AU - US........ANZ, VA or Delta?

[Deleted member 29185]

For a possible Christmas holiday, I find reasonable options of either Air New Zealand, Virgin Australia or Delta.

Prices for 4 of us are within about $300 all up.

May I ask for comment as to which to choose, re points, SCs and lounge access and overall comfort.

Class - Dirt cheap
Status- VA Gold
Pax - 2A, 1C (age 15), 1C (age 11)
Flights - BNE-SYD-LAX-MCO - mid Dec to mid Jan
Points available - Vel - approx. 110k
Prices found - $7445.40 (Delta) - $7781.86 (ANZ)

Comments greatly appreciated for this int. junior!

Are all fare buckets SC earners? If not how do I find the fare buckets?

 

[onezero]

i'd be looking for a DL fare but flying BNE/SYD-LAX on VA Metal, then double check it against a VA fare for the same flights. Sometimes you'll find a DL fare is a lot cheaper but you get all the service of VA for the long haul.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Thanks, so in your estimation, VA metal is superior to DL?

 

[onezero]

Thanks, so in your estimation, VA metal is superior to DL?

in every way imaginable

 

[Fruitcake]

If you don't mind backtracking, try pricing VA ex-AKL. Around Christmas I can see VA SYD-LAX return at AUD$2250, or AKL-LAX at NZD$1756 (~AUD$1400). As long as you can position yourselves in AKL for less than $850 each, the time wasted might make the saving worthwhile when multiplied over four pax. VA website doesn't allow AKL-MCO bookings, so you might have to call them, but I imagine there'd be similar savings.



But re your proposed options, I'd lean toward booking with VA, looking for VX metal for LAX-MCO if it's an option. Turn on family pooling and hoover up everyone's SCs. I've never flown DL metal trans-pacific but a 'final fling' using my Dad's Global Rewards points trans-pacific with UA in 2002 has sworn me off flying long-haul with any US airline for life, especially in Y.

 

[loobloke]

Fly VA - free bulkhead seats (not exit rows though!) though be careful of being kicked out by babies. Not sure if you can seat select if you book DL codeshare.
And yes the ex AKL (whilst I haven't done it) is a fun option. And think of all the extra SC's (platinum with pooling!?)
If you do that option, see if you can fly via MEL - no terminal transfer required.

NZ you get 3-4-3 across the pacific unless you score a 772 (or maybe via SFO might work but I duno if the 744 will still be doing that by years end). 3 hours TT on 773 is ouchies enough already.
Can't comment on DL.

 

[pmdg7444]

Do VA from AKL......cheaper than from Aus.

Then position BNE-AKL on NZ's 773s - $ should be quite reasonable. 'Double dip' your tasman SCs and points. )))))

 

[Deleted member 29185]

AKL-LAX at NZD$1756 (~AUD$1400).

Thanks for that tip, I did look at AKL, but only with ANZ. Their cheapest fare was AKL-LAX (NZ$1962) or AKL-MCO ($2569) so I guess I'll phone DJ today and ask about AKL-MCO. Hopefully cheaper than ANZ but at a similar ratio, would place it about NZ$2300 (AU$1800 give or take) which only leaves about AU$300 to get four people OOL-AKL rtn, so it seems the DJ fare through flightflights.com.au is still better (BNE-MCO AU$7526).

'Double dip' your tasman SCs and points. )))))

I'll search this, but is this an ANZ offer?

 

[`X']

one thing you have to remember with flying NZ is sure you will get lounge as far as LAX but then ur stuffed unless u have a *A membership as well.

Whereas the DL option means skyclubs all the way to MCO.

 

[Deewhy]

i'd be looking for a DL fare but flying BNE/SYD-LAX on VA Metal, then double check it against a VA fare for the same flights. Sometimes you'll find a DL fare is a lot cheaper but you get all the service of VA for the long haul.

If you do this you'll miss out on your gold points bonus as it's DL, not VF. But that's about 5k points per gold pax (aus to Lax) on a deal or promo VA fare.

 

[Deewhy]

May I ask for comment as to which to choose, re points, SCs and lounge access and overall comfort.

Class - Dirt cheap
Status- VA Gold
Are all fare buckets SC earners? If not how do I find the fare buckets?

Dirt cheap on Va assume = promo, deal (both 0.5 points) or saver (0.75 points). All visible when you go to book. All classed as Discount economy For Sc earn.
dirt cheap on Dl = L, U, T fares. Dl site normally shows fare buckets when you choose your flights.. All 0.5 points and discount Econ for SC earn. So if you want points and you have status, go VA. You may also calculate that going your next level flight bucket in VA gets more points and maybe worth paying for eg if saver is not much more than deal fare.

 

[Deewhy]

As for lounge access for VA and delta in Sydney you'd get access as gold +1 invitee to the koru club. But gather that your kids cant go in unless the lounge guards were nice to you

I've flown DL to the US and back on economy and it felt LCC. Seats are 3-4-3 across. Leather seats were ok, older crew that seems to have the oz legs as a matter if seniority. Experience Not horrible, but not great. Seat back IFe. If the price was right, I'd do it again, but from all reports VA would be a better bet. If it was the same price, def go VA.

If you need to go on to MCO, and stick with VA flights, that gets you DL codeshare internal. Book thru the GcC and I think you'll get one free stopover (check the fare conditions when it displays the price and flight options) and each extra is $135 or thereabouts. The freebie maybe useful for you spending sometime in LA when you are coming in or out of the country as you may not want to fly To or from MCo directly and need a break to prepare or recover from the transpac flight. They should waive the phone fee for that stopover booking as you cant so it online. The code share will get you your VA bonus points but if you choose a VX flight it won't. But just check your connection times. Va have a minimum transit time of 2 hrs in LAx. So you may want a later flight if you only transit in LAX.


Other consideration is VA PE if you can get a good price and calculate the extra Scs and points That gold would bring you it would offset the cost perhaps. If you could bring the journey to the first this of December, you have a fare that is about $2900 return to LAX with 1.25 points and triple the Scs (120 vs 40 each way to Lax). Family pool that and another member can hit gold also the PE fare gets you Vx main cabin select which is 38 inch pitch seat for your 4.5 hr LAx to MCO flight. But you won't get your gold bonus on Vx.

Lounge wise in USA on DL you can access the skyclub for $50? Est. Each person. But by all accounts, may not be worth it. I think as gold you'll get access but have to pay for the rest. Vx has an adults only club at certain ports.

 

[jneufeld]

Sorry to dig up an old thread, but I am weighing up the same options for June/July next year. Does anyone know if its possible to book a VA flight on DL metal then pre-purchase an Economy Comfort seat on the DL flight? Would only fly DL metal if this were possible.