First class upgrade buy up offers?
Aug 1, 2017, 5:41 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Cape Town, WC
Programs: AF LTP, LH Sen, M Amb
Posts: 400
First class upgrade buy up offers?
Hi everyone!
Not an AS frequent flyer really, so naturally if this question is/was being discussed already - sorry for repeating. I used to take AS flights from time to time and actually always got comp upgrade thanks to my DL status (can't recall a single flight not being upgraded). Since the divorce things got tougher though.
I booked an economy class award ticket with AS, no AS status. Premium class doesn't seem to be a good value (as I get it comes without checked bag allowance). Does AS normally offer reasonable upgrade options for a First class at OLCI or maybe I should ask at a desk?
Not an AS frequent flyer really, so naturally if this question is/was being discussed already - sorry for repeating. I used to take AS flights from time to time and actually always got comp upgrade thanks to my DL status (can't recall a single flight not being upgraded). Since the divorce things got tougher though.
I booked an economy class award ticket with AS, no AS status. Premium class doesn't seem to be a good value (as I get it comes without checked bag allowance). Does AS normally offer reasonable upgrade options for a First class at OLCI or maybe I should ask at a desk?
Aug 1, 2017, 7:58 am
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Northern Calif./Eastern Ida.
Programs: Amethyst Premier Plutonium Medallion
Posts: 20,640
To add to the above, they're only supposed to offer check in upgrades for $$ after all elite upgrades have been accommodated. Doesn't happen that way 100% of the time though.
The best way to score one of these is at OLCI on an elite-light route. I've seen them offered on LAX-BWI, SAN-MCO, and lots of the shorter E175 routes.
The E175s will also make a few more of these available, I predict, due to the favorably F-Y ratio. However, the elite ranks are also growing quickly with the merger and people status matching in the past.
The best way to score one of these is at OLCI on an elite-light route. I've seen them offered on LAX-BWI, SAN-MCO, and lots of the shorter E175 routes.
The E175s will also make a few more of these available, I predict, due to the favorably F-Y ratio. However, the elite ranks are also growing quickly with the merger and people status matching in the past.
Aug 1, 2017, 10:07 am
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Programs: HH Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 10,458
To add to the above, they're only supposed to offer check in upgrades for $$ after all elite upgrades have been accommodated. Doesn't happen that way 100% of the time though.
The best way to score one of these is at OLCI on an elite-light route. I've seen them offered on LAX-BWI, SAN-MCO, and lots of the shorter E175 routes.
The E175s will also make a few more of these available, I predict, due to the favorably F-Y ratio. However, the elite ranks are also growing quickly with the merger and people status matching in the past.
The best way to score one of these is at OLCI on an elite-light route. I've seen them offered on LAX-BWI, SAN-MCO, and lots of the shorter E175 routes.
The E175s will also make a few more of these available, I predict, due to the favorably F-Y ratio. However, the elite ranks are also growing quickly with the merger and people status matching in the past.
As for elite ranks, I think it remains to be seen. The loss of DL this year and now much of AA in 2018 will clearly impact the size of the AS elite program. Whether the increase in status matching will offset the decrease of those who credited DL and/or AA to AS Mileage Plan is simply not clear at this point. The merger with VX certainly will add somewhat to the AS elite ranks..
Aug 1, 2017, 2:14 pm
#5
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: SEA
Programs: Hilton/Marriott Gold, Accor Silver
Posts: 2,036
I'm having a hard time believing the impact will be significant. Existing VX elites have seemingly been quite happy with the existing routes, so how many of them are suddenly connecting through PDX or SEA?