AirTran Airways A+ Rewards - New to Airtran - Upgrade Help

So company is booking us on flight to PUJ.

Wondering if there is any way to upgrade those to business after booked.

They are M class fares.

I only have 2 A+ credits, so no elite or anything like that.

Thanks.

So company is booking us on flight to PUJ.

Wondering if there is any way to upgrade those to business after booked.

They are M class fares.

I only have 2 A+ credits, so no elite or anything like that.

Thanks.

You can upgrade to BC, if seats are available, per the following:

http://www.airtran.com/business_class.aspx

The fee applies to each direct flight; so, if you are connecting, an upgrade fee applies each time you change aircraft. On connecting flights, if you wish, you can upgrade just the longer segment and fly coach for the shorter flight

With just two credits available, another option would be to purchase additional credits, at a cost of $39 + tax, per credit.

http://www.aplusrewards.com/buy_or_give_credits.aspx

If upgrading using credits (four credits required for each flight), you are allowed to call AirTran to upgrade earlier, than if paying cash to upgrade. With credits, an upgrade can be requested the day before your flight; with cash, the upgrade cannot be processed sooner than 24 hours before departure.

So, if you are scheduled to depart on Thursday at 10:00 a.m., a paid upgrade can be requested at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday. When using credits, you can request the upgrade ten hours earlier than that, thus giving you a better shot at finding BC seats.

It's a fairly universal opinion here that BC is worth the upgrade cost.

BTW, besides the equivalent of F seating, BC passengers are also provided free drinks, upgraded snacks, and two checked bags with no fee. FL does not have any meal service.

If upgrading using credits (four credits required for each flight), you are allowed to call AirTran to upgrade earlier, than if paying cash to upgrade. With credits, an upgrade can be requested the day before your flight; with cash, the upgrade cannot be processed sooner than 24 hours before departure.

So, if you are scheduled to depart on Thursday at 10:00 a.m., a paid upgrade can be requested at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday. When using credits, you can request the upgrade ten hours earlier than that, thus giving you a better shot at find BC seats.

It's a fairly universal opinion here that BC is worth the upgrade cost.

BTW, besides the equivalent of F seating, BC passengers are also provided free drinks, upgraded snacks, and two checked bags with no fee. FL does not have any meal service.

Using 4 credits is a particularly good deal. It might be worth purchasing two credits to at least upgrade one direction of your flight.

You folks can correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe it only takes four credits to upgrade the entire one-way trip, including connections.

Using 4 credits is a particularly good deal. It might be worth purchasing two credits to at least upgrade one direction of your flight.

You folks can correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe it only take four credits to upgrade the entire one-way trip, including connections.

Right. 4 credit for a one-way trip even if you have to change planes.

With credits, an upgrade can be requested the day before your flight; with cash, the upgrade cannot be processed sooner than 24 hours before departure.


I have on occasion phoned to upgrade a few hours before the 24 mark. Sometimes, I have gotten an agent that upgraded me at that point. If you get an agent that is unwilling, just do it at OLCI or phone 24 hours prior.

Just realized I can transfer my Amex points and get all the A+ credits I need.

Only down side is I have to do it at end of Feb and flight not until May, so may transfer and no BC available.

But just so I am clear.

If I am on a connecting flight (MST-ATL-PUJ)
It will cost me 4 A+ to upgrade each way, not 4 per leg?
And I can call to upgrade at midnight day before departure?

(Should I be concerned that I am flying in May and SW should have their certificate by then?)

To reiterate:

It is not 4 A+ for each connection, it is 4 A+ each way.

Yes you can upgrade at midnight the day before departure.

Flying in May - we don't know what May will bring...so I really can't say.

Just realized I can transfer my Amex points and get all the A+ credits I need.

Only down side is I have to do it at end of Feb and flight not until May, so may transfer and no BC available.

But just so I am clear.

If I am on a connecting flight (MST-ATL-PUJ)
It will cost me 4 A+ to upgrade each way, not 4 per leg?
And I can call to upgrade at midnight day before departure?

(Should I be concerned that I am flying in May and SW should have their certificate by then?)

