I've earned a GUF2 each of the past ten years. I've never redeemed a single one of them, mainly because the wife is not able to join my business trips because of the kids, and our holidays are often booked with Avios where it becomes too much of a run-around to figure out how to get everyone seated together. Then there is the fact that I've asked our corporate TA (AmEx) to try to use them on some of my business flights, and they've always come back with too many excuses about it being too hard, no availability, etc. Finally, as long as I'm in CW I'm fine; I don't think the jump to F for some more expensive wine that I don't drink is worth it. In fact I've turned down upgrades on 747s that would take me out of my Upper Deck cocoon and stick me in the cramped nose F section, which I don't care for at all. Maybe it's worthwhile on the A380, but I've never been offered that one. So the GUF2s just expire each year.
However, major life change afoot - the big corporate gig is finally ending in December. While I'm excited to be free of the corporate BS on the one hand, by far the worst part (other than the lack of a paycheck) will be downgrading to long-haul economy. I should be able to pull in some consulting gigs with clients in the US and Europe, but being based in Singapore (until the kid finishes school) means absolutely brutal hours in the way-back. I've got my Gold for Life so I can queue up like I'm still a big-shot, but folding my 6'2" frame into those miserable coach seats for 16 hours back to California will kill me - possibly literally.
So, I need to make use of the GUF2 any way I can going forward to get upgraded to CW for these long-hauls such as SIN-LHR. I've read through the 50 pages of this thread and come out more confused than when I started. Can someone give me the short easy answer to this question - what is the best way to use a GUF2, or Avios for that matter, to pay for economy and fly CW? I can usually book some months in advance, but now that I will be paying for my travel myself, I can't afford to pay for CW and I can't fathom 13-16-hour flights in coach at my age and build. Thanks for any simple advice on how to do this - while a million-miler on three different airlines over the years, I've only really used miles and Avios to book mostly short-haul economy awards for family holidays. Now I need to master their use to get my long-haul business trips up to CW any way I can.