What's Up With Limited "U" Availability?
#181
Join Date: May 2012
Location: HNL
Programs: AS MVPG, HA Plat
Posts: 1,261
I'm still doing well with advance upgrade fares, the last couple of which have cleared well in advance without ever triggering my EF alerts. I may not manage to burn all my GGUs this year, but I am still sitting in front pretty consistently for prices I'm willing to pay.
#182
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: LAX/ONT
Programs: AS 100K, Hilton Diamond, IHG Plat, Marriott G, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 518
My travel plan changed and I did find 3 U space for SNA-SFO-EWR pretty much mid day good timing. No luck on any mid day LAX to easy coast 3U unless it's overnight. I used one companion fare to upfare M and the other used GGU. End up paying $1800 for 3. Companion fare is 12k. Actually. I'm wondering, can I just downfare my ticket in between T-3 and T-2, and use my MVPG complementary upgrade, will that work?
#183
Join Date: Sep 2001
Programs: Alaska Tanzanite 100K
Posts: 3,854
It seems that U space is also opening up about 7-8 days prior to departure. Was just able to apply a GGU to a booking next monday, when the F cabin has only 1 person booked in it (out of 12). Now there are 3 of us, and Sabre shows 1 U space left. *shrugs*
#185
Join Date: Dec 2008
Programs: Alaska MVP Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 669
Does AS ever offer three seats available for U upgrades well in advance of a flight? Ive been able to book two seats quite a few times to Hawaii 6-9 months in advance but now trying for three and dont see much.
#187
Join Date: May 2019
Programs: Alaska Airlines
Posts: 20
I have done this for Seattle-->Chicago, booked 3.5 months in advance.
#189
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: SFO or OAK
Programs: AA 1MM GLD, Hertz #1 Gold, bunch of other programs w/no status
Posts: 1,445
When I was booking my OAK-LIH flight ~5 months out, both outbound and return showed U4 at various times as I was monitoring prices.
#190
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,291
Some benefit
Last edited by Kacee; Jun 16, 2019 at 10:59 pm
#191
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 10,904
If you are taking about GGU-eligible, that's occasionally true, but not in this case. AS 710 on 6/23 is currently showing lowest main at $294, GGU-eligible at $364, and paid first class at $569.
Personally I would not pay $70 to secure an upgrade on that flight (it's an easy comp upgrade) but if you want to, it's there.
#192
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Denver, Colorado, USA
Programs: AS MVP 100K, UA PremEx-MM
Posts: 3,334
Maui Upgrades Do Exist
Last week I had an expiring $99 companion certificate to use; after some digging I found DEN-SEA-SFO (stopover) SFO-OGG (destination) OGG-PDX-SEA-DEN for late October. All segments had U space (for two) except for DEN-SEA. That leg is a 737-900 showing 0/16 booked in F so I'm confident it will open up. Good price and it's nice to not worry about upgrades clearing for the most part. Being flexible is key for us.
#194
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: San Diego, CA
Programs: AS 75k, Hyatt EXPL, *all* the CC statuses
Posts: 78
Availability today finally showed U2 for my flight in exactly 7 days, SAN-EWR. I booked it at the beginning of the year and it was always U0, which I guess makes sense for a Friday transcon.
Using the 2 GGUs at this time feels more like using a "skip ahead of the 75Ks" card, rather than a "confirm your upgrade in advance so you can confidently make travel decisions based on being in First".
If it were just me I probably would have waited, especially as it's now F4 (was F6). But with a companion I think it's risky to assume we'll get U2 again during the comp window.
Using the 2 GGUs at this time feels more like using a "skip ahead of the 75Ks" card, rather than a "confirm your upgrade in advance so you can confidently make travel decisions based on being in First".
If it were just me I probably would have waited, especially as it's now F4 (was F6). But with a companion I think it's risky to assume we'll get U2 again during the comp window.
#195
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 10,904
Availability today finally showed U2 for my flight in exactly 7 days, SAN-EWR. I booked it at the beginning of the year and it was always U0, which I guess makes sense for a Friday transcon.
Using the 2 GGUs at this time feels more like using a "skip ahead of the 75Ks" card, rather than a "confirm your upgrade in advance so you can confidently make travel decisions based on being in First".
If it were just me I probably would have waited, especially as it's now F4 (was F6). But with a companion I think it's risky to assume we'll get U2 again during the comp window.
Using the 2 GGUs at this time feels more like using a "skip ahead of the 75Ks" card, rather than a "confirm your upgrade in advance so you can confidently make travel decisions based on being in First".
If it were just me I probably would have waited, especially as it's now F4 (was F6). But with a companion I think it's risky to assume we'll get U2 again during the comp window.