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Setting up a fare to get business class via E credits YVR to AMS

Setting up a fare to get business class via E credits YVR to AMS

Old Jun 25, 2019, 12:51 pm
  #1  
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Setting up a fare to get business class via E credits YVR to AMS

Hello Experts, I am a Altitude 25k. With 20 E upgrade credits. I would like to book a fare Yvr to Amsterdam and then use points to get biz class in Oct 2019. The upgrade chart says I have to have a M or U flex fare. How to I ensure i get that and not a lower flex. Or any other tips to get me into Biz class(with out paying for that fare lol).

Thanks so much , Roberta from Vancouver
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Old Jun 25, 2019, 12:53 pm
  #2  
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Do you want to use eUpgrade credits (these are not points) or Aeroplan points (these are not upgrade credits)?
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Old Jun 25, 2019, 12:56 pm
  #3  
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Yes I am happy to use all my altitude 20 E upgrade credits.
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Old Jun 25, 2019, 1:40 pm
  #4  
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First, you should be aware that you have a very low status level. Most programs simply do not let you upgrade international trips at your level. AC will, but it tends to be prohibitively expensive.

First of all, the best you can do is 11 credits each way. You have 20. Therefore, you cannot upgrade both directions.

So for one direction, you can upgrade OYB for 11 credits, or MU for 16, plus a $500 copay.

The cheapest round-trip U fare is around $2600 CAD (plus YQ, taxes, fees, etc.). B fares are available for under $3200, so barely more than the co-pay, but with a MUCH higher chance of clearing the upgrade.

You can buy premium economy for under $1600 round-trip.

If you want my advice, I'd buy B (Latitude) one way and N (premium economy) the other way. Choose the B on flights you can immediately upgrade. It will come in at about $2400 + YQ/taxes/fees, and will give you business one way (likely the outbound for the red-eye when you want to sleep), and premium economy the other way.

In fact, you could also upgrade the YYZ-YVR to business class with your remaining credits if you like.

But in general, if you want a free upgrade to international business class, you need to hold the 100k level of status. That applies to AC and the US airlines as well.
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Old Jun 25, 2019, 1:43 pm
  #5  
 
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You could book the ticket in flex and complete the transaction (knowing you can refund within 24h) and check the fare class you get. If it is not "high flex" and usually it isn't, then you can call in and pay a fee to change the fare class to H,M- giving you the best chance to clear the upgrade for the fewest credits. Double check what the co-pay may be

may be best to have a latitude ticket (Y i believe), which sometimes isn't much more than high flex and even more likely for eups to clear I believe.
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Old Jun 25, 2019, 2:41 pm
  #6  
 
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Originally Posted by canadiancow
The cheapest round-trip U fare is around $2600 CAD (plus YQ, taxes, fees, etc.). B fares are available for under $3200, so barely more than the co-pay, but with a MUCH higher chance of clearing the upgrade.

You can buy premium economy for under $1600 round-trip.

If you want my advice, I'd buy B (Latitude) one way and N (premium economy) the other way. Choose the B on flights you can immediately upgrade. It will come in at about $2400 + YQ/taxes/fees, and will give you business one way (likely the outbound for the red-eye when you want to sleep), and premium economy the other way.

In fact, you could also upgrade the YYZ-YVR to business class with your remaining credits if you like.
Further to this, depending on whether you are flexible on your dates, you might be able to take the "much higher chance", and make it a "guarantee". If you buy a B fare on the outbound, you can upgrade at the time of purchase. You should be able to see what flights have upgrade space available and book the flight you prefer.

A few more things, buying up to M, U, B or Y will be significantly more expensive than if you were to buy a lower standard/flex fare. Only you can decide if it is worth it to pay the premium (although it would likely be cheaper than outright buying business class). Another thing, if you do decide that it is worth the premium I wouldn't bother with trying for a M or U Flex fare. Go with the advice given by @canadiancow and buy Latitude for the outbound as you can possibly confirm your upgrade at purchase time. It would be a shame (and very likely) that since you can only confirm your upgrade 2 days prior to travel that you'd buy a much more expensive Flex fare, only to travel in the same seat you could've had on a Standard fare.
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Old Jun 25, 2019, 2:42 pm
  #7  
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Alternatively, buy PY round-trip and upgrade the domestic segments to lie-flat J.

