FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - 15k miles to upgrade from economy class fare- how does this work
Old Apr 5, 2013 | 6:27 pm
  #15  
Apieinthesky
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Originally Posted by lili
That would be a silly award ticket, and yes, I know you can't upgrade awards and that you can use more miles for first. ExePlats can't use 500 milers, we have to hope for a complimentary upgrade. I don't know if we can use miles for upgrades.

I want to use miles to upgrade part of a paid ticket. I read that miles upgrades are only good for 3 segments and my outbound SAN-DFW-ANC-DFW-LAX-IAD is 5 segments. The return is IAD-LAX-SAN so I'm not concerned about that.

Why am I doing this? Because it's there and I'm a FTer. Found a relatively inexpensive SAN-DFW-ANC round-trip paid ticket and was going to do a quick turn for the miles not wanting to pay for Anchorage hotels in May. then discovered adding on IAD was another 5,000 miles for half the cost of a SAN-IAD round trip. Gives me a few days in Virginia, home of inexpensive SPG properties so I can visit with friends in Reston and Luray. Something like 13,000 EQMs and three SPG nights.

The DFW-LAX and LAX-IAD are difficult upgrades and I will be recovering from the ANC-DFW red eye so I really want to upgrade. I have tons of miles and it's worth $75 to me if it can be done. I'll probably get complimentary upgrades on the other legs.

I'll call on Monday.
I hope you know it's not that EXPs can't use 500-mile stickers, but it's that they don't have to. EXPs get domestic upgrades complimentary (or in other words, they get unlimited 500-mile stickers for their personal use). EXPs will be above PLTs and GLDs using complimentary upgrades, so not sure what the complaint is there.

EXPs can use miles+copay upgrades just like anyone else. Keep in mind that they are good for 3 segments, in the same general direction. You would likely be able to upgrade ANC-DFW-LAX-IAD with one upgrade award. Hope for your other legs to clear with your EXP complimentary upgrade.
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