VA points BNE to LAX

[toottifruitti]

I have 217,000 velocity points and family is looking at traveling in May. I have a couple of questions.

If I go on the VA site and use the point and pay for a Bus. Class seat it shows I need 300,000+ points one way though if I go to reward seats it says I need 98,000 points. What's the go here?

If I book with points and also purchase another 3 adults seats on the same booking, do the other 3 get their points and status?
Or
Would it be better if I purchase the one with point separately to the other 3? Will we be able to select our seats 2 x 2?

 

[madmouse58]

A reward seat redemption (98k points) does not earn points etc, and have a different set of fare rules when compared to a standard business class seat booked with points (the 300k+ one).

Yes the other 3 adult seats will still get their points and status according to their fare type. Also, keep in mind that the new 77W layout is due sometime this year.

Can't comment about which one would be "better", as it depends on other circumstances and your priorities. If you were trying to minimise costs completely, but still wanted to fly J, then it would make more sense to redeem reward J and book Y for the other 3. If you are gold velocity and wanted to hit platinum, then would be better to book Y+ for 4 on the same itinerary, then upgrade all 4 of them to fly J one way, and leave Y+ on the way back (or vice versa). This would be 240SC return pp before family pooling is set up, which would be 480SC (enough to almost hit gold from red, and platinum from gold).

Even if you are silver now, and have more than 260SC, you can set up pooling and, depending on how long your trip is, hit gold when you complete your BNE-LAX leg, so you can upgrade to J from Y+ for your LAX-BNE leg.

Then, if you have the time and want to chase SC without flying Y+, then look into AirNZ, as the price is usually the same/slightly cheaper than virgin, and you get more SC.

Lots of options..

 

[toottifruitti]

Thank you for your reply, madmouse58 but how do I find reward seat 98K points

 

[BriarFlyer]

If there is no "Business Reward" column showing on your selected date(s), there are no seats available. Unfortunately. They do tend to go quickly after release, although you can be lucky and score one closer to your travel date, esp midweek.

 

[toottifruitti]

Thank you Briar1078. What timespan in future to look for these? 6months in advance or further?

 

[BriarFlyer]

Reward seats are released 330 days in advance, but there has been discussion here about the lack of availability in 2016 and the suggestion that seats may have been held back awaiting the cabin refits and uncertainty over exactly when that changeover would happen on each route. Earlier this month some J reward seats became available on various dates -- even in July, when I was searching, which surprised the hell out of me -- and so it's worth checking regularly. (If you can get the Virgin site to complete the search, that is, which it's refusing to do for me today!)

 

[Quickstatus]

I have 217,000 velocity points and family is looking at traveling in May. I have a couple of questions.

If I go on the VA site and use the point and pay for a Bus. Class seat it shows I need 300,000+ points one way though if I go to reward seats it says I need 98,000 points. What's the go here?

If I book with points and also purchase another 3 adults seats on the same booking, do the other 3 get their points and status?
Or
Would it be better if I purchase the one with point separately to the other 3? Will we be able to select our seats 2 x 2?

It will be very unusual to be able to book >1 reward (98K) seats on the same flight
You might be able to book a Bus reward seat (98K) and a prem ecom reward seat (70K) seat on the same flight.

You should only book these reward redemption seats one way and find the return seats as they become available. If you cant find a return reward redemption seat then cancel the one you got and book a return normal fare seat. A one way reward redemption seat plus a one way normal fare seat coming back is much much more expensive than a return normal fare seat.

If you are wanting to collect status credits (SC) to increase from red to silver to gold to platinum frequent flyer, you will find the cost ($) per SC to be much more economical with Delta flights First class flights in domestic USA.

My actual example:. Denver to NYC 5xFirst class return on Delta netted me 800SC for a total cost of AUD$4 per SC.

A BNE-LAX bus class seat return for one adult will cost say $6000 for 360 Sc = $17 per SC

There is a thread about this: http://www.australianfrequentflyer....ity/new-velocity-status-run-master-46199.html

Bookings can only be combined if everyone is travelling in the same fare class. So no you will not be able to combine a reward redemptions ticket with a different priced fare class on the one ticket.




If you are a bit more advanced then you can think about this:

1)Esoteric issue with one party and separate bookings
Lets assume you have 4 people in travelling party: A,B,C,D and all are travelling on the same flight.

Person A is the business reward (98K) seat BNE-LAX, and you find same for return LAX_BNE (2 separate one way tickets)
Person B is the premium reward (70K) seat BNE-LAX and you find same for return LAX-BNE (2 separate one way tickets)
Persons C,D are the economy seats return BNE-LAX-BNE (both are on the one return ticket)

Say you decide to go to NYC afer arriving in LAX.

You should ideally book LAX-NYC-LAX on 3 separate tickets - A, B, CD. (if you are not stopping over in LAX at anytime in your travel)
This is because airlines find it difficult to tag luggage to final destination if the bookings is separate then combined or vica versa. They may find it easier to put all luggage onto the one person, and then you may get queries about luggage charges from the airline you are connecting to.
Of course if you are stopping overnight in LAX both ways then book the Domestic flights as a one group booking.

This seems to be a problem with US domestic carriers.


2)Upgrademe points
If reward redemption seats are available you could purchase a flexi economy seat and upgrade with less points (this is only available if you are gold or platinum)



One of the problems of separate bookings is that as the bookings may be made at separate times the seats may not be as you wish. Howver this is not usually a problem if you suggest you wish a 2x2 arrangements. If you cant get it early on yo can retry closer to your flight or request at the checkin