Virgin Atlantic Flying Club - Advice on which leg to upgrade to UC?

Took advantage of the current Virgin Atlantic bonus and converted MR to FC points. I have enough points remaining to upgrade from PE to UC on one of these legs:

MIA-LHR
LHR- HKG

They're both night flights, roughly the same number of miles and almost exactly the same $fee to upgrade. I know the HKG leg is 4 hours longer, but I'm more interested in getting the full UC experience (would be my first), and want to know the pros/cons of each. Thanks in advance! Btw, long time lurker... First post :)

-Matthew

Welcome!

Personally I would go for LHR-HKG. It's a long flight and you will appreciate the UC suite. The service is slightly different from the MIA-LHR leg, but you basically get dinner and then a full breakfast. On the MIA flight you get a reduced breakfast option -- but also the ability to use the Revivals lounge, which is lovely after a red-eye flight. You can have a look at the intricacies of the food service here, if you are interested: http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/content/dam/VAA/Documents/upperclass/UpperClassMealService.pdf

If you upgrade LHR-HKG (and assuming you are not a gold Flying Club member already), you would get LHR Clubhouse access, which is definitely something you'd want to experience, especially if you have not flown UC before. The lounge at MIA is reported to be miserable (I have never been but others will comment).

The only difficulty is that HKG is usually a tough route for reward seats. You may need to be persistent and/or lucky to get one.

Best of luck.

I agree with at240. If there is availability on the HKG leg, go for that.

I also agree with at240, but would echo his warning about availability.

It may be a case of a bird in the hand..... If you find the ex-MIA leg is available, but not the other, you could gamble and hold out for the ex-LHR leg to open up, but you may lose out if that goes. Tough call.

The Club America MIA lounge is certainly nothing to write home about compared to the LHR Clubhouse, but it is better than it used to be. As at240 says, you will be able to use the LHR Arrivals lounge, assuming you plan to go land side when you arrive in London.

If you don't plan on going land side, then it is almost a no brainer. The MIA flight lands at around 8am and you could conceivably spend the whole day in the LHR Clubhouse eating and drinking yourself into oblivion. :eek:

You would also be pretty much guaranteed a treatment if you are spending almost 16 hours in there. :D:cool:

Welcome to Flyertalk, and please let us know how you go on.

Nick

Hi,

I would also agree about trying to get the LHR-HKG leg upgraded.

Regards

TBS

Hi! just going to hi-jack this post for a minute.

If you find the ex-MIA leg is available, but not the other, you could gamble and hold out for the ex-LHR leg to open up, but you may lose out if that goes. Tough call.

Are you saying that even if there is no reward avail now, sometimes spaces open up nearer the flight day? I'm looking at a VS046 JFK>LHR which currently has no avails in UC, but it would be great if it came about.

You would also be pretty much guaranteed a treatment if you are spending almost 16 hours in there. :D:cool:

How long would you realistically recommend to spend in the lounge if you potentially had the whole day free and no flight until 5pm? Is it just one complimentary treatment you get? and finally, is the sauna/pool available extra to this? Worth using?

Thanks :)

The maxim for reward flights on VS used to be - book early - preferably at the 330 day point, however the rules have now changed and the system )if you can call it that) is much more random.

I have been very fortunate and managed to get flights to HKG and SYD on the dates I want, but it wasn't easy - for one leg I had to book one flight one day and another the next, when another seat opened up.

From anecdotal posts here and on V-Flyer, it is worth checking daily for availability as it very often opens up at random periods in the run up to the flight date.

It isn't an ideal system, but there have been lots of recent reports of good availability close to flight dates, so good luck.

With regards to treatments, since they limited the number of free ones available, they no longer take advance bookings (from mere mortals at least:cool: ) so when you arrive at the Clubhouse, go straight over to the Cowshed reception and try your luck. I have a 100% success rate in double figure visits.

I assume the spa pool is still there, I have never used it, and haven't heard of any recent reports of its use, but I am sure others will comment on this.

Personally 3 or 4 hours is the most I would want to spend in the Clubhouse but YMMV.

Nick

Ditto on the 3-4 hours 'limit' for a planned visit

I think the sauna and pool still there (- bring your own swimming shorts)

If you have a whole day free then consider getting out of the airport and if Central London dosen't appeal then Windsor is not far away and if you are there and feel the need for a nap its only a short taxi ride back !

Haha thanks. I am a London-er though :D

Haha thanks. I am a London-er though :D

Well I was thinking more of the original OP who would have a long wait between his arrival and departure !

Well I was thinking more of the original OP who would have a long wait between his arrival and departure !

My apologies, I forgot I hi-jacked this thread. ^