moxielady

New DM here so I have no experience with GUCs. My girlfriend and I want to go to Australia next fall and the deal is she'll pay for the coach flights from LAX and I'll apply the GUCs so that we can both fly in business. Neither of us want to take the risk of being waitlisted (and having to endure 15 hours in coach). 100% of my business travel is domestic so I wouldn't use them for any other flight. Does anyone have an opinion on the odds of me finding flights where the GUC will clear at booking? When calling the DM line is it a situation where you can be on the phone for hours while the agent looks for flights where the GUC clears at booking? We will have a lot of flexibility with dates but if I hear that the odds aren't great for immediate clearance into business I probably won't choose this gift. Thank you!

southpaw1227

Your assumption of 'how it'll work on the phone' is right.

Last year I called the Diamond line and had my ideal dates for ATL-JNB. I asked if those dates had OP availability so that my GUC would clear while we were on the phone. My return date worked immediately, but I had to move my departure date one day forward. It took maybe 10 minutes. But yes, if you aren't so lucky, it's just hanging there while they check day after day after day after day.

Still, it's worth it if you can find availability. 15+ hours up front is a dream.

EditingFX

I'll call it more "a necessity for sanity".

Anything over 5 hours in a metal tube ain't my idea of a dream, ain't no matter where mah butt is sitting. I did southern India earlier this year... 2 legs, 10 hours each. All first on AF. It still sucked. lol

Xeno

OP inventory for SYD is hard to come by. I bought my 2015 SYD tickets the first day that I could one year in advance. I cleared during the initial call but did not have to change dates because EF had already told me which days were available.

bennos

IME, it's usually pretty quick for the DM line to check availability. Looking this far out, you can even check for inventory and then if they have it request the GUCs and redeem them. (If they show up fast enough, even as part of the same call, otherwise just call back when they do.)

That said, IME OP inventory has been a lot tighter lately. What's your fallback? (FWIW, DL partner VS offers a proper Premium Economy product, as does competitor Qantas.)

CPMaverick

I've never found availability on the SYD flights at booking. I'm sure it exists, but be prepared to spend a lot of time on the phone and to be very flexible in your dates. Two seats makes it an even greater challenge, you may have to settle for one and hope for the best.

I am 3/3 this year in getting the upgrade, but 2/3 were at the gate. And that was when I chose the days with the most seats available at booking. This route sells out in business class a few times a week it seems. It is a very difficult upgrade. Good luck.

mmc

Flew late August this year and got GUC upgrade at booking on LAX to SYD. Actually got an OP up on the return flight due to overbooked Y. Nice bonus.

Now waitlisting for flight in a few weeks back to Oz. Only a few seats left so wish me luck!