Club Avanti Premium - free 1st class ticket

[nuneatonmark]

I've just got to Club Avanti Premium and with it you get a free 1st class return. Very nice but it seems to be ridiculously difficult and expensive to use it if you want someone else to go with you. I've looked at 1st advanced from Nuneaton to London and they are minimum £60 one way, so use your FREE 1st class ticket will cost £120 return to London. Clearly all Avanti have done is replace all the old much cheaper 1st advanced tickets with Standard Premium advance tickets at around the same price point. Looking at other destinations, I've tried various midweek off-peak journeys to Manchester and Liverpool and none bring up any 1st advanced at all, so you're stuck with 1st any time return, can't even find an off-peak return . Trying further north, can find some advances to Oxenholme, Glasgow and Edinburgh but still looking at paying £140 to £200 for two advance singles. It doesn't feel to me like much of a reward if you have to spend 100s on a second person. Am I missing the cheaper fares somewhere. we're very flexible with days/times of travel.

 

[Gwr12345]

we're very flexible with days/times of travel.

If you're very flexible, the cheapest option is probably an Avanti Superfare, with a seatfrog first class upgrade. However, there is no guarantee of a first class upgrade , or what train, or if you would be sat together, and this method can only be used on journeys to/from London.