<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by BigLar:
This is based on USAir experience, but I think it's pretty universal.
I've been on FT almost a year. I've learned a lot, and still finding out more.
There's no such thing as just "a ticket" - every ticket has a fare class, rules, etc.
There are the real el cheapos - e-savers, internet specials, etc. Typically limited availability, heavy restrictions. On a trip US-London, maybe $300-$350
The ordinary cheapos (US "V" class) is a bit more expenseve, but available continuously. Typically not upgradeable. Maybe $400-$450.
Then come the more desirable classes (US "K", "H", ec.). Upgradeable from "day of" to 7 days out (platinum). Maybe $500-$550.
There's another cheap class (US "B")which is upgradeable on the spot. Maybe $ 600.
Was booking a flight for myself and my wife to London. I have some SWUs and wanted to use them up. The res agent led me through some fares, and was able to locate a "B" fare for us. Cool. Then I asked about my SIL - could she buy the same ticket and maybe I could upgrade her with my miles? Sure. 10K per leg.
That's when the light went on.
I have a choice of buying award seats (80K for biz class) or buying a "B" fare and upgrading with miles (20K).
It strikes me that this is probably the most efficient use I can make of my miles. I can probably come up with an amount like $600 once or twice a year and dump in some miles for the upgrade - I even get miles for the trip (in my case, 100% bonus, so with 3500 miles one way I would bag 14000 miles, for a net cost of only 6000 miles). I could stretch my miles almost forever this way.
Am I going down the wrong road, or am I just learning something that everyone else thinks is too obvious to mention?
I mean, we all like "free", but completely free (award) will drain my balance a whole lot faster than mileage upgrades.
Enquiring minds want to know.</font>
I think you've cracked it for that airline for that route. I flew US for a few years and we went to Europe three times using this strategy. Those SWU's are generous: unfortunately no other airline gives them out to the low-level members.
On each airline the strategy is slightly different, but if you can take advantage of a low upgradable coach fare to Europe, the same concept generally applies. On AA, those $300 fares have in the past been upgradable, but the mileage requirement is higher.