Business award in Economy cabin
May 1, 2019, 9:55 am
#16
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: YOW
Posts: 1,024
If you have reached your frustration threshold, there are award booking services that will do this for you.
Award booking services - a list and some reviews
Award booking services - a list and some reviews
May 1, 2019, 10:03 am
#17
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AC SE MM, BA Gold, SQ Silver, Bonvoy Tit LTG, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond
Posts: 44,324
Cabin, status, fare class, check-in time.
Based on inside knowledge and anecdotal evidence, the only part of that I'm remotely confused about is fare class, but that seems to be a consequence of the order on the list not matching the order they process the upgrades in.
May 1, 2019, 10:07 am
#18
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: YVR
Programs: AC SE 2MM; UA MP Premier Silver; Marriott Bonvoy LT Titanium Elite; Radisson; Avis PC
Posts: 35,255
I know people often post incorrect statements about this, but that is probably the most incorrect I've seen.
Cabin, status, fare class, check-in time.
Based on inside knowledge and anecdotal evidence, the only part of that I'm remotely confused about is fare class, but that seems to be a consequence of the order on the list not matching the order they process the upgrades in.
Cabin, status, fare class, check-in time.
Based on inside knowledge and anecdotal evidence, the only part of that I'm remotely confused about is fare class, but that seems to be a consequence of the order on the list not matching the order they process the upgrades in.
May 1, 2019, 11:47 am
#19
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 669
I know people often post incorrect statements about this, but that is probably the most incorrect I've seen.
Cabin, status, fare class, check-in time.
Based on inside knowledge and anecdotal evidence, the only part of that I'm remotely confused about is fare class, but that seems to be a consequence of the order on the list not matching the order they process the upgrades in.
Cabin, status, fare class, check-in time.
Based on inside knowledge and anecdotal evidence, the only part of that I'm remotely confused about is fare class, but that seems to be a consequence of the order on the list not matching the order they process the upgrades in.
This is first hand experience and confirmed by AC today.
May 1, 2019, 11:56 am
#20
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AC SE MM, BA Gold, SQ Silver, Bonvoy Tit LTG, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond
Posts: 44,324
And I can guarantee that I've been above Elites on eUps on SFO-YYZ in this situation.
May 1, 2019, 1:17 pm
#21
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: YXE
Posts: 3,050
Oh boy, not this mess again. Waitlisters > non-confirmed upgraders (of any status). The waitlist clears before any non-confirmed upgrades (of any status) clear.
Status only serves, at best, as a tie-breaker when it comes to waitlisted passengers. An AP "confirmed in Y/X, ticketed in I/J" seat is a passenger waitlisted for J, not a passenger looking for an upgrade. They've already "paid" for J service, but just couldn't confirm such seating.
That's not true. There are lots of cases of SEMM's with e-upgrade requests active, who sit in the back, because there's no R space to confirm the coupon upgraders into. But a plane will never travel with J positive space and a waitlist that hasn't fully cleared. Revenue management, for whatever reasons, may not make upgrade space available, but they can't inhibit a waitlist clearing unless the plane goes out full with confirmed pax.
Of course, I'd never advise one book an overseas segment without confirmation, as its AC's well-known goal to sell as many confirmed upgrades or better yet, confirmed revenue seats, prior to flight time, leaving no space to clear the waitlist into, let alone provide any upgrade space beyond the paltry amount of confirmed upgrade space that's made available.
Status only serves, at best, as a tie-breaker when it comes to waitlisted passengers. An AP "confirmed in Y/X, ticketed in I/J" seat is a passenger waitlisted for J, not a passenger looking for an upgrade. They've already "paid" for J service, but just couldn't confirm such seating.
Status doesn't really help on Aeroplan tickets, since upgrades on Aeroplan tickets come after all revenue upgrades.
Of course, I'd never advise one book an overseas segment without confirmation, as its AC's well-known goal to sell as many confirmed upgrades or better yet, confirmed revenue seats, prior to flight time, leaving no space to clear the waitlist into, let alone provide any upgrade space beyond the paltry amount of confirmed upgrade space that's made available.
Last edited by pitz; May 1, 2019 at 1:25 pm
May 1, 2019, 1:20 pm
#22
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: YVR
Programs: AC SE 2MM; UA MP Premier Silver; Marriott Bonvoy LT Titanium Elite; Radisson; Avis PC
Posts: 35,255
May 1, 2019, 1:21 pm
#23
Formerly known as newbie elite
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: YUL
Programs: IHG Diamond Ambassador, Accor Platinum, AC50K
Posts: 2,925
Last time I had a mixed reward reward flight (YUL-YYZ was Y, YYZ-WAW-IST-YUL was all in J) I asked the agent at check-in to put me on standby list for J instead of waiting to ask for an upgrade at the gate. I remember reading on here at the time that it was better to proceed that way.
