VA Business Saver (I class) - what's the deal?

[Deon]

I caught a last-minute flight ADL to MEL late last year and managed to get 2 x business saver seats for $399each.

I don't think I've ever seen a Business Saver fare since that wasn't either the same cost as Business, or sold out. Even now I'm looking at MEL to OOL and the Business saver is more expensive(!) than the Business fare (see attached).

What's the deal with this fare type? Is there a trick to finding the good Business Saver deals?

 

[serfty]

You could try the Discount codes posted elswehere in this VA forum.

Other than that, look for those flights with award seats in business; see what economy costs and consider using points to upgrade. It is not "that much".

(Personally, for a 45 minute flight I would not be too worried.)

 

[oz_mark]

Was there a flight connection or non-stop?

 

[Deon]

(Personally, for a 45 minute flight I would not be too worried.)

It's only because I'm chasing status credits to qualify for renewal, otherwise I wouldn't bother. When I flew ADL to MEL last year for what was almost Y price but for J status credits, I was pretty pleased!

Was there a flight connection or non-stop?

Nope, direct on all occasions. It was the weekend of the AFL grand final (when Adelaide were playing in Melbourne), so if anything I thought that would drive prices higher, not lower?

 

[oz_mark]

Nope, direct on all occasions. It was the weekend of the AFL grand final (when Adelaide were playing in Melbourne), so if anything I thought that would drive prices higher, not lower?

I get $499 "on Sale", but I would guess that you've used a discount code that ended up giving a bigger discount on the full economy fare..

 

[Deon]

I would guess that you've used a discount code

99% sure I didn't use a discount code. Looking back at the receipt, there's definitely no mention of any discount/reduction on the fare. Maybe I just got lucky?

 

[oz_mark]

99% sure I didn't use a discount code. Looking back at the receipt, there's definitely no mention of any discount/reduction on the fare. Maybe I just got lucky?

No, in your price comparison above. $604.34 looks like the sort of price a discount code would give..

 

[Deon]

No, in your price comparison above.

Oh.. no discount code but I'm booking through Virgin Accelerate (business portal), maybe the prices are slightly lower? (Or slightly higher! )

 

[serfty]

It's only because I'm chasing status credits to qualify for renewal, otherwise I wouldn't bother. When I flew ADL to MEL last year for what was almost Y price but for J status credits, I was pretty pleased!

Nope, direct on all occasions. It was the weekend of the AFL grand final (when Adelaide were playing in Melbourne), so if anything I thought that would drive prices higher, not lower?

Sometime you can luck out with backfill - i.e. In last years case extra flights were needed Friday night/Saturday morning to MEL before the GF and Saturday night/Sunday afterwards.

The aircraft have to come from somewhere, so often the are discounted seats in the opposite direction to coincide with those times.

If you are looking for SC's then check out Freedom fares (with a discount code) they sometimes provide surprising good SC per $ earn. (Also, the upgrademe points is 4800 points per PAX oneway).

 

[oz_mark]

Oh.. no discount code but I'm booking through Virgin Accelerate (business portal), maybe the prices are slightly lower? (Or slightly higher! )

Ok, well the Business fare has had the 10% discount applied. Don't know what's happened to the Business Saver....