UAX_Brasilia

Is it possible to buy VS miles at the 15GBP price point instead of 25USD if I'm US-based?

newyorklondon

I suspect you need to shift your Flying Club address to a UK one...

UAX_Brasilia

I figured that was the dealio. Thanks.

coconutjay

Thanks for the information, that was what I was thinking regarding getting my family to one of those hubs with my avios points (however luggage would be an issue as it is extra charges to New York). I would like to know if the flight from YYZ to any of those ports that is on UA can be done with the same itinerary vs separately booked with VS miles. I can't seem to find anything on this specifically when I try to search the forums or google search. I see many articles about the business/first class flight booking with ANA metal with VS, but nothing on connections specifically for Toronto. Confirmation on this would be great.


I have a Marriott Travel package purchase coming up and trying to set my self up for flights to Tokyo from Toronto as the family goes once a year. Typically, they fly AC direct as it is the only option unless they go the connecting route, but would prefer to get better class tickets with this options through point usages. I have a large amount of AMEX MR Canada, but they don't convert well for these types of trips here, in the US, I would be able to use many options to get the upper class flights, but here it is more costly with Aeroplan.

newyorklondon

I suspect the simplest thing is to look on United's website for Saver Award availability on a NH-UA connecting flight , then call VS to try and book it using VS miles (as a dummy booking). You'll soon work out if it's possible.

UA Saver Award availability is always 'seen' by VS for reward redemptions on NH metal, so it should be clear whether UA connecting flights are permitted.

craigsager562

I tried to book using VS for a trip in July of 2019 but VS said they can only see availability 330 days out as opposed to 355 days for ANA members. I expressed my concern that if I have to wait until next month to try again, seats would be gone in business. The VS agent told me they get award seats in business from a separate pool than other airlines, including ANA's own rewards program. Is this true?

craigsager562

I spoke to two different agents who confirmed they should be able to book an infant seat with miles if the original ticket was with miles.

craigsager562

I am having this issue as well. A VS agent I spoke to said I shouldn't worry since VS gets award seatings separate from the one ANA gives out to their own members. I'm doubting this is true.

newyorklondon

Yes, they sorted it out in the end! 14k VS miles plus negligible tax

newyorklondon

VS have access the same pool which UA and other partners have. How that relates to ANA's pool for its own members, I'm not sure.

There's no way around the 11 vs 12 month issue. As you can't redeem one-way (which would be nice, as you could book each sector as it comes into availability), what I do is book the outbound I want plus an inbound I plan to change. I wait for the inbound availability to clear, then I move the inbound redemption to the later date I want.

As I am VS gold, there is no fee for making these changes. For non-VS gold, there is a fee, but it is not very much ($50, I think). I've changed an inbound ticket four times once, as 'better' (i.e.) later dates came up.

To be honest, I've never had trouble looking around the 10.5 month mark and getting something (I just booked mid-June, 2019, SFO/NRT in F). My guess is that ANA doesn't load partner reward availability literally at the first opportunity, but rather waits a few days.

murphyUA

Is there any place I can actually lookup the booking with the booking reference they issued when they placed an itin on hold?

newyorklondon

You need to request two booking references from VS: the VS one and the parallel NH one. You can look up the NH on the ANA website. Just be aware of some quirks to do with middle names/initials being conflated with your first name. For example, if you are John Alexander Smith in Virgin, your booking will be Johna Smith in NH.

murphyUA

Thanks! I made two separate bookings for two people, and interestingly, one of them wasn't responding to the My Booking page on VS (using the VS reference) as it said it didn't exist. The other one was fine, and was attached to the Flying Club account. This kinda concerned me a bit, so I called and initially, the agent couldn't even find the missing one. After putting me on hold for 10 mins, she returned and said it all looked fine but wasn't sure why it was so difficult to find. I decided it was best to just ticket it then

I'm sure it's in this thread, but one other quick question: Is there any advantage at all to booking the two center seats if flying with a companion, or is it a better idea to just snag two windows?

newyorklondon

The NH Square Suite in F is quite strange as it seems to prioritize privacy over almost everything else - including your flying companion, if seated next to you in the center seats, and the window if seated in a window seat! It's lovely, but it's not really conducive to either chatting to your companion or looking out the window. In a glass half full sense, you're not missing out whichever seat you pick

The only thing I'd say is that I've never experienced a full F cabin. So I like to sit in a window seat (2K is my preference), and generally the crew will make up one of the center seats as a bed when I want to sleep - the best of both worlds!

tonykline1947

Booked F US-NRT-US using US call center. Taxes were ~$340, which sounds hi, however ita matrix fare breakdown confirms it. It was ~$160 in 2017.

Base Fare USD 0.00
Carrier-imposed Surcharge (YQ) USD 260.00
United States - Passenger Civil Aviation Security Service Fee (AY) USD 5.60
United States - Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Fee (APHIS User Fee - Passengers (XA) USD 3.96
United States - Immigration and Naturalization Fee(Immigration User Fee) (XY) USD 7.00
United States - Custom User Fee (YC) USD 5.65
Japan - Passenger Security Service Charge (OI) USD 4.70
Japan - Passenger Service Facilities Charge (SW) USD 18.80
United States - Transportation Tax (US) USD 36.60
Total Amount USD 342.31