-
Hi all
First time poster so apologies for what may be a dumb question.I’ve got a whole heap of Virgin points and two credit card reward vouchers. I’m looking to get from LHR to OGG for work (and back) in September and it seems quite tricky to use Virgin and my reward vouchers to move from work sanctioned economy into premium economy bliss. Am I missing something obvious?
The best I, and a Virgin Atlantic call centre rep, can do is to go LHR – LAX in a virgin premium economy seat, stop over for the night and go LAX – OGG the next day in delta. Aka not an itinerary I love.
The slightly risky option is I get the same morning LHR – LAX flight in premium then separately book my own flight out of LAX to OGG four hours later and hopefully sort all the immigration faff in time. I’m a Brit but not a global TSA traveller.
I’m not wedded to travelling via LAX but it seems that the most Virgin operated planes run that way. I can go via Schipol and Seattle instead but they’re not virgin planes so no good to me for upgrades.
Like I said it’s entirely possible (likely!) I’m missing something so any help very gratefully received please!
Have you looked at flying VS via LHR-Seattle or Atlanta? Delta fly to OGG from both of those.
4 hours will be enough for a connection at any of them.
If you have Amex points you can convert to DL and use those for upgrades on the DL leg. Also if you’re not aware VS and DL will through check your luggage on the return on seperate tickets irrespective of whether they’re points or cash. Outbound you’ll have to collect and recheck luggage at your point of entry but it’s generally a quick process.
As above, SEA is another option, as is LAS.
PHX and DFW are BA options, but with Virgin it’s LAX, SEA, LAS. Good onwards flights times from LAS with Southwest and Hawaiian, and could have a very pleasant stop over in both SEA and LAS.Got to say it: Your work should be paying to put you in a higher cabin.
Let alone the onwards travel to OGG, in my view it isn’t reasonable to send you to LAX in Economy.
Doesn’t matter on role – whether apprentice, junior employee, manager, engineer, or CEO… That is too long in economy for a work trip.
Even my previous employer, who were as stringent as it gets, stumped up for Premium Economy when over 8hrs so long as it wasn’t a crazy price.
As above, SEA is another option, as is LAS.
Delta don’t fly direct to oGG from LAS. You don’t want to be switching to Southwest to Hawaiian. Although if you really did then SFO is also an option onwards with United or Hawaiian.
Hey all
Thanks for the responses. Here’s where I am:
@davefl I only have Virgin points – I hammered Amex one year and got told there was a pause before I could apply again so I went for Virgin points and haven’t switched back@travel strong no argument from me on flight classes but I like my job and this is what everyone has to do, so I’ll be stuck haha. I and others have flown Europe / far east in economy too.
On other airports:
– LHR – LAX gives a four hour time gap between the first Virgin plane landing and the last (decent) flight to Maui
– LHR – SFO gives a two hour time gap between first Virgin and last decent Maui flight
– LAS and SEA don’t (seem to?) have direct Virgin flights from LHR that arrive all that early so they’re non starters sadlyI know I can stop over in the cities and have stayed in each of them at least once – I’d probably plump for LAX and do a day at Universal (I know, but that’s just me) but wasn’t sure if I’d missed some clever flight ‘hack’ to make the journey quicker. Might end up doing a rush job to get over there with the four hour LAX speedy check in thing and then a more casual way back.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
Popular articles this week:
