Originally Posted by
SAT Lawyer
The one-way upgrade should set me back 15,000 miles with no co-pay.
For non-elites, there is no co-pay on Y/B/M/H/K fares. Other fare classes have a co-pay of $50-150 each way.
http://www.continental.com/web/en-US...rade/fees.aspx
(1) Does CO view IAH-SEA and SEA-ANC as separate segments for purposes of clearing the waitlist or will they clear together?
I'm pretty sure that it would only clear automatically if the inventory becomes available on IAH-ANC, since that's how you're booked. But you can always keep an eye out on the individual segments and if one opens, you can call in and see if they can separate the segments (though they might not be able to).
Stated differently, if upgrade inventory ultimately opens up on IAH-SEA, but not on SEA-ANC, will I be upgraded on the former, while kept on the waitlist for the latter (or vice versa), at the full cost of 15,000 miles?
As I mentioned above, the system will not likely clear you on just one segment. The default should be all or nothing. If you do manage to get only one segment cleared (see above), it would still be 15,000 miles.
Is it possible that one of the segments might be available for upgrading now while the other is not, or would continental.com tell me so if that was the case?
No, continental.com would not tell you, because it only sees you booked on IAH-ANC, not IAH-SEA/SEA-ANC.
(2) Is there any way to monitor the waitlist with ExpertFlyer, KVS, or some other tool? From what bucket does the mileage upgrade inventory pull?
Mileage upgrades from "R" inventory. Not viewable anywhere but on continental.com. This information is available in the FAQ with additional detail.
(3) From a strategic standpoint, should I request the upgrade now? Monitor things until closer to the date of travel?
The earlier you request the upgrade, the higher on the waitlist you will be. After status, the waitlist is prioritized by date of upgrade request. Fare class doesn't come into play until the airport standby list, reportedly.
I assume downgrading myself between now and then, if and when upgrade, should that scenario play out is not an option, right?
You can always downgrade yourself and redeposit the upgrade reward. I think the fee is $150. I'm not sure if your original fare class must be available, but possibly. I also have in the back of my mind something about canceled mileage upgrades adversely impacting the chance of an elite upgrade, but I'm not sure where I got this...
(4) Is my understanding that the waitlist should clear behind paid first class tickets and Y/B/M-ups, but before any complimentary elite upgrades are doled out, correct?
Paid F and Y/B/M-UPs come from different inventory, so you can't make a direct comparison, and there have been reports of mileage upgrade availability existing while B/M-UPs were restricted. But complimentary elite upgrades on discounted fares come from the same inventory as mileage upgrades, and yes, the mileage upgrades will clear first.
(5) Why does continental.com offer me two options, "Upgrade Individual Flights," with both the outbound and the return separately listed at 15,000 miles each (which, I'm pretty sure, is correct) and "Upgrade Entire Trip | 15,000 miles" (which is both incorrect and misleading)?
I think I noticed this too on an itinerary, it is likely just a bug. Entire trip would be 30k, and I'm pretty sure you'd get charged the correct amount.