Originally Posted by
stheller
I tried using upgrade certificates for tickets from PHL to DFW but when I called reservations, the difference between the upfared economy ticket and the first-class ticket was only $30, which doesn't seem worth it. Should I expect more of a difference than that when calling Meeting Services?
I tend to scope out the fares on Google Flights and/or use ITA Matrix before using a BXP1. On flights where the delta between discount first and discount economy is the standard $60ish per 500-mile increment, I would never burn a BXP1. It's where the difference is hundreds (or a transcon -- I tend to use these on JFK--SFO/LAX, etc.) that these are useful. Or I suppose in cases where I have to buy a short-notice high-dollar coach ticket, odds are it's going to be in V/G/L or higher so I'll burn a BXP1 on those.
In some cases, yes, the V/G/L fare is going to be substantially higher than the cheap N/O/Q/S fare, and perhaps higher than discount first. So obviously I wouldn't burn a BXP1 there.