MCO reward flights - Help please!

Fingers crossed you lovely people can help.

We are looking to go to Orlando. 2 adults 2 children. Ideally UC but I appreciate this is not going to happen so maybe PE for some and UC for others. Moving them as availability happens.

We are going for two weeks so I was a bit worried that by the time the return flights are released the outgoing flights would be gone. Should we book singles or do a dummy return date and change it when the flights open up (I appreciate we would pay £120 for the change)?

Also should we be looking at indirect but busier routes? We flew via ATL last time and won't be doing that again. But maybe via Boston might be an option?

Hi
You can always ring the call centre and book the outbound flights and then when the return is available/released call back and add it onto your booking. Good luck.

Another option is to consider going via New York. Thats what we did, flew out to New York (in UC - reward seats) had a few days there and then 2 weeks in Orlando... if you consider that route on the way back as well you can use your miles with Delta for the JFK-MCO flights.

When booking reward returns I have always booked the outbound when available then inbound later.
Especially for MCO I would be checking 5 times a day from 5.30 am
I have my outbound for next year and am hopefully will get the inbound shortly.
Dick D

When booking reward returns I have always booked the outbound when available then inbound later.
Especially for MCO I would be checking 5 times a day from 5.30 am
I have my outbound for next year and am hopefully will get the inbound shortly.
Dick D

Out of interest... Does this option mean you pay more taxes (as you pay one way in GBP and one way in USD?) Or can the contact centre add the inbound leg as a return to keep the taxes lower?

When booking reward returns I have always booked the outbound when available then inbound later.
Especially for MCO I would be checking 5 times a day from 5.30 am
I have my outbound for next year and am hopefully will get the inbound shortly.
Dick D

Out of interest... Does this option mean you pay more taxes (as you pay one way in GBP and one way in USD?) Or can the contact centre add the inbound leg as a return to keep the taxes lower?

I have no idea, but I'll ask that question in a few days hopefully.
Dick D

Thank you, for your advice. DickD can you update me on those taxes when you know!
I think we have a plan, I get UC first, then the kids, then DH. Best scenario I'm on my own, worst DH is on his own, but he can sleep anywhere so doesn't mind.

When booking reward returns I have always booked the outbound when available then inbound later.
Especially for MCO I would be checking 5 times a day from 5.30 am
I have my outbound for next year and am hopefully will get the inbound shortly.
Dick D

Out of interest... Does this option mean you pay more taxes (as you pay one way in GBP and one way in USD?) Or can the contact centre add the inbound leg as a return to keep the taxes lower?

The answer is yes in regard to paying more taxes.. We did this when booking, secured the outbound flights on release day and then inbound a couple of weeks later..

Thank you, for your advice. DickD can you update me on those taxes when you know!
I think we have a plan, I get UC first, then the kids, then DH. Best scenario I'm on my own, worst DH is on his own, but he can sleep anywhere so doesn't mind.

Because the reward seats on the Orlando flights a so few we have always grabbed them as soon as they came up.
I never really thought through the taxes, but next year we fly to Atlanta as our final destination is South Carolina.
I was checking for the outbound intending to fly out on a Friday, but nothing came up while it did for the Saturday so we booked it. Mrs D just suggested seeing if there are any reward seats now and not only are they still available on the day we have booked but also on the day we really wanted AND, while some were 70,000 miles one way they are all 47,500 now.
So for me on this trip it looks like I could have waited and booked a return.
However, better safe than sorry. It could be that when our return is open I just cancel the outbound and get return fares.
I have paid £370 each in taxes etc for the outbound and the inbound is $500ish.
Whereas the return is £545 so there is definitely a premium getting two one way tickets.

When I was booking the outbound by phone the call handler did suggest an option of getting a return with a dummy return leg then changing it when the required date became available. You are allowed one change free of charge.
Dick D

Update on taxes:

I paid £370 each for the outbound.
Inbound was show as $501 US or about £360

Return booking £532 so £162 extra to pay. £198 cheaper than two separate bookings

Our return date opened today AND big bonus there were rewards on the Friday for the outbound leg.
It cost £30 each to change the date, but it gives us full use of the holiday rental.

My advice is: snap up the outbound as a single when available, then change it to a return when that comes up.

Re the call center: It took about 10 seconds for my call to be answered. The call taker was charming and knowledgeable. Original booking was done on miles from my account and I needed the return to be from Mrs D's.
No problem, she just picked up the FC number from the booking and a quick confirmation from Mrs D it was all done.

Dick D

Thanks for the advice - good to know you can turn a one way booking into a return booking, and at a £198 saving by booking a return (vs. two one ways), it certainly makes sense to do it like this!!

Hi

Was not aware of this way of booking Gs despite being a Virgin addict for some years.
Have today managed to do a “dummy” booking where we want the outbound but the inbound not yet released. The wonderfully helpful lady at F.C. agreed that booking this way and then changing the inbound for £30 each was the best way to proceed although she was not permitted to advise it!
I must add, since starting my collecting points journey some 5 years ago, we have had 1 x Anu, 2 x MCO, 1 x JFK and 1 x MBJ G fares. (Paid fares and lots of CC useage to get the points plus Tesco!) The Virgin Reward scheme works very well for us and I would highly recommend it to anyone who is flexible.
Thanks Virgin Atlantic.