Vegas Trip Information for anyone looking to go this year.

[nirvana]

the cost of transferring miles is suspiciously similar (last time I looked into it) to the recipient just buying the miles direct from Virgin, which would render you selling them near worthless.  If you earn 1 mile before July, your account will become refreshed for 3 years.  There are lots of ways to earn miles, for example using their click and shop (like using quidco to buy yourself somethingfrom john lewis/argos/apple/wherever)

That would be the best solution imo, and you can refresh again etc to keep the miles active until you want to use them.  If you think you will never have use of them, Virgin probably have a charitable donation scheme available.

Brill, thanks Simon, guessed there must be a catch - thought I was gonna be using the proceeds for a couple of Euro flights :-) May well use them one day so will refresh as you suggest.

Cheers

[bookiebasher]

the cost of transferring miles is suspiciously similar (last time I looked into it) to the recipient just buying the miles direct from Virgin, which would render you selling them near worthless.  If you earn 1 mile before July, your account will become refreshed for 3 years.  There are lots of ways to earn miles, for example using their click and shop (like using quidco to buy yourself somethingfrom john lewis/argos/apple/wherever)

That would be the best solution imo, and you can refresh again etc to keep the miles active until you want to use them.  If you think you will never have use of them, Virgin probably have a charitable donation scheme available.

I am in the same boat but with only 25000 miles expiring in July. Never knew that you could extend the term by buying stuff.

I never see that in the emails they send me.

Thanks very much for the post.

[tonytats]

I'm waiting for 80 k miles to come through from tesco to my virgin account
So I asked a mate to slide 81 k over and I will slide them back
So he phoned virgin cost £625
Looks like I'm waiting

[Simon Galloway]

yeah looks like you are waiting   It would cost your buddy £625 to slide em over... and you £625 to slide em back... so £1250 turned into sawdust and no extra miles gained.

If Tesco are going to take so long that you are in danger of missing this sale fare window, and you are intending to use this sale fare window, then it is quite likely that it would pay for itself to:

1) Buy 62k + 18.6k bonus miles for £945
2) Use those to take advantage of the deals atm.
3) Eventually you'll end up with a spare 80k when Tesco do their thing... and ah well, will just have to use em next year!

[Sheriff Fatman]

the cost of transferring miles is suspiciously similar (last time I looked into it) to the recipient just buying the miles direct from Virgin, which would render you selling them near worthless.  If you earn 1 mile before July, your account will become refreshed for 3 years.  There are lots of ways to earn miles, for example using their click and shop (like using quidco to buy yourself somethingfrom john lewis/argos/apple/wherever)

That would be the best solution imo, and you can refresh again etc to keep the miles active until you want to use them.  If you think you will never have use of them, Virgin probably have a charitable donation scheme available.

I think the charitable donation scheme, if available, might be a way to re-life your account.  I did something similar with Continental airmiles a few years ago, to stop miles expiring.  Assuming the minimum amount is reasonable, you could donate this, say 100 miles for sake of argument.  That, if it works similarly to the Continental scheme will be a qualifying transaction on the account, so the expiry date should move.

Might be worth looking at, just in case.

[tonytats]

Some of the miles turned up today on virgin ten days after requesting them from tesco
So the flights are booked £407 inc credit card fee 29850 miles per person
So we booked exit seats £45 each each way
So£587 n some miles for what could have cost £1900
Also applied for a virgin credit card  so as well as getting air miles on spends and 18500 introductory miles
Spend £5 k n get one person upgraded spend £7.5 k n get two people upgraded on next flight 3 a year allowed
It's gg  barclaycard - my back up card

[Longines]

http://www.headforpoints.com/2016/02/12/virgin-flying-club-miles-booster-buy-points-bonus/

The second offer, ‘Miles Booster’, IS a potentially very good deal.

Miles Booster only works if you have a Virgin Atlantic cash or reward flight booked or have taken one in the last six months. You are able to buy an additional 200% of the base miles you will earn from the flight for just 1p each.

Click here for details. If you have a New York economy flight booked, for example, you would earn 6,916 base miles from your trip.

Miles Booster allows you to buy up to 13,832 additional miles for just 1p. Plus, with this promotion, you would get an extra 30% bonus as well.

If you maximised the Miles Booster option for your New York flight, you would be able to buy a total of 17,981 Virgin Flying Club miles for just £138.32. That is 0.77p each, which is well worth considering.

