Programs: AS MVP (withering away due to insane fares), UA, AA, AGR, NPS passport, Costco Exec
Posts: 5,239
Quote:
Originally Posted by beckoa
seatcounter used to be accurate, then a couple others... sadly best way these days is to do a paid one like expertflyer or call up AS to confirm there is U space on a flight...
But unless on a peak holiday, Hawaii has been very good to me with upgrades!
ExpertFlyer.com allows you to set alerts that will email you when U space opens up, but it costs $5-10 per month (depending on the service you subscribe to).
LMOffice.com has a U space tracker that's free. It's not as dependable or accurate, but hey, you can't argue with the price. And it's operated by a fellow FTer.
It pays to subscribe to at least some sort of notification assistant (whether paid ExpertFlyer or free LMOffice), since there's competition for those U-space seats--not only from other MVPG cert holders but also MVPGs who have booked Value or Full Flex fares and are waitlisted for instant upgrades. You want to be proactively notified about U space availability so you can call in and get the upgrade before anyone else calls or before the computer system automatically upgrades any Value/Full Flex fare Golds.
Programs: AS MVP Gold (83K), AS BR [3 year renewal], Maika`i Card, CO
Posts: 11,108
Quote:
Originally Posted by jackal
ExpertFlyer.com allows you to set alerts that will email you when U space opens up, but it costs $5-10 per month (depending on the service you subscribe to).
LMOffice.com has a U space tracker that's free. It's not as dependable or accurate, but hey, you can't argue with the price. And it's operated by a fellow FTer.
It pays to subscribe to at least some sort of notification assistant (whether paid ExpertFlyer or free LMOffice), since there's competition for those U-space seats--not only from other MVPG cert holders but also MVPGs who have booked Value or Full Flex fares and are waitlisted for instant upgrades. You want to be proactively notified about U space availability so you can call in and get the upgrade before anyone else calls or before the computer system automatically upgrades any Value/Full Flex fare Golds.
Yes, proactive is very
Recently got myself in the front of a flight to OGG... but the return is sold out in F...
IIRC I got the expertflyer alert and not LMOffice (Only did 5 day trial of Expertflyer... for the amount I travel... still don't want to shell out the extra $$$... -now if we got extra AS miles )
I would use upgrade certs on difficult routes, like transcons and hawaii.
I would not use a cert to fly from SEA-GEG or something under a couple of hours, unless I really wanted to ensure that locked in luxury.
yeah I totally agree. I dont even use them on a 3 hour flight between ANC-SEA except at the end of the year If I have any left. I mainly use them between ANC/ORD nonstops and availability is pretty good 2 1/2 or so months out. Can get much more out of an upgrade certificate than that
Programs: AS MVP Gold (83K), AS BR [3 year renewal], Maika`i Card, CO
Posts: 11,108
Quote:
Originally Posted by ANC
yeah I totally agree. I dont even use them on a 3 hour flight between ANC-SEA except at the end of the year If I have any left. I mainly use them between ANC/ORD nonstops and availability is pretty good 2 1/2 or so months out. Can get much more out of an upgrade certificate than that
Good point... if any left... time to burn em'
But generally I'm on a segment 2,300 miles or longer before burning them...
Programs: AS MVPG - AA NW CO UA US. Marriott Silver
Posts: 796
I know this is heresy, but I usually forget that I have them....but I do have one more trip (at least) coming up on them. It is, however, a codeshare DL flight op by AS. If I have my AS record locator, can I still use them, since I can't upgrade until check in on a code share?
...I guess the easiest thing is to call the Gold Line and ask away.....
(hours later...) and nope. Delta ticket stock means no auto-upgrades, no complimentary upgrades, and no waitlisting. Perhaps this will be addressed in the future when we get reciprocity with the wicked widget.
(hours later...) and nope. Delta ticket stock means no auto-upgrades, no complimentary upgrades, and no waitlisting. Perhaps this will be addressed in the future when we get reciprocity with the wicked widget.
Hmm it just worked for me in mid October on NW ticket stock. Perhaps because I booked on a travel site that sent each airline my frequent flier number for each airline respectively?
Programs: AS MVP Gold (83K), AS BR [3 year renewal], Maika`i Card, CO
Posts: 11,108
Quote:
Originally Posted by ANC
Hmm it just worked for me in mid October on NW ticket stock. Perhaps because I booked on a travel site that sent each airline my frequent flier number for each airline respectively?
I know its not supposed to work... but have a NW coded AS flight in January...
I have been able to do it personally several times this year on NW and DL. Both of these airlines provide the confirmation number so they are easy to load into mytrips. However, you will have to call american. If the ticket is one of those mangled messes devised by cheaptickets/etc you will have the confirmation number as well.
A lot of these operated by AS flights have very low fare classes, so id be shocked if you got put on a waitlist.
This weekend, I applied a gold cert to an AS operated/originated flight on an AA ticketed itinerary. From what I understand so far, I will probably have some CS issues in SNA...but i think i have enough time to take care of them.
ExpertFlyer, IMHO, is well worth the $99/year I pay even if it snags me one upgrade I may not have known about. It's been very helpful in using my complimentary upgrade coupons on transcons in '09.
ExpertFlyer also just rolled out a new feature which alerts you when a specific seat or seats opens up on a flight. So if there's no exit row aisle right now when you book, it'll send you an email when it does open up -- or says it will; I just signed up for an alert on an upcoming flight. We'll see.
Don't quote me on this but I'm pretty sure it is possible to waitlist/paper upgrade AS segments even when ticketed on OAL stock as long as they are sold as an AS flight. It wouldn't be possible if the AS operated flight was sold as the OAL's codeshare for that AS operated segment.
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