Force complimentary upgrade to premium out of exit rows?
Feb 11, 2022, 2:54 pm
#46
formerly Sleepy_Sentry
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 614
I mostly book exit rows and wasn't aware of the no automatic premium class upgrade policy until I found this thread. I am wondering, does booking an exit row inhibit upgrades to First Class in any way? I am MVPG if it's relevant.
Also, if you are MVPG or higher (and thus already getting priority boarding similar to Premium Class and a free drink), what is the appeal of Premium Class compared to an aisle seat in row 17 (which reclines and has more space)? Other than the free snack and being a bit closer to the front to deplane / make connections / 2 minutes more lounge time, am I missing something? I don't find the exit row to be a colder temperature and when others need to use the lav I can swing my legs out of their way if the seatbelt sign is on. Am I missing something?
Also, if you are MVPG or higher (and thus already getting priority boarding similar to Premium Class and a free drink), what is the appeal of Premium Class compared to an aisle seat in row 17 (which reclines and has more space)? Other than the free snack and being a bit closer to the front to deplane / make connections / 2 minutes more lounge time, am I missing something? I don't find the exit row to be a colder temperature and when others need to use the lav I can swing my legs out of their way if the seatbelt sign is on. Am I missing something?
At least on the routes I fly I get upgraded to first very frequently (80% success rate) so it really doesn't matter anyway.
Feb 11, 2022, 4:50 pm
#47
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 1,610
Wait, is it true that if we have MVP+MVP on the same reservation we will always get skipped for first-class upgrades? Same as OP, me and my partner are both mvps, and we always book us together in same reservation and pick exit row (so we are together for any irrops, shcedule changes etc), and i guess i've always thought that mvps have a tough time getting upgraded to first class which is why we have never really gotten upgraded in the last few years. Which is why we've mostly shifted to Delta where only my partner being gold has been enough to upgrade both of us to first class/comfort almost every flight.
the alaska app does always show us on the upgrade list, but we never really get upgrades which i've assumed is just because there's too many gold/75ks. But if we're being screwed due to mvp+mvp and exit-row rule then that is really stupid specially since all the big-banner advertising of benefits doesn't talk about this unless you read the fine prints or flyertalk etc.
So instead of us getting advertised upgrade benefits we haven't gotten upgrades just due to some bugs we wouldn't have known if i didn't read flyertalk? This seems like complete BS.
Honestly makes me mad that this unpublished mvp+mvp bug about us not getting upgraded even exists, and will probably make us shift the 20k x 2 flying to delta now for next year if this is indeed the case. Here I was just happy about the 1.5 eqm from mvp and free exit row like a chump not realizing that me and partner could've been actually getting upgraded if it was on a seperate booking vs together.
the alaska app does always show us on the upgrade list, but we never really get upgrades which i've assumed is just because there's too many gold/75ks. But if we're being screwed due to mvp+mvp and exit-row rule then that is really stupid specially since all the big-banner advertising of benefits doesn't talk about this unless you read the fine prints or flyertalk etc.
So instead of us getting advertised upgrade benefits we haven't gotten upgrades just due to some bugs we wouldn't have known if i didn't read flyertalk? This seems like complete BS.
Honestly makes me mad that this unpublished mvp+mvp bug about us not getting upgraded even exists, and will probably make us shift the 20k x 2 flying to delta now for next year if this is indeed the case. Here I was just happy about the 1.5 eqm from mvp and free exit row like a chump not realizing that me and partner could've been actually getting upgraded if it was on a seperate booking vs together.
Last edited by nomiiiii; Feb 11, 2022 at 4:57 pm
Feb 11, 2022, 5:05 pm
#48
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: SFO
Programs: AS, UA, WN, IHG Diamond Elite, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Gold, CET 7*
Posts: 3,300
^ to be fair, not even solo 75ks are being upgraded these days since the intro of 100k, but your point is still valid.
With the release of only (1) U seat often at a time, it's been a problem for years now.
With the release of only (1) U seat often at a time, it's been a problem for years now.
Feb 19, 2022, 2:09 am
#49
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: ANC
Programs: AS 100K
Posts: 119
For this year (due to all the bonus EQMs last year), I am 100k and my wife is 75k. I have been booking on one PNR with the assumption that my 100k status would give us a better shot at an F upgrade. For the past year or more, any F upgrades we got were typically very close to departure, so I assumed AS was holding back release of U in hopes of selling those F seats. Am I reading this correctly, that as the upgrade windows occur, we may be getting skipped over because U space is being released one at a time? In the past when we were both MVPG I typically used separate PNRs, unless on a companion fare, but thought my higher status now would give us a better shot at an F upgrade. Thoughts? And thank you in advance.
Feb 24, 2022, 6:09 pm
#50
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: SFO
Programs: AS, UA, WN, IHG Diamond Elite, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Gold, CET 7*
Posts: 3,300
This has been an interesting thread, in spite of the OP's attitude.
For this year (due to all the bonus EQMs last year), I am 100k and my wife is 75k. I have been booking on one PNR with the assumption that my 100k status would give us a better shot at an F upgrade. For the past year or more, any F upgrades we got were typically very close to departure, so I assumed AS was holding back release of U in hopes of selling those F seats. Am I reading this correctly, that as the upgrade windows occur, we may be getting skipped over because U space is being released one at a time? In the past when we were both MVPG I typically used separate PNRs, unless on a companion fare, but thought my higher status now would give us a better shot at an F upgrade. Thoughts? And thank you in advance.
For this year (due to all the bonus EQMs last year), I am 100k and my wife is 75k. I have been booking on one PNR with the assumption that my 100k status would give us a better shot at an F upgrade. For the past year or more, any F upgrades we got were typically very close to departure, so I assumed AS was holding back release of U in hopes of selling those F seats. Am I reading this correctly, that as the upgrade windows occur, we may be getting skipped over because U space is being released one at a time? In the past when we were both MVPG I typically used separate PNRs, unless on a companion fare, but thought my higher status now would give us a better shot at an F upgrade. Thoughts? And thank you in advance.