New policy for paid and miles upgrades (AF/KL) - sept 2017
#2131
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Paris, France
Programs: AF/KL Flying Blue Platinum for life/Club2000 Ultimate, Accor ALL Diamond
Posts: 21,940
Despite I didn’t take any paid upgrade for several months, it seems I am back to purgatory with an offer at 249€ or 15.600 miles for CDG-Italy on E190, so without seat blocked.
But here are some interesting datapoints to feed the discussion on the different prices proposed to different persons and possibly depending on status.
Three persons traveling together, 3 independent bookings made the same day (within 30 min).
But here are some interesting datapoints to feed the discussion on the different prices proposed to different persons and possibly depending on status.
Three persons traveling together, 3 independent bookings made the same day (within 30 min).
- pax 1 (me, C2000 Ultimate) : upgrade price = 249€ or 15.600 miles. Ticket price was 268€ (weekend card fare).
- Pax 2 (Platinum) : upgrade price = 109€. Ticket was a Senior card fare paid by a mix of miles and cash (58€ and 46500 miles).
- Pax 3 (Explorer) : upgrade price = 109€. Ticket was a Senior card fare paid by a mix of miles and cash (58€ and 44500 miles).
#2132
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Canada
Programs: Delta SM Diamond
Posts: 146
Despite I didn’t take any paid upgrade for several months, it seems I am back to purgatory with an offer at 249€ or 15.600 miles for CDG-Italy on E190, so without seat blocked.
But here are some interesting datapoints to feed the discussion on the different prices proposed to different persons and possibly depending on status.
Three persons traveling together, 3 independent bookings made the same day (within 30 min).
But here are some interesting datapoints to feed the discussion on the different prices proposed to different persons and possibly depending on status.
Three persons traveling together, 3 independent bookings made the same day (within 30 min).
- pax 1 (me, C2000 Ultimate) : upgrade price = 249€ or 15.600 miles. Ticket price was 268€ (weekend card fare).
- Pax 2 (Platinum) : upgrade price = 109€. Ticket was a Senior card fare paid by a mix of miles and cash (58€ and 46500 miles).
- Pax 3 (Explorer) : upgrade price = 109€. Ticket was a Senior card fare paid by a mix of miles and cash (58€ and 44500 miles).
Or they (AF/KLM) also check with your name & birth date (with other ID info.)
#2133
Join Date: Jan 2023
Location: Bordeaux
Programs: AF/KL Flying Blue Platinum
Posts: 16
A few monthes ago, I made a booking for my step-family no fb’s account in W. I was curious to see if the upgrade price offer and none came. I was wondering if AF don’t make offer for no FB’s customer.
#2134
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Canada
Programs: Delta SM Diamond
Posts: 146
#2135
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: AMS/LYS
Programs: FB Gold
Posts: 130
Ditto on the outbound, did a mix of cash & miles (299 euros + 12kish miles, don't remember the exact amount). For a 14+ hours day flight, that's a steal IMO. Round trip in J ended up costing me ~1650 euros after accounting for the upgrade costs.
#2136
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: HAG
Programs: Der 5* FTL
Posts: 8,089
If you are that desperate for the upgrade offer that you forego all other advance benefits, you can do that...
#2137
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Canada
Programs: Delta SM Diamond
Posts: 146
Personnaly, I put my Skymiles # to receive good upgrade offer, after I have receive the offer (not always).
After I have decide to take or not the offer, I change the FF # for my FB one...
Because my Skymiles # have never accept any upgrade, I think the offer are better.
#2138
KL611 to Chicago
a friend was in the same flight without status and had a basic ticket.
Y to Eco comfort - 69€
Y to Premium Economy - 269€
Managed to snag later on a seat just behind Econ comfort and had a seat empty next to him. So not too shabby.
Cheers!
a friend was in the same flight without status and had a basic ticket.
Y to Eco comfort - 69€
Y to Premium Economy - 269€
Managed to snag later on a seat just behind Econ comfort and had a seat empty next to him. So not too shabby.
Cheers!
#2139
Join Date: Nov 2023
Programs: Flying Blue Platinum Ultimate, Hilton Diamond, Sixt Diamond, Hertz Platinum, Amex Centurion
Posts: 135
I ask this as general question...
Personnaly, I put my Skymiles # to receive good upgrade offer, after I have receive the offer (not always).
After I have decide to take or not the offer, I change the FF # for my FB one...
Because my Skymiles # have never accept any upgrade, I think the offer are better.
Personnaly, I put my Skymiles # to receive good upgrade offer, after I have receive the offer (not always).
After I have decide to take or not the offer, I change the FF # for my FB one...
Because my Skymiles # have never accept any upgrade, I think the offer are better.
I agree with another comment above that even if official policy is that status is not factored in, there seem to be too many anecdotal datapoints that indicate that the travel/spending profile of someone who also has FF status has significant disadvantage in upgrade offers. And I don’t care about intra-EU upgrades, but this also seems to be the case on long haul when upgrades from Y or PE towards J can definitely be interesting to consider in a night time leg for instance.
#2140
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Canada
Programs: Delta SM Diamond
Posts: 146
If possible, it would be very helpful as a datapoint if in the next flight you do this, you can post here what the upgrade offer on Skymiles is vs FB.
I agree with another comment above that even if official policy is that status is not factored in, there seem to be too many anecdotal datapoints that indicate that the travel/spending profile of someone who also has FF status has significant disadvantage in upgrade offers. And I don’t care about intra-EU upgrades, but this also seems to be the case on long haul when upgrades from Y or PE towards J can definitely be interesting to consider in a night time leg for instance.
