Using FlyingBlue Miles at OLCI? Or only at airport?
 

Hello!

I have a flight to South Korea today, departing JFK and connecting in CDG.

I am trying to use my FlyingBlue miles to upgrade... but there are a few snags.

1) I have a Delta number that, above all else, MUST be where the flight credit goes. It's for diamond status this year, so it's important.
2) I was able to get them to amend the booking and now my Flying Blue number is on it, I will change it back at the airport
3) They are offering business class at online check in (OLCI) for $1500... that's crazy of course, what I want to do is use my FlyingBlue points.

Does anyone know if I can do it during check in online? I don't see an option but maybe I'm missing something...

Also, I don't mind waiting for the airport, just want to make sure they can put my DL number back on the booking.

No. You cannot upgrade with miles during check-in.

Snagging a mileage upgrade is best done well in advance. AF/KL now have a model whereby every seat can be upgraded, for a sliding scale of miles, meaning that there are far more tickets eligible to upgrade with miles than used to be the case. This also means, however, that the chances are increased that the maximum number of seats they were willing to see upgraded using miles has already long ago been reached, and that other passengers have got in there ahead of you.

They are also more competent at selling upgrades for cash, meaning that there are far more avenues now for people to convert Economy to Business - so the chances of having a seat open for you to upgrade with miles at this late stage is slim. The time to try upgrading with miles is well in advance; conversely, the time to try upgrading with cash is at the last minute. (That the last-minute offer is so high suggests that they have a pretty full business cabin already, also bad news for your chances).

It is highly unlikely that there will be any seat available for mileage upgraders, but you can check when you get to the airport and see.

I would also recommend that you do not change FFP numbers in any booking. Changing the FFP number can lead to unintended consequences and miles ending up in the wrong account, even if, at the time of travel and boarding pass scan, the boarding pass appears to indicate the "correct" intended mileage programme.

You may not even need to have an FB number in the booking in order to upgrade with FB miles, so I would really recommend you do not put that number in the booking at all if your intention is to have the miles post to your Skymiles account without difficulty.

Thank you for your insight,

Obviously it's best done in advance, but since the purchase in Feb, I have tried daily with no luck. The phone agents all tell me with nothing on their side, the airport is the new best bet.

If OLCI is not possible, I will switch the numbers back to Delta, because that's necessary. And I will leave it be at that and monitor very closely.

KLM announced this in the new program, but this isn't true unfortunately and they retracted that promise. You still need seats in the O award class to be able to upgrade in advance.

Is this only valid for AF?
I was able to use FB miles to upgrade a klm flight AMS HKG in March during check in. I was offered the cash & miles option. It was possible to do it all in miles or all in cash as well.

Fine, but be prepared for some potential problems. As you seem to highly rely on those credits to DL for requalification, you have taken big risks by changing the program for credit.

I upgraded the second leg of an ARN-CDG-JNB intinerary at OLCI. I was checking in a young relative who is not even a FB member. The offer popped up at seat selection, and even though I had 4,000 fewer miles in my account than the asking price the upgrade went through.

Johan

I just upgraded with miles at OLCI on AF from CDG - LAX. Y to J for 85,000 miles of EUR649. I paid with miles.

Isn't that the same level of miles as buying a one way ticket with miles? Every time I asked for an upgrade, I ended up with quotes that were similar to a one way paid with miles.....