Iberia invites customers to bid for upgrades to Business Class
Apr 16, 2014, 9:55 am
#16
Join Date: Mar 2006
Programs: UA Lifetime Gold, Marriott Rewards Platinum, HHonors Gold, Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 1,385
Crunch the Numbers
Purchased lowest price economy ticket today MAD - BOS - MAD for travel May 3rd and return 8th. Lowest price Business Class ticket was just over or just under €3000, depending on routing (about €3200 on the MAD-BOS nonstop).
I paid €584 for my cheepo ticket, and got the offer to bid for the upgrade. Lowest price (one way) showing six green gavels (good chance of getting the upgrade) was €555.
Not bad savings.
I paid €584 for my cheepo ticket, and got the offer to bid for the upgrade. Lowest price (one way) showing six green gavels (good chance of getting the upgrade) was €555.
Not bad savings.
Apr 18, 2014, 4:35 pm
#18
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: BCN-BUE-PSA-GRU
Programs: BA Gold - A3 Gold - FB Gold - IHG Plat - SPG Gold -Hyatt Platinum
Posts: 1,581
Purchased lowest price economy ticket today MAD - BOS - MAD for travel May 3rd and return 8th. Lowest price Business Class ticket was just over or just under €3000, depending on routing (about €3200 on the MAD-BOS nonstop).
I paid €584 for my cheepo ticket, and got the offer to bid for the upgrade. Lowest price (one way) showing six green gavels (good chance of getting the upgrade) was €555.
Not bad savings.
I paid €584 for my cheepo ticket, and got the offer to bid for the upgrade. Lowest price (one way) showing six green gavels (good chance of getting the upgrade) was €555.
Not bad savings.
May 14, 2014, 5:10 am
#20
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Lagos, Nigeria
Programs: BAEC Gold, Hilton Honors Gold.
Posts: 21
I'm booked on Iberia LOS-MAD-GRU return but the option to bid for upgrade is only available on the LOS-MAD return legs. I can stay in Economy for those flights but the real bummer is the 10 hour flights from MAD-GRU return where the option to bid is unavailable. Is there a reason for this?
May 14, 2014, 10:45 am
#21
Join Date: Mar 2006
Programs: UA Lifetime Gold, Marriott Rewards Platinum, HHonors Gold, Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 1,385
I'm booked on Iberia LOS-MAD-GRU return but the option to bid for upgrade is only available on the LOS-MAD return legs. I can stay in Economy for those flights but the real bummer is the 10 hour flights from MAD-GRU return where the option to bid is unavailable. Is there a reason for this?
Yes, I suspect they are close to capacity with paid tickets on that leg. When I checked in at Logan for my BOS-MAD flight on May 8th and asked about purchasing an upgrade, I was told they had only three seats open in Business, and this was at 14:30 for a 17:30 flight!
Yes, I suspect they are close to capacity with paid tickets on that leg. When I checked in at Logan for my BOS-MAD flight on May 8th and asked about purchasing an upgrade, I was told they had only three seats open in Business, and this was at 14:30 for a 17:30 flight!
May 14, 2014, 11:43 am
#22
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Lagos, Nigeria
Programs: BAEC Gold, Hilton Honors Gold.
Posts: 21
I'm booked on Iberia LOS-MAD-GRU return but the option to bid for upgrade is only available on the LOS-MAD return legs. I can stay in Economy for those flights but the real bummer is the 10 hour flights from MAD-GRU return where the option to bid is unavailable. Is there a reason for this?
Yes, I suspect they are close to capacity with paid tickets on that leg. When I checked in at Logan for my BOS-MAD flight on May 8th and asked about purchasing an upgrade, I was told they had only three seats open in Business, and this was at 14:30 for a 17:30 flight!
Yes, I suspect they are close to capacity with paid tickets on that leg. When I checked in at Logan for my BOS-MAD flight on May 8th and asked about purchasing an upgrade, I was told they had only three seats open in Business, and this was at 14:30 for a 17:30 flight!
May 15, 2014, 1:20 am
#23
Join Date: Mar 2006
Programs: UA Lifetime Gold, Marriott Rewards Platinum, HHonors Gold, Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 1,385
May 16, 2014, 2:51 am
#24
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Madrid, Spain
Posts: 46
For $360 per flight it appears that I can guarantee a business class seat on LOS-MAD which at $720 in total is still cheaper than what I would have paid on the LOS-MAD return if I originally booked in business. The only question I have is whether you get additional avios and tier points since it is a 'paid' upgrade.
Jul 6, 2014, 10:06 am
#25
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2002
Location: NC
Programs: AAConciergeKey/1MM, DL DM/2 MM, UA Gold,Hilton Diamond, IHG Plat, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 11,974
Does it have to offer you the bid, I got the chance to flat out pay 471$ for an upgrade. Can I use Avios points at the ticket counter for JFK to Madrid? I would rather do that than pay.
Jul 8, 2014, 6:34 am
#26
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: @somewhere, if help needed use my email address [email protected]
Programs: BA & QR
Posts: 1,014