LHR-EWR worth upgrading to WTP for £126?

Reply Subscribe

Thread Tools

Search this Thread

Dec 3, 2016, 5:32 pm

#31

flatlander

Join Date: Dec 2009

Location: Flatland

Programs: AA Lifetime Gold 1MM, BA Gold, UA Peon

Posts: 6,116

Quote:

Originally Posted by corporate-wage-slave

That's probably something called Dual Inventory Fares, or would you believe, DIF for short. I'll do a thread about it when I've done some more research, but if you look there are some very interesting fares around, more usually if connecting rather than direct. The uplift from WT to WTP can be 150€, though the best prices are the 200€ supplements.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ahmetdouas

I've noticed from some dummy bookings on ba.com that they are pricing WTP very competitively on some routes these days, at about the same premium the OP is saying. In some days it was double the price as in HELL NO, might as well pay for Club if you are splashing the cash = )

A friend on the JFK-LHR route also told me he upgraded to WTP for around 150 USD. I guess they lowered the price as the demand is low and they want to fill every seat?

These are two different things; the DIF fares are capacity-limited by requiring inventory in both a cheap economy booking class (for example N) and the cheapest WT+ class (T), and if this is true then you are offered a very cheap looking WT+ fare (which does behave like a WT+ fare in almost all respects). There's no "this is an upgrade" presentation, since essentially it's not an upgrade, it's a WT+ ticket with complicated sales criteria.

You can see these on ExpertFlyer, and they also often show up on ITA Matrix as a cheap Premium Economy fare, but have to be booked via BA directly. If you can find one for your desired journey, they're a very good deal - particularly for avoiding WT on a 787. For example LHR-MCT for £526 in WT+ is well worth it to avoid 787 WT.

Upgrades, either paid online after booking (POUG) or at the airport (AUP), have separate inventory controls and pricing levels. The numbers can end up being similar. These are presented as "this is an upgrade to your existing ticket".