Has anyone ever gotten an upgrade on award flight?
Dec 18, 2015, 12:48 pm
#1
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Has anyone ever gotten an upgrade on award flight?
Has anyone ever gotten a an upgrade on an award flight? Opup or otherwise?
Dec 18, 2015, 12:54 pm
#2
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Me personally a complimentary upgrade, no. And there were empty seats up front.
Have I heard of it for others, yes. But its few and far between.
It would be nice if AS were to allow upgrades on awards, even if just at the gate.
Me personally a complimentary upgrade, no. And there were empty seats up front.
Have I heard of it for others, yes. But its few and far between.
It would be nice if AS were to allow upgrades on awards, even if just at the gate.
Last edited by beckoa; Dec 21, 2015 at 8:51 pm Reason: clarified
Dec 18, 2015, 1:01 pm
#4
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,621
Hi -
I once was able to purchase a paid upgrade. But only after everyone else had boarded the plane.
Also, once I was only able to confirm W space on one leg, even though I had redeemed for A. When I got to the gate, they issued me a boarding pass in F.
But never anything in advance.
I once was able to purchase a paid upgrade. But only after everyone else had boarded the plane.
Also, once I was only able to confirm W space on one leg, even though I had redeemed for A. When I got to the gate, they issued me a boarding pass in F.
But never anything in advance.
Dec 18, 2015, 1:17 pm
#5
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: ANC
Programs: AS MVPG
Posts: 244
I've gotten lucky a few times in the past but always at the gate or ticket counter. Never hurts to ask at the counter if F has checked in full when the upgrade list is extremely short or has no names on it.
Dec 18, 2015, 2:51 pm
#7
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: JNU
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Posts: 2,893
During the last three years of my first career (2006-2009), I was commuting between JNU and SEA. The JNU-SEA segment would normally occur on the late Sunday night flight, which typically had low loads. This was back in the days when the Miles and Money award ticket had real meaning, and were my first choice to buy for these trips.
When checking in, I would ask the agent if there were any upgrades available. When there were, I would usually be upgraded. Most of the time it worked, sometimes not. I would say my success rate was ~75%.
When checking in, I would ask the agent if there were any upgrades available. When there were, I would usually be upgraded. Most of the time it worked, sometimes not. I would say my success rate was ~75%.
Dec 18, 2015, 3:06 pm
#8
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: SEA
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Posts: 78
Same experience as Meej.
Got upgraded twice on award tickets. Mrs Magiclamp talked to the gate agent and asked if there were any F seats available and they upgraded us.
Since then we always ask the gate agents, very rare though to get the upgrade
Got upgraded twice on award tickets. Mrs Magiclamp talked to the gate agent and asked if there were any F seats available and they upgraded us.
Since then we always ask the gate agents, very rare though to get the upgrade
Dec 18, 2015, 7:41 pm
#12
Join Date: Aug 2011
Programs: AS MVP 75k, Skyteam Elite Plus
Posts: 13
I once had an Avios booking which turned into an unfavorable schedule change. No favorable flights had award availability, and I was rebooked into an upgradable fare, which later cleared. But, this was once, and never happened again.
Dec 19, 2015, 12:15 am
#13
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Paid upgrades are allowed...its complimentary for elites were interested in. 
Originally Posted by Chugach
I've done the paid upgrade at check in on awards before. Definitely luck of the draw, and not sure if they are still allowing it.
Dec 19, 2015, 12:29 am
#14
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: ANC
Programs: AS MVP, Club 49, Global Entry, National Emerald Club, Hilton Silver
Posts: 1,400
I saw it happen on a flight from SEA to LAS a couple years ago. F had 2 empty seats, I was sitting in F and overheard FAs discussing whether or not they could bring a "gold couple" up front who were traveling on award tickets. Ultimately they decided they could, although they definitely recognized the possibility of being reprimanded.
Dec 19, 2015, 11:08 am
#15
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: SEA
Programs: AS Million Miler since 2011, Lifetime MVPG
Posts: 853
Myself personally, never. However, twice I have used my miles to give coach seats to family and friends where they have been upgraded. Once was with family from Cabo to SFO (IIRC), the other time was friends of ours from SEA to LIH, and we weren't even on the flight with them. Go figure.