-
Future scenario
For the sake of argument, neither myself or my wife have any Virgin points/miles left. Used them all on flights last year in UC to USA using the old booking system of phoning up first thing in the morning and hoping to bag the 2 reward seats.
We are both silver and both of us have 1 credit card voucher left.
If I make a cash booking in UC and the flight is £3000 plus £944 in fees etc, can we use a CC voucher and pay the £944 in fees etc to get a second seat in UC.
A simple yes or no in the first instance will be helpful.
But then a simple explanation of how the credit card voucher now works would be most welcome.
Cheers
It’s not that simple since dynamic pricing came in, as the voucher now has a fixed points value.
Rob has done a whole series of articles on this, e.g. https://www.headforpoints.com/2023/05/18/how-to-use-virgin-atlantic-credit-card-vouchers/
Also see the latest articles and threads on VS dynamic pricing.
It’s not that simple since dynamic pricing came in, as the voucher now has a fixed points value.
Rob has done a whole series of articles on this, e.g. https://www.headforpoints.com/2023/05/18/how-to-use-virgin-atlantic-credit-card-vouchers/
Also see the latest articles and threads on VS dynamic pricing.
as per Robs article, edited for clarity
The voucher works in the same way, regardless of whether you’re using cash or points to pay for your flight:there needs to be reward availability for the second seat in the class you want to book.
This is important – if you have bought a cash ticket, you can only use your voucher to get a 2nd free ticket if a reward seat is available.
you must pay taxes and fees on the second ticket, irrespective of whether the first ticket was bought for points or cashNow though, the voucher is only worth 75k/150k points, so that may cause issues if you have no points of your own to contribute and you’re travelling on a day when VS is charging (e.g.) 350k points for the seat?!
I don’t know if anyone’s actually tried to make such a booking yet, so it might be different in practice.
Now though, the voucher is only worth 75k/150k points, so that may cause issues if you have no points of your own to contribute and you’re travelling on a day when VS is charging (e.g.) 350k points for the seat?!
I don’t know if anyone’s actually tried to make such a booking yet, so it might be different in practice.
I have a number of “worked examples” unfortunately they contradict each other, but here goes.
Use the numbers in my first post
1. flight is £3000 plus £944 in fees etc, can we use a CC voucher and pay the £944 in fees etc to get a second seat in UC.
2. Exactly the same as above, but the miles required for the second person return is 435K, take the CC voucher away gives 285Kso that would give a notional value (based on 1p per mile in the old system)
285K miles times 1p = £2850, then the taxes at £944 = £3794It would appear that the voucher is worth £150 in this case
It needs some data points from people who’ve spoken to VS CS about it, though different agents have been interpreting the new system in different ways so far.
Surely if more points are needed you could buy these. Also have you looked to see if you could obtain points through the Points Booster following your last flight?
It needs some data points from people who’ve spoken to VS CS about it, though different agents have been interpreting the new system in different ways so far.
I was hoping for someone with past experience of a cash ticket purchase with the credit card voucher “chipping in”.
Surely if more points are needed you could buy these. Also have you looked to see if you could obtain points through the Points Booster following your last flight?
Again, thats the issue. Are points needed for a cash purchase or is it just that there are no real world examples of what happens when someone in my situation pops up.
Buying points to make up the difference is what,I believe, Virgin Atlantic have suggested in the info sent out regarding the dynamic pricing. Buying points equal to the flight flown (with an option to double it) is certainly available by phoning but not sure if there is a time limit after you have flown.
Virgin website says this. I have telephoned and asked for clarification on a cash ticket and then using a CC voucher for a companion. The agent was very helpful and has gone away to ask for guidance.
Companion tickets with Flying Club reward vouchers
Buy a ticket with either points or pounds and use your voucher to bring a companion along with you – either on a round trip, or two one-way flights.And again, standard taxes, fees and charges will apply.
How do I spend my voucher?
Please contact our Customer Centre on 0344 412 2414 to redeem your Flying Club reward voucher.Have you asked on Flyertalk? There might be someone on there who’s actually done this since the changes.
Have you asked on Flyertalk? There might be someone on there who’s actually done this since the changes.
Many thanks. I will have a look at Flyertalk.
@NorthernLass – Did you post that you had bought an economy ticket and then used vouchers to get into UC or have a dreamt that?No, that’s right (though it was an award booking, not cash), however it does seem to depend on the agent you get. Y was 7,500 points each, UC was 29k, so the voucher more than covered the difference for 2 of us, one-way. Total cash required was £864, so a great deal as a return UC flight to MCO on that date is over £3k currently.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
Popular articles this week:
