Recent Gold Elevate - strategy for flying RT LAX-MCO and F desired
Jan 31, 2016, 3:59 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Programs: UA Premier Gold, Starwood Gold, Plat AE, CO PP MC, Marriott Rewards Plat, Virgin Elevate Gold
Posts: 1,416
Recent Gold Elevate - strategy for flying RT LAX-MCO and F desired
New to Elevate Gold status.
I fly LAX-MCO often.
ANy suggested strategies for getting best seats, other than actual paying for MCS or F?
I know as Gold I can book "Express" seats right away.
I know the rules about getting the MCS seats at checkin (T-24) as well as options to buy into F
If I book coach seat (Express) , what are my actual chances of getting MCS?
What can i expect for "buy up" to F in terms of $$$$
I know nothing is guaranteed; I am just looking for general strategies for flying this route.
I'm actually thinking to purchase coach LAX-MCO, then F on the return
I fly LAX-MCO often.
ANy suggested strategies for getting best seats, other than actual paying for MCS or F?
I know as Gold I can book "Express" seats right away.
I know the rules about getting the MCS seats at checkin (T-24) as well as options to buy into F
If I book coach seat (Express) , what are my actual chances of getting MCS?
What can i expect for "buy up" to F in terms of $$$$
I know nothing is guaranteed; I am just looking for general strategies for flying this route.
I'm actually thinking to purchase coach LAX-MCO, then F on the return
Feb 3, 2016, 3:00 pm
#3
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1K, AS MVP, Bonvoy Plat, IHG Plat, HH Gold, Hyatt Disc
Posts: 217
Sorry, I just don't know this route.
My strategy for the routes I fly most often -- SFO/EWR, SFO/JFK, SFO/WAS, SFO/ORD and SFO/LAX -- is to book coach (Main Cabin Express) every time, except when F is only nominally more expensive on the short LAX flight.
I have never been stuck actually sitting in the MCE seat. Nearly every single flight, I have been able to buy up to F at T-24. I had my first experience with F being sold out on one of those routes on Sunday, flying back from WAS. But I was still auto-upgraded to MCS in the bulkhead aisle, and there was an empty middle seat next to me, so it was fine.
I would be surprised if LAX/MCO were as busy a route as the once-a-days between SFO and WAS, so I would expect you can book coach and then pay the upgrade and get F.
My strategy for the routes I fly most often -- SFO/EWR, SFO/JFK, SFO/WAS, SFO/ORD and SFO/LAX -- is to book coach (Main Cabin Express) every time, except when F is only nominally more expensive on the short LAX flight.
I have never been stuck actually sitting in the MCE seat. Nearly every single flight, I have been able to buy up to F at T-24. I had my first experience with F being sold out on one of those routes on Sunday, flying back from WAS. But I was still auto-upgraded to MCS in the bulkhead aisle, and there was an empty middle seat next to me, so it was fine.
I would be surprised if LAX/MCO were as busy a route as the once-a-days between SFO and WAS, so I would expect you can book coach and then pay the upgrade and get F.
Feb 3, 2016, 4:38 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Programs: UA Premier Gold, Starwood Gold, Plat AE, CO PP MC, Marriott Rewards Plat, Virgin Elevate Gold
Posts: 1,416
Sorry, I just don't know this route.
My strategy for the routes I fly most often -- SFO/EWR, SFO/JFK, SFO/WAS, SFO/ORD and SFO/LAX -- is to book coach (Main Cabin Express) every time, except when F is only nominally more expensive on the short LAX flight.
I have never been stuck actually sitting in the MCE seat. Nearly every single flight, I have been able to buy up to F at T-24. I had my first experience with F being sold out on one of those routes on Sunday, flying back from WAS. But I was still auto-upgraded to MCS in the bulkhead aisle, and there was an empty middle seat next to me, so it was fine.
I would be surprised if LAX/MCO were as busy a route as the once-a-days between SFO and WAS, so I would expect you can book coach and then pay the upgrade and get F.
My strategy for the routes I fly most often -- SFO/EWR, SFO/JFK, SFO/WAS, SFO/ORD and SFO/LAX -- is to book coach (Main Cabin Express) every time, except when F is only nominally more expensive on the short LAX flight.
I have never been stuck actually sitting in the MCE seat. Nearly every single flight, I have been able to buy up to F at T-24. I had my first experience with F being sold out on one of those routes on Sunday, flying back from WAS. But I was still auto-upgraded to MCS in the bulkhead aisle, and there was an empty middle seat next to me, so it was fine.
I would be surprised if LAX/MCO were as busy a route as the once-a-days between SFO and WAS, so I would expect you can book coach and then pay the upgrade and get F.
Thank you!
Yes, my concern is getting stuck in MCE seat as a Gold.
