MVPG upgrade on award ticket
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: YVR, HNL
Programs: AS 75k, UA peon, BA Bronze, AC E50k, Marriott Plat, HH Diamond, Fairmont Plat (RIP)
Posts: 7,832
MVPG upgrade on award ticket
I’m either having a blonde moment or I am a bit confused on how this works. As a Gold, if I search for award flights, checking the button for MVP Gold upgrade type, I see three different fare types: Main Cabin, First Upgrade and First Class. U is available (F is solid blue).
If I choose the First Upgrade fare, should I not be upgraded to F immediately as U is available? I just tried a booking and it did not automatically upgrade me to F. Or is this not an instant upgrade fare? How does one know?
I thought all awards were now comp upgrade eligible at my window and that choosing the First Upgrade fare would be like booking an instant upgrade revenue fare, which would get me into F immediately as long as U was available. Adding it to the cart does not help as it does not tell me what class it is booking into.
If I choose the First Upgrade fare, should I not be upgraded to F immediately as U is available? I just tried a booking and it did not automatically upgrade me to F. Or is this not an instant upgrade fare? How does one know?
I thought all awards were now comp upgrade eligible at my window and that choosing the First Upgrade fare would be like booking an instant upgrade revenue fare, which would get me into F immediately as long as U was available. Adding it to the cart does not help as it does not tell me what class it is booking into.
#2
It has to be a refundable award booking to be eligible for immediate upgrade. See https://www.alaskaair.com/content/mi...ntary-upgrades for the list of fares that get instant upgrade for golds:
Neil
Y, S, B, M, or Z* fares
* Z = refundable Main Cabin awards.
* Z = refundable Main Cabin awards.
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: YVR, HNL
Programs: AS 75k, UA peon, BA Bronze, AC E50k, Marriott Plat, HH Diamond, Fairmont Plat (RIP)
Posts: 7,832
It has to be a refundable award booking to be eligible for immediate upgrade. See https://www.alaskaair.com/content/mi...ntary-upgrades for the list of fares that get instant upgrade for golds:
Neil
Neil
#4
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 539
Sometimes it takes a few minutes until the booking is actually ticketed for the upgrade to go through. I normally get a follow-up email letting me know that I've been upgraded. Otherwise check again once you get the confirmation email from AS.
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: YVR, HNL
Programs: AS 75k, UA peon, BA Bronze, AC E50k, Marriott Plat, HH Diamond, Fairmont Plat (RIP)
Posts: 7,832
Ok, just rebooked it. I’ll let it percolate for a bit. I have a revenue F ticket booked for one of the two flights on the booking and I don’t want to cancel it until I know for sure I will get an auto upgrade. Will report back as to how long it takes (if it works).
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Northern Calif./Eastern Ida.
Programs: Amethyst Premier Plutonium Medallion
Posts: 20,633
if it doesn't go through, call in, and ask to be upgraded assuming you booked Z and U is open. same rule applies, if you have 2 pax on the PNR and U=1, it won't clear without splitting the PNR.
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: YVR, HNL
Programs: AS 75k, UA peon, BA Bronze, AC E50k, Marriott Plat, HH Diamond, Fairmont Plat (RIP)
Posts: 7,832
it should not take hours, but minutes is not out of the question depending on how fast the hamster is running on the wheel that powers the upgrade processor.
if it doesn't go through, call in, and ask to be upgraded assuming you booked Z and U is open. same rule applies, if you have 2 pax on the PNR and U=1, it won't clear without splitting the PNR.
if it doesn't go through, call in, and ask to be upgraded assuming you booked Z and U is open. same rule applies, if you have 2 pax on the PNR and U=1, it won't clear without splitting the PNR.
So I wasn’t crazy and this is really how it is supposed to work. This is what I thought was supposed to happen. Nice little perk considering the miles cost for coach and for the instant upgrade fare were the same, and the First Class miles were double. Seemed odd, and a little too good to be true. Not the lowest saver lever but still a great deal. And the cash price for these flights was crazy high so I am a happy camper.
Thanks for all of the help and reassurance.
#8
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend, Moderator, Information Desk, Ambassador, Alaska Airlines
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: FAI
Programs: AS MVP Gold100K, AS 1MM, Maika`i Card, AGR, HH Gold, Hertz PC, Marriott Titanium LTG, CO, 7H, BA, 8E
Posts: 42,953
Right you are. The hamster must have just been on a bathroom break. Took about 15 minutes before the “You have been upgraded” email came in.
So I wasn’t crazy and this is really how it is supposed to work. This is what I thought was supposed to happen. Nice little perk considering the miles cost for coach and for the instant upgrade fare were the same, and the First Class miles were double. Seemed odd, and a little too good to be true. Not the lowest saver lever but still a great deal. And the cash price for these flights was crazy high so I am a happy camper.
Thanks for all of the help and reassurance.
So I wasn’t crazy and this is really how it is supposed to work. This is what I thought was supposed to happen. Nice little perk considering the miles cost for coach and for the instant upgrade fare were the same, and the First Class miles were double. Seemed odd, and a little too good to be true. Not the lowest saver lever but still a great deal. And the cash price for these flights was crazy high so I am a happy camper.
Thanks for all of the help and reassurance.
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: YVR, HNL
Programs: AS 75k, UA peon, BA Bronze, AC E50k, Marriott Plat, HH Diamond, Fairmont Plat (RIP)
Posts: 7,832
I knew that with rev tickets. I just so rarely (ever?) buy award tickets on AS metal and the whole being able to upgrade an award ticket is a fairly new thing as well. I just wasn’t sure if it was an instant upgrade or whether it just entitled you to waitlist for an upgrade. So it definitely works as advertised. A bargain, in this case anyway.
#10
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 539
I knew that with rev tickets. I just so rarely (ever?) buy award tickets on AS metal and the whole being able to upgrade an award ticket is a fairly new thing as well. I just wasn’t sure if it was an instant upgrade or whether it just entitled you to waitlist for an upgrade. So it definitely works as advertised. A bargain, in this case anyway.
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Northern Calif./Eastern Ida.
Programs: Amethyst Premier Plutonium Medallion
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I knew that with rev tickets. I just so rarely (ever?) buy award tickets on AS metal and the whole being able to upgrade an award ticket is a fairly new thing as well. I just wasn’t sure if it was an instant upgrade or whether it just entitled you to waitlist for an upgrade. So it definitely works as advertised. A bargain, in this case anyway.
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,386
Yes. Assuming you are a Gold, you are in the last fare bucket (Golds on all paid fares and refundable awards will be in front of you), with date of ticket issue being the tie breaker among Golds.
#14
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 539
Quick follow-up question on that just out of curiosity; are you also saying that paid fares are in front of refundable awards as well. Thanks.
#15
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Seattle
Programs: AS MVPG, Alaska Lounge, HHonors Silver, Bonvoy Gold, National Executive
Posts: 455
So they are actually in front of all paid except for Y and S.
https://www.alaskaair.com/content/mi...upgrades#class