Redeeming Velocity Points for EY MAD - AUH -MEL ?

[vetrade]

We're looking at using Velocity points (139,000 pp) to book 2 x J on Etihad from MAD - AUH - MEL in October / November this year as part of a RTW trip.

Can someone confirm my understanding that the EY carrier charge would be $US205 (approx $AUD266) per sector pp i.e. a bit over $AUD500 pp for these 2 sectors in addition to whatever charges VA impose?

Also, what is J classic rewards availability usually likely to be for these sectors with EY?

 

[PhilandJosh]

You got it!

 

[pauly7]

Also, what is J classic rewards availability usually likely to be for these sectors with EY?

Needle. Haystack. Awful. Sorry...

Look carefully in the thread about VA award availability it details tips and tricks to try and find elusive VA international seats.

 

[BriarFlyer]

I don't known about MAD, but I've found EY J awards to be more readily available than any other to/from LHR. I assumed because of the high $$$ component. Have booked 3 (separate date) returns for family members this year, 3-4 months before travel. Nothing else was available.

 

[henleybeach]

If you go Barcelona-SIN-Melbourne it’s 139k points and about $100 taxes pp with Singapore airlines

 

[Tremere]

To give you an idea, this was the breakdown for MEL->AUH->FRA reward booking I did recently, I image it will be in the same cost bucket as MAD
AUD 508.00 YRI (Service Fee - Carrier- Imposed MISC)
AUD 60.00 AU (Passenger Movement Charge)
AUD 3.95 WG (International Safety And Security Charge)
AUD 21.00 WY(Passenger Service Charge)
AUD 1.70 ZR (International Advanced Passenger Information (API) Fee)
AUD 11.80 F6 (Passenger Facilities Charge)

Total fees (excl. credit card surcharge AUD$606.45) + 139,000 points.
So a AUD$500 carrier charge total is about right.

My return sector on SQ AMS->SIN->MEL (also booked via Virgin) only had fees of $46, that said, finding a European port that had SQ J reward availability was much harder than EY - with *A partner LH having hubs in FRA and MUC that doesn't work well for SQ.
(And this was exactly T-330 days out, as soon as bookings opened on Virgin)

 

[vetrade]

..........My return sector on SQ AMS->SIN->MEL (also booked via Virgin) only had fees of $46, that said, finding a European port that had SQ J reward availability was much harder than EY - with *A partner LH having hubs in FRA and MUC that doesn't work well for SQ........................

I have dropped the idea of EY and focussed on SQ but most of the J reward availability showing up on their website for Europe to MEL via SIN just doesn't translate to bookable seats using Velocity points. The problem seems to similar to the "married segments" problem with CX flights through HKG. The VFF call centre has told me that the individual sectors for most flights to MEL originating in BCN, MXP, CDG, MUC, FCO etc. are showing J reward availability but they are unable to book us on both the connecting flights. One said they could book us on MUC - SIN and SIN - MEL separately but the cost would be 78,000 pts per sector as opposed to the 139,000 pts the combo would cost (so I guess it's not exactly the same as CX's married segments).

The only availability I did find was for AMS - SIN - MEL so that seems to be the option we'll go with. It was annoying to see that the conditions of the J reward booking exclude lounge access even though SIN J pax should have access to the AMS 41 Lounge according to the Airport website. Hopefully access to the lounge in SIN isn't par of the exclusion as well.

 

[jazza1971]

No lounge access?? I think you'll find it is a bug on the VA website....I'm certain others have seen the same and always had access when flying.

 

[henleybeach]

It’s a glitch you will defiantly have lounge access and extra luggage and all the priority stuff.
What are your dates for travelling Back to Melb ?

 

[vetrade]

Apologies. I actually didn't do what I said I was going to do because, after having my senile moment, I realised I could get what I really wanted by converting my VFF poins to KrisFlyer Miles which opened up all the SQ availability I could see online but couldn't book via Velocity. Converted 284,000 VFF points into 210,000 Krisflyer miles (the transfer was virtually instaneous) and booked the MXP - SIN - MEL flights that suited us best direct with SQ. Needed 105,000 SQ miles pp (+ 40 Euro) and the Velocity points for the same flights would have been 139,000 so overall it cost me only 6,000 more VFF points and I saved the cost and wasted time of getting to AMS to start our homeward leg. In retrospect I can't believe I didn't wake up to this obvious solution far earlier.

All flights booked...now for the hotels. Happy wife; happy life!

 

[travelislife]

I have dropped the idea of EY and focussed on SQ but most of the J reward availability showing up on their website for Europe to MEL via SIN just doesn't translate to bookable seats using Velocity points. The problem seems to similar to the "married segments" problem with CX flights through HKG. The VFF call centre has told me that the individual sectors for most flights to MEL originating in BCN, MXP, CDG, MUC, FCO etc. are showing J reward availability but they are unable to book us on both the connecting flights. One said they could book us on MUC - SIN and SIN - MEL separately but the cost would be 78,000 pts per sector as opposed to the 139,000 pts the combo would cost (so I guess it's not exactly the same as CX's married segments).

The only availability I did find was for AMS - SIN - MEL so that seems to be the option we'll go with. It was annoying to see that the conditions of the J reward booking exclude lounge access even though SIN J pax should have access to the AMS 41 Lounge according to the Airport website. Hopefully access to the lounge in SIN isn't par of the exclusion as well.

You can get around this. You just need to get the right person. I have posted of my experience elsewhere. Will try and find it. Velocity agents are useless and don't know their own rules. I am told so often when booking 2 flights (like HKT-SIN-MEL) that it is 2 separate points costs added together which is incorrect as velocity's chart is zoned based. Their staff just generally have no idea what they are talking about so you have to drive the conversation and booking.