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Old Aug 2, 2019, 6:07 pm
  #1  
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Best tactic to upgrade from PE to J...

Has the bidding for upgrades effectively killed the eupgrades? In Calinworld, does good old cashola trump (sorry..) those hard earned eupgrades every time? How can you hedge your bets to achieve the desired upgrade? That's 3 questions for the experts at the start of a long weekend. I'll leave now and wait.... Paging Ccow.....
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Old Aug 2, 2019, 6:09 pm
  #2  
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No
To an extent
I've only missed one upgrade that I've requested at the window in years. PY puts you at the top of the list.
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Old Aug 2, 2019, 6:23 pm
  #3  
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Originally Posted by canadiancow
No
To an extent
I've only missed one upgrade that I've requested at the window in years. PY puts you at the top of the list.
Jeez, that was fast! I guess it depends on how much cash is bid. Does a computer decide on $$ over status and eupgrades???
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Old Aug 2, 2019, 6:29 pm
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Originally Posted by TheOnlyWayTo Fly
Jeez, that was fast! I guess it depends on how much cash is bid. Does a computer decide on $$ over status and eupgrades???
I've been told it works various ways (so I don't know how it works), but they're not going to take a $400 bid from a no-status basic economy passenger when there's an SE MM in full O with a waitlisted eUp for YYZ-HKG.
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Old Aug 2, 2019, 6:47 pm
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Originally Posted by canadiancow
I've been told it works various ways (so I don't know how it works), but they're not going to take a $400 bid from a no-status basic economy passenger when there's an SE MM in full O with a waitlisted eUp for YYZ-HKG.
That example makes sense but I was wondering how they deal with a lowly 75k (now a lower 50k..) who is told at the check-in counter by the Concierge that there is room in J and there was no-one if front of him to upgrade and then in the lounge 10 mins prior to boarding that the eupgrades wouldn't be going thru as there was no more room in J.... were the eupgrades "outbid" by a last minute bidder? I realise you did say you did not know how it works but I wish there was more transparency in the process.... its worse than buying a new car which I had to do last week - what a painful exercise that was.
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Old Aug 2, 2019, 6:57 pm
  #6  
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Originally Posted by TheOnlyWayTo Fly
That example makes sense but I was wondering how they deal with a lowly 75k (now a lower 50k..) who is told at the check-in counter by the Concierge that there is room in J and there was no-one if front of him to upgrade and then in the lounge 10 mins prior to boarding that the eupgrades wouldn't be going thru as there was no more room in J.... were the eupgrades "outbid" by a last minute bidder? I realise you did say you did not know how it works but I wish there was more transparency in the process.... its worse than buying a new car which I had to do last week - what a painful exercise that was.
Isn’t there no bidding on upgrade 24 hours before flights? But you can always buy a upgrade guaranteed within 24 hours of your flight. Which I have done a few time. I have no problem with AC current system. After all, they are a private company trying to make profits. Sometimes you have to “pay to play”.
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Old Aug 2, 2019, 6:57 pm
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Bids close (ie you cannot bid) at 72 hours before flights (I believe). Bidders are informed 24-48 hours out on the outcome of their bid. It’s unlikely that you were beaten out by a bidder with 10 minutes to go before boarding. Maybe someone SDCd to your flight, or a J misconnect from earlier arrived and was put on your flight
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Old Aug 2, 2019, 7:00 pm
  #8  
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Originally Posted by pmarrsouth
Bids close (ie you cannot bid) at 72 hours before flights (I believe). Bidders are informed 24-48 hours out on the outcome of their bid. It’s unlikely that you were beaten out by a bidder with 10 minutes to go before boarding. Maybe someone SDCd to your flight, or a J misconnect from earlier arrived and was put on your flight
You can always LMU up to 45 min before your flight. After that, the flight closes and upgrades are processed.
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Old Aug 3, 2019, 3:24 pm
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Originally Posted by 5mm


You can always LMU up to 45 min before your flight. After that, the flight closes and upgrades are processed.
Thanks everyone. Still not sure what to do if and when I find myself in the same position again.....
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Old Aug 3, 2019, 4:14 pm
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Originally Posted by TheOnlyWayTo Fly
Thanks everyone. Still not sure what to do if and when I find myself in the same position again.....
Stuff happens. SEs request an upgrade at check-in. Misconnects or whatever in paid J transfer on to your flight. People decide to LMU at check-in.

Just for fun watch the upgrade list in the ~3 hours before a flight. It bounces all over the place.

And if you're an E50K you're not exactly at the front of the pack.
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