I guess in my case, getting MCS will be considered a good upgrade, I dont mind paying for F as long as its around $150 - $250
Feb 4, 2016, 8:41 am
#5
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: Tucson, AZ USA
Programs: DL-Platinum / AS-PlatPro / Hyatt - Glob / Hilton-Diamond
Posts: 1,573
The upgrade fee from MCS to F on this route is $240.
It's irrelevant how you got into MCS. Purchased / paid upgrade / Elite comp upgrade.
My personal strategy varies on a case-by-case basis depending on the fares at the moment. Even though I'm Gold, I'll go ahead and buy MCS if the fare difference from MC isn't too bad .... I'd rather secure an aisle seat now than risk an elite upgrade to MCS middle seat.
And I have the upper level VX Visa credit card so that if a fare sale comes along, I can review my choices again and possibly cancel/rebook without a change fee.
It's irrelevant how you got into MCS. Purchased / paid upgrade / Elite comp upgrade.
My personal strategy varies on a case-by-case basis depending on the fares at the moment. Even though I'm Gold, I'll go ahead and buy MCS if the fare difference from MC isn't too bad .... I'd rather secure an aisle seat now than risk an elite upgrade to MCS middle seat.
And I have the upper level VX Visa credit card so that if a fare sale comes along, I can review my choices again and possibly cancel/rebook without a change fee.
Feb 4, 2016, 10:37 am
#6
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: San Francisco
Programs: AA EXP; Marriott BonVoy Titanium Elite, Marriott LT Plat.
Posts: 1,717
The upgrade fee from MCS to F on this route is $240.
It's irrelevant how you got into MCS. Purchased / paid upgrade / Elite comp upgrade.
My personal strategy varies on a case-by-case basis depending on the fares at the moment. Even though I'm Gold, I'll go ahead and buy MCS if the fare difference from MC isn't too bad .... I'd rather secure an aisle seat now than risk an elite upgrade to MCS middle seat.
And I have the upper level VX Visa credit card so that if a fare sale comes along, I can review my choices again and possibly cancel/rebook without a change fee.
It's irrelevant how you got into MCS. Purchased / paid upgrade / Elite comp upgrade.
My personal strategy varies on a case-by-case basis depending on the fares at the moment. Even though I'm Gold, I'll go ahead and buy MCS if the fare difference from MC isn't too bad .... I'd rather secure an aisle seat now than risk an elite upgrade to MCS middle seat.
And I have the upper level VX Visa credit card so that if a fare sale comes along, I can review my choices again and possibly cancel/rebook without a change fee.
There have been times when it just "made sense" to either purchase MCS or even first as well. The angst of being "stuck in a middle MCS seat just gets to me for upcoming transcon flights. Sometimes I just settle with MCE exit row too. It's all about the legroom for me and if I can't have the aisle, I want the window next!!
Feb 4, 2016, 2:19 pm
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Programs: UA Premier Gold, Starwood Gold, Plat AE, CO PP MC, Marriott Rewards Plat, Virgin Elevate Gold
Posts: 1,416
The upgrade fee from MCS to F on this route is $240.
It's irrelevant how you got into MCS. Purchased / paid upgrade / Elite comp upgrade.
My personal strategy varies on a case-by-case basis depending on the fares at the moment. Even though I'm Gold, I'll go ahead and buy MCS if the fare difference from MC isn't too bad .... I'd rather secure an aisle seat now than risk an elite upgrade to MCS middle seat.
And I have the upper level VX Visa credit card so that if a fare sale comes along, I can review my choices again and possibly cancel/rebook without a change fee.
It's irrelevant how you got into MCS. Purchased / paid upgrade / Elite comp upgrade.
My personal strategy varies on a case-by-case basis depending on the fares at the moment. Even though I'm Gold, I'll go ahead and buy MCS if the fare difference from MC isn't too bad .... I'd rather secure an aisle seat now than risk an elite upgrade to MCS middle seat.
And I have the upper level VX Visa credit card so that if a fare sale comes along, I can review my choices again and possibly cancel/rebook without a change fee.
I paid $130 for my MCE seat (remember I am a new Gold, so system allowed me to select that seat at booking)
Current pricing for the same exact flight as I am on now:
Economy - $221
MCS - $299
F - $499
If the upgrade fee for MCS to F is fixed (?) at $240, why wouldnt i simply purchase the F seat to start with?
No incentive whatsoever to do it at T-24 - the cost is "relatively" the same
Wouldnt they incentivize the pricing for Elevate Gold - i.e., offer the F seat at a substantially reducted price at T-24 ?
Feb 4, 2016, 8:52 pm
#8
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: Tucson, AZ USA
Programs: DL-Platinum / AS-PlatPro / Hyatt - Glob / Hilton-Diamond
Posts: 1,573
Given the fares you've listed, I would definitely just buy F.
