Best way to fly J to NYC with VA points??

[Dannyism]

Hi all,

Just wondering what is the 'best' way for my partner and I to get to New York in business class using my velocity points?

We are fairly points poor, with about 420,000 at the moment. Both of us planning to cancel and renew NAB cards so lets say we have 570,000. Time of year is flexible, though June/July/August is preferable. VA platinum until August 17.

My best idea at the moment is return with Singapore (booked via krisflyer) and a stopover in London. However I can only seem to find these on waitlist for 2 ppl. I am interested in RTW also. I can't seem to find anything on the Virgin website.

Has anyone ever done this? I would love to know what points redemption method you went with. Other options I can think of include VA return to LAX and a separate LAX to NYC on Virgin America. Might cost a lot of points though....

Thanks,

Dannyism

 

[ozjuice]

Quickest way is Reward Business to LAX and it's quite cheap to fly Delta to NYC from there plus you'll pick up some good SC's and points in Delta comfort. Looking at the same thing myself next June.

 

[serfty]

Quickest way is Reward Business to LAX and it's quite cheap to fly Delta to NYC from there plus you'll pick up some good SC's and points in Delta comfort. Looking at the same thing myself next June.

I concur.

Start looking for those LAX award flight from around 10½ months out, mainly Tu, We & Th.

 

[Dannyism]

OK, thank you for the feedback.

Anyone done the Singapore Airlines option?

 

[Muppet501st]

Could go with Etihad via AUH, but the recent increase in booking fees, makes this option very unattractive.

 

[Marty_]

Agree, though Delta business class is gross unless you have a plane with a lie flat bed. Check the seat map.

 

[sausagefingers]

Agree, though Delta business class is gross unless you have a plane with a lie flat bed. Check the seat map.

I think a lot of their LAX-JFK offer lay flat beds in First on Delta?

 

[clipped_wings]

BNE - LAX would be an option for the initial outbound leg. It seems to have amazing availability when compared to SYD-LAX. Plus, you'll earn valuable SC for the extra sector and get to fly more! Just MHO.

 

[Dannyism]

Thanks again for the feedback. Seems like using points to fly VA J MEL - LAX is the unanimous verdict. I have found some flights around 10.5 months away that could work. Flights are about 100,000 pp one way

Now to get LAX - NYC it is a bit more mixed, delta economy is cheap, I found 242USD pp return. Delta J (and also Virgin America J) first is ~50,000 pp one way.

So that's 300,000 points pp return in J. So riddle me this.. Why not book Singapore Airlines? J is 215,000*1.35=290,000 pp return.

Yes it costs more in fees (quite a bit more). Also I can only find waitlist. Also it's longer flying time. But Singapore airlines are amazing. So much better than Virgins awful ground staff (and their hit and miss attendants).

Can anyone search Singapore and not find waitlist?

 

[Marty_]

Virgin's transcon FA's are not hit and miss. They're awesome.

 

[toottifruitti]

Quickest way is Reward Business to LAX and it's quite cheap to fly Delta to NYC from there plus you'll pick up some good SC's and points in Delta comfort. Looking at the same thing myself next June.

I'm thinking the same. The family's travelling June/July 2017. We looked at using our points for a Delta One flight from LAX to JFK, maybe even taking a redeye.

 

[Dannyism]

Virgin's transcon FA's are not hit and miss. They're awesome.

I flew return Y with my girlfriend in June.
On the way over. Total hit, friendly guy, amazing service.
On the way back. Total miss, old coughy lady, the worst. Specifically, I asked for a pineapple juice, she laughs and condescendingly asks 'What airline have you been flying?'. I reply 'Singapore Airlines...' Silence...

 

[Marty_]

I was really referring to the J attendants as I haven't done Y on transcon and they're most relevant to the OP's question.

I've done 3 trips and they're so good.

 

[Buzzard]

OK, thank you for the feedback.

Anyone done the Singapore Airlines option?

One AFFer I know paid his own way to Singapore then flew SQ to NYC xFRA so there are plenty of options depending on how much you want to spend in cash/points and how long you are prepared to take to get there.

