dansouza1287

Hey Everyone:

Im going on my honeymoon very soon flying LAX to SYD on virgin atlantic. We´re already booked on economy plus but I am desperately trying to upgrade to upper class as a surprise for my soon-to-be wife. Problem is the upgrades are insanely expensive or way to many miles to spend!! Ive upgraded to first class a couple times before but never on virgin. DOES ANYONE have any advice on how I can acomplish this without spending more than $200 per person??? I could really use your help. Im also 6.3 and the idea of 16 hours on a plane not being on upper class makes me nervous

THANKS!!!!

Nottingham Nick

Welcome to Flyertalk, and congratulations on the upcoming nuptials.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but a budget of $200 isn't going to get you very far. Your trip will be classed as three legs each way LAX to LHR, LHR to HKG and HKG to SYD - each will require its own wad of miles and/or cash to upgrade.

VS do not routinely op-up and, when they do, it is usually Gold card holders, those holding the higher fare buckets or those holding some other sway with VS that get priority.

The only budget advice I can offer would be to try and bag extra leg room seats or exit rows.

http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/gb/en...om-teaser.html

The extra leg room seats will be $60 each on the LAX-LHR leg and $80 each for LHR to SYD - that gives a total of $280 each for the return trip - only slightly above your budget. They are limited though, so if this is the route you want to go down I would get them booked.

Edit - I have just re-read your post and you have said you are booked in economy plus, by which I assume you mean Premium Economy - in which case, completely ignore most of the above.
Sorry, I have no advice on getting an upgrade to UC for $200 per person

Nick

UKtravelbear

Are you sure you are flying Virgin ATLANTIC because it will take you significantly longer than 16 hours to fly from LAX to SYD via LHR !

Are you sure you are not flying Virgin AUSTRALIA (which does takes about 15 hours flying trans pacific)


But if you are flying Virgin ATLANTIC as Nick says getting into UC for $200 just won't happen - certainly not even for one leg let alone the three sectors that VS counts LAX-SYD (via LHR with a brief stop as HKG) as.

Nottingham Nick

Good spot - didn't think of that!

Nick

olybeast

You can only afford 400 dollars to spend on your honeymoon flight seats? Dig deep! It's your honeymoon for flip sake

Silver Fox

If I knew how to get upgrades for $200 to UC I would not tell a soul !

UKtravelbear

Did you not read the whole post by the OP?

He and future Mrs -
but we are assuming he means PE and is asking it is is possible to upgrade from that to UC $200 each.

He is NOT asking for $200 flights from LAX to SYD !

trooper

Pretty sure he did read it... hence the question about "$400 on honeymoon flight SEATS" (Not fares, seats!)

Sure, he's not asking for a $200 fare LAX-SYD... just a PE-J upgrade LAX-SYD.... for $200...

Which is probably about as likely.....

MrHeckles

I would say that the only way you might get an upgrade from PE to UC for $200, is to very subtly put two hundred dollar bills in the hand of the Check-In agent. I give that a 0.1% chance of success. Which is infinitely more likely than any "official" route...

dansouza1287

Hello Everyone

THanks for all the advice. Ill clear some things up. I am spending a bunch on those tickets already. So Not a cheapskate here. Second im new to this so pardon my lack of specifics. ITs technically a delta flight but its operated by virgin. So I dont know if that makes any difference. As far as my "400" dollar Budget... its not exactly fixed in Stone. I just kind of feel irresponsible spending so much more. I have alot of miles and such im jsut not that flying savy so I thought since you guys are the experts I might find the best way to do it here. Anyone have an idea how many miles im looking at spending for a flight like this??

Thanks alot guys

dansouza1287

also. Anyone have any advice on upgrade auctions. Apparently I can bid for an upgrade?? any words of wisdon on this one would be much appreciated. And yessss I will stretch the Budget.. I just need to know about how much

Steve Oh

If your flight is with Virgin the forget about upgrade auctions - they don't offer them.
If you have lots of miles, get to the airport early and ask about upgrading with miles. Not sure how Delta miles work on Virgin so might be worth calling them first to make sure.

TerryK

Codeshares are not upgradeable. You need to reticket it into VA code if you want to upgrade. Also, VA flights can only be upgraded with VA miles if you have them. BTW, none of these have anything to do with Virgin Atlantic (VS).

Exact same question here:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta...-coded-dl.html

TerryK

I think you are referring to www.optiontown.com. Only some smaller, mainly, European, airlines participate. Neither VA nor VS participates. Longhaul upgrade, if it were available, should be in the $600-$1000 per person range.

UKtravelbear

Can you please clarify (as previously asked) which airline you are flying with - V Australia or V Atlantic and which FF programme your miles are in as the answers will determine the best advice for you.

You specifically mentioned V Atlantic but the only route from LAX to SYD is via LHR rather than a direct flight offered by V Australia.

But re auctions V Atlantic (should you be flying with them) do offer a bid system but only on a small number of flights (not inc ex LAX) and in any case it is only from Y to PE