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The Big UPGRADE Thread – all you need to know about AY upgrades

Old May 16, 2017, 1:37 pm
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: lkrt
General
Upgrade space is capacity controlled, separately from revenue space in J cabin. The number of seats released to the different upgrade types are driven by a number of factors, but never by the "there are unsold seats in J cabin, let's fill them" policy some other airlines employ. Same applies with upgrades to Premium Economy.

Upgrades now book into fare bucket U, which is also used for business class awards. Note that availability tools such as Expertflyer etc. may or may not show correct U availability as AY tends to offer additional U availability to Plats and Lumos, and this hidden availability is not shown by non-AY affiliated availability tools. Premium Economy upgrade availability is in bucket F, with the above disclaimers applying similarly.

You can upgrade and review the available upgrade options at https://www.finnair.com/en/manage/upgrade.

The searches below very often show zero availability. Very few directly confirmable seats are released in particularly longhaul J. Instead upgrades must go on waitlist, from where a robot processes upgrades from an unknown set of parameters. A waitlisted upgrade can clear in minutes or never, and there is no way to know. Waitlisted upgrades are checked at T-59, 21, 10, 5 days, and at T-37 hours.

Final check most often actually takes place at approximately ~T-38 hours and you will be (most often) notified by email. In case you are denied an upgrade at this point and there is still revenue availability in J, you can contact CS which may be able to upgrade you on the spot or contact "another department" for confirmation. Furthermore, you may contact check-in desk at least in HEL, which may be able to process your upgrade.

You can check for the upgrades upon booking on the Finnair website. Each flight has a separate tab for "Upgrades", showing upgrade availability for PE and J if any exists, otherwise you will be waitlisted. Additionally, you may check your upgrade options for an already-booked flight here. EF gives you an idea of upgrade availability in the U bucket.


Upgrade-types
1. Upgrades with points
2. Upgrades with vouchers
3. Cash upgrades
5. Cash upgrades at airport
6. Complimentary upgrades

Upgrades with AY+ points

Requirements:
  • flight marketed and operated by AY (operated by Norra is also eligible as well as op by Iberia or Widerře for Finnair as wetlease)
  • ticketed booking in paid economy (there must be a ticket number in your reservation)
  • all paid economy booking classes are eligible
  • award flights and points+money combos are ineligible (booking class X)
  • you cannot upgrade any codeshare flights
  • It is not required to have a Finnair-issued ticket (although this has now been required according to some experiences)
Cost:
  • Northern Europe (ARN, BGO, CPH, GOT, KEF, KRK, OSL, WAW, WRO) 10,000 points one way
  • Rest of Europe, TLV 15,000 points one way
  • long haul (including DXB, DOH) 60,000 points one way
    • Previously, shorthaul connections were upgraded at the same cost but this has been discontinued as of 15JUN23. If you wish to upgrade a shorthaul feeder flight, a separate points charge will apply.
  • there have been some occasional promotions especially for short haul upgrades (winter and summer campaigns)
Process:
  • When booking, you can check for direct upgrade availability on "Upgrades" tab or by looking on Expertflyer for U bucket
  • once you have a ticketed booking, you can process your upgrade or waitlist yourself for upgrade online here
  • you may also call AY to process your upgrade at a 1000-point surcharge (does not apply to PE->J upgrades not available online)
  • If there is no availability, you can waitlist. A waitlisted upgrade may clear within hours of your request or up to 37 hours before STD. If it doesn't clear, after T-37 you may call AY, use the chat or go to the check-in desk at the airport and enquire about an upgrade.
    • your status is one of the factors affecting your priority on the waitlist
    • If there is no SH availability you can still upgrade the LH and waitlist the shorthaul. You'll pay the same points price even if SH does not clear though.
    • NOTE: If you wish to reserve your seat in original class, select the desired seats before waitlisting. After waitlisting it is not possible to select seats via Manage My Booking, however one can do that via Chat or Call Center.
  • if you waitlist, your points will be taken from your account immediately; if the upgrade does not clear, your points will be returned to you but you will lose any points that have expired during the waiting time
  • your points need to be valid at time of processing the request but they do not need to be valid on the day of the flight
  • When confirmed, you will receive a new e-ticket showing booking class U (or F for Premium Economy) but you will receive points/miles according to your original booking class (this may require a retroclaim if earning on other programmes than AY+)
  • Once you have a new ticket, your upgrade is confirmed. However, if J is overbooked on your flight, you will be among the first pax that AY will bump back into Y. J rarely gets overbooked, though.
  • as an unpublished perk, you may choose to change your upgrade from a points one to a voucher one by calling AY; your points will be returned to you save for any points that may have expired
  • If you change your mind about the upgrade you may conctact CS and ask to cancel the upgrade and have points returned. There likely must be seats left in Y cabin (or potentially, original booking class) to allow this, and your points expiry date must not have passed.