You can retrospectively buy miles via Miles Booster for any Virgin Atlantic flights taken in the last six months, cash or reward. Even if you don’t have any current bookings, you may be able to take advantage of this.  At this price, I would consider it if you know that you will be using them in short or medium term.

[Marky147]

Better max myself out on those, I presume?

Will have to read it through tomorrow, when I've not been plotted up for 12 hours straight!

[Simon Galloway]

Also applied for a virgin credit card 

Not to pick on you Tony, but a small pointer in general.  All these things have very easy referral benefits, signing up to Flying Club, taking the credit card, etc.  It is usually worth a few thousand miles bonus to the referer, and often the same to the applicant as well.  May as well capture the benefit from it if you didn't... it definitely adds up.

If anyone doesn't have a flying club account or wants to apply for the credit card, ask someone you like to refer you first, it is effortless and over time, can easily add up to a free flight.

[brookie]

how do the virgin point work I could get a virgin credit card and things

[Simon Galloway]

http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/gb/en/flying-club/earn-miles.html

http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/gb/en/flying-club/spend-miles.html

[tonge]

Hi

I'm looking for some tips on hotels in relation to the best value for money, quality of rooms, location, which is best deal etc.  I'm going next august 17th to 27th with girlfriend,  both early 30's. 

Been to Vegas before a couple of years ago with friends, stopped at MGM grand, irritated me how busy it was in the casino area, also seemed to have no real atmosphere, maybe a bit too big so wouldn't want to stop there.

Be nice to play some cash game poker but not a major issue as probably wont get a lot of time.

Prices i've got are just for the standard rooms, in £s and not including resort fee.  When i last went i walked through most of the hotels but don't really have much idea on what the rooms are like.



Prices i've got are

Luxor £393 - seemed a bit tacky to me, maybe rooms are same, bit out of way as well.  Not expecting much for the price.
Golden Nuggett £404 - Never went to down town last time unfortunately, not sure i should stay for 10 nights.
SLS - £410 seems to be rated 4 1/2 star - no idea where this hotel is?
New York New York - £619 Seemed decent to me, are rooms on par with MGM grand.
Trump International - £664 - not sure where this is or what its like just that owner is questionable
MGM Signature - £838 - got good reviews but is it not miles from the strip?
Mirage £872 - don't know where this is.
Aria - £1004 - price seems reasonable for allegedly 5 star hotel in August. Concerned that everything in the hotel will be mega expensive.
Planet Hollywood - £1045 - seemed lively last time.
Bellagio - £1099 - seemed nice when i went in, not sure if rooms would be, was nice but dated.
Vdara -£1101 - rooms look very nice, seen somewhere its off strip, i thought it was behind cosmo, also possibly bit dull not being a resort hotel
Wynn - £1172 - looked nice similar to area concerned that everything will be a mega rip off
Encore -  £1223 - Same as Wynn
Venetian and Palazzo - both £1265- looked full of old people last time i went.
Caesars and Nobu - £1310 - didn't like Caesars, not sure whether Nobu is any better.

Ruled out Cosmo was a bit expensive.

Finally what do people think of the Cromwell? loved it in there last time i went but think that was because it was so easy to get served by the waitresses as it had only been there a month or so, heard its gone down hill? bit too lively.

Cheers

[Marky147]

Given what you've outlined in your post, and that you're going with your mrs, I'd probably stay at Aria/Bellagio.

You've got plenty of resorts within walking distance, and are staying almost centre strip.

You can get both of those for about £1k here http://www.lowcostusa.co.uk/

Both of those have decent card rooms, and have an abundance of food options at all price levels within a short walk.

If I was going with the lads, I'd probably stay at Planet Hollywood.

You're going to pay a bit more for drinks/food in those places, but you're also staying a nicer environment, and the service is, or at least should be, better.

Just a case of weighing it all up, and working out what the most important factors are.

I wouldn't bother with any of the lower end ones, if I was taking my other half away.

