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Companion Flights

Posted:
13 Mar 2004, 19:29
by PaulS
I have just recieved a free companion flight via the Virgin credit card. Does anybody know the rules. If I purchase a u/c ticket can I get a free companion ticket of same class[?]

Posted:
14 Mar 2004, 10:43
by BlackCat
Dunno, but presumably this is limited to various fare classes. With UC this could mean a few thousand pounds difference between a Z fare and a J fare...
BC

Posted:
14 Mar 2004, 11:53
by The_Banking_Scot
Hi,
I thought the companion ticked was only applicable if you bout a J fare ( which is a lot omre £k more expenive than the discounted non refunable Z fares- which I like!!:D)
Regards
TBS

Posted:
14 Mar 2004, 12:27
by Goldenoldie
I am expecting a complimentary companion ticket when my AU is renewed in the Spring. This seems to be for any class. However, if I need to buy a full fare ticket the free ticket it is of marginal value to me. I have booked a non-flexible PE to BOS for later in the year at ~£700 from the VA website. The flexible PE for the same flight is ~£1300. I hope that I have got it wrong!

Posted:
14 Mar 2004, 21:33
by RichardMannion
Don't forget that S Class PE tickets are now eligble as the revenue fare basis for companion tickets.
Th updated fare classes are now on the site
Thanks,
Richard

Posted:
14 May 2004, 15:53
by RedVee
Does any body know whether D qualifies? The website only mentions J (ok) and z (not ok). (In PE it only seems to be the K fares that don't qualify - W & S do) As GoldenOldie points out, it is almost always going to be cheaper to buy 2 X Z than 1 J to utilise the companion ticket. Remembering also that taxes, etc have to be paid for the "free" flight as well. As an example, I've just paid £1370 each for Z fares - the J fare was over £4,000. D (I think), was about £2050 - this was the fare that appeared when all Z availability had gone.
I'm really interested as I've converted to a Virgin credit card (fee paying) and will easily post the required £15K spend for a companion flight.

Posted:
14 May 2004, 16:00
by BlackCat
No, so far as I know it doesn't. Unfortunately!
As I've said before, there are a couple of Upper Class scenarios where the companion ticket "twofer" is of benefit:
On routes where 1 x J < 2 X Z (this was certainly the case LHR-JNB last year.
When Z class fares are not available
On the latter point, VS are apparently curtailing the number of Z fares available, so this potentially makes the twofer more valuable. Of course, it also applies if you need to travel and are too late to buy the Z fare.
BC

Posted:
14 May 2004, 16:09
by HighFlyer
I would recommend calling VA and the FC and asking them. Tell them where you want to go and when and they will likely help you find a fare to purchase that is of a qualifying fare code. You can then decide whether the price you are quoted is what you would be prepared to pay for two flights.
I booked my MCO PE flights last week at £800 each (now gone down to £700 each) and they are code S o/b and code W i/b. So they are elligible and great value. I find that PE travel is the most economical way to use the companion. We plan to use ours for either LAX/SFR or HKK in PE.

Posted:
14 May 2004, 16:27
by RedVee
Thanks Guys - I think I had got there with D fare's as Richard's excellent fare guide shows that these are APEX fares and therefore excluded.
Will be some time before I need to book so I can see what happens with the Z fares. Would be unfortunate if they disappear for people willing to take a punt almost a year in advance on an inflexible ticket - but in some ways would remove some of the current anomolies. E.g these flights I've just booked for next March/April were £1370 and I'll get 17,000 FC miles. MPM fare was £1310 plus 15,000 FC miles from my account.