VIP Upgrades

Dealing with the busy travel season – booking

October 16, 2015 8:08 pm 1 Comment

As we approach many holidays and festivities, many of us are hitting the road to travel to spend time with family and loved ones. Over the next few weeks VIP Upgrades will being you a guide to this season and the steps you should take for everything to go smoothly. This week, we’re looking at the booking process for flights. If you are going further afield, and you will need to fly to reach your destination but haven’t yet booked your ticket; do it now. Airline seats are filling up quickly and the best time to buy travel for many of the upcoming holidays is already upon us. The sooner you book, the better.

There are many theories about when and how to book a ticket to get the best price. If you just do an internet search you’ll see everything from midnight on a Tuesday, to doing your searching on one computer with one internet connection, but booking on another because the more you search on one computer the more likely the price will go up. These are no more than baseless theories because as the public, we don’t know what goes on in the realm of airline ticket pricing.

Suffice it to say, there can be cost advantages to booking early, but there are also other advantages that you can take into consideration. When travelling alone, we have our seating preferences on the plane (window/aisle/over the wing/forward/aft) but there’s still some flexibility. When travelling with your family however, you’re not just looking for one seat, but you are looking for multiple. Booking early gives you the most selection and flexibility.

Another advantage to booking early is a choice of times. Where there are multiple flights a day, or if there are different ways to connect to get to your destination you want to travel in the most convenient way you can. Leave booking too late, and you may end up having to get up at 4am, only to wait 6 hours at LaGuardia to get to where you need to go. Booking early means more availability of flights.

These are just a few of the advantages and things to look out for when booking flights. We’re sure there are many more. Tell us what you think: concierge@vipupgrades.com.

Using frequent flier points

October 9, 2015 6:34 pm 2 Comments

Whilst airlines used to only offer reward flights and “free” tickets on their own flights; with the rise of global airline alliances miles can be earned and redeemed on partner airlines’ flights too. KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Northwest (now Delta) pioneered this level of cooperation and integration, and were the first major carriers to work so closely together that their loyalty benefits became almost mutually assured. Nowadays, within the three major alliances; oneworld, Skyteam and Star Alliance, points earned in one programme can very easily be redeemed for flights on many other carriers.

In the case of BA as above where the taxes and fees can amount to more than the cost of an economy-class ticket, the use of miles on partner airlines can sometimes reduce this. It really pays to shop around when looking for a flight and open up the possibility of flying on a partner airline to avoid some of the high costs that would otherwise be charged by the carrier whose points you are using. Another thing to look out for are connections. Some airlines charge per-segment based on distance of the flights, and not for travel between the origin and destination. This, however, is the exception and not the rule. Most airlines will charge a fixed price in miles charged based on travel beween zones. For example, LAX to LHR would be classed as North America to Europe and you’d pay the same price if you flew direct, or if you had a connection in Chicago, or New York on American Arilines (for example) whereas if you flew BA and your flight had connections each flight would be priced individually.

When it comes to the airlines that charge high fees for reward travel such as Air Canada or British Airways, the best value almost never lies in economy class travel, but rather in premium cabin travel and upgrades. You have to pay more points, but for what usually amounts to the price of a discounted economy class ticket you may be able to fly on a flexible business class ticket.

By far one of the best ways to use your frequent flier points is to upgrade. Be careful when purchasing your ticket, because not all fares can be upgraded using miles or points and there may not be availability but if there is you’re in for a treat. Upgrades usually cost far less in points than full reward tickets do and as a bonus, you usually earn miles for the cabin you’ve paid to fly in which effectively further reduces the miles cost of the ticket.

So whether you’re saving up for that once-in-a-lifetime round-the-world trip; or you want to fly in more comfort on your next trans-Atlantic hop… it pays to shop around and do your homework before spending the miles.

Airline Status Matches

September 11, 2015 6:25 pm 1 Comment

Airline frequent flyer programs give extra benefits (upgrades, free checked bags, and lounge access among them) when you attain upper-tier “status,” and they sometimes offer incentives to switch your loyalty from the program you use the most. It’s called a “status match” in airline parlance.

Airlines are competing for your business especially when carriers merge and become stronger. They know they can lure flyers away from other airlines because of their expanded network, and many flyers take the bait especially when media coverage touts the new airline’s program.

The coming American Airlines-US Airways merger has opened new possibilities. American is a member of OneWorld, and US Airways was a member of Star Alliance. The new carrier will belong to Oneworld, and it will work hard to bring over Star Alliance loyalists from the US Airways program while also courting other airline elite members to take advantage of the new airline’s expanded program.

Carriers often provide status matches to certain tiers within their program to give new customers a chance to see what it’s like in the loyalty program without having to do all of the work to get there.

What is required of most airlines is usually a copy of one’s current elite credentials and account activity. Some airlines are more lenient than others especially when a traveler is paying higher, more lucrative fares.

Other airlines offer challenges requiring new members to show they will be loyal by flying a certain amount within a specified time period to maintain a status level for the whole year. Be aware that some airlines limit the number of challenges available per member within a certain period of time so be sure to ask as it varies frequently. For example, if you take a status match this year, you may not be eligible for it again next year. And some airlines offer status matches just once per member.

