General experience with eUpgrading to PY
May 5, 2016 | 5:02 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: YQB
Programs: AC SE
Posts: 2,156
General experience with eUpgrading to PY
I would like to try and manage smartly my eUp credits for the rest of the year. As such I am curious to hear what is the general feeling regarding the success rate for eUpgrading to PY on intl routes. I'm not asking about specific dates, I'm just after a general opinion about which routes can be harder to eUp, which ones seem easier, any difference on the outbound vs inbound and so on, TATL being especially of interest. Of course I am also aware that load factors can vary widely depending on the time of the year.
May 5, 2016 | 12:13 pm
#3
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: YYZ
Programs: FOTSG Tangerine Ex E35k (AC)
Posts: 5,612
YYZ->LHR PY is often $25-$100 more.
LHR->YYZ PY is normally at least $300 more.
Main reason for this, I believe, is UK (and esp.) LHR departure taxes which go up and up as fares increase. So depends where you want to go to/from.
I don't fly TATL nearly enough to make a definitive comment, but I was sat next to a non-status person at Christmas who must have been upgraded due to a lack of people interested in using eUps or LMU'ing. And J was full, if relevant.
LHR->YYZ PY is normally at least $300 more.
Main reason for this, I believe, is UK (and esp.) LHR departure taxes which go up and up as fares increase. So depends where you want to go to/from.
I don't fly TATL nearly enough to make a definitive comment, but I was sat next to a non-status person at Christmas who must have been upgraded due to a lack of people interested in using eUps or LMU'ing. And J was full, if relevant.
May 5, 2016 | 1:53 pm
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC*SE 2MM
Posts: 18,475
It boggles my mind that anybody would want to waste eUps on a product that is often available (if you book early) for about the same price as the fare required to upgrade.
May 5, 2016 | 2:31 pm
#5
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC SE 2MM, Hyatt Globalist, Bonvoy LT Platinum
Posts: 3,623
Regarding success I would expect many that purchase PY would be trying to upgrade to J which should provide some opportunities even on full flights.
May 5, 2016 | 5:34 pm
#6
Join Date: Jun 2009
Programs: Air Canada Aeroplan
Posts: 1,756
Sometimes you cannot buy early enough, and sometimes the difference between PY and Flex is large. Also, many of us are not SE and hence cannot upgrade to J without paying through the nose. Can we stick to the OP's question -how easy / feasible it is to upgrade to PY- in which I'm also interested?
May 5, 2016 | 5:43 pm
#7
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: YVR
Programs: AC SE MM, DL Plat, AF plat, PD ascent, Bonvoy Life Tit
Posts: 2,884
Some corporate travel policies require Y fares regardless of price, but agree doesn't make sense for small incremental cost difference on many routes.
Regarding success I would expect many that purchase PY would be trying to upgrade to J which should provide some opportunities even on full flights.
Regarding success I would expect many that purchase PY would be trying to upgrade to J which should provide some opportunities even on full flights.
May 5, 2016 | 6:10 pm
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: YQB
Programs: AC SE
Posts: 2,156
Sometimes you cannot buy early enough, and sometimes the difference between PY and Flex is large. Also, many of us are not SE and hence cannot upgrade to J without paying through the nose. Can we stick to the OP's question -how easy / feasible it is to upgrade to PY- in which I'm also interested?
May 5, 2016 | 8:16 pm
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC*SE 2MM
Posts: 18,475
To answer your question, usually lots of people try upgrading from PE to J, so if J isn't full, those seats open up for people in Y looking for PE. I have never used eUpgrades for this purpose but have flown PY numerous times when the cabin showed several (or more) empty seats prior to check-in but ended up full - presumably as a result of eUps.
May 5, 2016 | 11:59 pm
#11
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: ZRH
Programs: AC SE 100K
Posts: 984
YYZ->LHR PY is often $25-$100 more.
LHR->YYZ PY is normally at least $300 more.
Main reason for this, I believe, is UK (and esp.) LHR departure taxes which go up and up as fares increase. So depends where you want to go to/from.
I don't fly TATL nearly enough to make a definitive comment, but I was sat next to a non-status person at Christmas who must have been upgraded due to a lack of people interested in using eUps or LMU'ing. And J was full, if relevant.
LHR->YYZ PY is normally at least $300 more.
Main reason for this, I believe, is UK (and esp.) LHR departure taxes which go up and up as fares increase. So depends where you want to go to/from.
I don't fly TATL nearly enough to make a definitive comment, but I was sat next to a non-status person at Christmas who must have been upgraded due to a lack of people interested in using eUps or LMU'ing. And J was full, if relevant.
May 6, 2016 | 11:55 am
#12
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AC SE MM, SK Gold, Bonvoy Plat LTG, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond
Posts: 47,355
This is correct. It is one of the problems of PY in that the UK taxes are set at two price levels and divided between lowest class of service on an aircraft (Y) and not lowest class (F/J/PY). Thus - you pay the same crazy long-haul premium tax for PY as you do for a BA First class. . . . .
If you're flying above Y, you're "not poor"
May 6, 2016 | 12:14 pm
#13
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: YYZ
Programs: FOTSG Tangerine Ex E35k (AC)
Posts: 5,612
Actually LHR charges are less for PY than J.
Arbitrary date in future:
T : $381
Y : $396
P(Y) : $531
J : $725
Oh and it's $237 taxes on the way out. Or $465 in J.
Go figure why tango is $15 cheaper than Flex/Lat.
Arbitrary date in future:
T : $381
Y : $396
P(Y) : $531
J : $725
Oh and it's $237 taxes on the way out. Or $465 in J.
Go figure why tango is $15 cheaper than Flex/Lat.