Just thought I'd post this as I didn't know about the possibility of doing it before last week and it might be of use to some.
I've got a trip coming up to vegas in July (I know, I know... it's gonna be HOT!
), we're flying out directly from MAN but will be travelling round a bit so got a couple of Gs back from JFK to LHR.
I wanted to get some internal flights sorted from the West coast back East so initially looked into doing this with Virgin America. Unfortunately, although they are available using my FC miles they will only do redemptions for return mileage, even if you are just flying one way. In their First Class cabin this was working out as 75,000 per person which is insane, especially for a seat which isn't even lie flat.
So I had a look in to using FC miles on DL and it's actually just as simple as redeeming on VS... with a couple of nice little bonuses!
We wanted to get an overnight flight so as to maximise our time on the trip, as of mid/late 2014 all their SFO-JFK flights have been upgraded to Business Executive cabins with proper lie-flat beds so we can save a night's hotel bill, get a bit of kip on the plane then arrive in NY semi-refreshed. We had two possible nights we could fly on (18 or 19 July), with two flights on each night, our preference being for the later 2315-0745 one.
Quick call to FC line and they found availability on both night flights on 18th for two people so we gobbled up the 2315 departure
The bonuses which I was so happy about were that a) unlike Virgin, they will do one way redemptions and b) they only charge $5.60 in tax/fees per person!
The mileage needed for a business exec seat is 45,000 miles each way, which given the fact it's a 5:40 transcontinental flight with a proper bed I think is not too bad - revenue seats with DL or JetBlue were pricing up at around £650 each. The real clincher though is that it has cost me less than a tenner for the two of us to travel like this!
Already got my eye on the new Amex Centurion lounge at SFO and will use either the new Delta Sky Club or the priority pass Wingtips lounge to shower when we land in New York. Will let you all know how it goes but I'm chuffed so far as have saved a bit more money to "invest" in Vegas!
I've got a trip coming up to vegas in July (I know, I know... it's gonna be HOT!
), we're flying out directly from MAN but will be travelling round a bit so got a couple of Gs back from JFK to LHR.I wanted to get some internal flights sorted from the West coast back East so initially looked into doing this with Virgin America. Unfortunately, although they are available using my FC miles they will only do redemptions for return mileage, even if you are just flying one way. In their First Class cabin this was working out as 75,000 per person which is insane, especially for a seat which isn't even lie flat.
So I had a look in to using FC miles on DL and it's actually just as simple as redeeming on VS... with a couple of nice little bonuses!
We wanted to get an overnight flight so as to maximise our time on the trip, as of mid/late 2014 all their SFO-JFK flights have been upgraded to Business Executive cabins with proper lie-flat beds so we can save a night's hotel bill, get a bit of kip on the plane then arrive in NY semi-refreshed. We had two possible nights we could fly on (18 or 19 July), with two flights on each night, our preference being for the later 2315-0745 one.
Quick call to FC line and they found availability on both night flights on 18th for two people so we gobbled up the 2315 departure
The bonuses which I was so happy about were that a) unlike Virgin, they will do one way redemptions and b) they only charge $5.60 in tax/fees per person!
The mileage needed for a business exec seat is 45,000 miles each way, which given the fact it's a 5:40 transcontinental flight with a proper bed I think is not too bad - revenue seats with DL or JetBlue were pricing up at around £650 each. The real clincher though is that it has cost me less than a tenner for the two of us to travel like this!
Already got my eye on the new Amex Centurion lounge at SFO and will use either the new Delta Sky Club or the priority pass Wingtips lounge to shower when we land in New York. Will let you all know how it goes but I'm chuffed so far as have saved a bit more money to "invest" in Vegas!
