Orlando UC redemption help

HI,

Currently booked on the LGW-MCO in PE and have been keeping my eye out for UC but wasn't holding out hope as its such a small cabin, however, LHR-MIA has just come available, is it worth the hassle to switch and go via MIA? Or am I being stupid. Ahh don't know what to do? Any advice welcome!

Depends on what’s important to you

On the plus side you’d be guaranteed UC and a better Clubhouse.

On the minus side you’d have the added cost, time and hassle of getting from Miami to Orlando.

I know, I love UC but I'm probably not sure I'd go through the hassle of the extra flight etc for it, but its so tempting!

Are you planning to hire a car while there?
If the answer is yes then fly to Miami a day early if that's possible and drive up the next day. It is only about 230 miles and should be doable in three and half hours. I have driven it a couple of times.
Yes. It's worth it.
We have holidays in South Carolina and used to fly into Savanna via Atlanta, but now find it less hassle to fly into Orlando and drive up having spent the night in the Hyatt in the Airport.

Dick D

[buns]

Mrs Buns and I did the route back in February (for the same reason you are contemplating). We took the later flight out of LHR and this was a 340 and despite some of the horror stories, we got through Immigration in next to no time.

We connected to a Delta flight that evening and finally got to our hotel at about 9pm - so a long day

As Dicky has said, it is a long drive, so if that is the option, I would strongly suggest driving the next day

buns

We certainly believe it is worth it. In fact we will be doing it in 27 days time. We stay at the Miami Airport Marriott and drive up to Orlando the following morning after a good nights rest. In the end I guess you will need to decide what will be best for you. As it's a holiday, we go for the extra comfort.
Whatever you decide, enjoy it.

We have done this for our trip in May, staying at the Pullman hotel as we will be over the limit to pick the car up!

mdhayes, it is really up to you to decide what is important.

I have also done that car journey from Miami to Orlando and vowed never never again!

However if a few hours in the Clubhouse is really that important, followed by sitting in an UC seat for 9hr50mins ...then go for it.

Your journey to Miami is going to give a bit of club-lounge time + a nicer seat with a few perks (but this all over and done within a 12hour window - then you're stuck in Miami). This verses flying PE direct into Orlando which will save you lots of money, hassle and time.

Where possible, yes I would prefer to travel UC but much much more importantly to me is flying direct and also not wasting previous time with unnecessary further travel. We are flying Economy into MCO in a few weeks but at the end of the day it is just a seat in a tube of metal for 9hrs15mins. Honestly I wouldn't change my flight to Miami if they offered UC to us free. That is really the truth.

Perhaps you will join the pro-UC into Miami team or maybe you'll sit back and say to yourself 'thank goodness I was sensible and kept my PE flight into Orlando'

So I have just spent 5 minutes imagining it is me doing both scenarios. I like flying UC as much as the next person but I have concluded that on this occasion , for me, it wouldn't be an option flying into Miami. I have imagined getting off the flight, yes nice to be in UC but to be honest I really don't think PE seats are that bad, especially during a daytime flight - then I have remembered the walk from the plane to leaving the airport and all the hassle ( I really dislike MIA airport). Then sorting out the car hire, and / or hotel. Unpacking if I am staying over for just one night. Then the drive up and arriving finally, at the destination I really wanted to be at. !

We often do detours and spend a few nights to see another place on holiday. Having taken a long haul it is a chance to add more destinations . Once having been unable to secure Gs for our return flights from Cape Town a good few months in advance, far enough ahead and with a need to start booking hotels etc, we decided to return home from Dubai ( plenty of Gs available ) and threw in a few days in Mauritius en route. But to spend one night in Miami ? Extra cost for car hire for one day + fuel + hotel + time ?

Good luck with your decision. Maybe if you have never been to the Clubhouse that may swing it for you? But Virgin UC seats are only 1" wider than PE, so unless you want to lie back and sleep you are going to spend over 9 hrs not chatting (easily) to your travelling companion nor looking out of a window.

I have remembered the walk from the plane to leaving the airport and all the hassle ( I really dislike MIA airport).

That walk is a lot shorter now as they are using a different immigration & baggage hall closer to the gate VS uses. It’s certainly shorter than the walk to some of the more distant gates VS uses at LHR. And there are buggies available if you can’t or won’t walk.

We did MIA rather than MCO. On arrival, we got in an Uber to West Palm Beach. I consume too much fun stuff to drive the other side. We stayed in WPB for the evening, then went to WPB airport the following morning to pick up our hire car. I guess it depends what's important to you but at the time we had these options:

LHR or LGW: LHR (hour closer)
787 or 747: 787
UC or EC: UC
MCO or MIA: MCO

So, as you can see, UC into MIA easily won the day.

decided against the MIA flight in the end. probably too much hassle. We're in the clubrooms before hand (which not as good as the club house, isn't bad overall) and would rather go direct, after weighing it all up.

Thanks for the help!