Perks:
  • Most of the J perks like priority check-in, priority security where available, lounge access, priority boarding. However the luggage allowance is one additional piece at 23kg (on top of your existing economy allowance).
  • you will receive points/miles according to your original economy class booking class (this may require a retroclaim if earning on other programmes than AY+)

Upgrades with vouchers
Vouchers are given to Finnair+ members upon advancing to and retaining the platinum and gold tiers. You can see number of vouchers, their type and expiry in your Finnair+ account.

Requirements:
  • flight marketed and operated by AY (operated by Norra is also eligible as well as op by Iberia or Widerře for Finnair as wetlease)
  • ticketed booking in economy (there must be a ticket number in your reservation)
  • all paid economy booking classes are eligible
  • award flights booked via AY+ are also eligible (booking class X)
  • most likely, points+money combos are eligible, too, since they book into X, but we have no verification of this
  • award flights booked via parners (eg. Avios, AAdvantage etc) are not eligible
  • you cannot upgrade any codeshare flights
  • It is not required to have a Finnair-issued ticket (although this has now been required according to some experiences)

Cost:
  • Northern Europe one "European" voucher for a one-way flight
  • Rest of Europe, TLV one "European" voucher for a one-way flight
  • longhaul (including DXB, DOH) one "Longhaul" voucher for a one-way flight
  • LH voucher does not include upgrade for connecting shorthaul (like it does with points upgrades), SH flight requires a separate voucher/points upgrade
  • you may exchange four European vouchers for one "Longhaul" voucher or vice versa by calling AY

Process:
  • When booking, you can check for direct upgrade availability on "Upgrades" tab or by looking on Expertflyer for U bucket
  • once you have a ticketed booking, you can process your upgrade or waitlist yourself for upgrade online here
  • you may also call AY to process your upgrade at a 1000-point surcharge (does not apply to PE->J upgrades not available online)
  • If there is no availability, you can waitlist. A waitlisted upgrade may clear within hours of your request or up to 37 hours before STD. If it doesn't clear, after T-37 you may call AY, use the chat or go to the check-in desk at the airport and enquire about an upgrade.
    • your status is one of the factors affecting your priority on the waitlist
    • If there is no SH availability you can still upgrade the LH and waitlist the shorthaul. You'll pay the same points price even if SH does not clear though.
    • NOTE: If you wish to reserve your seat in original class, select the desired seats before waitlisting. After waitlisting it is not possible to select seats via Manage My Booking, however one can do that via Chat or Call Center.
  • if you waitlist, your voucher will be taken from your account immediately; if the upgrade does not clear, your voucher will be returned to you but you will lose any vouchers that have expired during the waiting time
  • you will receive a new e-ticket showing booking class U but you will receive points/miles according to your original booking class (this may require a retroclaim if earning on other programmes than AY+)
  • Once you have a new ticket, your upgrade is confirmed. However, if J is overbooked on your flight, you will be among the first pax that AY will bump back into Y. J rarely gets overbooked, though.
  • If you change your mind about the upgrade you can contact CS and ask to cancel the upgrade and have voucher returned. There likely must be seats left in Y cabin (or original booking class) to allow this, and your voucher expiry date must not have passed.

