BNE to LHR Upgrade Protocol with Virgin and Partner Airlines

[lukenet]

Hey, I am looking for some help with this from some of the more experienced international travellers..

In the past, I would fly QF internationally, but I have switched my domestic travel over to VA this year and I need to book a flight to the UK in the next few months...

Basically, I want to know what is the best way to do this on points or upgrades with VA and partners airlines..

I have got 5 sector upgrades left with my VFF platinum membership and I would like to go to the UK in Business or at very least Premium Economy. I have about 135K in points at present, but that will go up a little over the next few weeks...

I am happy to book a full flexi economy fare if needed..

I have a few questions as I am not even sure how to go about this..
1. Can I do this?
2. If I can, What is the best way?
3. Who should I do this with?
4. What is the cheapest way of doing this? (As I have to pay)

Any tips of help on how to do this would be most welcome..

 

[Ausbt]

Upgrades with VA are restricted to VA metal, so first you are going to have to find a VA plane heading to LHR. I'm not entirely sure there are any.

 

[bnbmelb]

Fly VA metal to Abu Dhabi from Sydney. You will need a flexi economy to upgrade to business. AUH to LHR will then be in economy. I'm sure other FF's might have experience upgrading Etihad. It's 90,000 points to upgrade the SYD to AUH return.

 

[greenfish]

The 5 upgrades in your Platinum account are for domestic upgrades only.

• Platinum members are entitled to four Complimentary Fare Upgrades per year from a Flexi seat to a Business seat on domestic flights marketed and operated by Virgin Australia.

QF is a better bet for upgrades to the UK than VA, given that VA don't have their own metal all the way there.

 

[lukenet]

Thanks guys, It does look like I will have to do some more QF miles as I have dropped down to silver with them.. I do hate QF as even when I had all the points I needed, I only seem 1 out of 10 upgrades requests approved..

I did a search last night for points booking to london, it was going to be 1.3 million points (650,000 each way) for J class.. What an F%$#ing joke!

Thanks bnbmelb, I will check out that as an option..

 

[notzac]

I would also look at your options on VS - while you won't be able to burn any upgrades, VS often have very respectable fares in W and J - plus there are the rather awesome lounges that you'll be able to use in HKG and LHR.

VS' website is only marginally better than the VA website - check out Expedia for W fares ex-BNE.

 

[cssaus]

On the subject of international upgrades, VA is somewhat at a disadvantage to the likes of QF, SQ, CX, UA etc. With these other airlines who operate their own metal for the entire route it's possible to use points for upgrades. The disadvantage with VA is that if you're travelling beyond LAX to say NY or AUH to LHR, you can't use points to upgrade the continuing sectors. I believe VA should look into this to maintain their FF competiveness.

 

[Steve Dyer]

CSSAUS... While you may not be able to upgrade the fare (in your example LAX - JFK) if you have the points, you can burn on reward seats though i thought?