When applying for a status match, it is wise to decide if another airline may serve your needs better than another. And while one carrier may not have worked for you in the past, recent mergers may have made it a better. For example, Charlotte, N.C. travelers may not have been interested in American’s AAdvantage program before, but now that it is merging with US Airways, it is the new “home program”.

London, UK

July 7, 2015 6:31 pm Leave a Comment

The London Eye

The VIPUpgrades blog is going to be running a series of blog posts on great cities alongside our new series “Tales from a Frequent Traveller”.

London is one of the great cities of the world. Ok so the weather except for at the moment is not always something you can rely on.It does not matter though, it is an amazing city with so much to offer.

Where to start there is so much to do, so much to see! Whether you are going to the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Royal Academy, the British Museum, or going to a show or a concert of which there are too many to name at any one time. There are numerous shows, activities and events all the time for all the family to enjoy.

It is a city to see, shop, eat and enjoy!

Here are some of VIPUpgrades’ favourite restaurants, shopping haunts and things to do:

Some of our favourite restaurants:

Rules – the oldest restaurant in London.

Il Portico in High Street Kensington. We love this restaurant for its great Italian food and warm and welcoming atmosphere.

The Wolseley for a touch of old style glamour.

Where to shop – well there are so many places. Whether you are wondering down the King’s road with the famousPeter Jones at its helm, Harvey Nichols in Knightsbridge or the Westfield Shopping Mall, there is so much choice for any budget.

What to do with Kids – there are so many things to see and visit. From the Tower of London and the Crown Jewels, to the amazing London parks with wonderful playgrounds for kids. You have to take the kids to Holland Park and the Diana Memorial Playground in Kensington Gardens. These are truly lovely parks for kids.

The Science Museum in London is interactive and kids just love it. Close by is the Natural History Museum which has an incredible collection and is a firm favourite.

Coming soon to the VIPUpgrades blog: The great cities of the world, Tales from a frequent traveler, a peak inside some of the VIP lounges and so much more!

VIP Upgrades Top Summer Destinations 2015 – Tenerife

June 15, 2015 8:27 pm Leave a Comment

Tenerife, the Canary Islands

So little time, so many places to go! It’s hard to choose holiday destinations to visit, but for a lot of us good weather is key. What is it that inspires us to travel to a certain destination? Is it the weather, the culture, the food or all of the above? I think for the majority of us we want to get a good mix of sun, sea and fun with great food, entertainment and activities. There are not that many places that provide the right mix of everything.

Having said that there is one destination that is a favourite for all of us at VIPUpgrades – Tenerife in the Canary islands. Tenerife is a rugged and volcanic island. It is the largest and most populous of the seven Canary Islands. The islands are located off the cost of North West Africa and it boasts Spain’s highest point – Mount Tiede. Tenerife is an island of extraordinary diversity and a wonderful marriage of Spain and Africa. The weather is warm all year around but unlike other parts pf mainland Europe it is not baking hot. There is so much to do. There are so many activities to take part in. There are numerous water parks such as Siam Park, amazing hiking, dolphin and whale watching, surfing, diving. The restaurants are top quality without the price tag, whether it’s the amazing seafood at the restaurant Masia del Mar

in La Caleta or the more refined Rincon del Arroz in Los Cristianos, there is plenty of choice.

Another interesting element of the island is how different the North is to the south. The south is where most tourists visit, largely because the weather is guaranteed to be good. However there is also plenty to see in the north. The capital Santa Cruz is quite charming – a mix of Spain, Africa and South America all rolled into the one. The city has real personality and is well worth a visit. It boasts some lovely and interesting architecture such as the Opera House. The little streets at the centre of the city are teaming with shops and wonderful restaurants. The botanical gardens are also well worth a visit.

We love Tenerife and we feel it is has so much to offer at any time of year. Traditionally a winter holiday spot, why not visit in the summer.

Let us know your favourite destinations, we’d love to hear about them.

VIP Upgrades Top Summer Destinations 2015

June 10, 2015 10:00 am Leave a Comment

Wine Country of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada

Choosing a holiday destination is hard! We don’t have enough time off and we want to make the most of our holiday time. In writing this series of articles VIPUpgrades wanted to think of all kinds of different destinations to visit. Those that come to mind and those you may never have heard of. Places that may be well be well known in their country of origin but not so well outside. Niagara-on-the-Lake is a charming perhaps slightly touristy small town located on the South Shore of Lake Ontario in Canada, just north of the US border. It’s worth a visit but what is really worth visiting and enjoying is the wine country that surrounds it. It is picturesque, the people are friendly and the food and wine is good. It makes for a great combination! As a wine region it is not that well known outside of Canada but the area is dotted with large estates, medium sized operations and boutique wineries with distinctive wines and interesting stories. A fun day can be spent tasting wine and most of the wineries have lovely restaurants that are well worth a visit!

Try Ravine Vineyard or Ridge Point Wines.

So consider it. If you are visiting Toronto this summer to see the PanAmGames or travelling in Canada where there is so much to see, or in the North East of the US it is worth a visit. The scenery is lovely and expansive, the food and wine is good and there is even an outlet mall if you fancy some shopping!

Also don’t forget close by is Niagara Falls. The town itself is very touristy but the falls are incredible. Standing on the Canadian side you can see the United States and the Majestic Niagara Falls. They are a sight to be believed!

Have you visited any interesting spots? We would love to hear from you.

Author Archives: Vincent I. Porter