Perks:
  • all usual J perks like priority check-in, one additional piece of baggage (23kg), priority security where available, lounge access, priority boarding
  • you will receive points/miles according to your original economy class booking class (this may require a retroclaim if earning on other programmes than AY+)

Cash upgrades, offered on website / app
On the app as well as on the upgrade tool you can review if an upgrade is offered at a cash price. The prices vary, and reports can be seen here. The cash prices become available at 60 days prior to departure and may fluctuate in the timeframe prior to departure.

Requirements:
  • flight marketed and operated by AY (or operated by Norra or Iberia or Widerře for Finnair (wetlease))
  • ticketed booking in paid economy (there must be a ticket number in your reservation)
  • all paid economy booking classes are eligible
  • you cannot upgrade any codeshare flights
  • you do not need to be a AY+ member

Cost:
Process:
  • Check the app or the upgrade tool for cash prices (earliest 60 days prior to departure)
  • you will receive a new e-ticket showing booking class U but you will receive points/miles according to your original booking class (this may require a retroclaim if earning on other programmes than AY+)
  • Once you have a new ticket, your upgrade is confirmed. However, if J is overbooked on your flight, you will be among the first pax that AY will bump back into Y. J rarely gets overbooked, though.

Perks:
  • Most of the J perks like priority check-in, priority security where available, lounge access, priority boarding. However the luggage allowance is one additional piece at 23kg (on top of your existing economy allowance).
  • you will receive points/miles according to your original economy class booking class (this may require a retroclaim if earning on other programmes than AY+)

Upgrades paid in cash at the airport

(Note that according to recent reports, check-in agents are in some cases only able to process last-minute points and voucher upgrades.)

Requirements:
  • upgrades may be available for purchase at check-in
  • flight operated by AY or Norra
  • ticketed booking in economy
  • all paid economy booking classes are eligible
  • most likely AY+ & partner award flights in economy are eligible, too, though this is unconfirmed
  • the marketing carrier does not matter, so this is the only upgrade where codeshares are eligible

Cost:
  • varies, expect to pay some hundreds of euros for long haul one way

Process:
  • the upgrade will be processed and paid for at the check-in desk of the airport of departure
  • most likely the above means the airport of departure of that particular flight, so to upgrade HEL-BKK on a CPH-HEL-BKK itinerary, you would need to contact (transfer) check-in at HEL
  • you will receive points/miles according to your original booking class (this may require a retroclaim if earning on other programmes than AY+)
  • Once you have a new ticket, your upgrade is confirmed. The odds of being bumped back into Y are close to 0 as AY will not offer these upgrades if J is overbooked

Perks:
  • Only in-flight perks apply
  • Lounge access, priority security, additional checked in baggage is not extended to airport upgraders
  • you will receive points/miles according to your original economy class booking class (this may require a retroclaim if earning on other programmes than AY+)

Complimentary operational upgrades
  • usually just a new boarding pass & seat either at the gate, at check-in or even after you have boarded
  • few and far between
  • the decision whom to upgrade on a particular flight seems a bit random but is at least partially dependent on the price of your ticket, booking class and status
    • AY highest tier members (Lumos, Plats, Golds) are prioritised with the travelling party size affecting upgrade priority (i.e. if only one seat is available in J, the party will not be split)
  • you will receive points/miles according to your original economy class booking class (this may require a retroclaim if earning on other programmes than AY+)
Print Wikipost

The Big UPGRADE Thread – all you need to know about AY upgrades

Old May 28, 2017, 12:37 am
  #31  
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Programs: AY+, SK EB
Posts: 2,934
Originally Posted by ranskis
A couple of years ago, when I upgraded something like MAD HEL TLL round trip (so only MAD HEL MAD was in J), I got lounge access in Helsinki outbound and also in TLL inbound. If it has changed... then I need to review my strategy. Thanks for the input!
I have to thank for your input as I stand corrected concerning the revenue J ticket. That one should get access in HEL according to CS.