[tonytats]

You seem to have summed it up pretty well in your post
We just had 2 nights in the mirage it was pretty good
Directly opposite the Venetian
Next door to Caesars forum shops - ideal for the Mrs - which then leads on to the poker area
Nice looking pool area which you will be glad of in August
Luxor is a dump
Golden nugget is ok but isolated from the strip
Bellagio is dated
Arias nice but I wouldn't stay there again
We had a vodka n orange n a vodka tonic or Bloody Mary in ballys mirage Venetian all the same price $23 /25 pretty sure downtown it's $12/15 for the same 2 drinks
Restaurants in bellagio Caesars aria area are pricey
There are several good restaurants downtown much cheaper eg fillet mignon $55 in simply steak Mandalay bay a year ago in triple George grill downtown $35 these extra dollars add up over 10/14 days
What about the linq ? That areas been smarted up as the high roller wheels opened ??
Trump international doesn't have a casino and is a bit out of the way
You won't want to be walking too far outside  in August it's very hot 40 plus
For the Mrs n shopping there's the fashion show mall opposite the Wynn connected by a walkover bridge - she could shop you could play poker in the Wynn
Prime outlets there's 2 both served by the deuce bus the one at the airport end is indoors the other is uncovered / outdoors at the nugget end
Personally we like the nugget and have stayed there the last 6/8 times we've been and are hsving a week at the Rio in June then the nugget your money goes further at the nugget and the comps are a little more generous
£5 k spends by me £2 k by the Mrs got us virtually nothing at the Rio last year comps wise but £3.5 k the year before got a free cabana a few meals and a low room rate at the nugget

[Simon Galloway]

Prices i've got are

Luxor £393 - seemed a bit tacky to me, maybe rooms are same, bit out of way as well.  Not expecting much for the price. Agreed, don't stay there
Golden Nuggett £404 - Never went to down town last time unfortunately, not sure i should stay for 10 nights. Downtown is marmite.  If you don't know that your missus will love it, play safe on strip, visit downtown, know for sure next time.
SLS - £410 seems to be rated 4 1/2 star - no idea where this hotel is? It was the Sahara.  Rooms revamped, but you'll do a lot of travel to get anywhere each day
New York New York - £619 Seemed decent to me, are rooms on par with MGM grand. Much smaller rooms in general than MGM, bars ok, food so-so, always better options for the same $
Trump International - £664 - not sure where this is or what its like just that owner is questionable Very close to FSM side entrance.  No casino, which may be a positive or negative.  Trump name is negative.  Rooms are fantastic for the money, great value.  Late night = cab back when FSM is closed.  You can use a hotwire trick to get it even cheaper usually.
MGM Signature - £838 - got good reviews but is it not miles from the strip? Indoor walkway comes out in the MGM by the pool area.  If you aren't a walking nit, rooms much nicer than the MGM, splash for a 1-BDR suite for a couple hundred more.
Mirage £872 - don't know where this is. Centre strip, one of the cheaper 5* places, very nice pool, updated rooms, so-so food, everything nearby
Aria - £1004 - price seems reasonable for allegedly 5 star hotel in August. Concerned that everything in the hotel will be mega expensive. Still cheap options like lemongrass and Five50 but generally if you don't like getting spendy, you'll be walking off property
Planet Hollywood - £1045 - seemed lively last time. Marky covered this one!
Bellagio - £1099 - seemed nice when i went in, not sure if rooms would be, was nice but dated. Great casino, rooms a bit dated but still one of the better choices
Vdara -£1101 - rooms look very nice, seen somewhere its off strip, i thought it was behind cosmo, also possibly bit dull not being a resort hotel Stones throw from Aria/Cosmo/Bellagio
Wynn - £1172 - looked nice similar to area concerned that everything will be a mega rip off Nice hotel, no bargains
Encore -  £1223 - Same as Wynn Yup
Venetian and Palazzo - both £1265- looked full of old people last time i went. Great rooms, but I wouldnt pay extra c.f. Wynn/encore/bellagio etc to stay @ V/P
Caesars and Nobu - £1310 - didn't like Caesars, not sure whether Nobu is any better. Nobus is one of the original old towers, redecorated.  = 1973 air conditioning.  Very overpriced.

Ruled out Cosmo was a bit expensive.

Finally what do people think of the Cromwell? loved it in there last time i went but think that was because it was so easy to get served by the waitresses as it had only been there a month or so, heard its gone down hill? bit too lively. WOuld be nice if it was an option, but generally waaaaay overpriced.  Good location, small property, bit dark mebbe, not going to pay Encore $ to stay there.

Cheers