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Taxes / fees on PE-UC points upgrade?

PostPosted: 28 Nov 2023, 17:38
by evanspa1
As VS taxes / fees have gone through the roof I’m not sure what the latest cash cost (taxes / junk fees) to upgrade from PE to UC is LAX-LHR when using points? Does anybody have a recent data point? Thanks

Re: Taxes / fees on PE-UC points upgrade?

PostPosted: 28 Nov 2023, 22:35
by CommanderB
evanspa1 wrote:As VS taxes / fees have gone through the roof I’m not sure what the latest cash cost (taxes / junk fees) to upgrade from PE to UC is LAX-LHR when using points? Does anybody have a recent data point? Thanks


£330. It's now a fixed price, rather than a difference in YQ (Something I am fighting very hard with because its extremely penalising for those who've already paid a ton of YQ).

I did this a few weeks ago, may have changed since but thats unlikely.

Re: Taxes / fees on PE-UC points upgrade?

PostPosted: 28 Nov 2023, 22:37
by Lukecouchman
CommanderB wrote:
evanspa1 wrote:As VS taxes / fees have gone through the roof I’m not sure what the latest cash cost (taxes / junk fees) to upgrade from PE to UC is LAX-LHR when using points? Does anybody have a recent data point? Thanks


£330. It's now a fixed price, rather than a difference in YQ (Something I am fighting very hard with because its extremely penalising for those who've already paid a ton of YQ).

I did this a few weeks ago, may have changed since but thats unlikely.


That sounds about right. Live chat told me over the weekend that it would be £330 per person for premium to upper ATL - MAN

Re: Taxes / fees on PE-UC points upgrade?

PostPosted: 28 Nov 2023, 23:17
by evanspa1
CommanderB wrote:
evanspa1 wrote:As VS taxes / fees have gone through the roof I’m not sure what the latest cash cost (taxes / junk fees) to upgrade from PE to UC is LAX-LHR when using points? Does anybody have a recent data point? Thanks


£330. It's now a fixed price, rather than a difference in YQ (Something I am fighting very hard with because its extremely penalising for those who've already paid a ton of YQ).

I did this a few weeks ago, may have changed since but thats unlikely.


OK thanks for the update. That’s just crazy additional YQ! How can they justify? I think I’ll just stay in PE :cool:

Re: Taxes / fees on PE-UC points upgrade?

PostPosted: 05 Dec 2023, 10:12
by catsilversword
Interesting to read about it being a fixed amount, and has made me wonder about taxes when booking UC. I placed a hold on UC reward seats to TPA, these were during the ‘sale’ last week. Couldn’t get return flights at the time, but last weekend some return reward flights were released, albeit for a higher number of miles. Called flying club to add to the booking, was a little taken aback that they wouldn’t honour the reduced number miles needed for outbound (ok, I swallowed that, since they were on hold and not actually paid for, despite having a booking ref). But why the difference in taxes? Had I been able to get both out and back flights at reduced miles, tax would have been 1500, but in the end taxes were just shy of 2k. Does booking on reduced airmiles result in lower taxes and if so, how do they square that? Distance travelled is no different - anyone have the answer to this?

Re: Taxes / fees on PE-UC points upgrade?

PostPosted: 05 Dec 2023, 10:22
by mikethe3rd
catsilversword wrote:Interesting to read about it being a fixed amount, and has made me wonder about taxes when booking UC. I placed a hold on UC reward seats to TPA, these were during the ‘sale’ last week. Couldn’t get return flights at the time, but last weekend some return reward flights were released, albeit for a higher number of miles. Called flying club to add to the booking, was a little taken aback that they wouldn’t honour the reduced number miles needed for outbound (ok, I swallowed that, since they were on hold and not actually paid for, despite having a booking ref). But why the difference in taxes? Had I been able to get both out and back flights at reduced miles, tax would have been 1500, but in the end taxes were just shy of 2k. Does booking on reduced airmiles result in lower taxes and if so, how do they square that? Distance travelled is no different - anyone have the answer to this?


An UC reward return to the US is always going to be about £1000pp. The fees are not reduced during any promotional reduction in mileage.

What exactly happened? Did you go from a one way booking to a return booking and is this for two adult passengers?