Possible to negotiate reduced upgrade charge?
 

When I check in for an international flight, I occasionally get a message that "I can upgrade to business class for $X." Has anyone had success in renegotiating their requested fee -- for instance, we'll pay $X for one upgrade if you throw one in for my traveling companion for free?

Never tried it, but I would doubt it. I've seen premium seats go out empty, so I don't think the "Let's Make a Deal" approach works with them.

That said, there's no harm in trying and reporting back. Can you talk like an auctioneer?

Cheers.

I always ask......seldom receive....but it is worth the effort.

I try to be as upbeat and polite about it as possible.

Is it usually just the regular fare difference between coach and business? Or do they offer a slight discount? If so, do you recall the rough discount %?

I don't fly intl very often, but still curious... Thanks! :)

It is generally LESS than the fare difference. I always buy bargain basement fares and the offer is usually upgrade to business for an additional $725 from DFW to Europe (only when business and first are wide open).

It is less about J and F being wide open and more about Y being over-sold, thus the need to upgrade anyway....

In answer to the op's question, I once offered a lower amount for an offered upgrade J-F on a NRT-DFW flight. I think they asked for around $600 and I offered $500. They looked confused and said no. I paid the amount they offered and flew F on a discount Y ticket (VIP to J) :D

You mean they didn't say "what do you think we are, f$#%* Priceline?"

Cheers.

In other words, this helps to avoid the freebee OP UPG that we (particularly lowly PLTs) so long for.

What is your source of this information? Are you saying that if J and F are wide open, but Y is not oversold, they would not be offering these upgrades?

I believe the best approach would be to show the agent that you truly are a man of means. Walk up to the podium with a few $100 bills in your hand and tell him/her that "Mr. Franklin" would like to upgrade.

AA's $X number is -not- just another random number. It's based on the distance of the flight. Every time a certain city-pair has this option available, it's always the same price. So the passengers is really left with one simple choice: either pay the price (and upgrade), or don't pay the price (and don't upgrade).

I want to be the person sitting in the seat next to a couple of upgraded hundred dollar bills.

Cheers.

Spoke to a ticket agent in LHR about this around a year ago. She was setting me up for a standby VIP upgrade that hadnt cleared yet and I asked her about it since I had seen the signs up in the LHR the last time I had travelled. She said that they happen on days, rather than specifically on flights (though a particular flight may be excluded), that have very heavy loads in Y but light premium loads. I suggested it was a way to make money on op-ups that they would be giving anyway and she laughed.

Also, in my experience, I have never seen the upgrades offered only when the loads in J / F are light. I did a few flights over the holidy period. All had light loads in J - one flight with 4 or 5 of us in J, yet not offered. This is not conclusive I know.....

Sometimes, if you decline, you can check again at the gate. If they still have space, they may sell you it for a cheaper rate, but probably not.

What mileage do you earn on these tickets then ?

I have never seen such an offer in the last 2 years, either way I fly the wrong routes or pick the wrong dates.