Speculation on a pre christmas sale...

From about 2011 to 2014, around the end of November (specifically 29th November 2014) there has been a sale on with BA/VS for flights over the christmas period. Sometimes VS has done it (I remember olympics being a reason one time), other times BA, and they have often price matched each other. Sometimes it is a 2 for 1, with it being around 1K per person to West coast US, from mid December to early January...

I don't think it happened last year, though talk was of a lot of reward seats were released on BA instead.

This is just a heads up that this sort of date is coming up in the next week, and if you plan to do Christmas or New Year somewhere, be prepared...

They often do quite good ex-EU ones too, apparently someone was getting west coast ex-DUB for about £600 in 2014 on BA...

Under the current circumstances I think not! The website could not cope with the demand

In the old days, the sale used to start on Boxing Day but lately like you said it has got earlier and earlier. BA normally announce a "world sale" early December, with VS following.

I am a cynic, so I look to see how the fares are rising towards end of November so that the airlines can reduce them for the "sale" - which means the sale is exactly the price what is on offer around this time of year anyway

There's bound to be some sort of winter sale but given the fall in the value of the £ since the Brexit vote I doubt we'll see the amazing bargains we've become used to of late.

A year ago I'd have expected to pay about £1,200 for JFK return ex-DUB in business class outside a sale, and maybe £900 in a sale. Now it's nearer £1,600 outside a sale.

This sale is not the same as the boxing day, it usually covers the christmas and new year period, and with good prices. I think the theory being that those willing to pay will have booked their business class flights by now, and those flexible enough can get a great getaway for a great price...

But those prices were not really currency dependent (and were in a time of higher oil prices too). So you'd perhaps see a decent ex-LON fare, but not as good an ex-EU one. At those prices, the ex-EU would be barely worth the positioning flight...

Rob at Head For Points is suggesting BA will offer a £1008 (or two for £2016) Club World deal for Black Friday this week.

Which dates and routes it'll cover are as yet unclear though, as is whether VS will match it. BA, after all, have far more seats to fill and are more dependent than VS on business travellers who tend not to fly over Christmas.

Rob at Head For Points is suggesting BA will offer a £1008 (or two for £2016) Club World deal for Black Friday this week.

Which dates and routes it'll cover are as yet unclear though, as is whether VS will match it. BA, after all, have far more seats to fill and are more dependent than VS on business travellers who tend not to fly over Christmas.

It sounds pretty much like the same deal. It did seem to happen around end of November on odd number years for 2 for 20xx deals, but a lot of the times the fares boiled down to single fares as well. I was planning on exploiting it one year, but it was only Brasil, Vancouver and Calgary for the further afield options, and I'd just holidayed in Vancouver two months before...

I forgot about it 2014, and saw it come out when I was in Vegas, having flown PE to get there. If I'd waited on it, I could have gone three weeks later at Christmas when I actually wanted to go, and in Upper.

We'll see if it happens. I'll be in New Zealand on a Qatar fare over christmas and new year this year, so it makes no difference to me unless it covers a lot wider time.

Other interesting sales have been the late January one, which in 2015 and 2016 both had around ~£600 ex dub fares to Miami, about the only decent ex-EU sale of this year so far, but the pounds plummet will probably knock that on the head...

Ba 2 for 2016 is now live. I'm not seeing a match from VS yet though

Sorry to slightly hijack a thread. Isn't there sometimes some sort of bonus tier point offer that usually comes out around this time too? Have we had one already this year and I've totally missed it, or is anyone else anticipating one?

There was one over the summer. Book by 15 June, fly by 1 September (UC & PE only, US destinations only plus CUN).

There was a thread about it: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=292973

I don't ever recall there being more than one promotion a year but you never know.

Ba 2 for 2016 is now live.

They are enforcing the 2 people travelling rule for the £2016 deal this year, though still some decent fares for singles (£1208).

Routes are restricted to US east coast, for two weeks over Christmas, and the Middle East, for 10 days in June (during Ramadan).

Yay! A rarity, a predicted sale coming true! Well, any sale of decent value being something for celebration.

I predict a VS price match by the end of the day... Not sure if they will enforce the 2 for 1.

Can a mod edit the title to "Pre christmas sale (was speculation)" please?

Runs out Monday 28th November.

There'll be something for Black Friday ... maybe

There'll be something for Black Friday ... maybe

Think this is what's advertised on for the BA sale, it's a black friday sale.

Nowadays, it doesn't even have to be near the friday after thanksgiving, but it's close enough for this one.

just bagged a pair of lhr-nyc-lhr from 26/12 to 1/1 @ 1015 each in Z.

VS definitely have a sale on now...

Upper to NYC for £1207 , MIA for £1446, SFO for £1696....haven't checked other destinations, but I'm sure there'll be more....Dates around xmas and new year

Its on their facebook page
Our Black Friday Sale is here. Don't miss out! New York and Boston from £399RT. Visit virginatlantic.com to book. Sale ends midnight 28th Nov.

just bagged a pair of lhr-nyc-lhr from 26/12 to 1/1 @ 1015 each in Z.

I can find returns in Z at 1007 each. Cheaper than Economy. I presume this is down to ticket flexibility, but still...had I not got Gs already and were not faced with making a property investment that I wasn't expecting....