Fly Ahead - Virgin Australia - Hacks and experience

[HBAhome]

Interested to hear people's experiences with Fly Ahead on Virgin — specifically whether others have been using it as a money-saving strategy rather than just a convenience perk.

A few months ago I needed to move to an earlier same-day flight on HBA–MEL on a Choice fare. I called the call centre around 7am and was moved to VA1321 (10:35am), which surprised me — outside the golden triangle I expected them to only put me on the nearest flight to my original (VA1323 at 12:35pm). It was completely painless.

Since then I've deliberately booked the much cheaper late evening Choice fare (usually VA1335 at 8:20pm) and called on the morning to move to VA1321 or VA1323. The biggest price gap I've seen is $420 for VA1321 vs $150 for VA1335 — so a $270 saving just by taking a punt on availability and using the Platinum perk. Done it successfully three times now.

The one time it didn't work was MEL–HBA, where the only earlier flight was fully booked — so I just ended up with a longer stint in the VA MEL lounge

Has anyone else been doing this systematically? Have I just been lucky with availability on a thin route?

Next level consideration is a family trip I have coming up with wife & 2 kids - the savings go next level when its 4 fares but I'm obviously taking a bigger risk that 4 seats will be available on the earlier flights and not to mention that 4 seats are together.

 

[Happy Dude]

I used fly-ahead at check-in on a BNE-CBR reward ticket recently, moved from 2015 departure to 1640. I had luggage. No loss of economy X seat, eventually. Given a Row 20+ seat at checkin but changed to Row 5 at lounge, where they also said they'd have let me use a WP upgrade certificate too if I wasn't on a reward ticket. No idea if/what fare differences would have been.

I almost always have luggage and tend to book first/last flights (tight-a$$) but I wouldn't book cheap last flight fare and try to fly-ahead on a more expensive fare as a hack or habit though. Don't mind/care if others do though and I'm glad that the rules aren't always strictly applied.

 

[FSM-2024]

I haven’t noticed it before, but this morning I saw the app gave me an option to fly ahead. Did anyone else get the same option?

 

[kerfuffle]

I haven’t noticed it before, but this morning I saw the app gave me an option to fly ahead. Did anyone else get the same option?

Never seen that before. What was your flight? I've only seen it on Qantas (usually due to bad weather in Sydney)

 

[kerfuffle]

Looks like Fly Ahead via the app is a new thing according to a Sydney Morning Herald article ‘Friction-free’: Virgin calls time on the check-in kiosk

Also moving from the kiosk to the Virgin Velocity app is the ability for passengers to select an earlier same-day flight if disruption is expected. Velocity Gold, Platinum and Platinum Plus members can change flight times in the airline’s mobile app at no cost.

Edit: Non-paywalled article via Executive Traveller https://www.executivetraveller.com/...pL4FsIKi2yfu1d1D5h_aem_bTTCNYx9B1VrjcwENG4bBQ

 

[FSM-2024]

That explains it then!

 

[im.daniel]

I'm ADL based, often flying non golden triangle routes. I've been WP on VA for almost 10 years now, and have been using Fly Ahead systematically for as long as I can remember, to save $ by booking the latest/cheapest flight of the day and calling in on the day to change to a more desirable flight. Call centre usually ask me 'what time would you prefer to fly' and I tell them exactly which flight I want, without push back.

I often book the 2130 flight to PER, with the intention to fly at 1820, or even 1215.

I use Expertflyer to notify me of seat openings on earlier flights - 'Y' bucket full fare economy availability means one can fly ahead - although I have heard of reports recently where fly ahead has been denied, despite Y bucket availability. This has yet to impact me however.

Traveling with a family presents challenges - as you've pointed out.
1. Obviously there has to be more seats available on an earlier flight. This can be challenging on routes with less frequency IME.

2. It is often difficult to get seating for 3-4 together when moved to an earlier, often more popular timed flight. This is incredibly troublesome with young children. This has been even more noticeable with the elimination of Row 5 as Economy X (which was often never full, and only generally allocated to non WP's at airport/online check in when all other non premium seats have been allocated)

I have posted on this forum countless of times about fly ahead, and I'll say it again - Fly Ahead is without doubt, the best WP domestic frequent flyer benefit (QF or VA) for me.

EDIT: I will be curious to see how Fly Ahead is implemented in the app, and whether it is more strict on flight options ...

 

[Warks]

I've tried it a number of times but have never ever managed to get a seat. Every flight before is always completely full these days it seems. I got to BNE about two hours early last Friday for a 1505 flight and thought I'd have a chance. But there wasn't even a single flight leaving until mine (to SYD) and even the 1605 was cancelled so you can imagine my flight was full too.
It feels like a scam, literally never been able to use it.