SC for business saver flights and 2 for 1 offer

[dave303]

Morning all
so I'm up to silver now and 240 sc left to gold.. (goal is to hit gold before September for my hawaii holiday, where I should be able to snatch up close to another 500 sc putting me on the path to platinum)

I've just received my virgin flyer creditcard and was going to make use of the 2-4-1 flights and buy a business class flight for me and my partner BNE-MLB-BNE for a weekend to make up the 240 sc (60SC for business each way x2 for family pooling).
My question is with business saver flights - do these count as normal business class flights for SC? and does anyone know if the virgin money 2-4-1 flight offer works for those as well?

Also what do you loose from business to business saver?

 

[bcworld]

Morning all
so I'm up to silver now and 240 sc left to gold.. (goal is to hit gold before September for my hawaii holiday, where I should be able to snatch up close to another 500 sc putting me on the path to platinum)

I've just received my virgin flyer creditcard and was going to make use of the 2-4-1 flights and buy a business class flight for me and my partner BNE-MLB-BNE for a weekend to make up the 240 sc (60SC for business each way x2 for family pooling).
My question is with business saver flights - do these count as normal business class flights for SC? and does anyone know if the virgin money 2-4-1 flight offer works for those as well?

Also what do you loose from business to business saver?

You will earn 60 status credits each per sector...even when redeeming a 2-4-1 and regardless if you choose business saver or business.

Be aware that the business saver fare you see on the website may not be allowed for the 2-4-1 if the fare basis is I class...this is despite it not necessarily being a sale fare and according to the T&Cs it should be available.

The differences between business & business saver are spelled out on the website...if you don't plan on changing or cancelling your flight I suspect they're meaningless to you.

 

[dave303]

That's great, thanks.

so the only difference I can find on the website is to do with refunds and cancellations
no refunds on saver flights, and saver has to be cancelled within 24 hours, business within 1 hour.

as it's a personal flight, that's no problem at all

thanks bcworld.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

If you have points available, the other option you have is purchasing the 2-4-1 flexi fare and upgrading to business on points.

 

[dave303]

hmm...
business saver is $499 (say $500)... so with 241 thats $1000 return for 2.
flexi is either $269 (270) $319 (320)... so 241 makes it 540 or 640 return for 2
point upgrades are 7400 per sector... so there's 2 of us, and 2 sectors.. making 4 sector upgrades.. makes 29600 points for upgrade. I'm valuing a point at 1c at the moment (interested to hear if other people work this out the same way)
so, thats the value of $296 in points.

so to do an upgraded fair from flexi... it's between $836 and $936
and upgraded flexi fare earns 1748 velocity points ($17)
the upgraded bus fare earns 2622 ($26)... so not much difference there

so call the difference $9
so... for $1000 - $9 - $836 ... the actual difference is $155 (or $55 if I don't take a red-eye)... I get full business benefits for a holiday, rather than everyone else having something tasty for lunch except for us.

am I working this out correctly?

Also - I've been talking to a travel agent about my hawaii holiday and she thinks she can get better rates with virgin for domestic flights - is there any truth in that?

 

[bcworld]

hmm...
business saver is $499 (say $500)... so with 241 thats $1000 return for 2.

Just to complicate your calculations....when I look at the fare basis for the $499 fares it shows as IZDA142 - I class.

For reasons known only to Virgin...and unless something has changed (I haven't seen the 142 before so perhaps they can finally tell the difference between sale and non sale fares), they will not let you book this as a 2-4-1 even though it is not a sale fare.

You will need to call up to determine the fare you will pay but from looking at KVS the next fare up from IZDA142 is an additional $90 per sector base fare.

 

[dave303]

Thanks again bcworld, if that's the case then I'd need to be comparing against real business class, where the upgraded flight blows it out of the water on value - so I just need to give the velocity guys a call to confirm one way or another?

 

[bcworld]

Thanks again bcworld, if that's the case then I'd need to be comparing against real business class, where the upgraded flight blows it out of the water on value - so I just need to give the velocity guys a call to confirm one way or another?

You don't need to be comparing it against the business (not saver) price but there are other fares, not displayed on the website, which are still business saver - you might find you are forced to book one of these...D class probably.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

so I just need to give the velocity guys a call to confirm one way or another?

+1 to this ^^^^^^^^^^^.

I've experienced much better flexi prices with 2-4-1 than that shown on the website. I realise this was most likely one of those rare birds....a VA error in my favour...but I'd advise the act dumb routine and see what you can milk! Let's be honest, they milk us whenever they can. I have absolutely no God-fearing qualms in reciprocating the sentiment!