The best way of spending 140,000 miles

We have saved for 6 years to jointly accumulate 140,000 miles for a family trip to new zealand (Using the designated AMEX card). I now find that I can;t use them for a PE return trip for 2. There appears to be barriers everywhere to being able to use them. I had planned to go next Feb/March. I can get a flight out but not a return one within 3 weeks, I have tried to book with miles one way, bit apparently that's not possible. I have tried to trasnfer my miles to partner airlines but again no thats not possible.

How can I best use my miles through the confusing myriad of ways of buying tickets. It all seems at best a lottery and at worst a simple scam. Thank you

I guess they'll be trying to route you via HKG? Due to Chinese New Year in February I think there's a dearth of reward seats on offer. I've read on here numerous times that reward seats on ANZ are like hen's teeth.

A scam is a tad harsh, reward seats are generally not revenue-earning for the airline so there's bound to be times when they think they'll all but fill the flight with fare-paying passengers. Some routes are therefore much harder than others.

What specific problems are you facing?

I'm sure someone much more knowledgable than me will be along soon to give you decent advice but have you looked at say Virgin to Shanghai then Shanghai to Auckland on Air New Zealand?
It may just pay to do a bit of homework with various routes.

I am sorry to hear that you're having difficulties finding seats to get the trip you had planned. It must be frustrating when you have saved up for so long.

Hopefully someone with a good knowledge of using Virgin miles to their optimum can offer some viable solutions. Now VS have ditched the Hong Kong to Sydney route, there will be some difficulties I imagine in getting to NZ using miles. Flying to Hong Kong or Shanghai would seem the most logical option, and then connect, but getting a reward seat on a partner airline is, as mentioned above, a rarity. Would flying via the States be a better option with VS and Delta options? I flew back from AUK with ANZ via Hawaii and LAX to LHR previously. It was a long, long trip but considering VS is more and more trans-Atlantic based, maybe that direction would be best?

Have you called the Flying Club and discused with them? I find the staff there are very helpful when I have called.

One thing I have learnt with collecting airmiles with all airlines is that availability is fluid and I just save and then look and see what is available and book if anything is available I would be happy with. If I have fixed destinations and dates there is undoubtedly going to be a higher risk of me being disappointed. But not everyone has flexibility.

I hope some solution can be found.

Have you tried looking at going via LAX or SFO, at least on one of the legs, that way you avoid Asia at Chinese new year. You could fly on Virgin metal to either LAX or SFO the n check for availability on ANZ from there to New Zealand.

Hi Nelly S

Booking with miles one way is possible, ask for a combo fare - one way in cash either econ, premium or upper - the other way with miles either econ or premium.

That way you only need to find availability one way with miles.

You are not supposed to be able to book an upper with miles on a combo fare but I have upgraded at the airport.

It just takes a little time and patience but a scam it ain't. I've used close to a million miles over the years but not always on the exact dates I've wanted

Good hunting

David

The key to spending miles is patience, persistence and flexibility.

Reward seats are strictly limited and get snapped up quickly. But if you can be flexible with your routes and dates and are prepared to wait, they can and do pop up at random.

Many people are disappointed when they expect reward seats to be available on every flight at all times. It doesn't work like that, on any airline.

[Nottingham Nick]

I too have used millions of VS points to book a lot of flights over the years, but I suspect that the OP is trying to use points to book on a partner airline (probably ANZ, given the destination) and the fact that one way bookings are not allowed, though it isn't made clear.

With partner bookings (especially ANZ)you need a LOT more luck, flexibility, patience and all of the other virtues previously mentioned and a few more besides.

If the OP has saved VS points with the sole intention of booking ANZ flights, then I can completely see why it would appear to be a scam.

Nick

Hi
On the aspect of one way miles trips, the rules (if you study them) DO say that Virgin Atlantic (and Virgin Australia) allow one way bookings, but ALL OTHER partners must be returns. Obviously they charge you for return, but they can't force you to use it! (I realise that this isn't a good use of points!)

Peter

We need to know a bit more information from the OP such as actual dates of proposed travel and routing.

As others have said Febriary is Chinese new year and that impacts on availability to Shangai and Hong Kong. Back end of Feb is also half-term. Easter in 2016 is at then end of March and so school holidays are also a factor.

There is more than one way to get to New Zealand giving different options that the OP might not have thought about.

Including partner airlines makes it even more tricky than normal.

I would never say collecting miles is a scam but as we all know using miles can be tricky and requires some patience and flexibility to go through the various options.

A recent post on v-Flyer implied that the Air China route to Bejing (even in the more comfortable classes) was relatively easy. So there's another way of getting closer to NZ.
And as other people have said, there's the LAX/SFO route and then V-Australia to OZ, then a relatively short hop to NZ. Does the OP have any BA miles? - if so you can use them on Qantas for the OZ-NZ leg. When I last looked at it, the route V-Australia pointa availability was viewable on line - I think through the Delta site?

Keep trying, there's always a way...

Peter

Hi Nelly S

Booking with miles one way is possible, ask for a combo fare - one way in cash either econ, premium or upper - the other way with miles either econ or premium.

That way you only need to find availability one way with miles.

You are not supposed to be able to book an upper with miles on a combo fare but I have upgraded at the airport.

It just takes a little time and patience but a scam it ain't. I've used close to a million miles over the years but not always on the exact dates I've wanted

Good hunting

David

You can combine an Upper class reward on a combi fare. The miles part of the fare can be booked in either Economy, Premium or Upper, The cash part of the fare can only be in Economy or Premium.

Lol. You know, when I was writing that I knew there was something wrong.

(Got it the wrong way round )

That's what you get when you sneak a look at the web on a busy Monday

David

A recent post on v-Flyer implied that the Air China route to Bejing (even in the more comfortable classes) was relatively easy. So there's another way of getting closer to NZ.
And as other people have said, there's the LAX/SFO route and then V-Australia to OZ, then a relatively short hop to NZ. Does the OP have any BA miles? - if so you can use them on Qantas for the OZ-NZ leg. When I last looked at it, the route V-Australia pointa availability was viewable on line - I think through the Delta site?

Keep trying, there's always a way...

Peter

Ah yes, that was me. I found that getting reward tickets with Air China (to Beijing only) in First or Business was pretty straight forward, and there were plenty of availability if you book early. At the price of 75k FC miles for First return or 63k for Business, plus taxes of c.£600, the value isn't all that bad either. Might be worth a shot.

This was the full post if of help. http://v-flyer.com/forum/index.php?f=4&t=289529&rb_v=viewtopic

Thank you all for your help. I had tried all the routes you have suggested hence my frustration. And yes you are right my use of the word scam is over the top, I was just very frustrated with the whole thing.