open jaw reward flights

Hi Gang,

Yet more planning ongoing for next years trip to the mouse

Between my wife and I we have amassed 250,000 miles and 2 y to pe vouchers.

So, what we want to do is fly 4 (2 adults and 2 kids) Glasgow to MCO in PE using the upgrade vouchers all in one go and then on the return 4 UC from atlanta to LHR. (this route as there is seems to actually be lots of availability and I'll use BA avios to get back to scotland)

Firstly, is it allowed to use the upgrade vouchers in this way?

When researching/booking the flights, it would appear that the return is way more expensive than it ought to be and in dollars, as its booking it as a USA originating flight im assuming, rather than the return of the glasgow leg. If I phone up, can this all be linked together and paid in pounds?

lastly, as the outgoing flights come out 3 weeks before the return, is it possible to phone and lock the outgoing at release and then phone back when the return is released without horrific change fees etc?

thanks

[Neil]

Are you wanting to pay cash for the return or use miles?
If cash, your issue is that for your return, you're just looking to book a one way journey, so is therefore forcing you in to the full fare code, which is going to be pricey.
With you using the vouchers for the outbound, which should be okay, although you might need to explain that to the agent, you're just booking a full economy miles ticket on the outbound (then upgraded with the PE vouchers).
There are the combi-fares but you can't use them for UC.

If miles for the return, then you just need to book a separate full miles ticket when they are available.

Thanks for the confirmation that I can double dip on the y to pe vouchers.

2nd point - full miles both ways. The issue is that if I book as separate one ways, its much more expensive in cash co-pay/fees than a return is, by about £100 a ticket.

So I dont want to do 2 one-ways, but open jaw returns, which are not possible on line.

As for normal returns, how does everyone else deal with the outbound flight getting snapped up by someone else whilst you await the return date being released?

[Neil]

Thanks for the confirmation that I can double dip on the y to pe vouchers.

2nd point - full miles both ways. The issue is that if I book as separate one ways, its much more expensive in cash co-pay/fees than a return is, by about £100 a ticket.

So I dont want to do 2 one-ways, but open jaw returns, which are not possible on line.

As for normal returns, how does everyone else deal with the outbound flight getting snapped up by someone else whilst you await the return date being released?

Okay - so yes, you can do an open jaw miles return, but it has to be done over the phone especially as you want to use your PE vouchers.

Regarding the outbound being snapped up, well that's a risk you have to take if you want to book it as a round trip and not two single leg journeys. A lot of people are in the same position ultimately. Even with the modest change fee on a miles ticket, when you x 4 pax you are suddenly paying the same if not more than the extra costs for booking two separate tickets.

THanks again. Oddly enough I found a part of the virgin website that appeared allow me to do open jaws.

If I book open jaw returns the fees are 1648. If I book one ways its £1045 out and $1700 back. at current exchange thats about 2150, so £500 dearer.

In the terms and conditions its states

Once reward tickets are issued, you may amend your travel date, route or class of service prior to travel for an amendment fee of £25 for changes to international flights originating in the UK,

Does this mean that for only £100 in change fees I can book the outbound and then 4 weeks later (yes am i not a lucky so and so?) I can phone up and add on the returns?

As for normal returns, how does everyone else deal with the outbound flight getting snapped up by someone else whilst you await the return date being released?

I have never found it to be a problem. I suspect everyone is in the same boat.
In past years I have found the reward seats for my outbound were released after the return flight opened to book and I have a month away. I would buy my Economy tickets as soon as the return date opened, then maybe a week later get my outbound upgrade and a couple of weeks after that get my return. That's for Upper, the PE was available straight away.
This year, booking for next Feb, it was all a bit quicker. I booked the flights and upgrades all in one go in April for outbound in Feb and return in March.
Dick D

open jaw can be done online. I myself have done it.
http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/en/gb/bo ... dView=true

My openjaw booking was/is (I leave on Thursday):-
OUTBOUND
Economy (booked with Miles)

INBOUND
Premium Economy (booked with Miles)

I then changed my mind & upgraded my Inbound via telephone to Upper (by miles) for no extra charge.
I then had to wait for PE reward seats to become available so that I can could use my E to PE upgrade voucher.
So now my booking is OUTBOUND Premium Economy INBOUND Upper
All paid for with miles & total taxes for adults came to about £880 - so it should be a bit cheaper than £1760 because the kids dont pay airport duty.

Phone up and book the outbound as soon as they are released, then when the return seats are released phone and book and ask for them to be merged with your existing booking. When I did this they charged me as if I had booked a return, in GBP not USD. I know of one other person on flyer talk who followed this advice and it worked for them too, see this thread
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/virgin-a ... lease.html
The only risk is if return seats don't appear, then you'll have to rethink or cancel your outbound at £30 per ticket.

Phone up and book the outbound as soon as they are released, then when the return seats are released phone and book and ask for them to be merged with your existing booking. When I did this they charged me as if I had booked a return, in GBP not USD. I know of one other person on flyer talk who followed this advice and it worked for them too, see this thread
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/virgin-a ... lease.html
The only risk is if return seats don't appear, then you'll have to rethink or cancel your outbound at £30 per ticket.

awesome. exactly what I was hoping. Is there any charge for this merging?

I did something similar with booking M class and upgrading to upper late last year, booked outbound flight before my return date was even on sale, but I spoke with VS beforehand and they agreed that if I called up within 48 hours of the return date becoming available they would allow me to change the flight without penalty. So in the meantime I just booked a random return flight then changed it once my actual return date was available

Phone up and book the outbound as soon as they are released, then when the return seats are released phone and book and ask for them to be merged with your existing booking. When I did this they charged me as if I had booked a return, in GBP not USD. I know of one other person on flyer talk who followed this advice and it worked for them too, see this thread
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/virgin-a ... lease.html
The only risk is if return seats don't appear, then you'll have to rethink or cancel your outbound at £30 per ticket.

awesome. exactly what I was hoping. Is there any charge for this merging?

No charge.