The price might seem familiar to some of our readers. That’s because we’ve been promoting a similar deal with British Airways for a couple of weeks now. But while you won’t have to pay more, this offer might get you a better travel experience, since some travelers could favor Virgin Atlantic‘s business class product. You can book your ticket at prices starting around €1,268.
Virgin Atlantic’s business class comes with access to the so-called Upper-Class wing in London Heathrow. Definitely, a nice add-on if you’ve never been there. Avaiability is good until June 2020.
Your trip will include a layover in London Heathrow. The first segment will be operated by Virgin’s partner Iberia. The UK airline will take over and fly you to Shanghai on board a Boeing 787 Dreamliner. To get a better idea – and to be able to compare the offer to British Airways – you might want to check out the following review:
Search & Book
The fare rules state that tickets for this deal will be sold until January 31st, 2020. The offer is valid for trips until June 2020. We’ve been able to find quite a few available connections until then.
The minimum stay requirements are only for a night from Saturday to Sunday, alternatively five days. But you can also stay a little longer: 12 months is what the airlines will allow if you want to benefit from the fare.
You can use Google flights (instructions) to find available and discounted seats. But you might run into the British Airways offer several times. So just keep your eyes open for the Virgin Atlantic flights. They depart mainly between Tuesday and Friday. Once you’ve settled for dates, visit the carrier’s website or our Travel dealz flight search for booking.
Why is booking with an airline better than with an online travel agency?
More often than not, online travel agencies offer lower fares than airlines do. We still recommend booking with the airlines directly. There are two main reasons for that:
Better Customer Service
In case any problems like delays, cancellations or missed connections arise, you can communicate directly with the airline. The airline has to take care of you because you have a contract with them.
If a travel agency issues your ticket, you may have to reach out to them first. You also depend on your OTA to forward information like flight changes instead of receiving them directly from the airline. In many cases, you may get a prime exhibition of responsibility shifting rather than problem-solving.
This especially applies to premium tickets. You don’t want to spend more than €1,000 to wind up with some budget OTA’s telephone hotline in case anything goes wrong.
Baggage and Other Fees
Economy fares not including hold luggage are industry standard by now. In most cases, travel agencies charge much higher baggage fees than the airlines themselves. If bags are not included in your fare, airlines are often the cheaper alternative.
This also applies to other things like food services, insurances or priority treatment. In almost all cases, you pay less for additional amenities when booking on the airlines’ website.
Mileage
All tickets will be issued in booking class Z. While Virgin Atlantic is not a member of one of the big alliances, you can still earn up to 200% of the distance miles with some of the carrier’s partners. Here’s what you can expect for the trip:
- 22,968 Miles on Aerolíneas Argentinas AerolíneasPlus
- 22,968 Miles on MEA Cedar Miles
- 22,968 Miles on Vietnam Airlines Lotusmiles
- 22,968 Award Miles + 200 Tier Points on Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
- 22,968 Miles on Garuda Indonesia GarudaMiles
- 22,968 RDM + 3,446 MQD on Delta SkyMiles
- 22,968 Miles on Air Europa Suma
- 22,968 Miles on ITA Volare
- 22,968 Miles on Saudia Alfursan
- 22,968 Points on SAS EuroBonus
- 17,226 Award Miles on LATAM Pass
- 14,356 Award Miles on ANA Mileage Club
- 14,356 Award Miles on Singapore KrisFlyer
- 11,484 Award Miles + 72 XP on Flying Blue
- 11,484 Miles on Korean Air Skypass
- Customize Calculation
Information & Tips for Shanghai
Shanghai is known for its stunning skyline, with landmarks like the Oriental Pearl Tower, the Bund, and the futuristic Pudong district. The city also offers cultural sights like the Yuyuan Garden and the Shanghai Museum. The currency is the Chinese yuan (CNY), and credit cards are widely accepted. Shanghai is a relatively expensive city, particularly in tourist areas, but affordable options are available for food and accommodation. The weather is humid subtropical, with hot, rainy summers and mild winters, making the best time to visit during spring and autumn when temperatures are more comfortable.
We’ve compared various esim providers, such as eSIM4Travel, RedteaGo, and Textr. To see which plan is best for your travel needs and which network offers the best coverage, feel free to read our detailed guide:
The Best eSIM Plans for China 🇨🇳 Compared
→ All Dealz for Shanghai
Source: YHBU – Thanks!
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