Your tickets are on an AirTran-marketed flight, so it's highly unlikely that there won't be biz class. So far, WN has not pulled the type of stunt that you are fearful of.

Just realized I can transfer my Amex points and get all the A+ credits I need.

Only down side is I have to do it at end of Feb and flight not until May, so may transfer and no BC available.

But just so I am clear.

If I am on a connecting flight (MST-ATL-PUJ)
It will cost me 4 A+ to upgrade each way, not 4 per leg?
And I can call to upgrade at midnight day before departure?

(Should I be concerned that I am flying in May and SW should have their certificate by then?)

The SOC (Single Operating Cert.) should have no effect on your flight. PUJ is international; there is no way that Southwest will be flying this route with a Southwest plane by May.

As stated above, it is 4 credits per one-way ticket, so 4 credits for MSP-ATL-PUJ and another 4 credits for PUJ-ATL-MSP. Also, don't forget that you will be earning 1 credit each way, so you could transfer only 5 credits from AMEX (7500 MR points), use 4 points to upgrade on the flight down to PUJ, then use the remaining 3 credits plus the credit you earn flying down to PUJ to upgrade the flight home. Minor savings, but maybe worth your while. Of course, you have to figure out a way to call Atlanta from PUJ to reserve your upgrade for the flight home...

The SOC (Single Operating Cert.) should have no effect on your flight. PUJ is international; there is no way that Southwest will be flying this route with a Southwest plane by May.

As stated above, it is 4 credits per one-way ticket, so 4 credits for MSP-ATL-PUJ and another 4 credits for PUJ-ATL-MSP. Also, don't forget that you will be earning 1 credit each way, so you could transfer only 5 credits from AMEX (7500 MR points), use 4 points to upgrade on the flight down to PUJ, then use the remaining 3 credits plus the credit you earn flying down to PUJ to upgrade the flight home. Minor savings, but maybe worth your while. Of course, you have to figure out a way to call Atlanta from PUJ to reserve your upgrade for the flight home...

This is why I love flyertalk.
Of course it is all about working the deal.
Didn't even think about earning 1.
Great idea.

Better yet. Do what Billy B does and rent a Hertz economy car for 1 day and get TRIPLE Airtran A+ credits. What I do is - if I'm in town for 2 days I simply drive back to the airport.......drop off.........pick up my next rental exactly 1/2 hour thereafter. BINGO - 1.5 + 1.5 = 3 A+ rewards. AND i just got 1 for flying there. So that makes 4 (the cost of my business class upgrade).

:D Hope linky still works:

https://offer.hertz.com/offers/index.jsp?targetPage=airtrantriplecreditupto35.jsp&CMP=MAILNETWKND000000120127

GOT TO LOVE FFFFFFFFFFFLYERTALK!!!!!!!!!!!

Better yet. Do what Billy B does and rent a Hertz economy car for 1 day and get TRIPLE Airtran A+ credits. What I do is - if I'm in town for 2 days I simply drive back to the airport.......drop off.........pick up my next rental exactly 1/2 hour thereafter. BINGO - 1.5 + 1.5 = 3 A+ rewards. AND i just got 1 for flying there. So that makes 4 (the cost of my business class upgrade).

:D Hope linky still works:

https://offer.hertz.com/offers/index.jsp?targetPage=airtrantriplecreditupto35.jsp&CMP=MAILNETWKND000000120127

GOT TO LOVE FFFFFFFFFFFLYERTALK!!!!!!!!!!!

Good point - sometimes a cheap rental can come close to paying for itself if the credit deal is good.

Waiting 30 minutes between Hertz rentals didn't used to be a requirement - is it now? When Southwest was offering quadruple credits (i.e. 2 credits per rental instead of 1/2) for a 2 day rental, I would rent Thursday afternoon to Saturday noon, followed by re-renting the same car Saturday noon to Monday morning. Earned 4 credits per weekend and decreased the mileage I would have put on my car - and allowed me to earn my first WN Companion Pass!

You don't have to wait 30 minutes between rentals. It is just something I like to do to try and avoid any Baloney! Never know when one may get a new Hertz trainee, or something (actually one time in Des Moines I had the worst experience :mad: with Hertz that one could ever imagine...but that would be another post).