I agree with another comment above that even if official policy is that status is not factored in, there seem to be too many anecdotal datapoints that indicate that the travel/spending profile of someone who also has FF status has significant disadvantage in upgrade offers. And I don’t care about intra-EU upgrades, but this also seems to be the case on long haul when upgrades from Y or PE towards J can definitely be interesting to consider in a night time leg for instance.
When I use my FB and have take PE to J upgrade before, price is always over 1,200 CAD.
After talk to a Delta agent (a friend) who told me, AF/KLM keep a track if you have take upgrade and adjust the price in consequence, something he say me Delta did not do.
I now put my Diamond SM # on booking, and have receive one time offer 620$cad (415$usd), also AMS to MNL.
This is why I put my Diamond SM at booking and change it to my FB just before checkin (but after I receive upgrade offer). Doing this, it is like I never accept any upgrade with my SM # (because before accept upgrade, I change it to my FB #)
From my little experience, I believe AF/KLM did not really adjust the price of upgrade depending of your status. But, I think, "Yes" AF/KLM adjust upgrade price depending of your past history of upgrade experience (what my friend at Delta told me).
As I write this is my personal experience (not so many flight with AF/KLM, around 6 to 8 flights (inbound & outbound) / Year, all of them from YUL to Asia: Singapore, HK, Shanghai, Manila & Taipei).
#2141
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Paris
Programs: BA ExClub Blue (ex Silver), Flying Blue Silver (ex Platinum), M&M forever base soldier
Posts: 723
Does OLCI upgrade offer change until check-in closure ?
Just checked in Y (reward ticket) at the start of the 30hr OCLI window for AF0636 CDG-IAH tomorrow. The flight seems wide open in all booking classes. Was offered a J paid upgrade for 714€, which I (somewhat hesitantly) declined. But I saw that the business cabin has lots of empty seats (10 at time of writing).
After check-in I am reminded that I still have the option to buy an upgrade (currently Y->W for 334€ and Y->J for 714€). Does AF have a practice of adjusting the rate as OLCI progresses, if it did not manage to sell its empty seats ? In other words, is it worth returning regularly to the AF web site to check for a potential discount offer ?
After check-in I am reminded that I still have the option to buy an upgrade (currently Y->W for 334€ and Y->J for 714€). Does AF have a practice of adjusting the rate as OLCI progresses, if it did not manage to sell its empty seats ? In other words, is it worth returning regularly to the AF web site to check for a potential discount offer ?
#2142
Join Date: May 2018
Posts: 761
Just checked in Y (reward ticket) at the start of the 30hr OCLI window for AF0636 CDG-IAH tomorrow. The flight seems wide open in all booking classes. Was offered a J paid upgrade for 714€, which I (somewhat hesitantly) declined. But I saw that the business cabin has lots of empty seats (10 at time of writing).
After check-in I am reminded that I still have the option to buy an upgrade (currently Y->W for 334€ and Y->J for 714€). Does AF have a practice of adjusting the rate as OLCI progresses, if it did not manage to sell its empty seats ? In other words, is it worth returning regularly to the AF web site to check for a potential discount offer ?
After check-in I am reminded that I still have the option to buy an upgrade (currently Y->W for 334€ and Y->J for 714€). Does AF have a practice of adjusting the rate as OLCI progresses, if it did not manage to sell its empty seats ? In other words, is it worth returning regularly to the AF web site to check for a potential discount offer ?
BTW, a seat map isn’t a representation of available seats. Not all rev pax have selected a seat at that point and some seats might be reserved for deadheading crew.
#2143
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Paris
Programs: BA ExClub Blue (ex Silver), Flying Blue Silver (ex Platinum), M&M forever base soldier
Posts: 723
Indeed. Just to add a data point, we are now 17 hours before departure, and the option to upgrade (either to W or J) has disappeared altogether (it was there two hours ago).
#2144
Join Date: Nov 2023
Programs: Flying Blue Platinum Ultimate, Hilton Diamond, Sixt Diamond, Hertz Platinum, Amex Centurion
Posts: 135
Just checked in Y (reward ticket) at the start of the 30hr OCLI window for AF0636 CDG-IAH tomorrow. The flight seems wide open in all booking classes. Was offered a J paid upgrade for 714€, which I (somewhat hesitantly) declined. But I saw that the business cabin has lots of empty seats (10 at time of writing).
After check-in I am reminded that I still have the option to buy an upgrade (currently Y->W for 334€ and Y->J for 714€). Does AF have a practice of adjusting the rate as OLCI progresses, if it did not manage to sell its empty seats ? In other words, is it worth returning regularly to the AF web site to check for a potential discount offer ?
After check-in I am reminded that I still have the option to buy an upgrade (currently Y->W for 334€ and Y->J for 714€). Does AF have a practice of adjusting the rate as OLCI progresses, if it did not manage to sell its empty seats ? In other words, is it worth returning regularly to the AF web site to check for a potential discount offer ?
#2145
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 1,051
I just called FB this morning to upgrade with miles my ticket from economy to business .
I’ve been told that bucket « O » needs to be available on my flight. Availability is null for upgrade on my flight according to the travel assistant.
Looking at straight award tickets in business, O class is proposed and Expertflyer shows availability
Has someone already experienced the same ?
I’ve been told that bucket « O » needs to be available on my flight. Availability is null for upgrade on my flight according to the travel assistant.
Looking at straight award tickets in business, O class is proposed and Expertflyer shows availability
Has someone already experienced the same ?