MilesBuzz! - Are International Upgrades Now Easier for Elite Flyer to Get?
Newspapers are full of articles about corporate travel expense reductions, including bans on company-paid business class. Have any elite frequent flyers found it easier to upgrade with miles lately?
I used miles on AA between O'Hare and Birmingham, England, in late April, but found it impossible to get upgrade inventory between JFK and Heathrow in May.
Generally it is not any easier than it was a few years ago, IMHO, before most all the carriers announced improvements to their FF programs! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/rolleyes.gif
Perhaps just a tad easier than four months ago, but insignificantly so! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif
2 Many Miles
May 9, 01, 11:06 am
I don't think it's changed much. On DL at least, it's harder now than it was before.
Summer travel is always impossible -- yield management always clamps down on available inventory...
I think it's getting a little easier. I've managed to book 5 1st class seats from SJC-MCO for mid June using awards. Usually Orlando is the hardest place to get to on reward travel. Also got 5 1st Class to Maui over Christmas (but had to use the AAnytime award on AA which really hurt)
Every flight I have been on however has been full up front so people are still travelling. Granted, it might be a slower summer season given the economy and gas prices etc... Although, since CA won't have any electricity this summer maybe lots of people will leave the state!
worldbanker
May 9, 01, 4:10 pm
Yes, I would say it is harder and we have had to view alternatives. With new parnters and codeshares, I have found business class award ticket to Europe on SwissAir using AA miles during July. On AA alone, there was nothing available. We have to be creative and select partner airlines to redeem awards on or also look for new routes- ie. I have been told that upgrades on the new Continental EWR-London Stanstead flight could confirm upgrades but neither IAH/EWR-LGW could.
As for DL, don't get me started. You gamble on an M fare which is higher than what most airlines require plus their inventory for mileage allocation seems to be worse. As there revenue downspirals, you would expect seats to open up more. Not necessarily so.
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"Fly me to the moon and let me earn alot of miles."
I upgrade (almost) all my int. trips on LH with miles, and have never been turned down by them http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif