[Rant] What Is the Point of (Gold) Guest Upgrades (GGU)?
Jul 12, 2021, 3:36 pm
#16
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: MIA
Programs: AA EXP, Marriott Lifetime Plat
Posts: 493
I can basically never find a flight with upgrade space available. I'm trying to fly my GF from SAN to any NYC airport and having clicked on 50+ dates, both short and long term, there is literally never a flight that I can find that allows for a First Class upgrade. When I called Alaska, they fed me a line about how hard it is to get upgrade space and how First Class is sold out forever (which is funny, because I flew SAN to JFK a few weeks ago and was auto-upgraded) - is there some sort of trick or is Gold Guest basically pointless?
Jul 12, 2021, 4:00 pm
#17
Join Date: May 2012
Location: HNL
Programs: AS MVPG, HA Plat
Posts: 1,268
Yes, advance U availability has been pretty limited recently, but this surprises me. I've used all of my GGUs every year since I started flying AS around 2014, plus more instant upgrades on MVPG qualifying fares. Yes, HNL routes seem to get treated better than others, but I've had decent luck with mid-cons and transcons in the before times, too. Not every time or every route, especially not if it touches SEA, but enough to make advance upgrades a significant contributor to my AS loyalty.
Jul 12, 2021, 4:29 pm
#18
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: PDX
Programs: AS 75K, BW Plat, Marriott Gold, IHG Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 10,723
Yes, advance U availability has been pretty limited recently, but this surprises me. I've used all of my GGUs every year since I started flying AS around 2014, plus more instant upgrades on MVPG qualifying fares. Yes, HNL routes seem to get treated better than others, but I've had decent luck with mid-cons and transcons in the before times, too. Not every time or every route, especially not if it touches SEA, but enough to make advance upgrades a significant contributor to my AS loyalty.
Jul 12, 2021, 4:38 pm
#19
Join Date: May 2012
Location: HNL
Programs: AS MVPG, HA Plat
Posts: 1,268
Your first sentence was the only point I was trying to make. This year I'm just happy to be able to get to the west coast again and haven't had occasion to look beyond. I will absolutely be disappointed if U space doesn't re-stabilize somewhere near the old level in the next year or two, but I'm not drawing conclusions about what to expect going forward from what's happening now. I'm pretty sure revenue managers' lives haven't gotten any easier as they try to figure out who's traveling now, who's going to be traveling six months from now, etc., so I'm willing to cut them a bit of slack until we get back a little closer to normal.
Jul 12, 2021, 5:42 pm
#20
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Bay Area, CA
Programs: UA Plat 2MM; AS MVP Gold 75K
Posts: 35,068
People have been flush with cash after saving their travel dollars for the past 15 months, they've been buying more paid first class, which is exacerbated with fewer total flights flying.
I would hope this trend subsidies as we get into more schedule stability and demand softens in the fall. Once that happens, hopefully we see better U space.
I would hope this trend subsidies as we get into more schedule stability and demand softens in the fall. Once that happens, hopefully we see better U space.
Jul 12, 2021, 11:10 pm
#21
Join Date: Oct 2019
Location: PDX, OGG or between the two
Programs: AS 75K
Posts: 2,863
The other side of the coin is that people are out of money since they haven't been working or their tenants haven't been paying rent. The idea that money just keeps streaming in, regardless of what is taking place in the economy as a whole, is certainly optimistic.
Jul 14, 2021, 9:57 pm
#22
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Verdi, NV, SFO & Olympic (aka Squaw )Valley.
Programs: Ikon Pass Full + AS Gold + Marriott Titanium + Hilton Gold. Recovering UA Plat. LT lounge AA+DL+UA
Posts: 3,823
I actually think both perspectives coincide. We have this strange time where life is great for some and terrible for others kinda randomly.
Jul 14, 2021, 10:06 pm
#23
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Intermountain West
Programs: Too many to list
Posts: 12,079
Good thread for GGU info: Using (MVP Gold) Guest Upgrade (GGU) Certificates
Jul 16, 2021, 1:30 pm
#24
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: San Diego, Ca
Programs: AA 2MM LT PLT; AS MVP Gold75k; HHonors Diamond; IHG PLT
Posts: 3,502
GGU's live!
Planned a leisure trip to OGG in mid-December, did not yet pull the trigger on tickets, set several alerts on Expert Flyer a month or so back. Received U space availability for the return flight today, quickly booked with a companion pass, successfully applied GGUs expiring in December 2021.
Planned a leisure trip to OGG in mid-December, did not yet pull the trigger on tickets, set several alerts on Expert Flyer a month or so back. Received U space availability for the return flight today, quickly booked with a companion pass, successfully applied GGUs expiring in December 2021.
Jul 16, 2021, 10:16 pm
#26
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: SEA (the REAL Washington); occasionally in the other Washington (DCA area)
Programs: DL PM 1.57MM; AS MVPG 100K
Posts: 21,363
Jul 16, 2021, 10:57 pm
#27
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: HNL
Programs: AS MVPG
Posts: 236
Jul 17, 2021, 6:30 am
#29
Join Date: Apr 2003
Programs: B6 Mosaic, Bonvoy LT Titanium (x SPG LT), IHG Spire, UA Silver
Posts: 5,845
Jul 17, 2021, 11:05 am
#30
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: PDX
Programs: AS 75K, BW Plat, Marriott Gold, IHG Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 10,723