chuck1

I am traveling with a small child and since both of these flights are on a 737-700, I would either want to pay the 24 hour upgrade or get a 3 seat section for the 2 of us.

Anyone know how busy these flights really are? I know they are selling cheap seats but that does that mean they are really empty?

I know this is also a new route for Airtran.

June 12 BWI-SAT #604
June 15 SAT-BWI #605

newsmanhoss

Your best option to be sure to get a favorable outcome would be to pay for the upgrade. Not only will you have more room, you'll also get free checked bags, better snacks/beverages, and be off the plane first. That's the route I would go if you're comfortable paying the upgrade fee.

You can also use 4 rewards credits for a one-way upgrade per passenger.

jessej

if you havent prepaid for a seat
24 hours before the flight you will be assigned one for free
then you can move yourself around
or see if you need to do the upgrade

mke9499

Have you tried checking periodically at a site like

http://www.flightstats.com/go/Flight...true&x=13&y=11?

It will show you the number of available seats in Business, but it could change, of course, right after you check. Right now, it shows a minimum of six seats available up front for the outbound.

newsmanhoss

Flightstats is somewhat helpful, but, as 9499 noted, it can change quickly.

In fact, biz class on AirTran changes a lot up until departure as people purchase biz class seats with either $ or A+ credits, so I wouldn't rely too heavily on this info.

BBRebozo

Several months ago, I called customer service to upgrade a flight using my points. The customer service rep told me that business class wasn't very full, that there weren't many Elites on the flight, and advised me to take a chance and ask for the 40-minute upgrade at the counter, saving my points for something else. His advice turned out to be on target. So I'm suggesting that one good way to make this decision is to find a friendly AirTran rep and talk it out.

newsmanhoss

Interesting. How long was this before the flight? Of course, the customer service reps can't guarantee anything, though. And if biz would have ended up being full with folks who purchased upgrades with cash, you probably would have been pretty bummed, and it would be hard to resist the urge to blame the agent at least in some way.

Glad it worked out for you, though!

Perhaps the agent could also tell the total number of passengers. Let's say the flight was only running half or two-thirds full, no biz class seats had been purchased, and it was only 6 hours or so until the flight and most people had already checked in without buying the upgrade. Maybe in that case, it's a little safer to recommend that you try your luck with the free upgrade.

Maybe I'll try this sometime. I usually call to redeem point for upgrades right at midnight the day before departure. I tend to do this on the west coast flights, because the upgrade is moe important to me on the long-hauls. Maybe I'll keep my eye on the seat map (they're usually reliable for the biz class seats) and call later next time to see if the agent has further insight.

BBRebozo

It was the night before the flight. And, in fairness, the agent did warn me that it was a risk and that I might not make it...but he seemed to feel very strongly that I was wasting my points, and he was right.

It's possible that he was unique, and that other agents might not be willing to go out on a limb like that.

RSVP

The ONLY reliable thing on an AirTran seat map is business class.

Justin026

With a few hundred segments on AirTran under my belt, I have never used credits to upgrade at 24 hours or ever checked a seat map or anything else. I have always used the various 40 minute methods, flying blind.

Success rate over 80% in the eastern US.

I think you are better off (in the east) saving the credits for the ample supply of OW coach flights and then upgrading those trips using the 40 minute rule. Success rates for those 80% as well.

My 3 year olds always wanted to stretch out on the floor under our feet anyway, but on AirTran you will need your own blanket to spread out.

As to SAT, a fellow I met in BC has been commuting on that flight for several months now in "prime" (Monday AM and Thursday PM) time and he rarely misses a 40 minute Elite upgrade.

newsmanhoss

I agree with you on the shorter haul flights in the eastern half of the U.S. However, I tend to use credits to get confirmed upgrade on the long-haul west coast flights. Two reasons:

-I've had a lower success rate using the 40-minute approach on the long flights

-Also, the west coast upgrades are more important to me since the flights are longer, making the use of 4 credits a pretty good deal.

When you calculate how much the upgrades cost on these routes (up to $129), you're actually getting more bang for your buck than by using the credits for free flights. Plus, you can still earn elite-qualifying credits when using a credits to upgrade a paid, rather than free, flight. So, it's really only costing my 3 credits each way to upgrade.

Depends on your own situation though, what is a better use of credits.

jftino

I also agree, its much more worthwhile to use the credits to upgrade on a cross country flight. People are more likely to spend the money to upgrade when checking in on them too i'd think. The last one i took was BWI-LAS connecting though MKE, and all flights in both directions Business class was full beforehand. On the other hand on my BWI-BOS runs i have never not gotten a 40 minute upgrade in about 10 flights.

like everyone else said, watch the seat map, or if you get the infamous "format exception" go in and start buying a business class seat, when you get to where you can pick your seat, go in and see whats available that way to check it out, if theres not many left, and its important to you to get the upgrade, then go for it. better to have it then not if its important, right?