Virgin Flights

[waynesworld]

Can anyone tell me if it is possible to book Virgin flights now for Oct 09 , i have got my villa sorted and want to get the flights sorted as well. The Virgin website only lets you book until August 09. I can book a flydrive, but the insurance is ridiculous , i'm sure its cheaper to book a flight and car seperately. Cheers WW.:happy-thumb

[Tiggers Friend]

Straight flight bookings will only become available 335 days in advance, and you need it to be 335 days from your return date. This will apply to options like exepia and opodo.

The reason the fly drive is available is becuase the airlines make available a block of seats to the tour operators. Personally I'd wait to book.

Is the period you are looking to go in school holidays? If not I'd think about leaving booking for a month or so after the prices are released as they will probably go down.

As an example I booked flights for May 2009, when they came out they were £445, went up to £560 and I bought at £371.

[waynesworld]

Yes, the period we are away covers the school hols. Have just had a look at Virgins website and was quoted £445 each for Flydrive , not bad i thought until i noticed the car was only included for 7 days , we are going for 3 weeks , so that needed to be added on , then only basic insurance was included , so need to upgrade at a cost of £16 a day = £ 336 more then tried to recalculate , but it crashed so still don't know how much more it will cost ,but will be obviously more expensive. I'm sure its cheaper to book flight and car seperatel.:thumbsdow

[Tiggers Friend]

One option is to do what a number of people have done and that is book the flydrive but without not take the car insurance and then book the car+insurance separately with someone like usrentacar. I've not done this personally, but from various posts here and elsewhere this can work out cheaper.

The other option, if budget is an issue, is to consider indirect flights.

[waynesworld]

Budget not too much of an issue , obviously want to get things as cheap as possible, and don't fancy the hassle of indirect flights. So what you are saying is that you book it as a flydrive but don't actually pick up the car and get a car with another company ?

[Tiggers Friend]

So what you are saying is that you book it as a flydrive but don't actually pick up the car and get a car with another company ?

Yep, that's it. As I said in previous post I've not done this personally (for that last 5 years I've bought each item separately), but there are folk who have done just that. Replace the 'free' car/expensive insurance with a moderate priced car/insurance. Price the car you want at usrentacar http://www.usrentacar.co.uk/ Many of us here have used usrentacar succesfully. They also do a £50 deposit scheme.

[waynesworld]

Thanks wil take a look at that , didn't seem that complicated last time i did it , must have got a good deal and not looked too closely. I've noticed that you can book seperately with Virgin for car hire and it doesn't appear to be that expensive , so why is it on Fly drive :redconfus

[ELAINE]

Suspect that they hope you only consider the "free" car aspect and that you won't actually work out the cost of extra insurance etc.... ( Does happen... last year with first choice, I spent far more on their insurance upgrade than the whole thing would have cost elsewhere; didn't find this forum early enough:thumbsdow)

[waynesworld]

Who are Virgins hire cars booked through is it Dollar ? If so and you book your own car through Dollar ,won't it get confusing :redconfus

[LeonieM]

Who are Virgins hire cars booked through is it Dollar ? If so and you book your own car through Dollar ,won't it get confusing :redconfus

Yes, it is Dollar, and no it won't be confusing, as Virgin have their own Dollar check-in desk. If you book the package through them, you are directed to their dedicated car desk. If you've booked your own car, you just go and queue up at the normal Dollar desk.

We've been 4 times. I took their car the first time, we did Alamo the second time, Budget the third time, and Dollar this time. I think the easiest all round was Alamo - the only ones which included a free upgrade (via special offer at time of booking), we could choose our own car from a selection in the car park, and the fuel was included in the Gold price. Budget charged for fuel unless we chose to bring it back full; we took it back full. Dollar charged us for a tank of fuel - not making it clear at time of checking the car out. That was NOT booked via USRentacar, though. I won't make that mistake again!

[loobylou]

We have booked a flydrive with virgin and not taken the 'free' car and then booked a car through usrentacar with budget gold insurance which includes all taxes, extra drivers and petrol. We found it much cheaper doing it this way. Next trip for christmas I've booked everything seperatly, flights with BMI and car once again using budget through usrentacar.

[waynesworld]

Was discussing this with my wife last night and she asked whether it would be cheaper to take the car for the first "free" week and then return the car and rent another car for the next two weeks ( we are going for 3 weeks). Has anyone done this. Cheers WW.

[Tiggers Friend]

Was discussing this with my wife last night and she asked whether it would be cheaper to take the car for the first "free" week and then return the car and rent another car for the next two weeks ( we are going for 3 weeks). Has anyone done this. Cheers WW.

You'll have to do the sums, but I suspect not. The cost of the insurance for the free week will probably tip the balance IMO.

A compact car will be between £270 - £290, an intermediate £306 - £327 for three weeks, fully inclusive.

[loobylou]

For the 'free' week you will still have to pay the extra insurance, you are only getting the 'car hire' and basic liability insurance free. Depending on which car you hire these extras range from £126 - £182 per week according to the virgin brochure. Usrentacar charge less than this for a week icluding car hire, taxes insurances, petrol and drivers. Get a quote from them then you can weigh up the best option for you. Do you want the hassle of changing the car after the 1st week?
We flew virgin in Feb didn't take their car and found it cheaper to hire one for 3 weeks from usrentacar. We used Budget as you got a free upgrade.

[waynesworld]

Thanks everyone for there advice, it will probably work out cheaper to not take the free car, the next cunundrum is do i take a flydrive now or wait until the flights come on line in Nov/Dec and get flight only ?:redconfus

[Catlady]

One thing to consider is if you book direct with Virgin Atlantic you have to pay in full there and then.
If you do book use a credit card!!!!

[waynesworld]

Have managed to get some prices for flights with Virgin for Oct 09- £519 for a flydrive or £549 for flight only , these are through a travel agent , not sure if these are expensive or not !!! Is it worth waiting until they come live on Virgin website or taking the plunge now ? I know its not an easy question to answer , but just unsure as to what to do. Cheers WW.:redconfus

[Catlady]

As you are booking school holidays possibly not a bad price. Also school holidays are popular and sell out quicker. Sorry not a lot of help really...luckily we don't have to go in school holidays anymore.

[waynesworld]

As you are booking school holidays possibly not a bad price. Also school holidays are popular and sell out quicker. Sorry not a lot of help really...luckily we don't have to go in school holidays anymore.

Wish we didn't only 6 years to go !!!!!!!!!!!!!!:thumbsdow

[waynesworld]

One thing to consider is if you book direct with Virgin Atlantic you have to pay in full there and then.
If you do book use a credit card!!!!

Have just gone through the process of booking to see what final payment would be and got a flydrive for £492 each (will be doing the not taking car thing)with Virgin Holidays, and a £120.00 deposit each. Is it only VA that will take full payment ?

[mellymouse]

Yes - Virgin Holidays only take a deposit with balance due 6 weeks before departure. Virgin Atlantic take the full amount at booking.