At least when checking the website and trying to upgrade it never allows you to upgrade those Y only flights. And also the upgrade availability tool shows always a simple text that there are no upgrades available. To Nordic destinations with J service it shows always a list with all flights even if no upgrades are available.
Jainzar is offline  
Old May 28, 2017, 4:05 am
  #32  
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Programs: AF/KL FB Plat ; A3 Gold ; HH Gold ; IHG Plat Amb
Posts: 2,370
The connection with 1 hour transit time has now become cheaper, I might book it and see. If there is no lounge access for such a short transit, I don't mind, but if I take the 5 hours transit time to save quite some money... lounge access becomes very important I will also try to get the lounge access rules by chat to have something written.
ranskis is offline  
Old Jun 28, 2017, 5:10 am
  #33  
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Tallinn, Estonia
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Accor Platinum, Radisson Rewards Gold, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 938
It seems to me, that at least HEL-SIN route, on any given day max number of upgrades for points available is now 2. Used to be 5 or even more.
Does anybody has experience, if those 2 are booked up, will there more open up? Thai Airways used to have this few years ago, not sure if they have anymore.
Richey66 is offline  
Old Jun 28, 2017, 5:19 am
  #34  
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: HEL
Programs: AY Plat (OWE), SK EBG (*A Gold), KQ Plat (STE+), Accor Plat, Hilton Honors Gold
Posts: 3,154
If you contact AY and waitlist yourself, they will often release more upgrade availability depending on multiple factors such as your status and the general availability of the flight. IME all but one of my upgrade requests have ultimately cleared, however not instantly.
lkrt is offline  
Old Jun 28, 2017, 6:23 am
  #35  
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Helsinki, Finland
Programs: Finnair (AY) Platinum, Air France Silver, Tallink Club One Silver :)
Posts: 1,655
Can only repeat what Ikrt has already wrote. And to add a little to it, bought HEL-SIN-HEL value ticket in Jan for Easter (mid April). The HEL-SIN leg had one available upgrade slot, that I've managed to grab using the online upgrade tool. For The SIN-HEL leg there was no upgrade availability, so I've asked CS to waitlist me. The upgrade cleared ~3 days prior the return flight.

Similar experience with JFK-HEL leg. Stayed waitilisted for few months and upgrade cleared few days before return flight.
Steve_Hun is offline  
Old Jun 28, 2017, 6:28 am
  #36  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: HEL
Programs: lots of shiny metal cards
Posts: 14,083
As Richey66 seems to be an AY Gold, he has pretty good chances for an upgrade slot to appear. Call in, have yourself waitlisted. It might clear anytime from within a few minutes up until the gate.
WilcoRoger is offline  
Old Jun 28, 2017, 7:46 am
  #37  
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: HEL
Programs: BA Gold, OZ Diamond, LH Silver
Posts: 549
Even my mother's (no status) waitlisted upgrade for a HEL-MIA flight in October cleared overnight last week although there was no availability at first. ^
haapalainen is offline  
Old Jun 28, 2017, 11:39 am
  #38  
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: HEL
Programs: AY+ Plat, OWE
Posts: 132
Earlier this year I was on the waitlist for JFK-HEL upgrade for 2 months...they had at least 11 available seats according to expertflyer.com when they said that I'd be put on the waitlist.

The day before the flight there was 3-4 available seats.

No upgrade. Flew home with a 39° fever in economy comfort.

AY Plat status didn't deliver

There was a storm in NYC area the day after, and I bet that some people with a flight for the storm day changed their flight to the day before to secure they'd have a flight, and the rest of the J seats were gone with the wind.

