couple of questions about upgradeable seats V reward seats

I've got a couple of questions about which way is the best to book my seats (trying to save extra cash so we can have an extra 3 nights in resort).
1) Can you book economy seats with a package deal with Thomas Cook, then use your flying club miles to upgrade to PE seats (firstly checking with VA there was availability)?

2) Are package deals always cheaper flying out of Gatwick to Barbados rather than out of Manchester?

3) If not using TC - and booking myself - Am I better booking "upgradeable" economy seats with VA then upgrading to PE using miles or just booking PE seats with our miles (I will have to purchase a few extra miles 1st doing it this way). Thinking of cost with this question.....which option will be more cost effective...

I wouldn't normally book through an agent but a friend works at Thomas Cook and she is getting me some decent prices at the moment...

sorry for all the questions - just trying to get the best deal I can.....Aren't we all

1) Can you book economy seats with a package deal with Thomas Cook, then use your flying club miles to upgrade to PE seats (firstly checking with VA there was availability)?

I don't think you can. Certainly with VH it isn't possible, so I can't see why it would be so with any other TA.

3) If not using TC - and booking myself - Am I better booking "upgradeable" economy seats with VA then upgrading to PE using miles or just booking PE seats with our miles (I will have to purchase a few extra miles 1st doing it this way). Thinking of cost with this question.....which option will be more cost effective...

It depends on the prices at the time of booking, the tax component and your future plans for miles earning. I'm sure some other V-Flyer will have a spreadsheet for this kind of thing...

VH, and I presume other TA's can usually offer good value booking direct into PE, so try pursuing that route. As stated above, usually the fare class that is used isn't upgradeable at all, except maybe on the day of travel at the ticket desk...

I bet a deal with TC would work our a lot cheaper, even paying extra for the PE seats, if your friend can get "decent prices" for you.

Give the FC a ring and ask for a quote on fares, ie best PE fare on offer, cost of cheapest upgradeable economy fare and finally a reward fare (although you can work this one out for yourself on the VS website).

Best of luck.

1 - if there are seats available you may be able to get an upgrade at the airport, but prior to that i don't think VS will touch a TA ticket - on that route i think you'd need to be very lucky to pull this off

3 - only way to find out is trial bookings, on some routes prices can vary a huge amount day to day, but i think it's a route where upgrades will be in short supply, so you might pay for an upgradeable EC fare but still end up travelling in EC, if you *really* want PE i'd just book PE

if were a choice of PE or three extra days in barbados, i'd go for EC, carry on some savoury nibbles and buy a bottle on bubbly each in flight!