Virgin Airfares

[TiredOldFlyer]

Saving my points a a family trip next year so I will pay for a BNE-LAX trip in January.

Virgin looks OK due to flight times and direct routing. Have noticed in the last few days that
their prices have come down about $500 each way to around $6,000 return in J

What are the chances of cheaper fares to come or do you think I should book now ?

 

[drewbles]

$6k return to the USA is a very good price (considering Y+ on VA is around $3300-3500). I'd be snapping it up myself. There have been some sale fares around recently as low as $5k, but January is peak-season with our school holidays and all.

 

[Jurahn]

Thanks for putting this thread up - it's given me some food for thought. I'm planning to travel to the US in November/December next year, and checking on current business class sale fares from here in Perth for the same period this year, it's just over the $8000 mark - $2000 more than from the East Coast! In all the flight combinations available for these fares, any flights to and from Brisbane are on 737s of course as are all the listed flights to Sydney (or those I would consider anyway, as I only want to fly VA to LAX, not Delta). Has made me realise that I'd probably be better off booking my domestic and international flights separately - book LAX return from either Brisbane or Sydney and then keep an eye out for a domestic business class sale or alternatively, just travel on a flexi fare domestically (and maybe upgrade using points). I'm hoping to have hit Gold by that time, so will have lounge access domestically anyway, and I just don't think it's really worth paying out an extra $2000 for 737 business class (might reconsider if both domestic legs were on A330s!).

 

[TiredOldFlyer]

Thanks for putting this thread up - it's given me some food for thought. I'm planning to travel to the US in November/December next year, and checking on current business class sale fares from here in Perth for the same period this year, it's just over the $8000 mark - $2000 more than from the East Coast! In all the flight combinations available for these fares, any flights to and from Brisbane are on 737s of course as are all the listed flights to Sydney (or those I would consider anyway, as I only want to fly VA to LAX, not Delta). Has made me realise that I'd probably be better off booking my domestic and international flights separately - book LAX return from either Brisbane or Sydney and then keep an eye out for a domestic business class sale or alternatively, just travel on a flexi fare domestically (and maybe upgrade using points). I'm hoping to have hit Gold by that time, so will have lounge access domestically anyway, and I just don't think it's really worth paying out an extra $2000 for 737 business class (might reconsider if both domestic legs were on A330s!).

I have checked lots and can't do better at this time. Have you thought of going on a code share to Asia then on to the US. I understand there are some pretty good deals
from Perth from time to time to Asia. But as you say check all AUS departures, sometimes the difference is remarkable. You have time - I think that next year there will be sale
fares on offer.

 

[Jurahn]

Good suggestion to look at going via Asia but having done this trip once before (in PE that time), I would probably prefer to stay with Virgin as the flight times etc worked out well with our planning. This time it will be a solo trip, so looking to spoil myself a little (well, more than a little!) by doing at least the international legs in J. Would like to do the whole trip in J, but if it looks like I could save a considerable amount of money on the domestic legs if I'm not going to get the full experience of J anyway (i.e. flying in a proper J cabin ala an A330), it's something worth thinking about.

 

[lovestotravel]

$6k in J is about as good as you get!

Qantas are trying to charge $8.5k at the moment.........