Upgrading reward flights with miles
May 4, 2016, 3:50 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: London
Programs: BA Exec Club
Posts: 61
Upgrading reward flights with miles
I've got a one-way flight booked from LAS to LHR in PE, booked using 35k miles from my wife's Virgin account. This cleared out her account, and she's not going to be earning any more miles any time soon.
I've got just over 15k miles in my account (and again, no real opportunity to earn many more anytime soon). If a UC redemption becomes available for the flight I'm booked onto, would I be able to upgrade to UC using the 15k miles in my account (the difference between a PE and UC redemption for this flight), even though the flight was originally booked using my wife's miles?
Thanks for any replies!
I've got just over 15k miles in my account (and again, no real opportunity to earn many more anytime soon). If a UC redemption becomes available for the flight I'm booked onto, would I be able to upgrade to UC using the 15k miles in my account (the difference between a PE and UC redemption for this flight), even though the flight was originally booked using my wife's miles?
Thanks for any replies!
May 4, 2016, 4:05 am
#2
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Oxford
Programs: Skyteam Elite+, VS Red, HHonours Diamond, Accor Plat
Posts: 629
Yes.
Mixing and matching is not a problem so long as the whole amount for each transaction comes from one account. Buying the ticket is 1 transaction, upgrading is another, you will have no problem at all.
Mixing and matching is not a problem so long as the whole amount for each transaction comes from one account. Buying the ticket is 1 transaction, upgrading is another, you will have no problem at all.
May 4, 2016, 11:20 am
#3
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: SFO
Programs: VS Gold, HHonors Gold, SPG Gold
Posts: 73
I've been able to mix points from two accounts (mine and my girlfriends) to pay for combi fare tickets for both of us, even though she didn't have enough to pay for her half. They just needed to speak to her on the phone and get her to identify herself (DOB etc).
May 4, 2016, 12:28 pm
#4
Join Date: Nov 2015
Programs: EK, VS, SA, HH
Posts: 64
This is brilliant! 
A question. I have an economy reward flight booked through my account. I don't have enough miles to upgrade it to PE, however a family member has enough miles in their account to do so and is willing to upgrade my flight.
There is PE reward space available; should they call Flying Club to upgrade my flight or can I contact them myself and give them the family member's details for confirmation? I ideally would like to make the change and pay the extra taxes myself, and not have them pay for it (just inconvenient)
It would save the £7.50/1000miles transfer fee which certainly adds up.
A question. I have an economy reward flight booked through my account. I don't have enough miles to upgrade it to PE, however a family member has enough miles in their account to do so and is willing to upgrade my flight.
There is PE reward space available; should they call Flying Club to upgrade my flight or can I contact them myself and give them the family member's details for confirmation? I ideally would like to make the change and pay the extra taxes myself, and not have them pay for it (just inconvenient)
It would save the £7.50/1000miles transfer fee which certainly adds up.
Last edited by baharini; May 4, 2016 at 1:55 pm
May 4, 2016, 3:33 pm
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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I'm fairly sure this is incorrect advice. AFAIK you cannot "upgrade" an award ticket (all references to upgrade on the VS website are from a paid fare class), you can only cancel an award and immediately re-book in the higher cabin. Therefore all of the miles must come from the same account. Otherwise people would game the system to combine miles from various accounts for free.
What you can do for sure is upgrade a paid ticket with miles from another member's account...
What you can do for sure is upgrade a paid ticket with miles from another member's account...
May 4, 2016, 4:10 pm
#6
Join Date: Nov 2015
Programs: EK, VS, SA, HH
Posts: 64
I see, it makes sense – thanks 
Did some more digging and found their official policy on this, which seems good enough:
TL;DR: I can upgrade the class of service of my reward flight, but with a £30 fee and obligatory miles transfer charge.
Did some more digging and found their official policy on this, which seems good enough:
4.2.1 Once reward tickets are issued, you may amend your travel date, route or class of service prior to travel for an amendment fee of £30 per person for changes to international flights originating in the UK, US$50 per person for changes to international flights originating in the US or local currency equivalent of US$50 per person for changes to flights originating in any other region.
May 5, 2016, 2:03 pm
#8
Join Date: Nov 2015
Programs: EK, VS, SA, HH
Posts: 64
And yep that's right; My question was whether someone could upgrade someone else's reward flight with their own miles, for example: Richard books a reward flight; Patrick upgrades Richard's reward flight using his (Patrick's) miles. This saves the miles transfer cost from Patrick->Richard. (I'm sure you knew the gist of it but just for clarity). Seems like it's a no for that.
May 5, 2016, 2:08 pm
#9
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This is brilliant!
A question. I have an economy reward flight booked through my account. I don't have enough miles to upgrade it to PE, however a family member has enough miles in their account to do so and is willing to upgrade my flight.
There is PE reward space available; should they call Flying Club to upgrade my flight or can I contact them myself and give them the family member's details for confirmation? I ideally would like to make the change and pay the extra taxes myself, and not have them pay for it (just inconvenient)
It would save the £7.50/1000miles transfer fee which certainly adds up.
A question. I have an economy reward flight booked through my account. I don't have enough miles to upgrade it to PE, however a family member has enough miles in their account to do so and is willing to upgrade my flight.
There is PE reward space available; should they call Flying Club to upgrade my flight or can I contact them myself and give them the family member's details for confirmation? I ideally would like to make the change and pay the extra taxes myself, and not have them pay for it (just inconvenient)
It would save the £7.50/1000miles transfer fee which certainly adds up.
There is no need to transfer / gift miles as long as there are enough miles in their account to 'pay' for your upgrade.
They won't accept it from you that it's Ok to use their miles and nor will they contact them to ask.
May 5, 2016, 2:43 pm
#10
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Oxford
Programs: Skyteam Elite+, VS Red, HHonours Diamond, Accor Plat
Posts: 629
My question was whether someone could upgrade someone else's reward flight with their own miles, for example: Richard books a reward flight; Patrick upgrades Richard's reward flight using his (Patrick's) miles. This saves the miles transfer cost from Patrick->Richard. (I'm sure you knew the gist of it but just for clarity). Seems like it's a no for that.
I have regularly upgraded Mrs _F's flights and vice versa depends who had the most miles at the time.
May 12, 2016, 7:29 am
#13
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Birmingham, UK
Programs: HH Diamond, IHG Spire Ambassador, Virgin Gold
Posts: 240
I'm presuming if you booked the economy reward fare in one of their mileage sales, you would have to pay additional points to upgrade, or anyone have any ideas or experience of this in practice?
May 12, 2016, 8:28 am
#14
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May 12, 2016, 9:47 am
#15
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Birmingham, UK
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