Not quite as nice, but that's much more in line with what's expected of a P25K.
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Old Jun 25, 2019, 5:44 pm
  #8  
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Thank you all for most excellent feedback. I was not aware that upgrade point was per segment.
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Old Jun 25, 2019, 6:07 pm
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Originally Posted by rmcphail
Thank you all for most excellent feedback. I was not aware that upgrade point was per segment.
It isn't really per segment, it is more per direction (but not exactly). For example, if you're flying YVR-YYZ-AMS and you book into M or U, it'll cost you 16 credits but that'll cover you on the YVR-YYZ segment as well as the YYZ-AMS segment. If you're unable to confirm upgrades on both segments you can upgrade YVR-YYZ or YYZ-AMS separately - YVR-YYZ would cost you 4 credits from M or U, and YYZ-AMS would cost you 16 credits - so you're better off if you can upgrade the entire itinerary as YYZ-AMS and YVR-AMS cost the same number of credits.

Alternatively, you could fly YVR-FRA-AMS, however as YVR-FRA is over 5000 miles (by 2 miles), it'll cost you 20 upgrade credits from M or U. People who fly YVR-FRA-AMS and want to upgrade might choose to fly YVR-YYC-FRA-AMS and only upgrade YYC-FRA as it is under 5000 miles and thus 16 credits from M or U.
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Old Jun 26, 2019, 9:33 am
  #10  
 
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OP — Are SA upgrades a possibility for you? I’ve never tried to do this but there are other threads where this is discussed. I gather not always easy to get.

Personally, I buy latitude and go for an immediate confirmed upgrade.
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Old Jun 26, 2019, 10:04 am
  #11  
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Originally Posted by Bartolo


Personally, I buy latitude and go for an immediate confirmed upgrade.
I'll assume the OP doesn't realize that Latitude doesn't necessarily guarantee an ug either.
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Old Jun 27, 2019, 6:58 am
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Originally Posted by yyznomad


I'll assume the OP doesn't realize that Latitude doesn't necessarily guarantee an ug either.
Very true but I want something I can upgrade at the time of booking. Avoids stress at the gate. Also, can always be cancelled for no charge. This strategy is predicated on having enough upgrades available and P fare not available. Usually works but not always. However, theres always the possibility of the dreaded downgrade.
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Old Jun 29, 2019, 5:53 pm
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Originally Posted by Bartolo


Very true but I want something I can upgrade at the time of booking. Avoids stress at the gate. Also, can always be cancelled for no charge. This strategy is predicated on having enough upgrades available and P fare not available. Usually works but not always. However, theres always the possibility of the dreaded downgrade.
Last I checked, Latitude one way and PE Lowest the other would lose the cancel without penalty. When fare types are combined, the entire ticket reverts to the most restrictive fare. So you would need the upgrade to clear right away, or cancel within the first 24 hours of purchase.
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Old Jun 29, 2019, 8:55 pm
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Originally Posted by DaveTO
Last I checked, Latitude one way and PE Lowest the other would lose the cancel without penalty. When fare types are combined, the entire ticket reverts to the most restrictive fare. So you would need the upgrade to clear right away, or cancel within the first 24 hours of purchase.
Thats my understanding of a mixed fare. It ought to be cancellable with 24 hrs if the upgrade doesnt happen. For example, sometimes website says upgrade space available and then when the tx is completed and you request the upgrade, you get the you will waitlisted message. If lattitude both ways, fully refundable. None of this protects you from a downgrade.
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Old Jun 30, 2019, 9:49 am
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Most of the years Ive held P25k my credits have gone unused. Between availability and copays I havent found many opportunities where it is worth it.

Note - this applies to me as a frequent business flyer with a company more or less lowest bookable policy. If you get P25k from infrequent travel on higher fare classes then maybe youd have more opportunities to use them
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