FlyerTalk Forums - First Class Upgrades Using Miles

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Quote:

Originally Posted by nall (Post 37194384)

I disagree. While it would have been preferable to upgrade on any fare code, there were absolutely a number of scenarios where it still made sense. For example, with the credit card companion ticket. This certainly required a little hunting to make good use of it, but that's probably true of a number of things discussed on FT.

That's the beauty of FlyerTalk. We can agree to disagree on the value of our redemptions. If you find value in upfaring to apply miles and that makes sense to you, I am truly happy for you. With the companion certificate, at least you are only upfaring the primary passenger.

My valuation of the companion certificate and redeemable miles is quite different, and that's okay. If I haven't already confirmed upgrades (more often than not) at booking with GGUs or received a complimentary upgrade, PC is perfectly fine for anywhere AS flies. Using miles for upgrades doesn't make sense to me.

James

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flying for Fun (Post 37194492)

If I haven't already confirmed upgrades (more often than not) at booking with GGUs or received a complimentary upgrade, PC is perfectly fine for anywhere AS flies.

I understand and I'd probably agree with you if I was an 75K/100K. But alas, I am not.

Originally Posted by blue bear
75k gets you better lounges on Int'l travel and a much better upgrade chance.

Quote:

Originally Posted by eponymous_coward (Post 37193497)

There are 100Ks in this thread saying they're getting skunked on upgrades while AS sells them for tens of dollars...

"Chance" is the key word here, unless Professor is drunk and then all bets are off.

I cannot yell here; as a MVP a few years ago I posted that I missed the cash upgrades. Now as a 75 want them to go away :p

Quote:

Originally Posted by blue bear (Post 37194523)

Yeah and the accountants at AS know they’re here to stay because companies like making money.

Quote:

Originally Posted by blue bear (Post 37194523)

I cannot yell here; as a MVP a few years ago I posted that I missed the cash upgrades. Now as a 75 want them to go away :p

Also, sometimes when flying on OPM, I can't book first but I can book a slightly higher economy fare. Mileage upgrades could be searched in advance, but hoping I get a cheap cash upgrade is much more a roll of the dice.

Quote:

Originally Posted by eponymous_coward (Post 37193497)

There are 100Ks in this thread saying they're getting skunked on upgrades while AS sells them for tens of dollars.

That is me (and my wife). ANC based and 100K, we are usually high on the UG list, but we're only hitting on about 1/3 of the flights systemwide this year. ANC-SEA we have only been upgraded once. We're usually very high on the UG list, but most of the seats have been sold by the time the waitlist appears at T-72. I am fine with that because those people paid first class fares (or used a rare UG cert). What I am not fine with is AS dumping any remaining seats at fire sale prices as if people like me who strive to attain 100K have no value to them. I'm going to give it one more year at 100K and if UGs continue to be unicorns, I'll cut way back on my leisure travel (we're retired) and switch the CC spend elsewhere. PC does nothing for me as the seats are still narrow. The one time we took PC last year rather than an exit row we ended up with a 500 pound POS between us (no joke).