Rewards Seats - Points with Companion Voucher (Best Use)

I am looking to book flights for 2 x Adults MAN-BGI (29th Mar - 05th April) and there are reward seats Economy outbound and Premium Inbound.

As I understand it I could book the two flights using 55,000 points, then upgrade the outbound leg from Economy to Premium with the companion voucher? Or does there also have to be reward seats on the outbound in Premium in order to do this?

Just wondering what the best use of the voucher and points would be (55,000 points), ideally I would like to fly Premium both ways but may have to settle for Economy with an paid upgrade to Economy Delight on the outbound.

Any suggestions appreciated as first time using the points or voucher ;)

Unfortuantly there does need to be reward availability to use the voucher, so you can use it on the inbound leg but not the outbound.

If my maths is right, you can do the flight you have listed for 40,000 points and the voucher, going outbound in Economy and inbound in Premium.

It will probably take a phone call but I'm fairly sure you cannot upgrade a reward Economy seat to Delight, so if flying Classic is an issue for you then this plan doesn't really work.

I can see Upper availability for the outbound flight, so if you have a few more miles (or are willing to buy them) then you can do Upper out, Premium in for 70,000 miles and the voucher.

Do you have a companion or upgrade voucher?

Good question/spot, I overlooked that and it may fundamentally change my response.

Yes it is a companion voucher and not a reward voucher.

As I am red tier I think the upper class outbound means I have to purchase this at a cost of 50% points for the companion and pay the taxes?

Everything below is for 2 pax.

Economy Classic out / Premium in
27,500 miles + companion voucher + £655.16
If the premium outbound became available, you'd be able to upgrade both of you for an additional 7,500 miles +£279.00

Economy Classic out / Premium in
55,000 miles + £655.16
If the premium outbound became available, you'd be able to upgrade both of you for an additional 15,000 miles +£279.00

Economy Classic out / Premium in
companion voucher + £1600.66

Upper out / Premium in
132,500 miles + companion voucher + £1070.16

Upper out / Premium in
companion voucher + £3107.16 (I'm unsure if this would also incur a 57,500 mileage cost)

Considering you're a red member, I'd be tempted by option 2 and save your companion voucher for when there are cheap PE seats coupled with reward avails.

There's also PE availability outbound from LHR (but not inbound) if that was of any use.

Finally, and this is probably of no use, but you could go 25/03 - 31/03, MAN-BGI in PE both ways for £1516.16 and the companion voucher with no miles.

Do you have a companion or upgrade voucher?

The credit card voucher can be used as either now.

mikethe3rd, thank you for the extensive response much appreciated. I will have a think about the options.

As I understand it the companion voucher can be now be used to take a companion on a return trip, or it can be used to also upgrade a single passenger both legs to the next class, or two passengers on a single leg to the next class.

As I understand it the companion voucher can be now be used to take a companion on a return trip, or it can be used to also upgrade a single passenger both legs to the next class, or two passengers on a single leg to the next class.

Only if it's a reward voucher. If it a companion voucher it can only be used as such.

If it is a reward voucher, it starts opening up extra options like the one I suggested earlier for example.

Ah ok, I was reading the t&c's yesterday and the following statement had thrown me;

"If you choose an Upgrade or Companion Reward Ticket, you can use it on a round trip, or upgrade two one-way flights. It’s subject to availability because they come from a limited number of seats in booking classes G, P and A only. You’ll still need to pay any taxes, fees and surcharges."

https://www.virginatlantic.com/gb/en/fl ... ml#tsandcs

But I guess it's respectively, so the companion can be used on a round trip for an additional passenger, and the upgrade a return trip or for two one way flights.

You probably do have a reward voucher then, so yes you can use it for a companion return or upgrading either a return or two seats one way.

Thanks again for all the replies and particularly mikethe3rd who summarised it well.

In the end I decided to go with option 2 and I purchased Eco Out and Prem In with 55,000 points.

There is hardly a seat sold in the Prem Out and I now have the option to use the reward voucher to purchase two upgrades (+£196 tax) on the outbound for Premium should they become available - which I think there is a good chance as we get closer to the date. Or save it for a later trip when I have increased my points again.