Is International Virgin Reward availability now worse that QANTAS?

mark4217 · Jun 2, 2016

deepblerg said:
With the new points tables switching over tomorrow I decided to bite the bullet and book an EY F reward for me and the mrs.

SYD -> AUH -> JFK for 375,000 points with one of the legs in the 380. It will be our first time in F - absolutely can't wait!

The booking didn't leave me with much points left over so my plan for the return trip is to make our way back to LA and book 2 VA flexis LAX -> SYD and hope we can do a points upgrade to J.

Any advice on how to book the flexis because the price online for both of us one-way flexi is US$2,520 - seems a bit steep or is that just how it is when booking one way?

Hi deepblerg, was that 375k per person ? Etihad now show points for that trip at 230k ish per person. Think you got an absolute bargain if for 2 pax

Kilo · Jun 2, 2016

I booked MEL - AUH - NYC in F for 375k for 2 people

mark4217 · Jun 2, 2016

That's a great deal, well done. I'm hooked on EY F. Enjoy. Oh, you get the new F lounge in AUH, it looks awesome.

deepblerg · Jun 3, 2016

mark4217 said:
Hi deepblerg, was that 375k per person ? Etihad now show points for that trip at 230k ish per person. Think you got an absolute bargain if for 2 pax

Yep it was 375k in total for 2 pax - indeed a great deal!

cjd600 · Jun 3, 2016

mark4217 said:
Hi deepblerg, was that 375k per person ? Etihad now show points for that trip at 230k ish per person. Think you got an absolute bargain if for 2 pax

The points (and charges) shown by Etihad for their own rewards aren't relevant to what VA charge for Velocity points (and charges) on the same flight though?
Only relevant to show (expected) guest seat availability

CJEMNMAC · Jun 3, 2016

cjd600 said:
The points (and charges) shown by Etihad for their own rewards aren't relevant to what VA charge for Velocity points (and charges) on the same flight though?
Only relevant to show (expected) guest seat availability

Yes True. EY website was used only for availability purposes.

Based on the 375k points quoted, I would think that would be Velocity points.

The old table was 187500 VA points per person one way to JFK.

Taxes and charges using VA points on EY were pretty much nothing.

For example, I had J booked SYD - JFK and it was 125000 VA points + $108.39 AUD

EDIT : I will say the new points table showing 203k VA points for the same F redemption hurts. In addition to the increase I notice this on the VA site. A bit OT but worth noting.

Kilo · Jun 3, 2016

CJEMNMAC said:
EDIT : I will say the new points table showing 203k VA points for the same F redemption hurts. In addition to the increase I notice this on the VA site. A bit OT but worth noting.

View attachment 72142

That is a real shame - a huge jump in fees

Does that mean MEL - AUH - NYC in F = $400 x 2 sectors : $800 ?

CJEMNMAC · Jun 3, 2016

Kilo said:
That is a real shame - a huge jump in fees

Does that mean MEL - AUH - NYC in F = $400 x 2 sectors : $800 ?

I read it as $300 USD per sector = $600 USD for F

Kilo · Jun 3, 2016

My figures included were in AUD

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travelislife · Jun 3, 2016

Gee that is a massive change, getting Europe using VA points is now not very attractive.

hossein_au · Jun 3, 2016

CJEMNMAC said:
Yes True. EY website was used only for availability purposes.

Based on the 375k points quoted, I would think that would be Velocity points.

The old table was 187500 VA points per person one way to JFK.

Taxes and charges using VA points on EY were pretty much nothing.

For example, I had J booked SYD - JFK and it was 125000 VA points + $108.39 AUD

EDIT : I will say the new points table showing 203k VA points for the same F redemption hurts. In addition to the increase I notice this on the VA site. A bit OT but worth noting.

View attachment 72142

VA moved EY to the table with other carriers that impose fuel fines (e.g. SQ), with the idea being one 'pays' extra points for these carriers because VA absorbs the extra fees. Now, we pay more points AND pay the fuel fine?? VA points have suddenly become a lot less valuable to me :-(

andye · Jun 3, 2016

hossein_au said:
VA moved EY to the table with other carriers that impose fuel fines (e.g. SQ), with the idea being one 'pays' extra points for these carriers because VA absorbs the extra fees. Now, we pay more points AND pay the fuel fine?? VA points have suddenly become a lot less valuable to me :-(

To play Devil's advocate, EY J & F are better products than they used to be

CJEMNMAC · Jun 3, 2016

A new thread has been started this afternoon regarding the EY surcharge we have been discussing here today.

I think this thread should go back to availability issues

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....elocity/new-ey-reward-seat-carrier-76311.html

hossein_au · Jun 3, 2016

andye said:
To play Devil's advocate, EY J & F are better products than they used to be

You mean right now EY in F is better than SQ in F to the tune of US$1200 for a return trip to Europe or the US?

darraghk · Jun 15, 2016

Anyone looking for LAX-BNE availability I just cancelled two seats on VA8 on the 12th of September, gutted to miss out trying the new product.
Hopefully the seats get released back to reward stock.

Flying High · Jun 24, 2016

The availability looks like it's dried up to effectively nothing. I had no trouble grabbing a return SYD-LAX flight July/Aug last year - booked about 5 months prior.

Now trying to book almost 12 months ahead and I can't find anything.

Qantas on the other hand - no probs at all. Not always direct, but the availability is certainly there. What a turnaround between the two airlines in just a year.

serfty · Jun 24, 2016

Do you have any Qantas status - there are reports of availability being much better than that for NB's.

With VA you now need to look 300 days out ... not generally at 330 ...

clipped_wings · Jun 27, 2016

Just noticed this morning that a plethora of Business Reward seats were available for SYD-LAX flights this week. Even a Saturday return leg, which is rare at any time....

BriarFlyer · Jun 27, 2016

Yes, I found LAX-SYD for July 17 which was REALLY unexpected given the school holidays. I'll be releasing my original return, July 27, if anyone is interested.

juliusg · Jul 6, 2016

Velocity internat J redemptions now totally scarce!

This is the first year I've been unable to burn points for an international business class flight. For some time I've searched October (this year); January and May/June next year. Zero.

Eventually I converted 550,000 points to Kris and used them to subsidise a ticket. I got about $4,000 off, poor value considering last year I redeemed about 200,000 points for an Etihad business ticket Sydney > Frankfurt return. Prior that I almost always found a Sydney > LA J seat sometime around my preferred dates, searching a long way out.

Note there are redemption's generally available but for stupidly high points - I'm talking about traditional 'affordable' redemption's in this post.

Redeeming for J tickets is what I value, now I have little incentive to stay with Virgin Australia. Anyone have opinions on this?

Is International Virgin Reward availability now worse that QANTAS?

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