How to use Virgin website for partner airlines to fly Bangkok / Vietnam
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Hello Team,
Anyone had any luck using the virgin website to search for partner airlines to fly Upper Class to Bangkok (or Vietnam)?
Looking for some tickets round december – I can book to Paris/Amsterdam on points on AF/KLM, but as soon as I try to go to Bangkok/Ho Chi Minh/Hanoi which these carriers fly to, nothing works and it tells me to call virgin.
ANyone know another way to search?
Many thanks In Advance…
With great difficulty.
Don’t try and type the airport code / name – use the ‘full airport list’ menu.
Search by one way first and then once you’ve found a week with a date in it change the url from
‘virginatlantic.com/flight-search/flexible-dates’
to
‘virginatlantic.com/flight-search/flexible-calendar’
Sometimes it shows the ‘price calender’ button other times it doesn’t so you can just change the url but this only works once you’ve found a date within a week on the flexible date view.
Then you’ll be able to note down what is available outbound and inbound and see if their suitable for to do a return trip.
I don’t think there is any correlation between what is available via Flying Blue and what is available via Virgin as a partner. Maybe Rob or someone else can confirm that?
I don’t think it’s possible to book online for partner awards, you need to call to book once you’ve found availability.
Hey Azza, Thanks so much for your suggestions – I’m going to try it out, they don’t make it easy, do they!
I don’t think it’s possible to book online for partner awards, you need to call to book once you’ve found availability.
Plus that annoyance as well.
Hey Azza, Thanks so much for your suggestions – I’m going to try it out, they don’t make it easy, do they!
The other annoyance is once you’re in calendar view and if you go forward / backwards monthly and then there is no availability for the month it returns you back to the search page with the error, so you have to start over again.
I’ve found a bit of availability – but I think the spam filter might have caught the post as I included some screenshots. Maybe Rob or someone can unblock it if that’s the case?
AMS – BKK
Upper Class
1 passenger
BKK – AMS
Upper Class
1 passenger
Changing to 2 passengers and availability completely changes.
Apparently there are no connecting LHR – AMS – BKK flights, but there are some return.
BKK – LHR (assuming that’s where you would depart from)
Upper Class
1 passenger
It doesn’t return anything for December – despite the fact as above there is availability from BKK – AMS on say 8th December.
And of course there is availability on the 8th December for AMS – LHR after 7:05pm when that flight is scheduled to land – but I guess there’s some time filtering built into connecting flights?
Guess one way around that would be to do a multi-city booking and have a night (or days) over in AMS.
Weirdly doing a multi-city for the outbound say LHR – AMS on 21st November and AMS – BKK on 22nd November it doesn’t return anything. So you’d have to book separate one ways if you can do it online.
Might just be worth ringing to book once you have figured out the dates as the agents might be able to tie them together – given there is availability. Take the 22nd November outbound as an AMS – BKK doesn’t depart until 5:05PM. There is award availability for LHR – AMS from 6:30am onward and arguably 5 flights that would all get you into AMS well before that flight departs.
I’ve managed to book AF redemption on the Virgin website. LHR to SIN via CDG. Difficult to search, but the availability is there. Also saw KLM availability pop up too during my searches.
I’ve managed to book AF redemption on the Virgin website. LHR to SIN via CDG. Difficult to search, but the availability is there. Also saw KLM availability pop up too during my searches.
I noticed this too earlier, definitely wasn’t availability yesterday when I was searching. Seems to have been a lot of AF availability added.
You also can’t book a mixed class online. I think the call centre can do this, and I’m sure you’d be happy with economy to CDG/AMS. Similarly long connections won’t show on Virgin.
Economy redemption on Virgin is often *better* than cheapest redemption price on AF/KLM. Go figure.
In summary, search for all legs all times all classes on Virgin website separately then call to book what you want. It’s not the nightmare that calling BA still often is.
I’m not sure 112k each way plus £200ish taxes is a decent redemption unless you’re points rich. It’s the equivalent of £2600 return, you’d be easily able to book cash tickets for significantly less starting outside the uk on a similar route.
I’m not sure 112k each way plus £200ish taxes is a decent redemption unless you’re points rich. It’s the equivalent of £2600 return, you’d be easily able to book cash tickets for significantly less starting outside the uk on a similar route.
Fair point I just don’t see also paying £1k+ + points for a business return redemption to the States as great either specially when you get good sales fares like the MAN-JFK on EI for £965 bus return the other day. Sitting on a stash but don’t know how to use them. Cannot find any good value ANA Availability either.
I agree. I’m hoping to redeem on ANA in the future but know availability is sketchy. The taxes on US flights are mad now but do you have the Virgin CC? At least it makes a return for 2 decent-ish value but only convenient flying from Heathrow.
The Virgin cruises are a good redemption when they come up though, also no taxes to pay. I’m considering that next time they come up.
I agree. I’m hoping to redeem on ANA in the future but know availability is sketchy. The taxes on US flights are mad now but do you have the Virgin CC? At least it makes a return for 2 decent-ish value but only convenient flying from Heathrow.
I did quite a while back, I think when it first came out but I don’t have the cc anymore. Could live with paying actual taxes/airport fees in a points redemption + points but really object to extortionate carrier surcharges, they should be included in the base fare imho.
The Virgin cruises are a good redemption when they come up though, also no taxes to pay. I’m considering that next time they come up.
Yes that may be a good way to use them up, will have to consider that. Maybe when they’re integrated into Skyteam it might open more redemption opportunities in Bus I hope.
Azza – you lovely person!
Thanks so much for sending and showing that availability for me.Although as others have said – wow that is an expensie redemption…
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