is there anypoint collecting virgin miles for a family stuck with school hols

[kennycapes]

HI all,

we are a family of 4 (2 ad 2 ch 15 and 12).

As the title suggests,

i have 100,000 virgin miles and we go in Aug 2020.

Was hoping to get 2 return tickets with miles and pay for the other 2.

But looking at the flights for Easter 2020 they of course have no outbound flights as reward seats until mid way through Easter and the return flights are are all at the start of Easter.

maybe i was being naive but i thought there would be a chance to use some miles but it looks like miles are designed for people that can be flexible with dates and do not go in any sort of school holidays.

i can be flexible with dates to some extent but only if they still fit in school holidays.

i am now expecting for my Aug 2020 holiday to see loads of reward seats outbound starting 30th Aug and all the return flights starting 1st Aug.

Completely un-helpfull.

Anyone out there that are stuck in school holidays (This cant be moved) during aug and got a return flight with miles.

i cant miss the odd day at the start or end so it needs to sit fully in the Aug school holidays.

we are going for 17 days BTW.


Thanks all

[stupet11]

We have got flights 3 times using air miles so far (family of 5) in school hols.

Found need to be a little flexible with dates ,but also with airport you want to fly into / from and class.

We went at Easter, flying into New York (less miles than MCO, PE), booked internal flight to MCO 3 days later for around £100 each, then flew home from MIA.

August a bit more flexible with dates - but often use MIA as more availability. Once into MCo via LGW back MIA to LHR - we got train to from UK airports which worked well.

Now kids are older we can go without them (hopefully!) - although the flip side is actually not that much of a saving it seems outside of school hols (more so if PE).

[Guest]

I've booked reward flights many times and we only go in school holidays.

You need to be flexible with departure airport, dates and also when you book the seats. Airlines release reward seats as and when so if you want to book at 11 months out you massively restrict the chance of getting reward seats.

You will be able to use them one day, and even if you can't use them for the main family holiday keep holding on and accumulating. One day the kids will leave and you two can go on the Upper Class trip to San Francisco on the points instead (which incidentally is the best value for money use of points )

[tinkerella123]

I have booked 4 premium flights in Aug this year, it’s a case of being on the ball when they are released and keep checking, there is always the option to go from Lon to New York, this route is always available, not a great option I know but it gets you across the pond.

[kennycapes]

Many thanks for taking the time to reply Stupet11.

May i ask how you booked that? Did you book one way from LHR to JFK and then 1 way from MIA to LHR

basically just different single trips using the Virgin website.

[stupet11]

Originally Posted by kennycapes

Many thanks for taking the time to reply Stupet11.

May i ask how you booked that? Did you book one way from LHR to JFK and then 1 way from MIA to LHR

basically just different single trips using the Virgin website.

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Yes - I booked the first part as soon as it same available and the second like wise.

Did that last time to - LGW to MCO on day it came out, and could only get MIA to LHR back - booked soon as released, and keeped checking back for a while to see if MCO to LGW came avaialbe, but then stopped looking and build MIA into our plans.

I found the app better than website, and ringing up is helpful too - they do check all options and dates / classes and offer advice.

[Bozza]

We've flown many times in PE and Upper flying only in the school Summer holidays.

Flexibility is key - be prepared to move by a day or two to use miles and/or fly into/out of Miami, possibly. We're also prepared to, say, use miles for three people but pay cash for the fourth if there are only three miles seats available.

Also, contrary to popular opinion, you don't always have to book up at flight release to get rewards seats. In 2017, we flew PE to MCO there and back in August, booking up only a few weeks before.

Just checking now, there is still some availability for trips this August in PE using miles too, eg 6-20 August.

[Bozza]

Just to add to my post above: we always come back before the end of August and never take the kids out of school.

[kennycapes]

Originally Posted by tinkerella123

I have booked 4 premium flights in Aug this year, it’s a case of being on the ball when they are released and keep checking, there is always the option to go from Lon to New York, this route is always available, not a great option I know but it gets you across the pond.

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Cheers,

so when you say keep checking, do you mean checking every day once the release date has passed, and checking all routes

Thanks again

[stupet11]

Originally Posted by kennycapes

Cheers,

so when you say keep checking, do you mean checking every day once the release date has passed, and checking all routes

Thanks again

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Yep - I used the app daily to check as quicker to change airports etc. Several times a day!