<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by pinniped:
Smarten, I think the key differences here are the cost of a B ticket, the flyer's desire to continue to accrue US Airways miles, and (in my case) the availability of SWU's.
The original poster had access to B fares for $600 - upgradable for 20k. If he can do that, and therefore spend $600 and 6000 (net) miles for a Biz seat, and be 7000 qualifying miles closer to being able to do it all again next year, he probably considers that better than spending 80k for a Biz award seat. Change the number to from $600 to $3400, and clearly the decision is different. (I will agree that $600 sounds lower than usual for an int'l B fare.)
In my case, I don't think I actually needed a B to use the SWU's. I went 3 times to Europe and never paid more than about $500 per ticket - confirmed upgrades at time of booking. $500 + about 12000 miles vs. spending 80k? In my case, I was still accumulating US Airways miles, so spending the money and the SWU clearly made the most sense.</font>
Absolutely correct - see my post a couple above this to see what I wound up doing, and where that $600 B fare came from.
There were even cheaper fares available, but V fares are not upgradeable across the pond.
I'll get about 16,000 miles for this trip (with two segments per leg and 100% CP bonus, and be that much closer to doing it again next year. Since I'm using SWU's, that 16K is all in the net miles column.
Not sure how you confirmed upgrade at booking if it wasn't a B fare - supposedly that's the only less-than-Y fare that can do that.
PS - was also pleased to learn that they turn the booking over to the CP desk for tracking, so I don't have to remember to call 7 days out. That's a nice benny, and another reason why I continue to fly US whenever possible.