How to upgrade on latitude flight pass flights after Feb 28, 2018?
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Programs: Aeroplan SE AND 1MM, HHonors Gold, Marriott Bonvoy Platinum , L'Accor Platinum
Posts: 9,580
How to upgrade on latitude flight pass flights after Feb 28, 2018?
I booked flights on a latitude flight pass in mid March.
There is upgrade availability, on the dates I am interested in going.
But no upgrade availability on many days (esp weekends) because of various North American March breaks - when people like to go to warm and sunny destinations.
Of course, I know the rate limiting step is the current eupgrades expire Feb 28, 2018 - so trying to upgrade on-line does not work - I get a message that I do not have enough eupgrade credits - which technically is correct - in that I have zero.
I really do not want until the end of this year when I get new eupgrade credits which expire around Feb 28, 2019 - before trying to upgrade.
So is there any way to upgrade right now for those flights.
There is upgrade availability, on the dates I am interested in going.
But no upgrade availability on many days (esp weekends) because of various North American March breaks - when people like to go to warm and sunny destinations.
Of course, I know the rate limiting step is the current eupgrades expire Feb 28, 2018 - so trying to upgrade on-line does not work - I get a message that I do not have enough eupgrade credits - which technically is correct - in that I have zero.
I really do not want until the end of this year when I get new eupgrade credits which expire around Feb 28, 2019 - before trying to upgrade.
So is there any way to upgrade right now for those flights.
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Programs: Aeroplan SE AND 1MM, HHonors Gold, Marriott Bonvoy Platinum , L'Accor Platinum
Posts: 9,580
If I can not upgrade until my new eupgrade certs which expire in Feb 2019 are added to my account, then I will have to think of options.
#6
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: YVR
Programs: AC SE*2MM. SPG Plat life
Posts: 4,644
I booked flights on a latitude flight pass in mid March.
There is upgrade availability, on the dates I am interested in going.
But no upgrade availability on many days (esp weekends) because of various North American March breaks - when people like to go to warm and sunny destinations.
Of course, I know the rate limiting step is the current eupgrades expire Feb 28, 2018 - so trying to upgrade on-line does not work - I get a message that I do not have enough eupgrade credits - which technically is correct - in that I have zero.
I really do not want until the end of this year when I get new eupgrade credits which expire around Feb 28, 2019 - before trying to upgrade.
So is there any way to upgrade right now for those flights.
There is upgrade availability, on the dates I am interested in going.
But no upgrade availability on many days (esp weekends) because of various North American March breaks - when people like to go to warm and sunny destinations.
Of course, I know the rate limiting step is the current eupgrades expire Feb 28, 2018 - so trying to upgrade on-line does not work - I get a message that I do not have enough eupgrade credits - which technically is correct - in that I have zero.
I really do not want until the end of this year when I get new eupgrade credits which expire around Feb 28, 2019 - before trying to upgrade.
So is there any way to upgrade right now for those flights.
#7
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AC SE MM, SQ Silver, Bonvoy Tit LTG, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond
Posts: 44,186
The most public is the small business rewards thing. It requires $20k in spend, so every SE should be eligible.
So it's quite easy for someone else to snag an upgrade before the OP gets credits.
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Programs: Aeroplan SE AND 1MM, HHonors Gold, Marriott Bonvoy Platinum , L'Accor Platinum
Posts: 9,580
CP (I used to fly with that airline before AC took it over) used to give ongoing upgrade stickers valid for a year.
For the longest time, AC would give certs valid until the end of Feb of the following year. A few years ago, AC changed stating threshold certs obtained from Nov 1 onwards are valid until Feb 28 of the following second year.
But AC has promised (at least unofficially) to look at the CP type policy from day 1 that it took over CP.
I crossed the 60K threshold a few weeks ago - if the CP policy had existed, I could have upgraded those flights.
In March between YYZ or YUL and PVR - several flights (especially on weekends) do have business class sold out. Not yet my flights - but I am not optimistic I will be able to wait until I get the eupgrade certs around early Nov 2017, expiring Feb 28, 2019 and successfully upgrade.
For the longest time, AC would give certs valid until the end of Feb of the following year. A few years ago, AC changed stating threshold certs obtained from Nov 1 onwards are valid until Feb 28 of the following second year.
