Upgrade using points

[Kscf]

Hi, I am heading to SYD from BNE this weekend with my wife, she is going on a work trip and I am tagging along.

We have always booked J outright but her work does not allow J and had to book Y instead. I thought I will use points/plat cert to upgrade.

When I go to my trip and click on "Points Upgrade" I see both legs are not eligible for upgrade. When I go to create a new trip, business class seats are available and on the return leg reward seats are available.

I booked "Choice" fare, is that not eligible for upgrade?? Sorry, I am still new to VA.

 

[serfty]

@Kscf , a choice fare should be upgradable. it is 'Lite' fares that are not.

 

[Kscf]

@Kscf , a choice fare should be upgradable. it is 'Lite' fares that are not.

Is it only available for upgrade if "reward seats" are available??

 

[Matty F]

Is it only available for upgrade if "reward seats" are available??

That's correct

Platinum Membership

Enjoy gold membership benefits as soon as your status credit reaches to 1000. benefits includes priority phone service, upgrademe points, advance seat selection, priority wait list and also enjoy priority check-in, virgin Australia lounge, complementary baggage allowance and rewards benefits...

experience.velocityfrequentflyer.com

"Upgrades are subject to Business Class Reward Seat availability and to the Upgrade Cancellation and Amendment Policy."

 

[AIRwin]

When I go to my trip and click on "Points Upgrade" I see both legs are not eligible for upgrade.

You may need to call:

Flight Upgrades

Avail flight experience benefits with priority service with upgrades. Use upgrademe to enjoy virgin Australia domestic or Internationale flights. Platinum member can use velocity point to get complimentary upgrade credits.

experience.velocityfrequentflyer.com

 

[Must...Fly!]

Likely because it's been booked by an agent or aggregator that you would have this problem. I would give VA a call.

I am guessing given the reference to complimentary certificate that you or wife are platinum in which case if on the same booking you both get free economy X seating. Which is as good as it gets in economy anywhere really.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Forgive me if this is a silly question but thought I'd ask: do points upgrades work similar to Qantas? In other words, if you book an upgrade eligible fare and there is business award availability your upgrade will be confirmed at time of booking.

I ask this question as I'm on the fence on who to book for a December trip to OOL from SYD. I see I can nab Choice fares with VA for $99 one-way and the prospect of using those 10,000 Virgin points I accumulated to push through an upgrade ex-OOL is quite tempting.

-RooFlyer88

 

[AIRwin]

I see I can nab Choice fares with VA for $99 one-way and the prospect of using those 10,000 Virgin points I accumulated to push through an upgrade ex-OOL is quite tempting.

And good views from the OOL lounge if you haven't been...

 

[kangarooflyer88]

And good views from the OOL lounge if you haven't been...

Last time I was in OOL I was flying JQ, hoping that I could access the QF lounge there. Alas, the QF lounge was closed! That being said, I did spot the Virgin lounge which faces the apron which I suspect would lead to modestly good views.

 

[Sale]

A couple of questions about upgrades

I have a travel bank with enough $ to book and economy flight either Choice or Flex - so, if there is a J award I could definitely purchase it?

I presume it would make more sense to pay the flex fare and get the cheaper upgrade as the balance of the travel bank $ will just go into the great virgin ether? Or would I get to keep the balance for use another day?

many thanks

 

[Milefest]

A couple of questions about upgrades

I have a travel bank with enough $ to book and economy flight either Choice or Flex - so, if there is a J award I could definitely purchase it?

I presume it would make more sense to pay the flex fare and get the cheaper upgrade as the balance of the travel bank $ will just go into the great virgin ether? Or would I get to keep the balance for use another day?

many thanks

When does your travel bank balance expire?

As you mentioned, the benefit of booking a flex is that it'll reduce the amount of points required for an upgrade as well as provide the base flex fare SC and points earn rate. See here: Flight Upgrades

The downside is that flex fares are considerably more expensive than a choice fare and in many sectors a flex fare's price point gets very close to the price of a cash J fare (it might be worth saving the points in some situations).

If you do want to use Upgrademe Points on a ticket, you will want to ensure that there is award availablity. I'd recommend making a dummy booking to see whether there are any available reward seats on that route, otherwise you will be put on a waitlist and there's no gurantee the upgrade will come through.

 

[Sale]

When does your travel bank balance expire?

As you mentioned, the benefit of booking a flex is that it'll reduce the amount of points required for an upgrade as well as provide the base flex fare SC and points earn rate. See here: Flight Upgrades

The downside is that flex fares are considerably more expensive than a choice fare and in many sectors a flex fare's price point gets very close to the price of a cash J fare (it might be worth saving the points in some situations).

If you do want to use Upgrademe Points on a ticket, you will want to ensure that there is award availablity. I'd recommend making a dummy booking to see whether there are any available reward seats on that route, otherwise you will be put on a waitlist and there's no gurantee the upgrade will come through.

The Travel bank doesn't expire until next year, but this is the only flight that I can see at this stage that I will be able use it for - and I've recently used most of my points so would like to save points if at all possible