Zero "U" Upgrade Availability?
Dec 10, 2020, 3:41 pm
#47
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: PDX
Programs: AS MVP Gold 100K
Posts: 2,329
FT Challenge: Can you find U space on ANY non-stop flight to/from PDX or SEA?
Dec 10, 2020, 3:45 pm
#48
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: SJC/SFO. EWR/JFK
Programs: AS MVP 100K, DL PL
Posts: 539
There actually is U availability, although it may be hard to find it where it's a good value.
FT Challenge: Can you find U space on ANY non-stop flight to/from PDX or SEA?
FT Challenge: Can you find U space on ANY non-stop flight to/from PDX or SEA?
Thanks for the link!!! Recently I saw more and more transcon First priced at $289 in 2021... seems like directly buying a ticket will be a better option...
Dec 10, 2020, 3:46 pm
#49
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: PDX
Programs: AS MVP Gold 100K
Posts: 2,329
Dec 10, 2020, 5:35 pm
#50
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: SFO
Programs: AS, UA, WN, IHG Diamond Elite, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Gold, CET 7*
Posts: 3,293
It is, there is no question about that. The I fares throughout the system right now are insanely low through next year.
Dec 12, 2020, 12:53 pm
#51
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: USA
Programs: AA-EXP; UA-Silver; Bonvoy-Titanium
Posts: 471
Has the reissue of 4 new GGU on Jan 1, 2021 (with expiration of 12/31/2021) been confirmed officially? I have 8 GGU expiring at the end of 2020 and with absolutely no ability to use them due to complete lack of U inventory, I feel like I'm getting shafted by AS. 4 new GGU, assuming that U inventory eventually exceeds ZERO, would take away half of the sting.
Dec 12, 2020, 1:57 pm
#52
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: British Columbia
Programs: AS MVPG100K, Marriott Marriott Titanium Elite, Hilton Gold
Posts: 7,263
Even with a slight premium for the GGU eligible fare, it can still make sense, especially for a more complex itinerary, if you have a companion certificate, that can't be used to purchase F directly. You are only paying the Premium once & the GGUs will move you & your companion into F. Of course, you need to have MVPG+ which you should have if you earned them.
I have 4 expiring and my partner 8. Not too concerned though, together we have 22 expiring at the end of 2021.
James
Dec 12, 2020, 5:34 pm
#53
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Portland, OR
Programs: Alaska Gold 100k
Posts: 958
I have eight expiring end of the year and I suppose will get four more. If I book a flight and then cancel in a month I think I get them back but I can’t find a single flight anywhere with U space availability from Portland.
Last edited by Waitlisted; Dec 12, 2020 at 5:35 pm Reason: Spelling
Dec 12, 2020, 6:30 pm
#54
Join Date: May 2013
Location: SEA
Programs: AS MVP Gold 100K
Posts: 2,029
I just got an expert flyer alert of (2) U space on my SEA-PVR flight in Feb. I had booked it with a companion coupon at the lowest main fare. Upgrade cost me a total of $61 for two of us, so they are out there! Also my 2021 GGU are now in my account.
Mar 19, 2021, 2:24 pm
#55
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: PDX
Programs: AS 75K, BW Plat, Marriott Gold, IHG Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 10,721
Seems like they've tightened back up on U space availability....I'm looking at mid/long-haul flights to just about anywhere (IAD, HNL, LIR, MSY, JFK, PHL, etc.) and U space is tough (almost impossible) to find.....almost all of it seems to be relegated to flights up and down the west coast.
Mar 19, 2021, 3:44 pm
#56
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: San Diego, Ca
Programs: AA 2MM LT PLT; AS MVP Gold75k; HHonors Diamond; IHG PLT
Posts: 3,502
Data point: MVPG, flown 6 flights to/from SAN in the past 5 months - 4 to/from Hawaii - have been upgraded on every flight on a discounted Y fare.
Not happy about losing GGUs at the end of 2020, but under the circumstances, why bother? GGUs typically require a higher fare bucket, consider myself well ahead of the game.
4 new GGUs were deposited in my account at the beginning of 2021, I fully expect to qualify for at least MVPG - if not 75k this year - so all is well.
More unhappy about losing credit card companion passes.
Not happy about losing GGUs at the end of 2020, but under the circumstances, why bother? GGUs typically require a higher fare bucket, consider myself well ahead of the game.
4 new GGUs were deposited in my account at the beginning of 2021, I fully expect to qualify for at least MVPG - if not 75k this year - so all is well.
More unhappy about losing credit card companion passes.
Mar 19, 2021, 4:43 pm
#57
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: PDX
Programs: AS 75K, BW Plat, Marriott Gold, IHG Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 10,721
Data point: MVPG, flown 6 flights to/from SAN in the past 5 months - 4 to/from Hawaii - have been upgraded on every flight on a discounted Y fare.
Not happy about losing GGUs at the end of 2020, but under the circumstances, why bother? GGUs typically require a higher fare bucket, consider myself well ahead of the game.
4 new GGUs were deposited in my account at the beginning of 2021, I fully expect to qualify for at least MVPG - if not 75k this year - so all is well.
More unhappy about losing credit card companion passes.
Not happy about losing GGUs at the end of 2020, but under the circumstances, why bother? GGUs typically require a higher fare bucket, consider myself well ahead of the game.
4 new GGUs were deposited in my account at the beginning of 2021, I fully expect to qualify for at least MVPG - if not 75k this year - so all is well.
More unhappy about losing credit card companion passes.
Mar 19, 2021, 4:46 pm
#58
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 4,960
The lack of U space combined with AS' recent customer unfriendly policies during covid is mind blogging. AS has made significant schedule / route changes to around 80% of my long haul flights (e.g. 4-6 hours) with some adding new routing with overnights in SEA, different rates or turning a simple 5-6 hour non-stop into 19 hours. Thats bad enough, but recently when this hit flights where I used a GGU to upgrade AS has made a big deal of how they werent going to honor the upgrade anymore unless there is space on all flights where I requested a date change (e.g. move 1-2 days to get back on a nonstop) due to their schedule change. Its been pulling teeth to get them to finally see the light of how badly that policy would work since returning an expired GGU to my account is more than useless.
Hopefully this resolves itself soon, but just another thing to deal with.
Hopefully this resolves itself soon, but just another thing to deal with.
Mar 19, 2021, 7:58 pm
#59
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: British Columbia
Programs: AS MVPG100K, Marriott Marriott Titanium Elite, Hilton Gold
Posts: 7,263
Seems like they've tightened back up on U space availability....I'm looking at mid/long-haul flights to just about anywhere (IAD, HNL, LIR, MSY, JFK, PHL, etc.) and U space is tough (almost impossible) to find.....almost all of it seems to be relegated to flights up and down the west coast.
I was able to use 4 for flights before Christmas on a companion certificate, (that is really the only time I use them) 1 each for SEA-LAX-SJO & 1 each for SJO-LAX-SEA.
James
Mar 19, 2021, 11:10 pm
#60
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: San Diego, Ca
Programs: AA 2MM LT PLT; AS MVP Gold75k; HHonors Diamond; IHG PLT
Posts: 3,502
Haven't been able to use companion passes - combination of covid travel deferral, cheap fares, bogo promos making them virtually worthless.