Upgrading with Velocity Points vs. UpgradeMe
Dec 17, 2016, 1:30 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2006
Location: GA
Programs: VA-PLT, QF-GLD, DL-GM, UA-ex1K, AA-exPLT, HH-DM, IHG-PLT, MR-GLD
Posts: 8,242
Upgrading with Velocity Points vs. UpgradeMe
Just managed my first upgrade with Velocity Points, SYD-LAX. I was lucky enough to be on a K fare which just qualifies. 45,000 points one way. Pricey, but a big step up from economy.
UpgradeMe offered the same upgrade for a bid starting at $1550 USD one way. Not a great deal in my opinion, but made the upgrade with points seem like a much better option!
I am curious about the availability for both these upgrades. Previously there was no UpgradeMe offer for Business, only PE. And when I called back then there was not availability to upgrade with points to Business. When I saw it appear on UpgradeMe, I called and voila, there was space available now.
Does the UpgradeMe offer availability mirror points availability, or is this just a coincidence?
Looking forward to The Business over the Pacific. I've been on Delta One a few times but not since 2015, and too many economy miles in-between...
UpgradeMe offered the same upgrade for a bid starting at $1550 USD one way. Not a great deal in my opinion, but made the upgrade with points seem like a much better option!
I am curious about the availability for both these upgrades. Previously there was no UpgradeMe offer for Business, only PE. And when I called back then there was not availability to upgrade with points to Business. When I saw it appear on UpgradeMe, I called and voila, there was space available now.
Does the UpgradeMe offer availability mirror points availability, or is this just a coincidence?
Looking forward to The Business over the Pacific. I've been on Delta One a few times but not since 2015, and too many economy miles in-between...
Dec 17, 2016, 11:07 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Melbourne
Programs: ►QFWP/LTG►VA WP►HyattExpl.►HiltonGold►ALL Silver
Posts: 21,994
Jan 4, 2017, 10:14 pm
#3
Join Date: Sep 2005
Programs: Lifetime *G (MP), Lifetime PE (Bonvoy)
Posts: 1,465
VA is clearly desperate for UpgradeMe bids domestically during the holiday season. I have upgraded I think twice on SYD-MEL or SYD-BNE but I received an email inviting me to bid for an upgrade for a return SYD-MEL flight later this month. I can't remember the last time I received such an email - maybe once or twice in the past. Since they've downgraded earning rates for Status Credits they can whistle dixie to get more money out of me
Jan 6, 2017, 11:30 am
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2006
Location: GA
Programs: VA-PLT, QF-GLD, DL-GM, UA-ex1K, AA-exPLT, HH-DM, IHG-PLT, MR-GLD
Posts: 8,242
I saw UpgradeMe space yesterday so I tried to upgrade with points. No space available.
So I can answer my own question- UpgradeMe bidding availability does not mean points upgrades are available.
So I can answer my own question- UpgradeMe bidding availability does not mean points upgrades are available.
Jan 6, 2017, 8:04 pm
#5
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Executive Club - Silver (OWS)
Posts: 768
The mechanism for controlling inventory for a redemption/points upgrade vs UpgradeMe bid is different.
A redemption/points upgrade requires seats to be available in the relevant redemption RBD; in this case Z. Generally this is managed by the airline's Revenue Management team and will be opened/closed to manage yield.
UpgradeMe uses a system called PlusGrade which has an algorithm to analyse bids, availability and forecasts to confirm upgrades. Whilst these also get confirmed into the same RBD, Z, depending on how the airline have configured it, it has the ability to oversell that booking class.
For example, there may be 5 seats left in business class, so J has 5 seats to sell, but Z is closed for redemptions. The airline may say that they're willing to accept all bids at -24 hours leaving 1 full fare J seat to sell on the day. The PlusGrade system has the ability to confirm the top 4 bids into Z class (taking the inventory from J).
The example I've used is purely hypothetical and each carrier will configure their rules differently, but illustrated the point.
A redemption/points upgrade requires seats to be available in the relevant redemption RBD; in this case Z. Generally this is managed by the airline's Revenue Management team and will be opened/closed to manage yield.
UpgradeMe uses a system called PlusGrade which has an algorithm to analyse bids, availability and forecasts to confirm upgrades. Whilst these also get confirmed into the same RBD, Z, depending on how the airline have configured it, it has the ability to oversell that booking class.
For example, there may be 5 seats left in business class, so J has 5 seats to sell, but Z is closed for redemptions. The airline may say that they're willing to accept all bids at -24 hours leaving 1 full fare J seat to sell on the day. The PlusGrade system has the ability to confirm the top 4 bids into Z class (taking the inventory from J).
The example I've used is purely hypothetical and each carrier will configure their rules differently, but illustrated the point.
Apr 18, 2017, 11:57 am
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Northern Calif./Eastern Ida.
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Posts: 20,642
Related question -- is there a better or worse time to submit an UpgradeMe request? I am considering this for an upcoming trip LAX-BNE. The trip is still 200 days away, but UpgradeMe is accepting bids.
The costs are pretty high with the lowest accepted "very weak" bid seeming to be around $725 outbound and $650 USD return...this on a $875 round trip Y ticket. Will these costs fluctuate between now and departure?
The costs are pretty high with the lowest accepted "very weak" bid seeming to be around $725 outbound and $650 USD return...this on a $875 round trip Y ticket. Will these costs fluctuate between now and departure?
Apr 18, 2017, 5:53 pm
#7
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Executive Club - Silver (OWS)
Posts: 768
Related question -- is there a better or worse time to submit an UpgradeMe request? I am considering this for an upcoming trip LAX-BNE. The trip is still 200 days away, but UpgradeMe is accepting bids.
The costs are pretty high with the lowest accepted "very weak" bid seeming to be around $725 outbound and $650 USD return...this on a $875 round trip Y ticket. Will these costs fluctuate between now and departure?
The costs are pretty high with the lowest accepted "very weak" bid seeming to be around $725 outbound and $650 USD return...this on a $875 round trip Y ticket. Will these costs fluctuate between now and departure?
I'm not 100% sure how VA's algorithm is configured, but I'd expect higher offers to be confirmed further out and lower ones to be confirmed much closer to departure if there are still seats available.
Dec 3, 2017, 1:19 pm
#8
Join Date: Jul 2011
Programs: VA Silver, NZ Gold
Posts: 327
For those intersted. The waitlist system worked for us on VA7. I noticed on expert flyer that at T-72 that a bunch of Business and Premium seats were released for sale, no reward seats showed up on the website. At around T-52 our points upgrades got approved and a previously sold out Y got 2 seats open, and now a few reward seats are available on the website. Just in before the Upgrade Bids get processed. 
^
^
Dec 5, 2017, 2:54 pm
#9
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: BNE
Programs: QF Gold, VA Gold, IHG Spire, Accor Plat, Marriot Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,281
The scale is set per route, so will not change between now and the flight.
I'm not 100% sure how VA's algorithm is configured, but I'd expect higher offers to be confirmed further out and lower ones to be confirmed much closer to departure if there are still seats available.
I'm not 100% sure how VA's algorithm is configured, but I'd expect higher offers to be confirmed further out and lower ones to be confirmed much closer to departure if there are still seats available.