Virgin Upgrade
Jan 10, 2016, 11:49 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 15
Virgin Upgrade
My company has booked me on a flight which is a O fare bucket which doesn't appear to allow me to upgrade using miles.
I called Virgin and they said I maybe able to upgrade at the airport. Would I still need to pay a fee to move to a fare which is upgradable or is that not taken into consideration and I could just use my miles + pay taxes.
I called Virgin and they said I maybe able to upgrade at the airport. Would I still need to pay a fee to move to a fare which is upgradable or is that not taken into consideration and I could just use my miles + pay taxes.
Jan 10, 2016, 12:21 pm
#2
Moderator, Virgin Atlantic
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: www.V-Flyer.com
Programs: VS Red, Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium - earned out of our own pocket!.
Posts: 2,392
You haven't said where your flight is to and from.
The answer is that any time you upgrade with points on VS, you have to either be in a bucket that permits mileage upgrades, or pay cash to get into one.
stuart_f's guide in the stickies at the top of the forum (which wasn't there when you posted your question) explains the process.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/virgi...ub-points.html
There have been a number of posts over the years about how the rules for upgrading are waived that the airport, generally when the flight is overbooked; and VS need to need passengers forward, but I have never experienced this personally.
Nick
The answer is that any time you upgrade with points on VS, you have to either be in a bucket that permits mileage upgrades, or pay cash to get into one.
stuart_f's guide in the stickies at the top of the forum (which wasn't there when you posted your question) explains the process.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/virgi...ub-points.html
There have been a number of posts over the years about how the rules for upgrading are waived that the airport, generally when the flight is overbooked; and VS need to need passengers forward, but I have never experienced this personally.
Nick
Jan 10, 2016, 9:09 pm
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Barcelona, London, on a plane
Programs: BA Silver, TK E+, AA PP, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 13,047
I suspect that VS are referring to the fact that one can often pay a cash amount to upgrade at the airport.
Whether the upgrading using miles rules are waived at the airport is a different matter. As Nick says, it is most likely to occur when a flight is overbooked. With op-ups necessary, it makes sense to try to extract some cash or miles from people rather than just giving the upgrade away.
Whether the upgrading using miles rules are waived at the airport is a different matter. As Nick says, it is most likely to occur when a flight is overbooked. With op-ups necessary, it makes sense to try to extract some cash or miles from people rather than just giving the upgrade away.
Jan 12, 2016, 7:24 am
#4
Join Date: Jan 2013
Programs: HH Diamond, VS Au, BA Mauve
Posts: 111
I fly to MIA this thursday, returning Sunday.
Rang up to see if there were any upgrades going.
Normal behaviour: Book semi flexible fare with the intention of using miles. No availability for this flight
Suggested behaviour: Asked to call up a week before, pay the difference between my actual fare (Which was £350 return!) and the first semi flexible fare, then upgrade. No availability
Actual behaviour: Given that the current PE return fare is £2587, I called yesterday, and was offered an upgrade outbound for £200, and £239 for the return.... Not bad :-)
Rang up to see if there were any upgrades going.
Normal behaviour: Book semi flexible fare with the intention of using miles. No availability for this flight
Suggested behaviour: Asked to call up a week before, pay the difference between my actual fare (Which was £350 return!) and the first semi flexible fare, then upgrade. No availability
Actual behaviour: Given that the current PE return fare is £2587, I called yesterday, and was offered an upgrade outbound for £200, and £239 for the return.... Not bad :-)