There has been some recent discussion as to when its ok to push the call button on the internet recently.
“Mr Lucky”
Has written a good blog on that issue here:
What do you think?
Let me know in the comments section.
Scotland’s Flyer is pleased to announce that he will be taking an upcoming trip to Vienna.
I will be flying with Lufthansa from Edinburgh via Frankfurt to Vienna in Economy class (Business class within Europe is not worth the price premium in my opinion.)
And staying at Hotel Bristol (leveraging both the American Express Fine Hotels & Resort service and also my Gold level SPG status), I will let you know how that works out during the trip report.
The hotel was named after the British town Bristol. In Vienna it was disproved for the first time that the Bristol had been named after the fourth Earl of Bristol. The Earl lived some 100 years before the opening of Europe’s Bristol Hotels (Rome 1870, Warsaw 1901, Oslo 1920, Paris 1925 and some 50 more), his emblem was totally different from that of the town in Suffolk which has nothing to do with the Earl.
Bristol’s emblem depicts a castle and a ship. Bristol, after all, was the town from where many expeditions put out to sea. The original unicorns were displaced by lions in 1923. Later, in 1932 and 1975, the unicorns appeared again. Today, the emblem bears the lions once again. The motto Virtute et Industria, virtue and industriousness, can be read above our hotel’s entrance door; it is, in fact, the same motto that decorates the emblem of the town Bristol in England.
Have you been to Vienna?
Let me know in the comments section what hints & tips you have so that I and other readers can benefit from your knowledge.
Are you looking forward to my trip report or should I only review trips where I travel Business Class or above?
Let me know in the comments section.
A Confession
Despite what I have just said about Avios and the BA Exec Club, I have to admit that before I was more fully clued up on how to maximise travel and leverage loyalty programmes, I joined up to the Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, hence the review.
Still A Great Choice If You Mainly Fly Long Haul In Economy
I believe that when compared to American & European based airlines that the service that Virgin Atlantic provides to their Economy and Premium Economy passengers is the best. However whilst their ‘Upper Class’ is good (certainly nothing to complain about), other airlines have now caught up and offer a superior Business Class product.
Therefore you if plan to mainly travel long haul including mostly to the USA, I believe that Virgin Atantic is still a good choice and hence joining their Flying Club would be a good idea.
The Legendary Club Houses
If you fly Upper Class or achieve Gold Status with the Flying Club then you will be able to access the legendary Virgin Atlantic club houses, which are the best airline lounges in the UK and amongst the best business class lounges in the world.
Image Courtesy of Virgin Atlantic
I was fortunate enough to experience the club house when flying Premium Economy thanks to a special offer, and can testify that this is a great lounge.
Image Courtesy of Virgin Atlantic
Collect Flying Club Miles when buying Milk
Like Avios you can opt to transfer your Tesco Clubcard points into Flying Club miles.
Earning Ability
Flying Club members earn 50 percent of miles flown on the cheapest seats in Virgin Atlantic’s economy class. While U.S.-based members are accustomed to earning 100 percent of miles flown even on deeply discounted economy fares, many international airlines don’t give any miles or only 25 percent for discount economy, so a 50 percent earn rate is not out of the norm. Other economy fares earn a full 100 percent of miles flown and Premium Economy class will net between 125 and 150 percent, and travelers in Upper Class can expect a full 150 to 200 percent bonus.
Flying Club has many earning partners with which members can pad their mileage accounts, including hotels, car rentals, financial services, retailers and local partners.
Flying Club Partnerships
Virgin Atlantic is not part of one of the three global alliances, but offers partnerships with a large number of airlines, including Air China, Air Jamaica, Air New Zealand, All Nippon Airways, bmi, Continental Airlines, Gulf Air, Hawaiian Airlines, Jet Airways, Malaysia Airlines, SAS, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, US Airways, Virgin America, V Australia and Virgin Blue.
