What to do with all those GGU's?
#16
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: PDX
Programs: AS 75K, BW Plat, Marriott Gold, IHG Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 10,721
U space just opened up on the return leg of a Hawaii ticket I'm targeting for next summer. Thought about using miles, but the "U fare" for a mileage upgrade is significantly more than the regular coach fare. However, the "U fare" for a GGU upgrade is not much more than the regular coach fare.
Last edited by dayone; Oct 29, 2018 at 8:02 pm Reason: Redact quoted post.
#17
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: PNW
Programs: Alaska MVPG, Marriott Plat, Hyatt Explorist, M Life Gold, Wyndham Diamond, Caesars Diamond, IHG Plat
Posts: 19
I was forced to use my last 2 GGU on a PDX-LAS flight next week. I was trying to use them on a PDX-HNL flight, F class was completely open but no U space.
#18
Moderator: Alaska Mileage Plan
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 12,307
Moderator Note: This thread is a discussion of the difficulty of using GGUs. It is not for offers for or solicitation of unused GGUs. Some posts have been edited. Future off-topic posts may lead to additional actions including possible thread closure.
dayone, AS Moderator
dayone, AS Moderator
Last edited by dayone; Oct 29, 2018 at 10:49 pm Reason: Typo.
#19
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Over the Bay Bridge, CA
Programs: Jumbo mas
Posts: 38,591
In 2018, I used them for SFO/SNA, gifted some for SFO/SNA/SJD (and the SFO/SJD was F4U0 up until the end, so I never got to UG them on the long segment), and was going to use them for an upcoming short hop, which was $30 more (on a $59 ticket) for the short hop just to have the opportunity to use them (and even if I did, there was no instant UG). So, I'll slum it in Premium if my UG doesn't clear. I also tried to gift one a few months ago, on a qualifying fare, to no avail.
#20
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 17
i'm new to Alaska. I was matched to MVP. I have a trancon flight and would love to be upgraded. On my ticket, it says "This reservation is not eligible for online GGU" What does that mean? I also see "First Class waitlisted" which is probably due to MVP status. Just confused. Thanks for your help!
#21
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,376
https://www.alaskaair.com/content/mi...guest-upgrades[
Guest upgrades
Guest upgrades are electronic upgrade codes given to MVP® Gold members to upgrade friends or family members who are not traveling with them, or for their own use for immediate upgrade when not purchasing a qualifying fare. Once you have qualified for MVP® Gold status, your guest upgrade codes will be deposited into your My account profile.
Guest upgrades are electronic upgrade codes given to MVP® Gold members to upgrade friends or family members who are not traveling with them, or for their own use for immediate upgrade when not purchasing a qualifying fare. Once you have qualified for MVP® Gold status, your guest upgrade codes will be deposited into your My account profile.
#23
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: British Columbia
Programs: AS MVPG100K, Marriott Marriott Titanium Elite, Hilton Gold
Posts: 7,263
i'm new to Alaska. I was matched to MVP. I have a trancon flight and would love to be upgraded. On my ticket, it says "This reservation is not eligible for online GGU" What does that mean? I also see "First Class waitlisted" which is probably due to MVP status. Just confused. Thanks for your help!
Without any GGUs and U space available you can still purchase an eligible fare for your Elite status and get the immediate upgrade after purchase but the eligible fare for an MVP (Y or S) will be considerably more than when using a GGU. In some cases, more than the outright purchase of discounted F which comes with a 75% COS bonus and Lounge Access.
James
#24
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: British Columbia
Programs: AS MVPG100K, Marriott Marriott Titanium Elite, Hilton Gold
Posts: 7,263
James
#25
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 17
James, thanks a lot for the clarification. Looks like U space is not available (though 6 of the 8 seats are still not booked). I booked the MVP (R type) fare so looks like i only need to hope for a waitlist upgrade. Flight costs are now 3 times the price i bought at. Not sure if it's worth spending additional $300 and wait for U space to open up.
#26
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,376
If you keep reading past that, it says "Tickets purchased in G, R, or T classes of service are not eligible for guest upgrades (please select "MVP® Gold guest" from the "Upgrade type" list when shopping at alaskaair.com/planbook to view eligible fares for your itinerary."
So no, OP, you're right, just wait and see if you get upgraded and don't bother with using a GGU.
Last edited by eponymous_coward; Oct 30, 2018 at 5:20 pm
#28
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: British Columbia
Programs: AS MVPG100K, Marriott Marriott Titanium Elite, Hilton Gold
Posts: 7,263
And since it's a coach fare, unless OP pays for full refundable Y, which wouldn't require a GGU to be immediately upgradable when U opened anyway since OP is MVP, there would be a $125 change fee involved in the upfare in addition to the surcharge for a GGU-eligible fare.
Without U space, I don't see the benefit of buying a GGU eligible fare. There is no COS. An MVPG could buy an M fare (which may be the cheapest Y bucket available) at 121 hours and will be upgraded before the MVPG75K who purchased a K fare and was moved to the upgrade request queue at 120 hours when U failed to Open.
Fully refundable Y or an S fare would put an MVP immediately onto the upgrade waitlist too, not into the MVP upgrade request queue which would give the MVP priority for upgrade over any complimentary upgrades, even MVPG75K.
James
#29
Join Date: Nov 2010
Programs: AS MVPG, HH Diamond
Posts: 232
We are using my four on SEA-LIH in the winter. But it took very flexible dates (hello, Wednesday to Monday trip) and being willing to connect through PDX on the return, and even then we had to wait until U space opened up on SEA-LIH to use the second two. A hassle, and one that I subscribed to EF to help manage, but it will be worth it. But I understand the frustration at how hard these can be to use.
#30
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 10,904
I asked about it here (different thread) and was told that the fee was only waived if it was an upfare to F
Is this something where you have to call in and ask for it? Because the website doesn't respect this rule automatically.