I guess this is more of a grievance, but...

I can't believe it.  The office is actually going to be closed during the Christmas holidays so I figured that would be the best time to go visit my mother, as the boys wouldn't have to miss any school.

Need to do it through Virgin using Miles + Money because otherwise we could NEVER afford airfare for 3 "adults" and 1 child...anyway, no problem getting us out there.  But coming back the first available flight is 11th January!!  That's exactly 1 week AFTER the office opens up again.  Argh.

I've told my mother she needs to move to a less "in-demand" state...Florida is NOT the place to try to get to over normal holiday periods. 

Looks like it may be February...   Personally, I don't care.  It's my husband and the boys who really want to go.  But it would be just TOO strange to send them and me stay behind. 

Don't we just KNOW that frustration of not being able to get back in the New Year ... Lisa and I were in the USA last new year and had to come back a week later than we really wanted ... ended up running our office out of friend's houses and internet cafes once everyone else in the UK was back at work!

You mention February and "the boys" ... you may get some good half-term deals - we certainly did (and with Virgin) a couple of years back.  I don't think people start thinking about that half term until the new year!

Well, with the Miles + Money deal, February is VERY do-able.  It's just that I've already moved "the visit" from Thanksgiving (kids would have to miss school) to Christmas, and then to February would be another 2 months...

ARGH!

Yep - that's it.  She's moving - I don't care where - just out of FLORIDA! 

I had this prob. with Virgin this past summer trying to use miles + money. I think they only have a really limited number of seats available to people using that promotion because when I called I knew that there were sites selling available seats on the dates I wanted to return to the UK, but when I rang Virgin they told me there were no seats available from SF to London for a month after I got there. VERY frustrating. I hope something works out for you, peedal!!!

I thought about that, Anne, but this time around it seems there really are NO seats at all - I've checked with all the other sites, like expedia and the like, and none of them come up with Virgin when I plug in my preferred dates.

They did come up with Lufthansa, though.  Um, NO! 

I worked for the airlines for several years and heres just a few things Ill pass on to you all.
Firstly, there are only probably 8-12 seats avail. on each plane for milage users.
Also, busy, holiday times such as Thanksgiving, Xmas and New Years are considered "blackout times" and they are USUALLY unavail. to milage users.

If I may make a suggestion on checking for flights...
If the flights you want are full or very expensive try departing or arriving at a different airport.
My mother lives in Nashville and I hope to visit soon but the cost of fares from Birmingham UK to Nashville are sky high (no pun intended). But, if I travel to one of the London airports such as Heathrow I can get a flight to Chicago pretty cheap and then book a super cheap flight on Southwest from Chicago to Nashville.

It can be quite an inconvenience especially when travelling with kiddies but it gives you a chance to save quite a bit of money as well as possibly getting the milage seats you want.

Best of luck
Pebs

Hey Pebbles, my family lives in Nashville too!  Cool. 

We've found that flying to some of the big airports and then renting a car and driving is one way of saving money.  Flights to larger cities within three or four hours driving time can be cheaper for some reason.  We fly in, get a hotel close to the airport, then spend a day or two adjusting and recouping and then drive to see family or have them come pick us up.  Gives us a chance to meet them refreshed, too. 

I've always had to fly into a large airport and rent a car.  We fly into Miami or Orlando.  And we leave from Gatwick or Heathrow.  We're pretty much stuck doing it that way.  Can't even get into Sanford (Orlando) - that's where all the "holiday" airlines go.

Like I said, Virgin isn't coming up as having available seats for my dates on ANY website, not just their own using my miles.  There are other airlines - but the prices. 

I hate Florida.

I hate Christmas.

I hate that my kids (and husband!) want to go to Florida for Christmas. 

Hey Pebbles, my family lives in Nashville too! Cool.

We've found that flying to some of the big airports and then renting a car and driving is one way of saving money. Flights to larger cities within three or four hours driving time can be cheaper for some reason. We fly in, get a hotel close to the airport, then spend a day or two adjusting and recouping and then drive to see family or have them come pick us up. Gives us a chance to meet them refreshed, too.

GREAT! Let me know when youre going back! 
I havent ever been to Nashville. I am originally from Chicago and moved to the UK before my mother moved to Nashville. She is in the hospital right now and I was thinking about making a very short trip there soon.
Pebbles

Em, seriously....this seems like perfect fodder for the old "why don't you come visit us" conversation.   

Pebbles, so sorry to hear about your mom.  I know how tough it can be having family not well when you're so far away.  We're back in December for 2 1/2 weeks.  Have you got any plans to go visit?  It's a great little town....if you like that sort of thing.