Virgin Atlantic offers co-branded credit cards to members residing in the U.K. and U.S. The Virgin Atlantic American Express card from MBNA is available to U.K. members.
The Credit Cards
White Credit Card
Reach that dream destination faster with up to 10,000 bonus miles when you apply by 31 March 2014 and spend £1,000 within 90 days of your account opening.
However if you contact me (details at the end), I can refer you to join and you will receive an improved sign-up bonus.
Amex – Earn 1 Flying Club mile for every £1 spent on everyday card purchases
Visa – Earn 1 Flying Club mile for every £2 spent on everyday card purchases
Black Credit Card
A £140 annual fee.
With up to 25,000 bonus miles when you apply by31 March 2014 and spend £2,000 within 90 days of your account opening, there’s no faster way to earn miles!
However if you contact me (details at the end), I can refer you to join and you will receive an improved sign-up bonus.
Amex – Earn 2 Flying Club miles for every £1 spent on everyday card purchases
Visa – Earn 1 Flying Club mile for every £1 spent on everyday card purchases
Flying Club Tiers
Status is determined by tier points, which are earned based on the airline and type of fare. Generally, a one-way flight on Virgin Atlantic will earn two tier points in economy, three tier points in Premium Economy and five tier points in Upper Class. Members can also earn tier points with partner airlines, although the amount will vary depending on the partner and length of the flight. For example, most partner airline flights earn no tier points if the flight is under 2,000 miles and one tier point if over 2,000 miles; and one tier point in business and first class if the flight is under 2,000 miles and two tier points for flights over 2,000 miles.
To reach Silver level, you’ll need 15 tier points in a 12-month period; and you’ll need to earn 10 points within the next 12 months to retain that status. Silver level offers members a 25 percent flight bonus, Premium Economy check in, priority waitlisting, discounted parking at Heathrow and Gatwick, four complimentary first class upgrade vouchers for Gatwick Express and Heathrow Express and complimentary Regus Businessworld Gold membership.
Gold level requires 40 tier points; 30 tier points within the next 12 months to retain that status. Gold members receive Upper Class check in and priority boarding, access to Virgin Clubhouses for you and a guest, access to the bmi business lounge at London Heathrow, parking discounts and an extra 50 percent of miles flown. Other benefits include an extra 23kg baggage allowance; 10 complimentary first class upgrade vouchers for Gatwick Express and Heathrow Express; a guaranteed economy seat on any Virgin flight, provided a full-fare ticket is purchased at least three days prior to departure; fast track through security and immigration; a supplementary Silver card to give to a family member and a Family Account, enabling up to six members of your household aged 2 to 17 to earn miles that will be credited to your account.
Join the Virgin Atlantic Flying Club And Get A Great Sign Up Bonus
If you normally fly Economy or Premium Economy class and like flying to the USA, and would like to join the Virgin Atlantic Flying Club or are already a member but are not maximising the miles being added to your account and would like a Virgin Atlantic Credit Card then please contact me at Majury1981 AT GMAIL DOT COM, and I will endeavour to ensure that you get a better sign up bonus then if you joined either directly.
Your Experience of Virgin Atlantic & The Flying Club
Have you flown with Virgin Atlantic before or are you already a member of the Flying Club, then please leave a comment and let your fellow readers know!
Introduction to Avios
Avios is a points scheme formed from Air Miles and BA Miles in 2011. Many mistake it for a frequent-flyer scheme. Actually it’s a points scheme like Nectar and Clubcard, earnable in Shell, Tesco and by spending on reward credit cards, though its rewards are travel-focused.
Just to confuse people the main Avios, BA Executive Club, and Iberia Plus points are all called Avios. Points are usually worth the same, regardless of the scheme.
Avios says the main Avios scheme’s better for irregular travellers while the BA Executive Club’s best for frequent flyers, offering benefits such as free airport lounge access for members in certain tiers. You can move or pool Avios and BA Executive Club points at any time, so if you change your mind later, it doesn’t matter.
