Nov 26, 2014, 4:34 pm
Last edit by: jackal
This thread is for general topics about giving away Alaska Airlines Gold Guest Upgrade, such as policies for who they can be given to, ideas for how to gift them to others, who can best benefit from them, etc. This thread should not be used for any actual offers or requests for gifts or trades; those now belong in The Coupon Connection, which does have specific requirements to qualify for access to. If you qualify for acccess, you can find The Coupon Connection in your list of forums at http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/index.php. Any offers or requests for upgrade certificates will be deleted from this thread by the moderators.
Policies and Best Practices:
Ideas for giving them away:
Please feel free to edit this wiki with any other notes or ideas or things we should know.
Policies and Best Practices:
- Upgrade certificates are freely transferable and can be used by anyone without restriction. (They are indeed titled "Gold Guest Upgrades" and intended to be given away.)
- In order to transfer, simply provide the recipient your Gold Guest Upgrade certificate code, or ask for your guest's record locator and process the upgrade yourself on the AS website.
- Remember that GGUs can only be used on certain fare classes and only if U space is open (and that they must be applied in real-time and cannot be waitlisted). It's best to confirm that the recipient is flying on a qualified fare and that U space is open before giving away your code.
Ideas for giving them away:
- The Giveaway thread in the Coupon Connection forum here on FlyerTalk: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/coupo...ay-thread.html
- Missy has more than she can use already. Please DO NOT PM her asking for upgrades. They do not belong to her, and she will not be giving them away other than through the USO.
PM codes to missydarlin, who volunteers at the SeaTac USO and will use your codes to upgrade members of the military traveling during the holiday season - Your real family and friends
- Your Facebook friends
Please feel free to edit this wiki with any other notes or ideas or things we should know.
What to do with unused 2014 upgrade codes (no offers/trading here)
Nov 25, 2014, 11:57 am
#1
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: RSW
Programs: Delta - Silver; UA - Silver; HHonors - Diamond; IHG - Spire Ambassador; Marriott Bonvoy - Titanium
Posts: 14,185
What to do with unused 2014 upgrade codes (no offers/trading here)
Looks like I'll end up forfeiting a grand total of one - couldn't justify an extra $60 outbound SEA - LAX on an $88 seat. A case where the old system of locking in First on any published fare would've helped. 
Nov 25, 2014, 12:31 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Northern Calif./Eastern Ida.
Programs: Amethyst Premier Plutonium Medallion
Posts: 20,627
soon, there will be a thread where you can "donate" unused codes to other FTers 
Nov 25, 2014, 12:33 pm
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: RSW
Programs: Delta - Silver; UA - Silver; HHonors - Diamond; IHG - Spire Ambassador; Marriott Bonvoy - Titanium
Posts: 14,185
I had thought donating codes was more difficult than sending paper certs?
I sometimes ask other passengers about their codes, and am surprised by how many shrug it off with "I don't bother with that!"
or a similar response.
I sometimes ask other passengers about their codes, and am surprised by how many shrug it off with "I don't bother with that!"
or a similar response.
Nov 25, 2014, 12:34 pm
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Northern Calif./Eastern Ida.
Programs: Amethyst Premier Plutonium Medallion
Posts: 20,627
using other people's codes is very easy, arguably more easy than i'd like it to be!
Nov 25, 2014, 12:37 pm
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: PDX
Programs: AS 75K, BW Plat, Marriott Gold, IHG Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 10,721
Nov 25, 2014, 12:45 pm
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Northern Calif./Eastern Ida.
Programs: Amethyst Premier Plutonium Medallion
Posts: 20,627
i did use them this week for a CA->HI flight in 2015, but only because i had access to a bunch of 2014 expiring codes and nothing else to use them on. interestingly F was half full already (>5 months in advance, verified by inventory loads and seat map) on one of the two flights i booked, so perhaps that was a good cert use anyways.
Nov 25, 2014, 3:49 pm
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: RSW
Programs: Delta - Silver; UA - Silver; HHonors - Diamond; IHG - Spire Ambassador; Marriott Bonvoy - Titanium
Posts: 14,185
I honestly didn't intend to jump into the give-away game, but was more interested in the issue of whether folks tend to use them or not?
Nov 25, 2014, 4:33 pm
#8
Join Date: Jan 2008
Programs: AS MVPG, CO, NW(now DL), Flying Blue
Posts: 6,554
Nov 25, 2014, 4:43 pm
#9
Join Date: May 2012
Location: HNL
Programs: AS MVPG, HA Plat
Posts: 1,268
Spent my last two upgrading my parents PDX-HNL for Christmas. Fares are high, but with companion pass and grand kids to visit, they thought it was worth it. The upgrades are gravy for them and a great use of the certs for me.
Nov 25, 2014, 4:50 pm
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: PDX
Programs: AS 75K, BW Plat, Marriott Gold, IHG Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 10,721
Fares are high is an understatement...January 3rd the lowest one way fare between HNL and PDX is over $2000...yikes!
Nov 25, 2014, 8:08 pm
#12
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 406
Another option for these codes is to give them to MissyDarlin and ask that they be used to upgrade traveling military members or others who look like they could use a nice free perk. All Missy needs is your coupon number, super simple.
Nov 26, 2014, 11:01 am
#13
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: AA (PPro/3MM/Admirals Club), AS, UA, Marriott (Gold), HHonors (Gold), Accor (Plat)
Posts: 2,602
I used every one of mine, although a couple I probably would have cleared the normal way. I held some of them until late in the year.
Nov 26, 2014, 11:19 am
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Bay Area, CA
Programs: UA Plat 2MM; AS MVP Gold 75K
Posts: 35,067
Are the upgrades use by or fly by 12/31/14?
I see a lot of mixed postings here on FT.
I see a lot of mixed postings here on FT.
Nov 26, 2014, 11:28 am
#15
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Northern Calif./Eastern Ida.
Programs: Amethyst Premier Plutonium Medallion
Posts: 20,627