 

[uiopui]

Assuming you go the Virgin Velocity points on a LAX redemption for the main transit - you could then add:

- 20,000 Krisflyer miles (~27,000 Velocity) for a one way J within US - see chart here , if you want to do an open jaw it's helpful as you could scoot back from somewhere else to LAX.

I'm not sure what the domestic J products are like with Staraliance partners. I believe United has no/low taxes but their planes?

Another option is to try and accumulate some SPG points, but a domestic J LAX - JFK isn't neccissarily the best use of these points but you may see the value in them if you need points easily and quickly.

Easy and cheap way to get SPG points - David Jones Amex

sorry for spruik see here for a good way

Basically if you and your partner signup you should be able to get at least 2 one way J flights with American Airlines (AA). As an example that I'm more familiar with - At the moment the regular sign on bonus of 30,000 Amex points gets you 15,000 SPG for $99. If you signup and refer your partner you could get 30,000 Amex each, and the referral bonus is usually 20,000 points, but 45,000 at the moment however that might expire 31st July so assume the lower sign on bonus.

Assuming normal sign on bonus you could get
You - 30,000
Partner via referral - 30,000 + 20,000
Total Amex 80,000 MR
Total SPG 40,000

SPG converts 20,000 points to 25,000 in many programs including AAdvtange

25,000 AA points conveniently is enough for a one way J redemption. If you can get their new planes you can get a half decent flight for $99!

Review: American Business Class A321 Los Angeles To New York - One Mile at a Time


Hope this helps

Let me know if you need more info on the David Jones Amex to SPG to AA etc.

 

[clipped_wings]

20,000 Krisflyer miles (~27,000 Velocity) for a one way J within US - I'm not sure what the domestic J products are like with Staraliance partners. I believe United has no/low taxes but their planes?

Could you please elaborate on this? We have enough points in Velocity, and wish to fly LAX-JFK in style, but don't know who to fly and how to swap the Velocity points into the necessary account of a Star Alliance partner. Is Virgin America and United the only US carriers that would accept Krisflyer points, and if so, do I simply create an account with Krisflyer, migrate the VFF points over and try to book a reward seat on the US carriers website?

Sorry for my confusion but I am a novice with no idea.

 

[Dannyism]

Could you please elaborate on this? We have enough points in Velocity, and wish to fly LAX-JFK in style, but don't know who to fly and how to swap the Velocity points into the necessary account of a Star Alliance partner. Is Virgin America and United the only US carriers that would accept Krisflyer points, and if so, do I simply create an account with Krisflyer, migrate the VFF points over and try to book a reward seat on the US carriers website?

Sorry for my confusion but I am a novice with no idea.

I just looked into this. Convert your points to Krisflyer, then call up kris flyer and book a business class flight on UA LAX to JFK. It costs 20,000 KF points pp one way (so 80,000*1.35 VA points for both of your return).

On that note. I think this is the best option. Fly to LAX using points on virgin, then fly to JFK using points on *A.

If I could find availability on New York (via frankfurt, not london as I said earlier) I would book that and enjoy the stopover benefit, but I simply cannot find non-waitlist availability.

 

[uiopui]

Clipped Wings,

As mentioned above, open a Singapore Airlines 'Krisflyer' account, link it to your Velocity account and then if you wish to you can transfer points from Velocity to Krisflyer. Once the points are over in Krisflyer you will have to call to book the flight but from past experience the Krisflyer call center has been pretty good to deal with.

Points don't convert on a 1:1 basis from Velocity to Krisflyer, but rather a 1.35 Velocity = 1 Krisflyer.

Coincidently I just saw a picture of United Airlines business class between LAX and JFK and it looks ok with flat bed which will be nice given its ~5 hours.

Good luck

 

[Dannyism]

Thanks for the feedback. I've booked MEL - LAX in J for my partner and I over May/June 2017. Will look at booking either Delta, Virgin America or United Airlines to get to NYC in J.

 

[kpc]

Just slightly off topic: I used a mixture of QF/AA/Lifemiles to get our party of 4 from SYD to NYC next June / July: Syd-Hkg in Qf PE, Hkg-Ewr in Cx J; Jfk-Icn in Oz F, Icn- Syd Oz J....I believe Boomy is doing it the best EK F there via Dxb, and Sq R/F back via Fra/ Sin!!....just a few other ways to skin the cat!