Thought I would revisit disillusionment since I thought there would be more issues than there have been.
I think eupgrades have worked OK.
Only beefs I have are a few IT issues (usually able to overcome--e.g. problems with using 2 eupgrade accounts on same PNR) and lack of rolling 12 month window but even that hasn't really affected me. Hope to get rid of my credits and most of my partner's expiring 2012 credits by Feb 28 and then start new year with a big whack through judicious planning and good luck.:-:
over the last year have burned 26 credits from my partner's account and 117 from mine. Hope to use last of 2012 expiring ones (54 mine and 19 partner's) as well as start burning 2013 expiring ones on upcoming Argentina/Arizona trips.
So for 2012-2013, it is currently 137 eupgrade credits for me and 35 for her to start off 2013. She was only Prestige last year but made Elite for 2012 so will make hers even easier for me to use for domestic flying this year.
Summary:
Upgraded from FROM MY ACCOUNT
YUL-YVR
YYC-YVR
YOW-YUL-YYC
YUL-YVR
YOW-YUL-YYC
LGA-YYZ-YYC FOR TWO
YYC-YVR-HKG FOR TWO
HKG-YVR-YYC FOR TWO
YYC-YUL-CDG FOR TWO
CDG-YUL-YYC FOR TWO
YYC-YOW
YOW-YYC
Upgraded FROM SO ACCOUNT (all my flying domestically):
YVR-YUL
YYC-YVR
YVR-YOW-YUL
YVR-YUL-YOW
YYC-YOW
YOW-YYC
YYC-YEG (Yes really!)
YYC-YVR
YUL-YVR
YYC-YVR
Only missed upgrade request once on YVR-YOW flight that I had no choice due to other tight connections (could have flown otherwise on different route/time). All cleared by flight time although once they had to come and get me from the back of the plane to move me up.^
Tricks of the trade:
- Use my SE status to confirm upgrades
- If lots of R space and booking fare class at 4 days, cancel and use partner's credits
- Split PNRs when travelling on same ticket when can't upgrade at 7 day window so I can upgrade partner first then SE priority kicks in day of flight
- Use One-way tickets to avoid IT problems (where possible, works great on domestic
but not so great on transoceanic where Saturday stay required).
Other tricks I am aware of but not used (keep checking for R space on day of since there are issues with upgrades not clearing and going to unintended parties over SEs!)