Virgin Business Class Upgrade for International flights

[sepulchres]

I have a super n00b question to ask you guys. So I have recently been upgraded to Silver velocity membership. I am planning to travel to the Middle East later this year and was looking up flights. Now I understand that if I buy a Flexi fare, I will be able to use points to upgrade this to Business. I am not too familiar with classes but my first question is will I be upgraded to J class with ~29000 points according to the velocity website? And if so, I understand that this class earns 3 points (for Silver members) per mile, so if I was planning to goto Abu Dhabi flying VA not Etihad, it would roughly earn me 23000 points each way? Furthermore, buying the ticket on my silver membership will earn 7.5 points per dollar (around 18000 for $2400 return for flexi to Abu Dhabi)? I am just trying to work out whether upgrading to business will cost around $400 return more than a saver fare ($2000 return) and points will roughly remain the same? Thanks in advanced

 

[Shy180]

You may need to be gold or platinum to be able to upgrade long haul VA flights.

 

[Fruitcake]

You may need to be gold or platinum to be able to upgrade long haul VA flights.

That's correct:
http://www.velocityrewards.com.au/content/ProgramBenefits/TermsConditions/index.htm#19

18.3 Virgin Australia International Long Haul
18.3.1 Platinum and Gold Members are entitled to redeem Points for Flight Upgrades to Premium Economy or Business on Virgin Australia International Long Haul flights by redeeming Velocity Points at the rates set out in the table below....

 

[Ausbt]

Just to clarify: a Plat may use his/her point to upgrade a Red travelling companion one presumes?

 

[Deewhy]

Just to clarify: a Plat may use his/her point to upgrade a Red travelling companion one presumes?

Yep correct. Assuming on the one PNR. Done this before with multiple reds in tow with no hassles.

 

[xtoss]

Does the upgrade work in that you can call before you book to see if there are any available, book and then call to book your upgrade?

And also, can you upgrade a ticket that was booked through a travel agent (assuming premium ticket purchased)?

 

[notzac]

And also, can you upgrade a ticket that was booked through a travel agent (assuming premium ticket purchased)?

It should, but you need to confirm with the TA that they will plate on VA stock (ticket starting with 795). Tickets issued on other airline stock aren't upgradeable.

 

[williamsf1]

Does the upgrade work in that you can call before you book to see if there are any available, book and then call to book your upgrade?

And also, can you upgrade a ticket that was booked through a travel agent (assuming premium ticket purchased)?

The upgrade class is the same as redemption class , so if you go online and see a redemption seat, a upgrade seat will be open

 

[xtoss]

Thanks for the updates,

And you can confirm your upgrade right away? I think that's what the terms and conditions mention but just wanted to make sure I didn't miss anything about having to wait a week before?

 

[williamsf1]

Thanks for the updates,

And you can confirm your upgrade right away? I think that's what the terms and conditions mention but just wanted to make sure I didn't miss anything about having to wait a week before?

YES - as soon as you make the booking in the correct class, you can call and upgrade and confirmed at the same time ( as long as seats in Z redemption class)

 

[xtoss]

The missus is gonna have one happy honeymoon then

 

[Steve Dyer]

Did you get the upgrades?
I am interested i am doing similar in Oct BNE-LAX-JFK-LAS (drive to LAX) then LAX- BNE
I am hoping at least the long haul I can buy Y+ and upgrade us both. Depending on whats left over stick with Main Cab select on VX or maybe 1st depending on cost

 

[xtoss]

Will let you know, just getting the exact dates of it all so we can book and work out where upgrades are available. Will keep you updated as we are pretty keen to book

 

[Fruitcake]

I am interested i am doing similar in Oct BNE-LAX-JFK-LAS (drive to LAX) then LAX- BNE
I am hoping at least the long haul I can buy Y+ and upgrade us both.

