SEA-BOS F Upgrade Price Goes from $450 to $250 to $200 to...$0
Jan 4, 2023, 5:44 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Boston, MA
Programs: AA Lifetime Platinum (3MM), QF Lifetime Gold, Bonvoy Lifetime Platinum, Ex-Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 7,541
SEA-BOS F Upgrade Price Goes from $450 to $250 to $200 to...$0
Tried upgrading 2 kids from upgraded PE over the phone 48 hours in advance and was told the price was approx $450 each. At the time, Expert Flyer was showing 7F (U4) available.
Tried again 24 hours in advance @ OLCI and no UGs offered. U4 went to U0.
Tried again at check-in 90 mins before departure and was told cost would be $250 each (long process to determine, unfamiliar check-in agent). 4 or 5 seats were available in F at the time.
Tried again at the SEA C Terminal Alaska Lounge approx 45 mins before departure, and the lounge agent called the gate and was told the cost would be $200 each (he did not identify the passengers, so it wasn't a passenger specific request...he might have said "how much to upgrade 2 pax from PE to F?").
Inquired again at the gate 20 mins prior to departure. Gate area was empty and all pax were on-board. 3 gate agents were hovering amongst themselves waiting to close the flight. Super nice center positioned agent started to play with her computer and said to the other agent "let's just upgrade them" and voila, $0.
Kids were happy, drank a lot of OJ.
Things going for us: two parents in paid first including one OW Sapphire, kids in previously upgraded PE. Kids were on separate PNRs, which is a story in itself in terms of getting them upgraded after online booking from economy to PE as my OW elite companions, but an earnest reservations agent was able to do it, after conferring with a supervisor (surprising herself) -- I had to pay $50 each to UG their fare class to an upgrade eligible letter/fare class, which I did over the phone.
Moral of the story: if at first you don't succeed, try, and try, and try again.
Tried again 24 hours in advance @ OLCI and no UGs offered. U4 went to U0.
Tried again at check-in 90 mins before departure and was told cost would be $250 each (long process to determine, unfamiliar check-in agent). 4 or 5 seats were available in F at the time.
Tried again at the SEA C Terminal Alaska Lounge approx 45 mins before departure, and the lounge agent called the gate and was told the cost would be $200 each (he did not identify the passengers, so it wasn't a passenger specific request...he might have said "how much to upgrade 2 pax from PE to F?").
Inquired again at the gate 20 mins prior to departure. Gate area was empty and all pax were on-board. 3 gate agents were hovering amongst themselves waiting to close the flight. Super nice center positioned agent started to play with her computer and said to the other agent "let's just upgrade them" and voila, $0.
Kids were happy, drank a lot of OJ.
Things going for us: two parents in paid first including one OW Sapphire, kids in previously upgraded PE. Kids were on separate PNRs, which is a story in itself in terms of getting them upgraded after online booking from economy to PE as my OW elite companions, but an earnest reservations agent was able to do it, after conferring with a supervisor (surprising herself) -- I had to pay $50 each to UG their fare class to an upgrade eligible letter/fare class, which I did over the phone.
Moral of the story: if at first you don't succeed, try, and try, and try again.
