Help with booking - reward flights / cash upgrade

Hello,

Previously I have booked my reward flights using just miles. I have badged a couple of return UC flights with no problem.

I currently have approx 120,000 miles, and the following copied and pasted from my account:

09 Feb 2015 VAA Credit Card Econ>Premium Reward Upgrade 0 0
09 Feb 2015 VAA Credit Card Econ>Premium Reward Upgrade 0 0
06 Aug 2014 VAA Credit Card Companion Flight Qualification 0 0

Over the next few months, I would like to book 2x return adult flights and 1 infant (either 11 months or 12 months at time of outbound flight) for late April 2016 going to either MIA or preferably MCO from LON or preferably DUB.

What is the best way I can go about booking for as high a class as possible? There is no way I will reach 200k miles in time to book.

Thanks for any help,
Steven

Well if you want to be in UC you can forget about any of those vouchers I'm afraid. The Y-PE upgrade can't be upgraded further and the companion voucher only works if the paid for fare is upgradable which in UC will be very expensive.

If you're happy being in PE then the upgrade vouchers are worth using, particularly if there's a reward seat sale on as you'd spend even fewer miles for the economy reward seats.

If you've set your heart on UC then I would buy 'M' class economy return fares (from DUB if it's significantly cheaper) then use miles to upgrade them to UC but that's subject to there being UC reward availability which to MCO in particular is often scarce. You'd need to call VS.

There are those who poo hoo buying early, but it has been my experience that it is a good way to bag Upper Class reward seats to MCO.
Last year was a different booking system and it was a few weeks from date of release of the tickets before Upper rewards became available.
This year, i.e. booking for next year, I got in there on the day my return journey was released.
Sunday seems to be a good day for the return Upper reward seats and I was able to buy economy and upgrade two seats to Upper for £1800 including taxes.
That is from LGW to MCO
Dick D

Thank you for the replies. I think I'll have to settle for PE. Now to my next question. How do I know I am getting a Y Economy ticket? Presumably I can only buy direct from VA?

Sorry, when I said Y I was just referring to the general airline abbreviation for economy.

You don't want a Y, that's the most expensive (and flexible) economy ticket.

If you want to use your Econ-PE upgrade vouchers there just needs to be reward availability in PE (which you can ascertain online once your flights go on sale) and, if there is, call VS.

Fantastic - thank you for your help! Really appreciated!

You'll see from my account statement, that I earned the reward on 09 Feb 15. Does that mean I have to fly before 09 Feb 16, or just have it booked before then?

Thanks, Steve

Does that mean I have to fly before 09 Feb 16, or just have it booked before then?

You have to book before 9 Feb '16, (i.e. travel before something like 9 January '17).

One other thing: each Economy-to-PE upgrade voucher can be split up and used separately. Each leg of the voucher doesn't need to be used on the same return trip.

For example if there's only PE availability on your outbound, and your dates are fixed, and you're forced to return in Economy, you won't lose that return leg of the upgrade voucher. It will be saved on your account for potential use on a future sector.

Thank you. Does this:

09 Feb 2015 VAA Credit Card Econ>Premium Reward Upgrade 0 0
09 Feb 2015 VAA Credit Card Econ>Premium Reward Upgrade 0 0

mean I have 2x return upgrades (i.e. a return for 2 people)?

I presume, adding an infant on a knee won't be an issue?

Thanks again, for all the help.

Thank you. Does this:

09 Feb 2015 VAA Credit Card Econ>Premium Reward Upgrade 0 0
09 Feb 2015 VAA Credit Card Econ>Premium Reward Upgrade 0 0

mean I have 2x return upgrades (i.e. a return for 2 people)?

I presume, adding an infant on a knee won't be an issue?

Thanks again, for all the help.

Yep, that's two returns. Not sure about the infant though, there may be a nominal cash/miles charge.

How old is the infant?

If < 2 then yes can travel on your lap. If >2 then needs a seat of their own.

IIRC the fare is 10% of the adult miles. Cash fare something similar 10% of the cash fare.

Thank you for all the help!

Really appreciate it