Virgin Global Frequent Flyer link up announced.

[xtoss]

on a side note for VX

I've flown twice PE to LAX and then been put into Main Cabin Select, Its one of the reasons I try to ignore Delta when I fly

 

[dfcatch]

A J cash booking with QF will have you in F on AA, whereas a redemption booking in J on QF will only put you in Y on AA.

VX could do it the same way..??

 

[Fruitcake]

Could help notice that VA's twitter's post say international flights, could it be that this applies to VA but not DJ?

It seems you're correct, the Elevate website shows that redemptions will be available from 22 March, but only on long haul international services:
Flights from Virgin America | Virgin Flights

I'm becoming more convinced that the only group getting immediate advantages from this are Elevate members.

 

[Noob]

I am pretty sure that if you fly to say, new York, with VA/VX in J, you will be in VX first (domestic Business) for the transcontinental leg.

 

[n17]

Can anyone from Virgin confirm if points and SC offered by VS will now come in to line with VA and the other partners

 

[777]

To me it looks pretty obvious that the announcement is about VX. For a long time they've offered nothing in the way of international/ partner redemptions, lounges, status, etc. I suspect they are bringing things in line with the other Virgins and that is really what this announcement is about.

As an aside i am currently in the reLAX lounge in TBIT at LAX as Alaska has finally left T3 (Grrrr!). A few things said lead me to believe that a VA/VX/VS lounge at T3 may actually be in the works but i'm really just guessing. Will see what i can sniff out on the way back to T3 and then on the way home.

777.

 

[Fruitcake]

LAX is the only port where all three Virgin networks touch (unless VA decide that non-stops into SFO are worthwhile), so if they're going to pretend to be allied in some way it makes sense to have a decent Clubhouse there.

 

[bigbadbyrnes]

I would really like to see transcontinental USA flights available for redemption at the 'Reward' rate, rather than only AnySeat rates.

The current situation runs as follows (taking the cheapest possible return fares from a sample return flight in June 2012 compared to the lowest possible number of Velocity Points for the same flights)

BNE->LAX
Y = $1,267 or 94,200
Y+ = $3,424 or 141,000
J = $6,866 or 188,000

(plus $659 for redeemed ticket)

BNE->JFK
Y = $1,415 or 165,000
Y+ = $4,156 or 476,200
J = $8,735 or 1,020,000 :shock:

(plus $190 for redeemed ticket)



So the value of 188,000 points is (6,866-659) $6,207 if redeemed for J to LAX, but to get yourself to JFK you need to part with an extra 832,000 points (but pay $469 less, being the difference between $659 and $190).

The additional cost if you were actually buying the flights would be $1,869 (the difference between the J class fares BNE->LAX and BNE->JFK). So you're getting $6,207 value for the first 188,000 points you redeem, but only $2,338 value for the next 832,000!

Thats $33.01 per 1000 points for the first 188,000 and $2.81 per 1000 points for the next 832,000.

Of course, we're not really comparing apples with apples here because we're comparing Reward tickets with AnySeat tickets, but if you're looking to maximise the value of your points by using them for international J redemptions on leisure travel, you're happy to work your travel plans around Reward tickets (which isn't hard to do by any means so long as you're planning well in advance), so it's left me with very limited options in the USA.


One of the strengths of VA's relationship with EY is that Reward seats are available not just to their main hub AUH, but onwards to Europe. 250,000 points plus $242 will get you J all the way to Paris and back, for example, which is about $7,990 worth of flying.

So for a million points you can fly J to JFK once or to CDG, which is further, four times.

Fingers crossed VA can work something out with VX to open up reward rate seats.

Is this well known to everyone? Does anyone know if a solution is possible? And am I making sense?

Safe flying,

CB

 

[TEAL]

To me it looks pretty obvious that the announcement is about VX. For a long time they've offered nothing in the way of international/ partner redemptions, lounges, status, etc. I suspect they are bringing things in line with the other Virgins and that is really what this announcement is about.

As an aside i am currently in the reLAX lounge in TBIT at LAX as Alaska has finally left T3 (Grrrr!). A few things said lead me to believe that a VA/VX/VS lounge at T3 may actually be in the works but i'm really just guessing. Will see what i can sniff out on the way back to T3 and then on the way home.

777.

The photo on your profile, is that you or ? .. as in the same lounge around the same time you.

 

[bigbadbyrnes]

I would really like to see transcontinental USA flights available for redemption at the 'Reward' rate, rather than only AnySeat rates.

The current situation runs as follows (taking the cheapest possible return fares from a sample return flight in June 2012 compared to the lowest possible number of Velocity Points for the same flights)

BNE->LAX
Y = $1,267 or 94,200
Y+ = $3,424 or 141,000
J = $6,866 or 188,000

(plus $659 for redeemed ticket)

BNE->JFK
Y = $1,415 or 165,000
Y+ = $4,156 or 476,200
J = $8,735 or 1,020,000 :shock:

(plus $190 for redeemed ticket)



So for a million points you can fly J to JFK once or to CDG, which is further, four times.

Fingers crossed VA can work something out with VX to open up reward rate seats.

And am I making sense?

Nope.


I can correct myself here: I got lost and got the wrong impression from trying to do up hypothetical bookings on the velocity website.

If one follows this link https://www.velocityrewards.com.au/content/Redeem/Airlines/index.htm and heads down to the 'points calculator' one will see that BNE->JFK return in J is 250,000 points, same as almost all destinations across Europe for J travel.

At the booking page https://www.velocityrewards.com.au/.../2012-28-JFK-06/2012-05-1-0-0-R-businessFirst (for eg) it states "Reward Seats for some city pairs are only available via our Membership Contact Centre. If you cannot find the Reward Seat or the destination you require please contact our Membership Contact Centre who can assist you with your request."


So don't mind me, just making mistakes in a public forum, very happy to correct them.