Help please!

First time post so hope I do this right!

We've got over 350000 miles as a family of 4 and 3 x economy to premium upgrades. We usually fly upper class from Man to RSW but funds won't allow this year. We have to travel on 19th/20th July due to my husband's holidays. I've rung Virgin and they've quoted me two different options:

1. Man to Atlanta on 20/7 returning on 3/8 (our preferred day of travel due to school holidays) using my 3 upgrade vouchers (two of which expire in June) and 190000 miles. Cost is £1756.40. I've looked for flights from ATL to RSW but they are coming in very expensive (unless I'm not looking in the right place!)

2. Man to Orlando on 19/7 (not best day to travel for us!) until 3/8 for 260000 miles, 3 vouchers and £1756.40.

So the question is:
1. Does anyone know how to find cheap internal flights from Atlanta to RSW. Can I use miles to pay for these?
2. Are the above good deals? I rang Virgin twice and had some differing information.
3. Should we wait until next summer and see if I can grab 4 UC reward seats to RSW or Orlando?
4. If I went ahead with the Atlanta flights having found cheap internal flights then as the UC cabin currently appears empty would I be able to upgrade my miles seats to UC if any came available by ringing Virgin?

Apologies for all the questions.... we hadn't intended to go to USA this year but the reward vouchers expire in July so feel like we should use them.

Thanking you in anticipation for your advice!

1) Delta fly ATL > RSW. I just picked some random dates in March and there are multiple direct flights. Cost wise, they start at around $250 for Economy. They can be bought for miles as well 25,000+$11 for Economy and 45,000 miles for First. Which I view as a very bad mileage exchange rate, but if you want to burn miles, then it's fine. The low cash element is attractive for sure.
2) I would say the MAN > ATL deal is good as it leaves you with a good remainder of miles. The Orlando option is OK, but wouldn't be my choice.
3) You can potentially have reward seats to RSW now going via ATL or perhaps JFK likely has decent availability. I find that sometimes you have to do some heavy research and then call up Virgin and tell them more explicitly what you want.
4) If you book Premium on the ATL flight now, yes you can upgrade later to UC should they become available. You simply pay the difference in miles & taxes, which is usually minimal.

The issue with using miles for this kind of thing, is that you are hampered by your own inflexibility. Not trying to be negative towards you at all here either, i'm just pointing it out for the benefit of others reading this who look for similar solutions.

Thank you for your reply. I'm frustrated with our inflexibility too..... my husband has a fixed holiday in earlier in the year and a two week fixed holiday at the start of the school summer holiday so we have to go then as he doesn't have enough holidays to go at another time. I'm off to look at Delta flights! Thanks again.

Have you thought of buying economy classic seats and then using miles to upgrade to premium or upper if reward seats are available.
If you use your premium upgrade vouchers you won't be able to upgrade to upper at a later date.
I've just booked economy seats outbound and premium seats back and then used miles to upgrade to upper outbound and waiting to see if any upper reward seats become available for the return.

Have you thought of buying economy classic seats and then using miles to upgrade to premium or upper if reward seats are available.
If you use your premium upgrade vouchers you won't be able to upgrade to upper at a later date.
I've just booked economy seats outbound and premium seats back and then used miles to upgrade to upper outbound and waiting to see if any upper reward seats become available for the return.

This is an extremely good point that I failed to clarify in my initial reply.

Kudos vic110