US Airways Dividend Miles (Pre-FlightFund Merger) - Upgrading to ROM

I have a trip planned to Rome (via PHL)in the second week of May. I'm waitlisted http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif in both directions and want to use my Preferred Gold SWU's. I would appreciate hearing the success rate of others for upgrading on this route in both directions. Thanks.

now that the FCO route is on the A330, I would consider your chances to be better b/c of the larger inventory of Envoy seats.

...but the downside is that the PHL-FCO flight is consistently the heaviest load factor for All of US's European flights.

PHL-FCO-PHL is said to have the highest loads and highest revenue of any transatlantic flight. While this fact may hurt your chances of upgrading, it also means that they are likely to hold back more seats for possible revenue sales. Don't sweat it, good luck. And while I wouldn't desire that flight in coach, from what I hear, the US A330s in coach are one of the better coach experiences if you must go coach (i.e., 34-in or so pitch, and, more importantly, great entertainment!).

Good luck my fellow tampan (or is that tampon?)! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

[This message has been edited by BizJet (edited 04-19-2001).]

I would appreciate hearing the success rate of others for upgrading on this route in both directions. Thanks.
As a sample of one (actually two, since my wife went with me), we had no problem using the Systemwide Upgrades to Rome in March, but we booked and ticketed well ahead of time (late LAST year) and upgraded immedaitely after ticketing. We were both Silver at the time we booked and made Gold before we flew. I'm afraid May is busier than March though.


[This message has been edited by rtpflyer (edited 04-19-2001).]

You can an idea as to number of EC seats available for your flights on itn.com. Check your flights by going the reservation process for an EC seat and then checking the seat map when it pops up.

I'm flying to FCO third week of May and got my upgrades to Envoy confirmed in both directions...returning in early June. I made my reservation in early January. You shouldn't have problems getting a seat because there are lots of empty seats, at least on my flights, when looking them up on ITN.

FCO is mainly a leisure market, as evidenced by AA discontinuing ORD-FCO because of low yields (low business class traffic, although loads were high).

As a data point, my FCO-PHL flight back in December had 0 in F, 10 in C, and 175 (pretty full) in Y....so it seems like there will be plenty of open seats up front.

das -

You were flying in December, which is not really a month leisure travellers would be going unless they scored a good ESaver(perhaps the reason for a full Y cabin). From May through September, you can bet the flights will be much fuller in all classes.

Rome is a summer vacation market, so expect the winter loads to be light. In fact, I was the only passenger in F when I flew PHL-FCO-PHL back in november. In the summer the premium cabins fill up too, but I don't think you should have much trouble upgrading, especially with your status. There still won't be many biz travelers in first and envoy, although the cabins will fill up with leisure travelers either paying the fare or upgrading. Good luck.