I am looking at an award on LH using US miles. The outbound is only avail in biz over the water, and economy intra-Europe. The return is available biz intra-Europe, and first over the water Europe>USA.

So they will charge me 100,000 US miles which I think is the roundtrip first class award.

They advise that if seats open up in first particularly for the initial USA>Europe over-water segment they could upgrade it, but that tix must be reissued by a US counter.

But I wonder at the LH gate if they would do an upgrade, or if they would have any way to know I used the 100K miles.

Also I wonder if it is normal to pay the 100K award for the roundtrip if half of it in biz instead of first?

Finally is LH known to free up biz/first seats closer to day of departure like with in 7-3 days of departure?

Just in a similar situation. I had originally booked F both ways, they downgraded the a/c. Yes, you are right: if any segment is in F, the whole itin is charged (miles) for F.

I wound up re-booking from another gateway which had F available. Unfortunately, no award availability to the gateway, but I found cheap one-ways. It's worth it for F, or so I've been told.

Spend some time with the int'l res agents and explain the situation (but "knowledge up" ahead of time, so you know what there gateways are, whether thay have F, etc.). Can't hurt, might help. You'll never get your miles back. so might as well go for the First experience.

Good luck!

Just in a similar situation. I had originally booked F both ways, they downgraded the a/c. Yes, you are right: if any segment is in F, the whole itin is charged (miles) for F.

I wound up re-booking from another gateway which had F available. Unfortunately, no award availability to the gateway, but I found cheap one-ways. It's worth it for F, or so I've been told.

Spend some time with the int'l res agents and explain the situation (but "knowledge up" ahead of time, so you know what there gateways are, whether thay have F, etc.). Can't hurt, might help. You'll never get your miles back. so might as well go for the First experience.

Good luck!

Great that you got the FC flight. Which gateway are you using? Is the one way refundable - if so keep trying award availability right up to the last minute.

Great that you got the FC flight. Which gateway are you using? Is the one way refundable - if so keep trying award availability right up to the last minute.
We were originally booked out of DEN, found the seats out of IAH.

I found one-ways on either CO or Frontier. I'll keep trying DM, because if some award seats open up on the right flight, we will then continue to be booked from DEN, and there will be no change fee. Also, it will be all one itinerary, so weather delays should be handled by them. If I'm getting to IAH on my own, and if Old Man Winter decides to blast DEN, I'm hosed.

No, the one-ways would not be refundable. They are typically changeable (for a fee), but it's not like the old days. :)