Originally Posted by mahasamatman
Welcome to FT.
It is extremely rare to be upgraded on an award ticket, but if the flight is overbooked in Economy such that they need to operationally upgrade people, you could win the lottery (with about the same odds).
My experience is the odds are even further.
A couple years back I was doing IAD-MUC (I think). I was on a paid coach fare, and, my wife/daughter/MIL were on award tickets. GA calls me to the podium, hands me a seat in C (an op-up). I tell him thanks, but, I'm travelling with family, any chance of pulling one of them up with me? "Sure" he says, type-type-type-type, then he tells me sorry, can't upgrade award seats. OK, I take back the seat in E and plan to sit with the family.
Then, while boarding (literally a few people away from the door), he calls me again. Tell the family to step to the side, I go to the podium. Same thing - ticket/swap, sorry-family, type-type, sorry-award. I say "why did you call me back?" He says, I forgot, but, I really need your seat. Sorry, I'm riding with my family. He didn't look happy, but, wouldn't upgrade one of the awards.
(In hind site, I should have taken the seat, and gave it to my MIL, who hates being pampered. It would have driven her nuts to be up there
)
I take the family quite a bit on award seats, and I never even consider the possibility of those seats being upgraded. And now I frequently upgrade my seat (swu, cr-1, 500s) and let my wife sit up front and I stay in back with my daughter.
PATRLR