Miles & More (Lufthansa, Austrian, Swiss, and other partners) - 4 ways to upgrade on LH. which is the best option?

I'm travelling FRA-DEL next month on a paid full-fare C ticket. In order to upgrade to F for this sector, I have various options and seem to have too much choice :o :)

1. Use 35k miles
Advantages: Can confirm u/g in advance.
The same u/g after Aug 1st would cost 50k miles. So in a sense I "save" 15k miles. My award mileage balance at the moment is over 400k.

2. Use evouchers
Advantages: Can confirm u/g in advance.
Disadv: evouchers shall be rare after Aug 1st. And they can be used for longer long-haul like FRA-SEAsia giving value worth about 60k miles. So it seems a waste to use them for a 35k sector...??

3. Paying the fare difference which is about US$ 400 for the sector
Adv: Earning F miles: About 5000 extra status/award miles, and an additional 2500 for the springmood promo in F.
Disadv: Paying US$ 400 :(

4. Using Star Alliance UK Status vouchers:
Disadv: u/g cannot be confirmed, and shall only be decided at the boarding gate. And this is a relatively busy route....


So what would be the best option to pursue, and which would be the most value for money/miles way to proceed... I know it seems that 4. would be the cheapest way, but what about between the other 3 options all of which allow advance confirmed seats in F...

thanks,
AJ

I think the order is 3, 1, 4, 2.

- $400 is not that much for the pleasure of F

- 35,000 miles is also not too painful

- *A vouchers might not get you the F seat but what have you got to lose, surely at that point you could still upgrade for $400 (in fact, maybe this option should be 1)

- I think this is probably the most 'expensive' way to upgrade.

Have a nice trip!

You might just as well add option 5, and that is hoping to get an op-up. Apparently the FRA-DEL route is one of the busiest for LH and they routinely overbook (I read a remark to that effect somewhere on this board, you may want to do a search). If you hold a *Gold card, your FREE upgrade chances are thus very high. But it would obviously be a gamble, and I don't know if you are much of a gambler. On the other hand, it may be frustrating to be at the gate and see others getting a free upgrade whereas you paid or sacrificied one of your vouchers for it. Plus: You could still use your e-vouchers at the gate should you not be offered an op-up, albeit running the risk of F class being full by then. So I am afraid you seem to be spoilt for choice!

You might just as well add option 5, and that is hoping to get an op-up.

Plus: You could still use your e-vouchers at the gate should you not be offered an op-up, albeit running the risk of F class being full by then. So I am afraid you seem to be spoilt for choice!

At the moment the flight on all three of the days in mid-may that I'm considering is showing:
LH 760 F9 A9 C9 D9 Z9 Y9 B9 M9 H9 Q9
so not too sure how full it will get closer to the date.

As a random exercise, here are the availabilities for tomorrow, sunday and monday:
04/24 LH 760 F9 A7 C9 D9 Z9 Y9 B9 M9 H9 Q9
04/25 LH 760 F8 A4 C9 D9 Z9 Y9 B9 M9 H9 Q9
04/26 LH 760 F9 A7 C9 D9 Z6 Y9 B9 M9 H9 Q9

So by these accounts, I'm not too sure about the chances of an op-up thru overbooking...

Also, I pretty much agree with LondonElite. I'm not going to use the evouchers for sure. That seems a real waste. It'll be one of the other three options. Still uncertain between the choice of $400 or 35k miles though...