the process of booking your economy fare only to find they've been snapped up - which can and does happen. Gs are few and far between on many flights, and can go within minutes.

But yes, you can do it all in the same call. The golden rule of V-Flyer is see a G, snap it up!

meant to be ! secured two UC each way MAN to CPT for £2343.06 +120k FC miles ! bargain !

can we use a Lounge after landing at LHR on return leg and before catching Little Red? we have 5 hrs to kill? ^)

Well done! You won't regret it I'm sure!

Yes, on landing at LHR (as long as it's before 1.30pm when it closes) you can use VS Revivals which offers nice showers, a good breakfast and a limited spa.

If you wish to use Revivals, DO NOT follow the purple signs to Flight Connections. This is because Revivals is in T3 arrivals, landside, and Flight Connections will bypass it. Instead just pretend you're leaving the airport and clear immigration & customs as normal. Once in the arrivals hall, follow the signs to the car park lifts and head upstairs to the lounge.

When you're ready to head over to T2 for your Little Red flight, it's only a short 10 min walk via the subway and as your luggage should be checked all the way through (if both legs are on the same booking reference), you won't have to lug it between terminals.

I should say Revivals is no Clubhouse - it's fine for an hour or two but it's not designed for lengthy stays. So when you get bored there, head over to T2 as you'll be able to use the Aer Lingus lounge in departures, before your Little Red flight. However as it hasn't been built yet, no-one can tell you what it's like!

On your outbound, assuming you're flying Little Red down from MAN, you'll have access to the Escape Lounge at MAN as well, which isn't at all bad. Plus priority check in, security and boarding on both LR flights. And I trust you've allowed time to enjoy the LHR Clubhouse - undoubtedly one of the best airport lounges in the world.

Gumshoe thanks ! really helpful. we only have an hour and a bit when we arrive from MAN before leaving LHR for CPT , the other option was 8 hrs ! even I can't eat and drink for that long before a flight. but will enjoy the flight/bar etc and now counting months/weeks/days ....

I think this would be a good use of miles. I have upgraded Econ tickets to UC with miles on the LHR-JNB route before, which is similar in terms of time and length (I prefer the A346 on that route compared to the A343 they currently fly to CPT). Personally I can (and have) spent ~8hrs in the LHR CH (outbound), so might be an option to consider. From memory the lounge on the way back from CPT is not great, I think it is/was the one you can get into with Priority Pass.

Gumshoe thanks ! really helpful. we only have an hour and a bit when we arrive from MAN before leaving LHR for CPT , the other option was 8 hrs ! even I can't eat and drink for that long before a flight. but will enjoy the flight/bar etc and now counting months/weeks/days ....

My advice would be to change your flight to LHR - an hour for any connection is simply not enough. I've happily spent 8 hours in the CH . Time flies in there .
You can happily spend a few hours in the jacuzzi alone .
CPT is fab by the way ( although the lounge VS use in CPT is carp ! )
DL

I agree with DL. Change your outbound LR. Time does fly in the CH and 1 hour is not enough to do more than get a drink and maybe grab a bite from the deli and that's provided your flight gets into LHR on time. Also remember that boarding gate is supposed to close 30 minutes before take off.

[honey lamb]

Gumshoe thanks ! really helpful. we only have an hour and a bit when we arrive from MAN before leaving LHR for CPT , the other option was 8 hrs ! even I can't eat and drink for that long before a flight. but will enjoy the flight/bar etc and now counting months/weeks/days ....

That connecting time would scare the wits out of me! All it requires is a glitch earlier on in the day such as fog or a security alert to throw all the schedules out of kilter and with little opportunity for the airline to play catch-up, you could end up being stressed and even missing your flight. Given that there is only one CPT flight per day, the chances could be that you could lose a day of your trip. Last year I had a flight from Durban with an hour and a half connection. The first leg was delayed for an hour because of weather and even though we made up time, by the time we had disembarked the first flight I had been taken off my connecting flight to Dublin which was the only one to that destination. I was lucky in that this was early in the morning with plenty of flights to LHR and I was able to negotiate a flight there and from thence to my home airport of Cork but the stress during the last couple of hours of the flight is something I wouldn't wish on anybody.

OK so that was a return flight but for an outbound one I personally always book an earlier flight that the nearest connecting one to ensure that any problems with delays are minimised. My advice would be along with the others and take the earlier flight. |:)

Change your outbound. Have 8 hours in the clubhouse. You won't regret it.

Gumshoe thanks ! really helpful. we only have an hour and a bit when we arrive from MAN before leaving LHR for CPT , the other option was 8 hrs ! even I can't eat and drink for that long before a flight. but will enjoy the flight/bar etc and now counting months/weeks/days ....

That connecting time would scare the wits out of me! All it requires is a glitch earlier on in the day such as fog or a security alert to throw all the schedules out of kilter and with little opportunity for the airline to play catch-up, you could end up being stressed and even missing your flight. Given that there is only one CPT flight per day, the chances could be that you could lose a day of your trip. Last year I had a flight from Durban with an hour and a half connection. The first leg was delayed for an hour because of weather and even though we made up time, by the time we had disembarked the first flight I had been taken off my connecting flight to Dublin which was the only one to that destination. I was lucky in that this was early in the morning with plenty of flights to LHR and I was able to negotiate a flight there and from thence to my home airport of Cork but the stress during the last couple of hours of the flight is something I wouldn't wish on anybody.

OK so that was a return flight but for an outbound one I personally always book an earlier flight that the nearest connecting one to ensure that any problems with delays are minimised. My advice would be along with the others and take the earlier flight. |:)

ok so I know I am making a clear rookie mistake here, but I Did contact FC and try to alter my MAN to LHR flight to an earlier one giving us 8 hrs in CH. but..... I would have to cancel my original booking and potentially put my Gs at risk. When I said one hr in the CH I meant I hour. I actually have 2 hrs between Little Red and LHR to CPT. not ideal I know and like Kids, we learn by our mistakes.My significant 'other half' is so chuffed by me actually securing Gs both ways for circa £1150 each that he is promising me longer time in the CH in the future by us flying UC somewhere else. I don't need a haircut/massage/internet access this time around and i can drink Champagne pretty quickly (plenty of practice) so 1 hr it will be. love this Forum guys. so now, June 25th... which seats to book ? hmmmmm

Well they say good things come to those who wait. We had an email yesterday saying our LR from LHR to MAN was now the 16.45 not the planned 14.50. as we get in from CPT at 09.05 I was not happy to wait 8 hrs. So rang today, and they could see no reason why we can't catch the earlier 12.25. I'm not sure why we weren't given that one to begin with?

So I took the opportunity to ask if our outbound flights LR from MAN to LHR could be changed from 18.25 to 14.15? " Consider it done Madam" ! The 14.15 wasn't an option when I was booking the flights it was the 10.30 which gave us the over 8 hrs in CH .

Getting the 14.15 now means about 5 hrs in the CH, which sounds perfect. y)

So thanks Vflyers for telling me all the reasons why a short time in LHR CH was such a bad idea ! now ...... what to do with 5 hrs.....

I could easily spend my entire vacation in the LHR Clubhouse so maybe even 5 hours will not be enough time?

Glad you got the flights that suit you. Enjoy your trip.

That's great news! Have a wonderful trip