Vegas Trip Information for anyone looking to go this year.

[Simon Galloway]

Nick - a present from Tony (with a techno-assist)

((However, you may prefer the temporary rates available currently on their reward sale:  http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/gb/en/flying-club/spend-miles/reward-flights.html ))

Cliffs: Reward seat now = 31,876 miles + ~ £350 tax

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[Simon Galloway]

Cool thanks, just looked and have 20296 miles so should be able to do something if I buy a few more I guess...

12.5k - one way upgrade to Premium (if you booked in classes [Y,B,R,L,U,M] )
12.5k - one way upgrade to Premium (possible from different classes by asking at the desk (not the check-in desk) on the day and gambling they have space

25k - one way upgrade into Upper (same ticket restrictions)
25k - round trip upgrade to Premium

31.875k - economy reward seat.

Buy miles and boost miles have concurrent sales on, so lots of options depending on if you want to focus on £ or comfort.

[tikay]

Cool thanks, just looked and have 20296 miles so should be able to do something if I buy a few more I guess...

12.5k - one way upgrade to Premium (if you booked in classes [Y,B,R,L,U,M] )
12.5k - one way upgrade to Premium (possible from different classes by asking at the desk (not the check-in desk) on the day and gambling they have space

25k - one way upgrade into Upper (same ticket restrictions)
25k - round trip upgrade to Premium

31.875k - economy reward seat.

Buy miles and boost miles have concurrent sales on, so lots of options depending on if you want to focus on £ or comfort.

Thanks Simon.

I have 19,640 miles apparently.

My preference would be to fly PE both ways.

What options do I have to put those Miles towards the cost?

Based on what you wrote, could I buy 6,000 miles, then book Economy & upgrade to PE?

If so, where do I buy Miles, & how much would 6,000 miles cost me, please?

Sorry to be a pain, but you ought to be used to it by now.....

[StuartHopkin]

Cool thanks, just looked and have 20296 miles so should be able to do something if I buy a few more I guess...

12.5k - one way upgrade to Premium (if you booked in classes [Y,B,R,L,U,M] )
12.5k - one way upgrade to Premium (possible from different classes by asking at the desk (not the check-in desk) on the day and gambling they have space

25k - one way upgrade into Upper (same ticket restrictions)
25k - round trip upgrade to Premium

31.875k - economy reward seat.

Buy miles and boost miles have concurrent sales on, so lots of options depending on if you want to focus on £ or comfort.

Thanks Simon.

I have 19,640 miles apparently.

My preference would be to fly PE both ways.

What options do I have to put those Miles towards the cost?

Based on what you wrote, could I buy 6,000 miles, then book Economy & upgrade to PE?

If so, where do I buy Miles, & how much would 6,000 miles cost me, please?

Sorry to be a pain, but you ought to be used to it by now.....

You buy miles by logging into the flying club and clicking buy miles.
6250 would cost you £90 at the moment

Based on what Simon said you can then book economy and upgrade.
I believe it is best to do this over the phone though as the ticket classes and dates available are very specific.

[Simon Galloway]

Sigh - lost a long post

Going to cliff it.  Yes, you'd have to pay £90 for the extra miles AND book it over the phone (warning: you almost certainly won't have a valid ticket category unless you paid well over the odds.

OR you could gamble on the day and get the groundstaff to upgarde you for 12.5K into PE or 25K into Upper based on availability on the day

OR you could spend £630 and buy in extra miles + £400-odd in tax, but no real point in this as it is a) hassle and b) bordering the PE flight cost so not saving anything much

OR - just buy the PE flight and collect the miles.  I'd certainly plug the dates in first and see what prices are like and go from there.

[Simon Galloway]

For perspective:

You could currently buy 80k miles + 20k bonus for £1215.  ~£600 tax and you are buying yourself Upper return reward seat for ~£1850.  (admittedly with restricted availability and your flight won't qualify for miles earned)

So...

No need to pay much more than that for Upper.

If PE is £1k or so... ok.  If PE is ----> £1500+ then it really is sooooo much better value to pay £1850 ^^

[Redbull]

Thanks for all the info, will study in detail tonight.

[vegaslover]

With the 25% sale on I can book 4 tix with virgin but have a quick question for those in the know.

 I have 87k miles and mrs has 42k. How much extra will I pay to get the miles transferred into one pot? any chance they just combine the miles onto the same ticket? me, mrs, son and mother in law going!!

Have looked up lowcostusa and they are stating they include resort fees in their costs, anyone got experience of this? obviously fees included saves a hell of a chunk nowadays when I looking for 2 rooms!

[Marky147]

With the 25% sale on I can book 4 tix with virgin but have a quick question for those in the know.

 I have 87k miles and mrs has 42k. How much extra will I pay to get the miles transferred into one pot? any chance they just combine the miles onto the same ticket? me, mrs, son and mother in law going!!

Have looked up lowcostusa and they are stating they include resort fees in their costs, anyone got experience of this? obviously fees included saves a hell of a chunk nowadays when I looking for 2 rooms!

I've booked a few times with them, once was a room at the Wynn that did include resort fees, and another at Palazzo that didn't.

[Longines]

With the 25% sale on I can book 4 tix with virgin but have a quick question for those in the know.

 I have 87k miles and mrs has 42k. How much extra will I pay to get the miles transferred into one pot? any chance they just combine the miles onto the same ticket? me, mrs, son and mother in law going!!

http://virginatlantic.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/833
http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/gb/en/flying-club/buy-transfer-miles.html

[Simon Galloway]

No combining miles and transferring miles is pretty costly (unless you are Gold+)

lowcostusa, if it says incl resort fee, then it does include resort fee and the voucher you get from them will have it printed on it too, to that effect.  If it says "optional" or "not included" then you are probably getting charged it locally.

[vegaslover]

No combining miles and transferring miles is pretty costly (unless you are Gold+)

lowcostusa, if it says incl resort fee, then it does include resort fee and the voucher you get from them will have it printed on it too, to that effect.  If it says "optional" or "not included" then you are probably getting charged it locally.

Cheers Simon

Virgin site says £15 to transfer miles, will find out in the morning when I ring them

[Simon Galloway]

It's not a flat fee.... the more miles you transfer the larger the fee will be.  You can go on the site and click "transfer miles" and play around with the numbers without needing to commit to anything or phone them.

[vegaslover]

Cheers Simon, just took a look and £70 to transfer 7k miles, Virgin don't give much away!!!

[Simon Galloway]

Booked Vdara again for the summer.

Pros:
 I haven't found a better room for the same money (~£100/day)
Full size fridge is great in summer, loads of extra water/fruit/drinks in there, saves a fortune compared to the gift shop/vending machine
Additional living space means time spent working in the room is more tolerable
Washing machine + dryer means sports kit doesn't honk and you can pack really light (Get a good maid and tip her well and washing gets folded/dried, dishes get washed etc etc.)
Easy access via Dean Martin means I hardly ever drive on or across the strip
Great food options/bars in Bellagio/Aria/Cosmo all a stone's throw.
Can always get a bed by the pool

Cons
Once you go back to the Vdara, that really is gg for the night.  At other properties some of the best nights out I've ever had have been after intending to go to bed at 2, having a drink downstairs, bumping into a couple of old faces and/or binking at the tables and then going to bed at midday instead..
You can obviously stay cheaper elsewhere
I've stayed here a few times and it would be good to stay somewhere I haven't stayed before (I just couldn't think of anywhere better this time with decent prices)
Pool is too small/crowded to swim

I know some just want a bed for 4 hours, but I'm interested in hidden gems that others have that would be a good alternative and why you like staying there.

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