If you don't mind a bit of extra flying, VA Y+ fares ex-AKL can be dramatically cheaper than ex-Australia fares. Last year I purchased AKL-LAX return for NZ$2200 at the time that SYD-LAX return was selling at AU$3400.

It didn't cost AU$1200 to position to AKL ;-).

EDIT: Just did some searching, current prices are more like NZ$2850 and AU$2950. So ~AU$700 cheap ex-AKL at present for flights in July.

 

[xtoss]

Well after waiting a month hoping that VX would open up some flights past November for internal US, I gave up booked with delta just so I could book the SYD-LAX LAX-SYD legs and get the upgrade to business. I could've booked the main flights and then done internal separately but it was not much more to add them as sectors plus includes 1 piece of luggage. A shame as I loved VX and don't hear much about delta but was willing to grin and bear it to lock down the upgrade flights.

Reason this pushed me as some upgrade flights I was keeping an eye on through dummy searches went away for LAX-SYD (which I admit was a gamble), it annoyed me and I rang twice to see availabilities, saw I could get to Sydney by connecting at Brisbane so I could still fly with Business.

After a whole 3 hour mixup this afternoon where they tried to book without an eticket and then everything went awry, the upgrades finally went through.

So got there in the end with a flexi to business upgrade

Weird part... I out of curiosity reran a search on a dummy awards flight.

Sure enough the Sydney-LAX leg was no longer available and neither was the LAX-BNE-SYD leg.. happy days right?

Well now the LAX-SYD leg was showing business availability! Less that a couple of minutes after my upgrades were confirmed, and they are still there a couple of hours later.

How does that work? :-|

 

[xtoss]

Just to add, I rang asking to swap and it is going to be $60 per passenger to swap to the straight to Sydney leg. I wouldn't mind if it was appearing a few weeks later but it definitely appeared within minutes of me booking the upgrade on the LAX-BNE-SYD

Easiest $120 they will make, so annoying.


EDIT: Extra update, they waived the change fee and now am booked with upgrade still in place for the straight to Sydney leg... pays to keep an eye on these things.. woot!

 

[pythonisman]

Sorry to dig up an old thread, and I know the answer is right there printed above, but I was hoping someone could comment on their experience upgrading VA Long Haul international recently?

I'm looking at booking a trip in shortly and using some points to upgrade to J, can anyone confirm if the process is instantly confirmed for international as it is for domestic? (Including that the Z reward seats are the same bucket used as upgrades?)

Also I'm assuming that given the points to upgrade from Flexi Y are the same as "saver" premium (45,000) that I'd be best off to book those seats (and not the Wsaver seats) and upgrade from them? Understand I'll then earn flexi Y SCs vs. W SCs, but at least for the dates I'm looking at, it's about $800 cheaper to book Y over Wsaver (and 80scs isn't worth $800).

However, if there were a chance the upgrade didn't stick or wasn't able to be confirmed on the spot, then I'd be more inclined to go with Wsaver as the product is significantly better.

Hope that makes sense? Appreciate any insight!

 

[jb01]

Yes it's confirmed instantly. I've just done this myself, booked a flexi Y, upgraded to J for 45,000 points.
All confirmed straight away and received new itinerary email within minutes.

To be extra sure, I had the booking page for the Y ticket open in front of me at the last page ready to book while phoning to check availability of a J upgrade. Phone agent confirmed availability and waited on the line while I completed the Y booking, then the agent took over and applied the upgrade for me.

 

[pythonisman]

To be extra sure, I had the booking page for the Y ticket open in front of me at the last page ready to book while phoning to check availability of a J upgrade. Phone agent confirmed availability and waited on the line while I completed the Y booking, then the agent took over and applied the upgrade for me.

Thanks very much. That's exactly what I was gonna do.

 

[Denali]

...To be extra sure, I had the booking page ...

Thanks, I will hopefully be doing this next week.

Ive not used points to upgrade before, can you upgrade on 2 paxs flying together?