May 1, 2019, 1:25 pm
#24
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: YVR
Programs: AC SE 2MM; UA MP Premier Silver; Marriott Bonvoy LT Titanium Elite; Radisson; Avis PC
Posts: 35,255
Last time I had a mixed reward reward flight (YUL-YYZ was Y, YYZ-WAW-IST-YUL was all in J) I asked the agent at check-in to put me on standby list for J instead of waiting to ask for an upgrade at the gate. I remember reading on here at the time that it was better to proceed that way.
May 1, 2019, 1:35 pm
#25
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AC SE MM, BA Gold, SQ Silver, Bonvoy Tit LTG, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond
Posts: 44,324
Oh boy, not this mess again. Waitlisters > non-confirmed upgraders (of any status). The waitlist clears before any non-confirmed upgrades (of any status) clear.
Status only serves, at best, as a tie-breaker when it comes to waitlisted passengers. An AP "confirmed in Y/X, ticketed in I/J" seat is a passenger waitlisted for J, not a passenger looking for an upgrade. They've already "paid" for J service, but just couldn't confirm such seating.
That's not true. There are lots of cases of SEMM's with e-upgrade requests active, who sit in the back, because there's no R space to confirm the coupon upgraders into. But a plane will never travel with J positive space and a waitlist that hasn't fully cleared. Revenue management, for whatever reasons, may not make upgrade space available, but they can't inhibit a waitlist clearing unless the plane goes out full with confirmed pax.
Of course, I'd never advise one book an overseas segment without confirmation, as its AC's well-known goal to sell as many confirmed upgrades or better yet, confirmed revenue seats, prior to flight time, leaving no space to clear the waitlist into, let alone provide any upgrade space beyond the paltry amount of confirmed upgrade space that's made available.
Status only serves, at best, as a tie-breaker when it comes to waitlisted passengers. An AP "confirmed in Y/X, ticketed in I/J" seat is a passenger waitlisted for J, not a passenger looking for an upgrade. They've already "paid" for J service, but just couldn't confirm such seating.
That's not true. There are lots of cases of SEMM's with e-upgrade requests active, who sit in the back, because there's no R space to confirm the coupon upgraders into. But a plane will never travel with J positive space and a waitlist that hasn't fully cleared. Revenue management, for whatever reasons, may not make upgrade space available, but they can't inhibit a waitlist clearing unless the plane goes out full with confirmed pax.
Of course, I'd never advise one book an overseas segment without confirmation, as its AC's well-known goal to sell as many confirmed upgrades or better yet, confirmed revenue seats, prior to flight time, leaving no space to clear the waitlist into, let alone provide any upgrade space beyond the paltry amount of confirmed upgrade space that's made available.
And you can't waitlist for I-class on AC anyway. If you were waitlisted, you'd be LL, PS, PA, or some other code that is not HK.
I have had X->I clear both before and after eUps, depending on status of other pax. I have ample anecdotes and hard evidence for this that I'm happy to share in person, but not online.
Last time I had a mixed reward reward flight (YUL-YYZ was Y, YYZ-WAW-IST-YUL was all in J) I asked the agent at check-in to put me on standby list for J instead of waiting to ask for an upgrade at the gate. I remember reading on here at the time that it was better to proceed that way.
May 1, 2019, 4:59 pm
#26
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 61
We will be in Albania (2 people), so start point is kind of fluid but technically TIA. Need to get to DFW by 8/3/19. Happy to go a few days early, position ourselves etc. Been looking at FCO, IST, ATH, DBV, but really anywhere is fine- we'd be happy to pay cash for part of the adventure but would like to make our miles work for us somehow that makes sense. Have 650k Marriott points, 360k AA. AA seems to be tough as YQ fees are high. Thanks for any insight. I feel like I'm just wasting time on ExpertFlyer/ money on AwardNexus when I have little intuition on what to search for- but I get that it's a busy time.
May 1, 2019, 5:39 pm
#28
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Canada
Programs: UA*1K MM
Posts: 23,301
TIA-LJU-CPH-BOS-YUL on JP/JP/SK/AC on Aug.1 for 2 in business - there should only be about $100 of YQ
overnight in YUL and then YUL-DFW on AC nonstop on Aug.2 arriving in DFW at 17:19
Search United.com for possible routings as well, there is no need to buy Expertflyer.
Apart from Aer Lingus, those will be the same seats available for Aeroplan bookings via phone.
Aeroplan will have more domestic seats available not displayed on united.com
overnight in YUL and then YUL-DFW on AC nonstop on Aug.2 arriving in DFW at 17:19
Search United.com for possible routings as well, there is no need to buy Expertflyer.
Apart from Aer Lingus, those will be the same seats available for Aeroplan bookings via phone.
Aeroplan will have more domestic seats available not displayed on united.com