To upgrade what or not
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: KYE
Posts: 4,156
To upgrade what or not
Got a return JFK-LHR-AMM in WT+/WT
Tossing between either upgrading to CW:
1- LHR-AMM or
2- AMM-LHR
Not sure if by doing #2 (itinerary becomes CW connecting to WT+), will there be lounge access in LHR?
If doing either will CW luggage allowance apply?
Also, if say I go with #1 , then upgrade space opens up on the JFK-LHR, can I get the outbound upgraded for the lower rate (instead of being slugged with JFK-LHR + LHR-AMM)
Thanks!
Tossing between either upgrading to CW:
1- LHR-AMM or
2- AMM-LHR
Not sure if by doing #2 (itinerary becomes CW connecting to WT+), will there be lounge access in LHR?
If doing either will CW luggage allowance apply?
Also, if say I go with #1 , then upgrade space opens up on the JFK-LHR, can I get the outbound upgraded for the lower rate (instead of being slugged with JFK-LHR + LHR-AMM)
Thanks!
#2
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
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Assuming you are on one ticket, upgrading any sector gets you the CW baggage allowance throughout.
As for which sector to upgrade, clearly a lot depends on the airport transfer time. AMM and JFK you can presumably discount lounge access by simply turning up relatively late in the process, so in my experience both airports would be ok for 75 minutes if you have checked bags. Personally I would see merit in focusing on JFK-LHR, being overnight it will make the rest of the trip more pleasant and get you Arrivals lounge access in T5 (as well as the airside lounges). Normally availability to and from JFK is quite good.
To answer your first question, any Club World BA flight connecting the same day allows lounge access in LHR. Note this is slightly wider than the oneworld policy. For the second question, I'm not entirely sure there is a through Redemption advantage there, but in broad terms, if there is through route availability on both legs then I think you should be recalculated on a total route basis rather than A plus B. It probably will have to go off for recalculation anyway.
Hopefully our Jordanian correspondent will be along soon, since he has a lot of experience in this area....
As for which sector to upgrade, clearly a lot depends on the airport transfer time. AMM and JFK you can presumably discount lounge access by simply turning up relatively late in the process, so in my experience both airports would be ok for 75 minutes if you have checked bags. Personally I would see merit in focusing on JFK-LHR, being overnight it will make the rest of the trip more pleasant and get you Arrivals lounge access in T5 (as well as the airside lounges). Normally availability to and from JFK is quite good.
To answer your first question, any Club World BA flight connecting the same day allows lounge access in LHR. Note this is slightly wider than the oneworld policy. For the second question, I'm not entirely sure there is a through Redemption advantage there, but in broad terms, if there is through route availability on both legs then I think you should be recalculated on a total route basis rather than A plus B. It probably will have to go off for recalculation anyway.
Hopefully our Jordanian correspondent will be along soon, since he has a lot of experience in this area....
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: KYE
Posts: 4,156
Assuming you are on one ticket, upgrading any sector gets you the CW baggage allowance throughout.
As for which sector to upgrade, clearly a lot depends on the airport transfer time. AMM and JFK you can presumably discount lounge access by simply turning up relatively late in the process, so in my experience both airports would be ok for 75 minutes if you have checked bags. Personally I would see merit in focusing on JFK-LHR, being overnight it will make the rest of the trip more pleasant and get you Arrivals lounge access in T5 (as well as the airside lounges). Normally availability to and from JFK is quite good.
To answer your first question, any Club World BA flight connecting the same day allows lounge access in LHR. Note this is slightly wider than the oneworld policy. For the second question, I'm not entirely sure there is a through Redemption advantage there, but in broad terms, if there is through route availability on both legs then I think you should be recalculated on a total route basis rather than A plus B. It probably will have to go off for recalculation anyway.
Hopefully our Jordanian correspondent will be along soon, since he has a lot of experience in this area....
As for which sector to upgrade, clearly a lot depends on the airport transfer time. AMM and JFK you can presumably discount lounge access by simply turning up relatively late in the process, so in my experience both airports would be ok for 75 minutes if you have checked bags. Personally I would see merit in focusing on JFK-LHR, being overnight it will make the rest of the trip more pleasant and get you Arrivals lounge access in T5 (as well as the airside lounges). Normally availability to and from JFK is quite good.
To answer your first question, any Club World BA flight connecting the same day allows lounge access in LHR. Note this is slightly wider than the oneworld policy. For the second question, I'm not entirely sure there is a through Redemption advantage there, but in broad terms, if there is through route availability on both legs then I think you should be recalculated on a total route basis rather than A plus B. It probably will have to go off for recalculation anyway.
Hopefully our Jordanian correspondent will be along soon, since he has a lot of experience in this area....
I am not too fussed about the difference in mileage cost, if there's a hassle in doing so to save 1-3k avios then I won't bother. The biggest difference is the imposed carrier charges (they do add up substantially!).
I'll most likely upgrade the LHR-ME flights since the first sector is almost zeroed out, not expecting any award space to open up.
#4
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Jerusalem
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 1,281
Thanks for the quick response. Yes single ticket.
