Booking Complimentary Fare Upgrades for Platinum Velocity members

[tuapekastar]

Quick question to save a phone call.both mrsdrron and I have a complimentary upgrade each expiring 15/8.Neither plat now.Can we use it before that date for a flight afterwards.
Flying back from SYD and the flexi fare is only $20 more than the cheapest and as yet no one in J.It is in september.

I plan to do just that, expiry date 28/8, flying date ~6/9 (subject to availability). I'm quite sure it is OK to do.

 

[drron]

Thanks to all.

 

[jpk]

With the Sabre change, does anyone know the fare code one needs now to use comp upgrade certs? Or a way of guesstimating availability using EF. Thanks in advance...

 

[serfty]

For Business it seemedto be Z (award class) but there was an anecdote that was not the case.

For me, this year, the upgrades I have travelled on all had Z class on the BPs.

 

[MichaelD]

All upgrades (Pay + Points, Pay + Complimentary) book into Z, which Expert Flyer doesn't show for Virgin.

In my experience, if Expert Flyer is showing J7 then there are at least 3 upgrade seats available.

 

[cgoh]

All upgrades (Pay + Points, Pay + Complimentary) book into Z, which Expert Flyer doesn't show for Virgin.

In my experience, if Expert Flyer is showing J7 then there are at least 3 upgrade seats available.

Just give virgin a call and ask about upgrade availability. I did that and the consultant was able to tell me which flight was available, and stayed on the phone until I completed my booking on the website. Then it takes roughly 2 mins for her to upgrade my ticket.

 

[moa999]

Just try booking a normal reward, if you can book J you should be able to get the upgrade.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

All upgrades (Pay + Points, Pay + Complimentary) book into Z,

Wasn't there at least one ancecdote that in-lounge upgrades booked into J?

 

[Jama]

All of mine have been into Z regardless of points or complimentary or done in the lounge or calling ahead of time. No difference.

 

[dovey35]

Are you able to upgrade a 2 for 1 American Express booking? Using platinum upgrades?

 

[straitman]

Are you able to upgrade a 2 for 1 American Express booking? Using platinum upgrades?

i don't believe so but it never hurts to ask. (The original fare bucket would be the problem)

 

[dovey35]

Ok thank, will call them!

 

[smit0847]

I would like to use my 4 x comp upgrades to go MEL-PER for Easter next year (which is 7.5 months away). I would like to fly to PER either the night of Easter Thurs, or the morning of Good Friday and back on Easter Monday. I recognise this is a peak travel period so I rang VFF today to ask about availability.

They advised me there is absolutely nothing on any of the 3 days I referred to above. She said thinks the availability hasn't been loaded yet and I should call up closer to the date (she suggested 3 months out) and enquire then. She did however say that the day before Easter Thurs and the day after Easter Monday there was availability on every single flight (she seemed a little odd to me).

Needless to say, I'm confused! I need to book the Flexis before Dec 1 before I flush my Virgin Flyer card down the toilet but only want to book them if I can use my comp upgrades (Im willing to use points to upgrade on 1 of the legs if absolutely necessary, but if there is no comp upgrade availability does that mean there is also no points upgrade availability?).

Am I too early, or too late? Given its A330 routes is there usually loads of availability?

 

[pythonisman]

I would like to use my 4 x comp upgrades to go MEL-PER for Easter next year (which is 7.5 months away). I would like to fly to PER either the night of Easter Thurs, or the morning of Good Friday and back on Easter Monday. I recognise this is a peak travel period so I rang VFF today to ask about availability.

They advised me there is absolutely nothing on any of the 3 days I referred to above. She said thinks the availability hasn't been loaded yet and I should call up closer to the date (she suggested 3 months out) and enquire then. She did however say that the day before Easter Thurs and the day after Easter Monday there was availability on every single flight (she seemed a little odd to me).

Needless to say, I'm confused! I need to book the Flexis before Dec 1 before I flush my Virgin Flyer card down the toilet but only want to book them if I can use my comp upgrades (Im willing to use points to upgrade on 1 of the legs if absolutely necessary, but if there is no comp upgrade availability does that mean there is also no points upgrade availability?).