But AC has promised (at least unofficially) to look at the CP type policy from day 1 that it took over CP.
I crossed the 60K threshold a few weeks ago - if the CP policy had existed, I could have upgraded those flights.
In March between YYZ or YUL and PVR - several flights (especially on weekends) do have business class sold out. Not yet my flights - but I am not optimistic I will be able to wait until I get the eupgrade certs around early Nov 2017, expiring Feb 28, 2019 and successfully upgrade.
#9
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: YVR
Programs: AC SE*2MM. SPG Plat life
Posts: 4,644
CP (I used to fly with that airline before AC took it over) used to give ongoing upgrade stickers valid for a year.
For the longest time, AC would give certs valid until the end of Feb of the following year. A few years ago, AC changed stating threshold certs obtained from Nov 1 onwards are valid until Feb 28 of the following second year.
But AC has promised (at least unofficially) to look at the CP type policy from day 1 that it took over CP.
I crossed the 60K threshold a few weeks ago - if the CP policy had existed, I could have upgraded those flights.
In March between YYZ or YUL and PVR - several flights (especially on weekends) do have business class sold out. Not yet my flights - but I am not optimistic I will be able to wait until I get the eupgrade certs around early Nov 2017, expiring Feb 28, 2019 and successfully upgrade.
For the longest time, AC would give certs valid until the end of Feb of the following year. A few years ago, AC changed stating threshold certs obtained from Nov 1 onwards are valid until Feb 28 of the following second year.
But AC has promised (at least unofficially) to look at the CP type policy from day 1 that it took over CP.
I crossed the 60K threshold a few weeks ago - if the CP policy had existed, I could have upgraded those flights.
In March between YYZ or YUL and PVR - several flights (especially on weekends) do have business class sold out. Not yet my flights - but I am not optimistic I will be able to wait until I get the eupgrade certs around early Nov 2017, expiring Feb 28, 2019 and successfully upgrade.
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Programs: Aeroplan SE AND 1MM, HHonors Gold, Marriott Bonvoy Platinum , L'Accor Platinum
Posts: 9,580
AC upgrade credit are issued and expire the same way as their old paper cert. AC old paper cert always expired end of February following year and were never good for 2 year, unless they were issued after Nov 1. Also, CP upgrade stickers were never good for 2 year to my knowledge.
CP upgrade stickers were valid for 1 year after the month of issue. So I had received threshold upgrade stickers in June 2017, the stickers were valid until June 2018.
#11
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: YEG
Programs: AC Lifetime SE100K, 3MM, SPG Lifetime Plat, Hertz PC, National Executive Elite
Posts: 2,901
With my Lat FP experience, I really don't believe you will have a problem upgrading this flight. If you truly want to ensure it, one strategy would be to keep your FP booking and buy a J ticket. Cancel the J ticket at t-48 hrs. You could then grab the canceled seat with your comp UG.
Last edited by YEG_SE4Life; Jun 3, 2017 at 7:18 am
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Programs: Aeroplan SE AND 1MM, HHonors Gold, Marriott Bonvoy Platinum , L'Accor Platinum
Posts: 9,580
With my Lat FP experience, I really don't believe you will have a problem upgrading this flight. If you truly want to ensure it, one strategy would be to keep your FP booking and buy a J ticket. Cancel the J ticket at t-48 hrs. You could then grab the canceled seat with your comp UG.
If you look at certain weekends days in March 2018 - certain days have all J class cabins on the rouge flights already sold out!
#14
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: YEG
Programs: AC Lifetime SE100K, 3MM, SPG Lifetime Plat, Hertz PC, National Executive Elite
Posts: 2,901
There is a problem with that strategy. If the flight overall is sold out or oversold, or if the J class cabin is oversold - refunding 2 J class tickets will not necessarily change J0 availability to J2 availability.
If you look at certain weekends days in March 2018 - certain days have all J class cabins on the rouge flights already sold out!
If you look at certain weekends days in March 2018 - certain days have all J class cabins on the rouge flights already sold out!
Last edited by YEG_SE4Life; Jun 3, 2017 at 7:57 am
#15
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