US Airways Dividend Miles (Pre-FlightFund Merger) - Upgrade success on European flights?

I know people have posted various thoughts in various threads on this subject, but I was looking for an update.

I'm interested to know how preferreds are doing with upgrading - particularly upgrading with a companion, and to London in specific.

I'm considering BWI-LGW in late May, through either CLT or PHL. I've always either flown on B fares and used the space positives, or have used miles to upgrade. This time, I think we're going to book a Q fare and use the upgrades that came in my CP kit.

Do we have a reasonable chance of both upgrading in advance?

Thanks in advance for your response...

--Steve

If ypu're a CP, your chances are, in general, excellent. We went over Xmas week, using an M (?) fare, and requested an upgrade at the time of booking. The CP desk follows the bookings and will try to get you in.

At the seven day window, I formally requested upgrades (using certs), and was told nothing was available, but the CP desk would request Inventory to open it up. Two days later, we had nice seats in Row 1!

For return, the seats (again in Row 1) were assigned even before the window.

So, unless there's a mad rush or something special going on in London, I'd say you have an almost dead cert. You might not get Row 1, but you should get at least regular Envoy.

And if you go through PHL, the Envoy lounge is not to be missed! Fantastic. Just show your Envoy bp to get in. The arrivals lounge at LGW is small, but friendly; munchies, showers, etc.

Was pressed for time, so didn't check out departures lounge at LGW. Still, everything should be in place for an enjoyable trip.

I used certs for LGW last year in May and had no trouble upgrading. I have not missed an upgrade to Europe yet {7 times in the last year}, whether using certs or miles, all seasons. Will be traveling to LGW in March and the upgrade has already cleared using miles for 4 envoy seats.

Over the last year I have requested to redeem DMUTA3s on 6 separate crossings. 4 of these as SP, 2 as GP, with a mixture of Q and K fares. Yet to be unsuccessful.

God knows how I let that reservation agent uptrade me to a B fare for an immediate confirmation of the upgrade!!

I too have yet to miss as a Gold or a Silver in the last two years over 5 trips.

I missed an upgrade on the return portion of a SFO-PHL-AMS trip last week -- flight 43 (AMS-PHL) had been showing C0 as of a week before the trip and C2 the night before. I was 6th on the list and did not get the upgrade.

This was the first time in the past 2 years and 10+ flights that the upgrade did not clear.

Flying in Y was not as bad as I expected -- the cabin was mostly empty and so the FA to passenger ratio was probably better than in Envoy.

I just had an Envoy upgrade clear at the 3 day GP window for CDG, so the spring loads are still at their low level and upgrades are pretty easy.

In May it's a little tighter, but I don't think you'll have a problem.