I assume you're looking at flights far in the future. I'm typically buying closer in and a $499 F fare on this route is rare to my eyes. Check some flights closer in and if the "refundable" F fares are sold out, then a one-way F fare of $1749 is common. I'm sure the day of the week has a lot to do with it too.
Yes, the upgrade fees are fixed. The fixed amount is based on the distance. I believe the $240 is the highest rate (maybe west coast to Hawaii is higher ??) and applies to all the trans-cons.
Feb 5, 2016, 3:15 am
#9
Join Date: Jan 2014
Programs: Amtrak Guest Rewards (SE), Virgin America Elevate, Hyatt Gold Passport (Platinum), VIA Preference
Posts: 3,134
I'm doing my best to run an in-depth analysis of availability on this route (I'm focusing on LAX-MCO but presuming that MCO-LAX acts more or less the same...it's just easier to run the sorts of manual brute-force searches needed on a single, defined flight).
What I'm finding is the following:
-First is selling out fairly rarely, but it's getting pretty decent load factors (there are generally 1-3 F seats open over the next few weeks; the next three days are an outlier in this regard).
-Not only does MCS sell out rarely, it has plain lousy load factors (I rarely see less than 5 MCS seats open, and a LOT of flights have 7-8 open).
-I show a lot of availability, for the most part, in the Main Cabin...but about 90% of said availability shows as Main Cabin Express. This suggests "that dog ain't gonna hunt" when it comes to upselling Express seats on the LAX-MCO routing and that lots of pax are simply declining to take a seat assignment rather than pay for an Express seat.
So to answer your question, hoping for a last-minute paid upgrade seems like a gamble. MCS is more-likely-than-not but F...well, if there's ONE other passenger on your flight who has Gold, you could be in for a fight.
What I'm finding is the following:
-First is selling out fairly rarely, but it's getting pretty decent load factors (there are generally 1-3 F seats open over the next few weeks; the next three days are an outlier in this regard).
-Not only does MCS sell out rarely, it has plain lousy load factors (I rarely see less than 5 MCS seats open, and a LOT of flights have 7-8 open).
-I show a lot of availability, for the most part, in the Main Cabin...but about 90% of said availability shows as Main Cabin Express. This suggests "that dog ain't gonna hunt" when it comes to upselling Express seats on the LAX-MCO routing and that lots of pax are simply declining to take a seat assignment rather than pay for an Express seat.
So to answer your question, hoping for a last-minute paid upgrade seems like a gamble. MCS is more-likely-than-not but F...well, if there's ONE other passenger on your flight who has Gold, you could be in for a fight.
Feb 5, 2016, 9:03 am
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Programs: UA Premier Gold, Starwood Gold, Plat AE, CO PP MC, Marriott Rewards Plat, Virgin Elevate Gold
Posts: 1,416
I'm doing my best to run an in-depth analysis of availability on this route (I'm focusing on LAX-MCO but presuming that MCO-LAX acts more or less the same...it's just easier to run the sorts of manual brute-force searches needed on a single, defined flight).
What I'm finding is the following:
-First is selling out fairly rarely, but it's getting pretty decent load factors (there are generally 1-3 F seats open over the next few weeks; the next three days are an outlier in this regard).
-Not only does MCS sell out rarely, it has plain lousy load factors (I rarely see less than 5 MCS seats open, and a LOT of flights have 7-8 open).
-I show a lot of availability, for the most part, in the Main Cabin...but about 90% of said availability shows as Main Cabin Express. This suggests "that dog ain't gonna hunt" when it comes to upselling Express seats on the LAX-MCO routing and that lots of pax are simply declining to take a seat assignment rather than pay for an Express seat.
So to answer your question, hoping for a last-minute paid upgrade seems like a gamble. MCS is more-likely-than-not but F...well, if there's ONE other passenger on your flight who has Gold, you could be in for a fight.
What I'm finding is the following:
-First is selling out fairly rarely, but it's getting pretty decent load factors (there are generally 1-3 F seats open over the next few weeks; the next three days are an outlier in this regard).
-Not only does MCS sell out rarely, it has plain lousy load factors (I rarely see less than 5 MCS seats open, and a LOT of flights have 7-8 open).
-I show a lot of availability, for the most part, in the Main Cabin...but about 90% of said availability shows as Main Cabin Express. This suggests "that dog ain't gonna hunt" when it comes to upselling Express seats on the LAX-MCO routing and that lots of pax are simply declining to take a seat assignment rather than pay for an Express seat.
So to answer your question, hoping for a last-minute paid upgrade seems like a gamble. MCS is more-likely-than-not but F...well, if there's ONE other passenger on your flight who has Gold, you could be in for a fight.