Help Booking Reward Flights

Hi,

Sorry if this is a simple question, but I'm thinking about a big trip to Las Vegas next year. I have enough to qualify for 2 x return PE flights to Vegas.

I know I need to book on the website, and can see some available dates, but it all seems very hit and miss when looking in October.

Am I right in assuming that I can't just say I want a reward flight on xx date ?

If that is the case, what are my chances of getting a flight in October and can anyone provide me with any tips for booking or any other suggestions of how to spend my miles.

I have 78000miles and my wife as 76000 miles.

Any idea welcome.

Thanks
Andy

[Scrooge]

No you just can't request certain dates, it's down to having reward seats available for the dates you need. You will probably have to be a little flexable with your dates. Also don't forget about LAX as an option.

[Neil]

LAS is a very popular route to get rewards on. I would also suggest you try SFO as an option and then an internal to LAS with Virgin America.

Just to throw something else in to your thought process. Have you thought about maybe say buying an upgradable Economy fare (L class would be the lowest) and upgrading to UC for 60k miles each? It is a good use of miles and also probably the cheapest way of flying UC. You would have to call FC to get a price for the L fare, and they would also be able to advise what dates rewards are available.

Neil

October might be tricky - especially the middle weeks as it will be 1/2 term.

[Scrooge]

Getting a UC reward to LAS is a lot harder than a PE reward seat.

[preiffer]

Agree with Dave.

58 seats (LGW) compared to 62 seats (LHR) is nowhere near the level of difference that there is in Upper Class between the two planes. PE seats ARE possible to come buy (relatively freely) on the LGW flights.

Are we talking this Oct (09) or next October (10) as you've stated? As already stated, LAS is a popular route with limited reward availability (although it's not unknown to be possible). There's reasonable availability showing for both Us and Gs to LAX/SFO for this October, but you may need to avoid travelling on Fri/Sat. I too would opt for 2xL fares, and then upgrade them with miles.
DL

Good luck with trying to book more than one reward seat on the same flight. As I said to FC in the past, I found buying and selling houses a far easier transaction to make than trying to book more than one reward flight on VS if you cannot be (very) flexible with your dates!

[Nottingham Nick]

Totally disagree with that.
I have booked many reward seats VS - including three seats on a flight several times during school holidays.
You just have to be a little realistic - book well in advance and have alternative dates available. Obviously don't be too optimistic on the LAS (and MCO) flights, during school holidays, but if your trip is 2010, you have plenty of time to plan.

Nick

quote:Originally posted by Nottingham Nick
Totally disagree with that.
I have booked many reward seats VS - including three seats on a flight several times during school holidays.
You just have to be a little realistic - book well in advance and have alternative dates available. Obviously don't be too optimistic on the LAS (and MCO) flights, during school holidays, but if your trip is 2010, you have plenty of time to plan.

Nick


Nick - We always go away for 3 weeks at christmas, sometimes MCO mostly fly into MIA. We book the day the return seats are available which unfortunately means those on a 2 week break can bag the reward seats before us. I have had many a conversation with FC over this matter over the years.

Thanks for the ideas and apologies for the confusion over when the trip is. It's actually for next year, and we can and will be very flexible with dates. I would ideally like to fly on a thursday/friday if possible, but will take what I can get.

The idea of UC both ways sounds interesting and I'll consider it, although we were hoping to just use the miles to get free flights (although with taxes, it could well make sense to go the upgrade route). What would an L class economy ticket set me back (approximately)?

How far in advance do you think I would be able to get an idea of reward availability, and would September/November be a better month ?

[Scrooge]

No idea on ticket price, you could call to see what it would be this year, it will be roughly that price (give or take), November would be better, September not so much, the trick is to get on the phone to the FC the day that your return flight releases reward seats....and a little bit of luck.

We used reward flights home from Vegas last year and we had to be flexible on dates and come home in November as there were no returns to be had in October. Definitely consider LAX or SFO as the Vegas planes are the old Gatwick fleet and not as comfortable as the Heathrow ones.

Anita

[Neil]

quote:Originally posted by Neatfeat
Definitely consider LAX or SFO as the Vegas planes are the old Gatwick fleet and not as comfortable as the Heathrow ones.


Just to clarify this point. The LGW a/c are actually newer than the LHR 744's. Also the U/C seats are the same as on the LHR a/c so should be just as comfortable.

Yes, the LGW do not yet have the new style purple leather PE seats like the LHR a/c do, but the PE seats in the bubble of the LGW a/c are the older style original PE seats and are VERY comfortable.

Of course, the LGW a/c does not have V-Port either.

quote:
The idea of UC both ways sounds interesting and I'll consider it, although we were hoping to just use the miles to get free flights (although with taxes, it could well make sense to go the upgrade route). What would an L class economy ticket set me back (approximately)?

That was exactly what I was meaning. By the time you have paid taxes etc on a full rewards an L fare can work out not that much more, and of course you get to fly UC, use less miles and still earn miles and TP's, something you don't get on a normal reward.

Thursday/Friday flights are busy to LAS as quite a lot of people head for a long weekend break. If you can go say Sunday/Monday is *might* make it easier for you and of course the hotels in Vegas are normally a lot cheaper during the week also (quite often 50%+)

Neil

Would it not be an idea to consider a companion reward flight or have I lost the plot?[:I]

[Neil]

quote:Originally posted by Roxy-Popsy
Would it not be an idea to consider a companion reward flight or have I lost the plot?[:I]


Companion rewards really aren't the best value for money if you are paying yourself. The cost of one of the more expensive flexible fares in the relevant class, which is required for you to be able to use a companion reward are more often then not more expensive that just buying two none flexible tickets.

Neil

[preiffer]

quote:Originally posted by Neil
Companion rewards really aren't the best value for money if you are paying yourself. The cost of one of the more expensive flexible fares in the relevant class, which is required for you to be able to use a companion reward are more often then not more expensive that just buying two none flexible tickets.

Neil

Correct in the case of Upper or Economy bookings, but not in the case of S (PE) ones. Also, if booking inside the 42 day apex window (and therefore forced to purchase one of the higher fare levels) it can save quite a bit for two in all classes.