Am I too early, or too late? Given its A330 routes is there usually loads of availability?

Looking at redemption bookings - there indeed doesn't look like there's any (0) business availability MELPER on Easter Thursday or Good Friday, or returning Easter Monday.
AFAIK Business Reward seats (Z) are the same pool as Comp Upgrades, or Points upgrades seats, which might mean what she said is correct?

The only thing I'd be iffy about is if there was any chance of availability appearing 3 months out, but I'm not sure if they do something funky for easter.

 

[smit0847]

Looking at redemption bookings - there indeed doesn't look like there's any (0) business availability MELPER on Easter Thursday or Good Friday, or returning Easter Monday.
AFAIK Business Reward seats (Z) are the same pool as Comp Upgrades, or Points upgrades seats, which might mean what she said is correct?

The only thing I'd be iffy about is if there was any chance of availability appearing 3 months out, but I'm not sure if they do something funky for easter.

So I'm too late?! The availability is that limited on a high capacity domestic route 7.5 months out? (Yes I know its Easter).

 

[straitman]

So I'm too late?! The availability is that limited on a high capacity domestic route 7.5 months out? (Yes I know its Easter).

Quite possibly too late just as many routes are not available 10-11 months out with many airlines. As Z availability does not show anywhere they can chop and change it at will.

I must say I am surprised though if that is the case.

Have you looked at overall business availability:?:

 

[pythonisman]

So I'm too late?! The availability is that limited on a high capacity domestic route 7.5 months out? (Yes I know its Easter).

I'm not an authoritative source, but based on my (basic and self-taught) understanding of how the award availability works, it looks potentially like it.
Not sure what your situation is, but if you were able to take an extra day either side there looks to be plenty on the Wednesday night / Tuesday before/after the dates you've mentioned.

NB I'm just using the booking engine and searching for "reward seat" flights, I don't have a view into the internal systems or expertflyer or anything like that.

 

[MichaelD]

So I'm too late?! The availability is that limited on a high capacity domestic route 7.5 months out? (Yes I know its Easter).

1. Either too late, or
2. Virgin have chosen not to offer upgrade seats on these days. I recall a similar situation last year with the PER-MEL flights on the Friday before Christmas. It was Cash or nothing to get home. Qantas was the same.

Expert Flyer shows all the MEL-PER-MEL flights over Easter as looking empty (J7 C7 D7), so I'm going with option 2 as more likely.

You can go via ADL, though - there IS availability there in both directions. Will just cost a lot more points.

 

[smit0847]

1. Either too late, or
2. Virgin have chosen not to offer upgrade seats on these days. I recall a similar situation last year with the PER-MEL flights on the Friday before Christmas. It was Cash or nothing to get home. Qantas was the same.

Expert Flyer shows all the MEL-PER-MEL flights over Easter as looking empty (J7 C7 D7), so I'm going with option 2 as more likely.

You can go via ADL, though - there IS availability there in both directions. Will just cost a lot more points.

No point - twice the amount of upgrades/points required and its a 737 product vs A330.

If it is option 2 that is extremely frustrating. I also checked MEL-CNS reward seats as a possible alternative and sure enough, exactly the same, not even any Y availability on Easter Thurs or Fri or Sat yet full availability the day before.

Should I email VFF and try and have it escalated? I can usually (eventually) get a good result that way. I know QF sometimes release additional reward seats for WP1s....

 

[MichaelD]

I also checked MEL-CNS reward seats as a possible alternative and sure enough, exactly the same, not even any Y availability on Easter Thurs or Fri or Sat yet full availability the day before.

Should I email VFF and try and have it escalated? I can usually (eventually) get a good result that way. I know QF sometimes release additional reward seats for WP1s....

That's pretty strong evidence that it's simply VA deliberately blocking Easter from redemptions (as is their business right to do so if they think they can sell all the seats). No idea if emailing VA would be successful.

Perhaps you should go the day before/return the day after which is when Virgin clearly want you to travel.