As this is a travel blog, I shall concentrate on providing some information and tips about the BA Executive club.
You Pay Taxes when using Avios
Avios charges passengers taxes and fees on flights, wiping some of the gain. These can be up to £100 for British Airways return flights in Europe.
Yet under its Reward Flight Saver scheme, you pay a fixed £35 fee on most short-haul economy flights, as long as you earn at least one point during the year before you book.
Remember you don’t get Avios for Nothing
Don’t think Avios is giving you something for nothing. Loyalty points schemes are incorporated into pricing policies. So if you are flying with British Airways (or another Openworld airline), sign up to the BA Executive Club so that you can collect the Avios points that you are paying for!
Avios are not just for Flights – You pay no taxes if you use Avios for Eurostar
Swap Avios points for Eurostar return tickets and you don’t pay taxes or charges, which makes it an excellent value exchange. Plus it’s rare to find hefty discounts on Eurostar fares.
Return tickets to Paris, Lille or Brussels all start from 9,000 Avios points (redeem this way and 1,000 Avios points are worth £8ish). You need to book ahead for peak times, as Eurostar only releases a limited number of 9,000 returns for each day – once those have gone, the price in points goes up.
Collect Avios when buying Milk
When you convert Clubcard vouchers into Avios points, £10 becomes 2,400 Avios points. This means £37.50 of Tesco vouchers buys a Eurostar return to Paris. It could also get you to Prague or Milan (plus £35 fee).
But it occasionally boosts this to 4,000 Avios for every £10. So if you’ve no plans to use your points yet, hold your horses until Tesco runs one of these promotions
Using Avios for Business Class Flights is Relatively Good Value
Using your points for long-haul business flights gives you a better cash equivalent return than economy. Plus, while you pay taxes on long-haul flights, on pricey first class tickets these make up a smaller proportion of the overall ticket price.
Check Availability Using Multiple Sources
Confusingly flight availability sometimes varies between the main Avios site and the British Airways Executive Club’s. If you’re struggling to find the flight you want, check availability on both sites and move your points into the scheme with flights available.
You Don’t Need to Spend Avios on Flights or Eurostar
But think twice before you do! As spending Avios points on hotels or car hire. In my research, seemed to give poor value for points – you’re usually better off redeeming on other rewards.
You Don’t Need to Spend Avios on BA or OpenWorld Flights – Aer Lingus
The best British Airways Avios redemption remains for travel on Aer Lingus between Boston and Dublin. That’s because British Airways has a distance based award chart, and Boston to Dublin is just under 3,000 miles one-way, making it just 12,500 Avios in economy or 25,000 Avios in business class.
There’s no way to search award availability for Aer Lingus using Avios online, so you do have to call British Airways’ Executive Club call center, though they can pull up availability in a matter of seconds. Boston to Dublin using Avios is the cheapest transatlantic award redemption there is (with any airline) in both economy and business class.
Aer Lingus announced that they’ll be launching service to San Francisco and Toronto — their fifth and sixth North American destinations this April.
If booking using British Airways Avios, the service between Dublin and San Francisco will cost 25,000 Avios in coach or 50,000 Avios in business class one-way, while the service between Dublin and Toronto will cost 20,000 Avios in coach or 40,000 Avios in business class one-way. Given that American Express Membership Rewards frequently has transfer bonuses to British Airways, that can be quite a steal.
Aer Lingus North America Destinations
Summary
I believe that for the UK based traveller, that Avios & hence OpenWorld along with Aer Lingus offers is the best airline loyalty scheme to join.
I hope to be taking a trip to the USA this year and trying out the Aer Lingus product & service so please stay tuned!
Please see the about page for information as to why I have decided to start this blog.
However I am starting to add links to some travel blogs that I believe are good but are from a US perspective or from a blogger who lives near a hub airport.
So are a little different from mine but I feel would still be a good read for those interested in travel blogs.