Advice on redemptions

Hi,

We are planning on going east next year for our holidays for a change and were hoping virgin does keep the Hong Kong route open, but I have a few questions that I'd really appreciate some help on.

While I have 120k FC points which is enough for a straight redemption return to Hong Kong in UC, my partner only has 70k. Which is enough to upgrade E-UC one way and PE-UC return (total 65k), so i understand an upgradeable PE ticket is much more expensive than a E would I be better buying the miles needed? or using miles booster from our last flight flown (Lon-Las return) Or any other suggestions for getting the additional 20k miles (already both got amex gold, virgin white and I've got the black). Would getting the black for my OH make better sense? Or does anyone need an amex gold recommendation?

any suggestions advice would be greatly appreciated.

Mark

[Neil]

Sounds like you've pretty much covered most of the ways to get miles.
Ultimately you need to work out what the fare difference is between Econ and PE and then see if it makes more sense to buy miles. If you can grab a H PE fare that could still work out cheaper overall.
If buying does work out cheaper then there are often bonus offers on buying / boosting miles, so it's defiantly worth looking out for those. You could do the whole recommend your partner for a black AmEx, but that obviously carries the £140 annual fee so that needs to be factored in.
Another option is if you have more than enough miles or would require less miles to buy, you could always use some miles from your account for one of the sector upgrades.
Neil

You haven't mentioned dates/time scales.
Do you have an upcoming holiday with Virgin?
I ask because they were doing a very special offer in the CH if you sign up for the Virgin Black card you got a bonus which I think was about 30,000 miles.
Don't know if the offer is still going but it was quite recently. I think it got a mention on a recent trip report.
Dick D

Don't know how to insert a link but the poster was Stuart_f on VS063 6th June and it was 32000 in the clubhouse for black.

HI,

we're looking for next June/July and we are fully flexible so I'm hoping for G availability (there always appears to be loads on the HKG route). I signed up in the club house for my black card and it was 32k which got me to my 120k but don't know if I can retrospectively do one for OH.

HI,

we're looking for next June/July and we are fully flexible so I'm hoping for G availability (there always appears to be loads on the HKG route). I signed up in the club house for my black card and it was 32k which got me to my 120k but don't know if I can retrospectively do one for OH.

As I understand it they are only offering 32k for the black card when you sign up in the Club House. Hence wondering if you were going that way this year.
Dick D