Originally Posted by
flytalkflyer
If you need to pay cash to top-up the miles, it cannot be done as an upgrade. If you wish to "upgrade" the booking, you may have to buy miles (to your family member's account) and then "upgrade." This wouldn't be the most economical unless the additional miles required is marginal.
As per what you currently mentioned (paying cash to top up the miles), you would essentially be rebooking yourself on the higher class of travel (entire fare difference + change fee applies). Your miles can be used to "offset" the cash top-up. Once again, it's going to be a quite hefty amount because you'll basically be paying for a J cash ticket (assuming you plan on upgrading to J).
When I said “pay cash to top up miles” I did mean “buy miles” - I wasn’t very clear I’m sorry 😆.
It is my understanding that buying the extra miles can be done as part of the process to “upgrade using miles” which also checks availability for an upgrade to J. The additional miles required to do this using my relative’s account
IS marginal in fact.
I’m not asking whether it’s the most economical way of doing things (the relative’s miles won’t otherwise ever be used if I don’t use them). I just want to know whether my relative has to do the upgrade for me or whether I can, as an authorised nominee, ring SQ and use the relative’s miles.