Spending miles
May 12, 2019, 2:56 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2016
Programs: Emirates skywards
Posts: 43
Spending miles
Hi all sorry if this has been asked before as I’m sure it has but I had a quick search and couldn’t find anything.
If if I want to book 6 flights to Orlando for next May from the uk can I do this by spending miles?
as far as I can see I will need 270k miles to do this but knowing what airline programs are like there will be a catch in the booking process.
Thanks for all you help.
If if I want to book 6 flights to Orlando for next May from the uk can I do this by spending miles?
as far as I can see I will need 270k miles to do this but knowing what airline programs are like there will be a catch in the booking process.
Thanks for all you help.
May 12, 2019, 4:54 am
#2
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: 13,048
You will need lots of miles and you will pay so much in taxes and surcharges that you'll wonder why you bothered to collect the miles...
I also assume you want 6 people on one flight, not 6 separate flights for yourself to Orlando. You might struggle to find that much award space if you are travelling at a peak time such as school holidays.
I also assume you want 6 people on one flight, not 6 separate flights for yourself to Orlando. You might struggle to find that much award space if you are travelling at a peak time such as school holidays.
May 12, 2019, 7:29 am
#4
Join Date: Sep 2017
Programs: Virgin Atlantic
Posts: 37
May is a hard month in which to use points on flights between the US and UK due to half term and Memorial Day. Some carriers offer group discounts on for 10 and more passengers. You're not far from there, if you meant 6 seats.
May 13, 2019, 4:08 am
#6
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
As others have said - to give proper advice, more information is needed.
1. How flexible are your dates of travel?
2. Do you have the points already- either in FC account or transferable?
3. Do you have to fly direct to MCO?
IMHO booking reward seats in economy is rarely best use of points, when you consider the taxes and airline imposed surcharges but without knowing more of your situation, it is difficult to judge
Nick
1. How flexible are your dates of travel?
2. Do you have the points already- either in FC account or transferable?
3. Do you have to fly direct to MCO?
IMHO booking reward seats in economy is rarely best use of points, when you consider the taxes and airline imposed surcharges but without knowing more of your situation, it is difficult to judge
Nick
May 13, 2019, 3:20 pm
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2016
Programs: Emirates skywards
Posts: 43
Cheers for the replies.
Sorry for for lack of information.
Flight dates are fixed im afraid 16/05/20 - 30/05/20
Current points total 130k
i accrue around 30k points per month
we have to fly man-mco
so all in all not very flexible which I know doesn’t make it very easy.
Sorry for for lack of information.
Flight dates are fixed im afraid 16/05/20 - 30/05/20
Current points total 130k
i accrue around 30k points per month
we have to fly man-mco
so all in all not very flexible which I know doesn’t make it very easy.
May 14, 2019, 5:40 am
#8
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
I wish you luck with this but will issue the following words of caution :-
As previously mentioned - there will be taxes and fees to pay (around £250 each - not sure if there are reductions for children).
Assuming that there are 6 seats available when the outbound is released (around T-330 days) - do you book, or do you wait to make sure there are six seats on the inbound?
If you wait, the outbound seats may have been taken. If you jump in, there may not be availaibility on the return. Having said that, I have done a couple of dummy bookings on
months that are available now, and because you are after economy rewards availability of six seats is certainly possible.
On the plus side, you will be booked into the Economy Classic, so you will get 1 23kg piece of luggage and be able to choose seats.
I wish you luck - please let us know if you are successful.
Nick
As previously mentioned - there will be taxes and fees to pay (around £250 each - not sure if there are reductions for children).
Assuming that there are 6 seats available when the outbound is released (around T-330 days) - do you book, or do you wait to make sure there are six seats on the inbound?
If you wait, the outbound seats may have been taken. If you jump in, there may not be availaibility on the return. Having said that, I have done a couple of dummy bookings on
months that are available now, and because you are after economy rewards availability of six seats is certainly possible.
On the plus side, you will be booked into the Economy Classic, so you will get 1 23kg piece of luggage and be able to choose seats.
I wish you luck - please let us know if you are successful.
Nick
Jul 9, 2019, 10:43 pm
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2016
Programs: Emirates skywards
Posts: 43
Hi all just thought I’d let you know how I got on booking the flights
i managed to get 6 rewards flights leaving on Saturday 16th May using miles in premium and returning on 30th May in economy
it cost me 210,000 miles and £2335 in cash. I could have got premium both ways but had to change the date to come home on the Sunday but unfortunately we couldn’t accommodate that, if I could have it would have been 270,000.
ill keep an an eye out to see if they release any more seats on the return leg.
i managed to get 6 rewards flights leaving on Saturday 16th May using miles in premium and returning on 30th May in economy
it cost me 210,000 miles and £2335 in cash. I could have got premium both ways but had to change the date to come home on the Sunday but unfortunately we couldn’t accommodate that, if I could have it would have been 270,000.
ill keep an an eye out to see if they release any more seats on the return leg.