But 8 weeks prior the flight waitlisted. Damn. Still hurts my brain
The_Director is offline  
Old Jul 11, 2017, 10:55 pm
  #39  
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Helsinki
Programs: AY Platinum, IHG Gold, Diners
Posts: 1,274
I didn't find the answer to this question in the wiki. We are a family of 4 on the same reservation. I now got a SMS offer 24h before departure about upgrading. Is that only for myself, not the entire family?
niksal is offline  
Old Jul 19, 2017, 6:19 am
  #40  
Moderator, Finnair
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: MMX (CPH)
Programs: Eurobonus Diamond, QR Platinum, AY+ Platinum, A3*G, Nordic Choice Lifetime Platinum, SJ Prio Black
Posts: 14,132
Originally Posted by ffay005
...
I don't know if upgrades are cancellable. But if so, would you add it to the upgrade topic Wiki? (I remember having read about a case here where seomeone wanted to cancel their upgrade, but Y was fully booked and he wasn't allowed to do it.)
After a surprising turn of events I can now confirm my personal experience that both voucher and points upgrades are cancelable. Added it to the wiki.
intuition is offline  
Old Jul 20, 2017, 2:36 am
  #41  
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Programs: EBD, BAEC GGL/CCR, Alitalia AlataPlus, Club Carlson Gold, SPG Plat100, HHD
Posts: 654
I have a question regarding voucher validity that I can't find the answer to...

So I just qualified for AY Plat and therefore got 2 LH and 4 SH vouchers (likely to be used as one LH for me). Is the expiry date for use of the voucher or for flying?

I hope it is to apply the voucher as else it is rather useless to get a hoard of upgrade vouchers with 10 days to go... [And my only booked AY flights in that time span is in C anyway]
skba1 is offline  
Old Jul 20, 2017, 2:41 am
  #42  
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: HEL
Programs: AY Plat (OWE), SK EBG (*A Gold), KQ Plat (STE+), Accor Plat, Hilton Honors Gold
Posts: 3,154
It's for using it. You can fly any time.
lkrt is offline  
Old Jul 20, 2017, 5:19 am
  #43  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: HEL
Programs: lots of shiny metal cards
Posts: 14,083
Use it before the expiry on any flight already booked - flight may be any time in the future. There is a caveat, though. If you cancel that flight, the vouchers are not returned, because they're deemed expired. (if you cancel a flight/upgrade within their validity period, the vouchers are returned to your account)
WilcoRoger is offline  
Old Jul 23, 2017, 12:17 am
  #44  
 
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: DUB/BKK
Programs: AY Gold, EK Gold
Posts: 11
Just had am unusual situation. Maybe a glitch, maybe a new policy.

I booked economy return DUB-BKK having checked that upgrade seat were available on the LH legs. SH should then upgrade automatically.

Went to upgrade using points, system told me that the SH legs were not available for upgrade. I went ahead as it was HEL - BKK return I really cared about.

I went back in to the booking later and was able to upgrade the two SH legs using vouchers so the whole journey is now in business.

I'll call them tomorrow and see what they say.
istabraq99 is offline  
Old Jul 23, 2017, 12:52 am
  #45  
Moderator, Finnair
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: MMX (CPH)
Programs: Eurobonus Diamond, QR Platinum, AY+ Platinum, A3*G, Nordic Choice Lifetime Platinum, SJ Prio Black
Posts: 14,132
Originally Posted by istabraq99
Just had am unusual situation. Maybe a glitch, maybe a new policy.

I booked economy return DUB-BKK having checked that upgrade seat were available on the LH legs. SH should then upgrade automatically.

Went to upgrade using points, system told me that the SH legs were not available for upgrade. I went ahead as it was HEL - BKK return I really cared about.

I went back in to the booking later and was able to upgrade the two SH legs using vouchers so the whole journey is now in business.

I'll call them tomorrow and see what they say.
I believe this might be an ongoing glitch in the online upgrade system and/or a married segments issue. Last upgrade I did was similar, plenty availability was shown, shorthaul upgrade failed.
It will be interesting to hear what they say since you have proof that there indeed was availability but they just didn't let you upgrade the trip in one go.
intuition is offline  

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