Taxes and fees correct on website?
 

Just checking for some redemptions on VS website .Not used VS for a few years but are the taxes and fees correct?
mia-lhr Econ $148.90/£117.90
​​​​​​mia-lhr P/Econ $223.90/£176.90
mia-lhr Upper $576.90/£453.90

Lhr-mia Econ £202.12
Lhr-mia P/econ £346.12
Lhr-mia upper £446.12

Is the Mia to LHR in upper correct ?
Seems incorrect to me
Anyone?

I'd say yes. Airlines have been bumping up their element (carrier / international / just because we can surcharge) of the cash part of redemptions over the last couple of years especially ex-USA legs.

more investigation reveals these returns taxes and fees
lhr-mia Econ £270.92
lhr-mia P/Econ £464.92
lhr-mia upper £664.92

i only needed mia-lhr one way was hoping to treat me and mrs in upper.Wish i had knew would never of started collecting VS miles.
I think this a rip off for my loyalty.

Unfortunately BA and VS are about the worst for taxes and fees on award tickets though some other European airlines are not far behind. BA and VS raised their already high fees within the last few months ex-US. Honestly the way to look at BA and VS awards on their own metal (and some but not all partner carriers) is pretty much as a cash + points awards.

The taxes won't be any different as between BA, VS, or any other carrier. They are set by the various governments, e.g. US and UK in this instance.

Carrier surcharges are simply a cash co-pay for a redemption ticket. Nothing more and nothing less. This is why carriers do not refer to award or redemption tickets as "free". Note that the size of the cash fee may affect the calculation of the taxes.

Fees (and miles) on award redemptions to the US on VS (or BA for that matter) are awful - I wouldn't use them unless I had no alternative. It's a shame, but for that reason I only really consider award flights on VS to non-US destinations or on partner carriers.

Upper Class is a different matter, but Y and PE rewards cost far fewer miles than other airlines charge. So miles + co-pay can work out quite well for infrequent flyers / shoppers, especially those based in the UK.

As for US-based FTers, it's hard for the rest of us to feel much sympathy when you've simply received 100k+ miles from a credit card sign-up that you may or may not have signed up for without really understanding Flying Club...

Agreed, Y and PE aren't too bad in comparison to other airlines but I don't like the overall value of those awards in general.

I have to agree about the US credit card deals. I was reading an article the other day from a blogger explaining how they refuse to use Marriott Rewards, IHG etc, because they only stay on points and refuse to pay cash for rooms, and Marriott and IHG make you earn your points from actually staying at the hotels. But that's a lot easier when you can open 5 credit cards with 50,000-100,000 welcome bonuses, 5x points on this, 3x points on that, $250 hotel credit here, $250 airline credit there etc. etc. :p