I am not too fussed about the difference in mileage cost, if there's a hassle in doing so to save 1-3k avios then I won't bother. The biggest difference is the imposed carrier charges (they do add up substantially!).
I'll most likely upgrade the LHR-ME flights since the first sector is almost zeroed out, not expecting any award space to open up.
I am not too fussed about the difference in mileage cost, if there's a hassle in doing so to save 1-3k avios then I won't bother. The biggest difference is the imposed carrier charges (they do add up substantially!).
I'll most likely upgrade the LHR-ME flights since the first sector is almost zeroed out, not expecting any award space to open up.
I don't know when you travel but BA usually operates the route on the ex-BMI A321, which has only WT and CW. This set up does offer the rather rare opportunity to upgrade from WT to CW however from my experience on the TLV route availability is scarce because of the small size of the cabin. That said, CW on that A321 is phenomenal.
I am not aware of the possibility to upgrade two legs at once (i.e. JFK-LHR then LHR-AMM) for a reduced amount of avios but maybe I missed something in the last couple of years of upgrading with avios quite intensively. From my experiences it is only possible to upgrade each sector independently but perhaps C-W-S could clarify that point.
To me it seems that the best option would be to upgrade the WT sector of the outbound (LHR-AMM) and the WT+ sector of the inbound (LHR-JFK).
Hope this helps in some way.
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: KYE
Posts: 4,156
Interesting things happen..
I ended up booking BOS-LHR-BEY instead through BA website also in WT+/WT. This is for a family member on my household account.
Wasted almost an hour since yesterday with EC in the US and Germany trying to upgrade BEY-LHR.
The US agent initially claimed one can only use his/her own Avios to upgrade, and that the traveller must be contacted and verified to authorise the miles deduction from their accoount!!! He insisted these are new rules implemented for security purposes.
When I asked him to kindly show me this new term in their T&C dated 10 July 2017, put me on hold for 20 minutes before apologising and saying SINCE I used my credit card AND that the booking was done directly through BA website (not a TA), it is possible. However when he put me on hold the second time to transfer me, the call dropped.
This morning, the DE agent couldn't touch it and had to send a request to hq about it saying because BEY-LHR is 2-class the upgrade from Y to J is:
1- not guaranteed (and even may not be possible!!!!!) because these are married segments.
2- cannot be quoted!!!
I was promised a call back today and well none received so far.
I have done this btw in the past, 25k avios and about 20eur.
These 'rules' about upgrades seem rather strict, weird, and especially obscure and random given none of them are in the T&C. Just a word to others not to be put off from the first no...
I ended up booking BOS-LHR-BEY instead through BA website also in WT+/WT. This is for a family member on my household account.
Wasted almost an hour since yesterday with EC in the US and Germany trying to upgrade BEY-LHR.
The US agent initially claimed one can only use his/her own Avios to upgrade, and that the traveller must be contacted and verified to authorise the miles deduction from their accoount!!! He insisted these are new rules implemented for security purposes.
When I asked him to kindly show me this new term in their T&C dated 10 July 2017, put me on hold for 20 minutes before apologising and saying SINCE I used my credit card AND that the booking was done directly through BA website (not a TA), it is possible. However when he put me on hold the second time to transfer me, the call dropped.
This morning, the DE agent couldn't touch it and had to send a request to hq about it saying because BEY-LHR is 2-class the upgrade from Y to J is:
1- not guaranteed (and even may not be possible!!!!!) because these are married segments.
2- cannot be quoted!!!
I was promised a call back today and well none received so far.
I have done this btw in the past, 25k avios and about 20eur.
These 'rules' about upgrades seem rather strict, weird, and especially obscure and random given none of them are in the T&C. Just a word to others not to be put off from the first no...
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: KYE
Posts: 4,156
Ok here's an update. I got a call from the DE centre, quoted the expected Avios but around double the taxes (they said the tax difference is for the whole journey!), and a $55 change fee was added as well.
I paid for the difference and all is done. Though I don't recall ever having to pay a change fee on upgrades?!
I paid for the difference and all is done. Though I don't recall ever having to pay a change fee on upgrades?!
#7
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
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Ok here's an update. I got a call from the DE centre, quoted the expected Avios but around double the taxes (they said the tax difference is for the whole journey!), and a $55 change fee was added as well.
I paid for the difference and all is done. Though I don't recall ever having to pay a change fee on upgrades?!
I paid for the difference and all is done. Though I don't recall ever having to pay a change fee on upgrades?!
If the underlying booking was a reward one, and you changed it to a higher cabin then this is a change rather than a UuA and a change fee of $55 per person is payable.
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: KYE
Posts: 4,156
This was a paid booking. The agent insisted on the $55 change fee!
#9
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#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: KYE
Posts: 4,156
I checked in online. This WTP/WT on the outbound. Under Manage My Booking it shows 2 bags 32kg. On the boarding passes got 2x 23kg.
I got screenshots for that. But am I in for an argument with the check in agent at the airport?
I got screenshots for that. But am I in for an argument with the check in agent at the airport?
#13
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
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