Booking using velocity points to the US

[ejbarr]

Hi All. just wondering if I could get some advise on how I should go about booking flights using my velocity points at the end of the year. I currently have enough to fly return to the US but there doesn't appear to be any classic reward flights available for the period of time we want to fly (19th/20th Dec to Jan 9th/10th), I have also tried calling velocity but didn't receive much assistance in terms of options etc... They mentioned more flights may become available between now and the end of the year and I should wait... little concerned if I wait too long though I will miss out...

My questions are?
- How many points should I expect to use for an economy/business flight return from BNE to LAX/LAX to CLT?
- Historically when does virgin usually release more reward seats to the public?
- Should I be looking at partner airlines and book using my points (Hawaiian/Delta)?

My apologies for the newbie questions but I have been collecting these points for 4 years and I don't really want to waste them finding out afterwards that I should have used them differently.

Cheers

 

[williamsf1]

Hi All. just wondering if I could get some advise on how I should go about booking flights using my velocity points at the end of the year. I currently have enough to fly return to the US but there doesn't appear to be any classic reward flights available for the period of time we want to fly (19th/20th Dec to Jan 9th/10th), I have also tried calling velocity but didn't receive much assistance in terms of options etc... They mentioned more flights may become available between now and the end of the year and I should wait... little concerned if I wait too long though I will miss out...

My questions are?
- How many points should I expect to use for an economy/business flight return from BNE to LAX/LAX to CLT?
- Historically when does virgin usually release more reward seats to the public?
- Should I be looking at partner airlines and book using my points (Hawaiian/Delta)?

My apologies for the newbie questions but I have been collecting these points for 4 years and I don't really want to waste them finding out afterwards that I should have used them differently.

Cheers

That time of year is PEAK season and VERY unlikely any reward seats will become available... The 19/20dec is a Friday/ Sat and this is always the 2 busy days of the week heading north regardless of season. I would be looking at using other options however very unlikely they would have seats in such a peak period as they would have sold out ( if any were available in first place )

Other option is if you can go earlier in that week

Questions
What class do you want ?
How many people ?
Do you have status ? if Platinum with VA you could use your family trip allowance

 

[ejbarr]

Hi thanks for your reply. Yeah we could leave a week earlier and return a week earlier but outside that we are restricted with work commitments.

Currently we do not have any status with the airline.
Premium economy - we should have enough points to fly return for myself and my partner if we can get tickets for around 70k each way

 

[williamsf1]

My questions are?
- How many points should I expect to use for an economy/business flight return from BNE to LAX/LAX to CLT? Business to LAX is 188000+ tax return and 94000 return + tax ( tax is about 140rtn)
- Historically when does virgin usually release more reward seats to the public? can vary, however peak season
- Should I be looking at partner airlines and book using my points (Hawaiian/Delta)? - Yes

 

[williamsf1]

Hi thanks for your reply. Yeah we could leave a week earlier and return a week earlier but outside that we are restricted with work commitments.

Currently we do not have any status with the airline.
Premium economy - we should have enough points to fly return for myself and my partner if we can get tickets for around 70k each way

I can see reward seats in econ class and Premium via melbourne on the 16DEC and it looks like the first date to return in JAN is 15th ( via SYD or MEL)

 

[lovestotravel]

Never expect to see many/any FF seats 15dec to 15jan