Air New Zealand Air Points - Upgrade for Honeymoon

My wife and I will be flying LAX-AKL on Air NZ on Oct-13 to start our honeymoon. The ticket was booked with miles from my new father-in-law who is 1k on United. We are in economy class at this point. I was wondering what my options are to get upgraded to premium economy or even business class.

Is there any hope in telling check-in in LAX (we will have flown in on United from Chicago) that it's our honeymoon and asking for an upgrade? If I call Air NZ at this point would we be able to pay to upgrade or just request one?

Any suggestions on how to have my honeymoon start off on a nice note would be appreciated.

Any suggestions on how to have my honeymoon start off on a nice note would be appreciated.

Asking never hurts, but - you know - everybody could come up with a good (or sad) story to get seated upfront without paying for it...
The "nicest" I've heard in person so far is from a lady weeping she was going to NY (from Paris) to meet her soon to be ex husband and sign the divorce papers... She felt she deserved the upgrade as some sort of compensation :p

My wife and I will be flying LAX-AKL on Air NZ on Oct-13 to start our honeymoon. The ticket was booked with miles from my new father-in-law who is 1k on United. We are in economy class at this point. I was wondering what my options are to get upgraded to premium economy or even business class.

Your best strategy would be to get your new father-in-law to stop being stingy with the miles and spring for a business award instead of sticking you in economy.

Good luck, but keep your hopes low.

In this part of the world, the only two ways to get upgraded are to pay the fare difference or to be a highest level frequent flyer with the airline in question on an oversold flight. Even a top tier elite with a fellow Star Alliance carrier would not get that treatment though.

Worse still, as a miles redemption ticket yours would be the most expensive possible to buy an upgrade from.

This will be of zero consolation to you, but a large part of the reason why airlines in the USA are less profitable than those elsewhere is because American airlines tend to gift their most profitable seats away as upgrades, whereas overseas premium seats cost money, and alarming amounts of it!

Good luck though.......

Welcome to Flyer Talk!

I am guessing no way. GAs hear these stories every day, but you can always try.

You may want to read through this; it may have the information you are searching for:

http://www.pacificislands.airnewzealand.com/airpoints/spending_airpoints_dollars/upgrades_airnz.

Thanks for the responses. I figured they hear stories like this all of the time, but I thought I'd check to see if there was any hope. This is pretty much what I expected.

This might be you best offer, At checking NZ allows passengers to buy spare seats so they have a blocked seat next to them. For about $60USD

http://www.airnewzealand.co.nz/before-you-fly/at-the-airport/twin-seat.htm

I'd agree the best suggestion is to try for a third seat... the fee (if offered) is very reasonable and will add significantly to the comfort..^

My own preference is for the 747 so I hope that's what you are flying on... Coach on those NZ aircraft is about as good as it gets....