Can I use Velocity points to upgrade on Etihad?

[Collie]

Hi folks,

I'm gold with Virgin, review date is end of March and currently looking like I'll be 30-40 credits short. Currently have about 300k points

I need to do a Europe trip in Feb (Per- Dub) which would qualify me but would like to go in J (without paying big $). I can buy an Etihad fare in economy at a good price (exact same flights with Virgin are $800 more expensive).

So my dilemma is; do I just book reward flights in J with Virgin (240k points & c. $1,100) and then have to do a status run or something in Jan/Feb (which I'd rather avoid)? or book the good economy fare with Etihad (c. $1300) and try to use points to upgrade?

Happy to hear of other options/solutions.

Would be happy with J to AUH and economy AUH-DUB and the same on the way back but can't see how to do this.

Thanks all,

 

[blackcat20]

You can't use VA points to upgrade on EY.

 

[scwappy]

Given you wish to keep Gold and not pay too much, I would just suck up the economy fare and travel Y. It's bearable and lounge access, and checkin benefits make it not TOO horrid. Look at paying for extra leg room seat if they are available for the long leg.
That's what I did on a recent trip and survived quite well

 

[NZflygirl]

I just flew PER-AUH on EY 787 in Y and LOVED it! Also helped it was light loadings so many people including myself had rows to themselves.

The cool thing about EY is that if you book through them you should receive an email with a price offer to bid to upgrade individual sectors which is nowhere near the full price (unless of course they're sold out in J). My email was for $784AUD to upgrade PER-AUH sector and my base fare PER-FCO return was $900 on an upgradeable fare (breaking deals fare class excluded from upgrades but you can check the fare conditions easily when booking). You can upgrade at airport check in but that was $2,500. I declined the email offer but have put in a bid to upgrade on return but after my flight over being so good I'm seriously considering cancelling it. Put your VA number in when booking as well just for ease.

This way you could potentially fly J at a much reduced cost just on the long haul legs then Y to Dublin.

 

[JessicaTam]

I just flew PER-AUH on EY 787 in Y and LOVED it! Also helped it was light loadings so many people including myself had rows to themselves.

The cool thing about EY is that if you book through them you should receive an email with a price offer to bid to upgrade individual sectors which is nowhere near the full price (unless of course they're sold out in J). My email was for $784AUD to upgrade PER-AUH sector and my base fare PER-FCO return was $900 on an upgradeable fare (breaking deals fare class excluded from upgrades but you can check the fare conditions easily when booking). You can upgrade at airport check in but that was $2,500. I declined the email offer but have put in a bid to upgrade on return but after my flight over being so good I'm seriously considering cancelling it. Put your VA number in when booking as well just for ease.

This way you could potentially fly J at a much reduced cost just on the long haul legs then Y to Dublin.

What class do the bid-for-upgade sectors earn? The originally purchased class?

 

[NZflygirl]

What class do the bid-for-upgade sectors earn? The originally purchased class?

Still economy / original class (Saver -U,V, Classic - L,Q,M,K, Flex - H,B,Y are all classes upgradeable in economy, while Breaking deals T, and E are not), but if you're accruing to EY they give you an extra 10% miles if you are accepted for your upgrade to J. I doubt that extends to VA accrual.