Sep 16, 2017, 2:32 pm
Last edit by: Prospero
Summary
This is a guide to gold upgrade vouchers which BA issues. In the wiki there are a number of frequently asked questions, and in the posts below there is a lot of detail and information on these vouchers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is a Gold Upgrade Voucher?
Gold Upgrade Vouchers are awarded when you reach certain Tier Point levels and allow you to an upgrade to the next travel class.
Q: How do I qualify for a Gold Upgrade Voucher?
You will be awarded a Gold Upgrade Voucher for Two (GUF2) when you reach 2,500 Tier Points. Two Gold Upgrade Vouchers for One (GUF1) are awarded when you reach 3,500 Tier Points. You have the option to choose another two GUF1s at 7,000, 8,000 and 9,000 Tier Points.
Q: When will I know I have a voucher?
The voucher will appear on your BAEC homepage when you hit the required Tier Points in the same place as any Amex 241s that you may have.
Q: How long is the voucher valid for?
The voucher is valid for 12 months must be redeemed within one year of its issue.
Q: Do I have to travel by the expiry date?
No. You must book your ticket by the expiry date so you can travel up to 355 days after.
Q: Can the voucher be extended?
If you do not redeem the voucher within twelve months you can request an extension. Extensions are usually granted for a further six months.
Q: Where can I use the voucher?
You can use the voucher for a one class upgrade on any BA published fare on flights operated by BA.
Q: Can I use the voucher for a one way ticket?
Yes. The voucher can be used for a one way booking. FT opinion may say that this is not a good use but your individual circumstances will influence this.
Q: Where can I upgrade to?
You can upgrade to the next cabin on any BA flight:
- Euro Traveller to Club Europe
- World Traveller to World Traveller Plus
- World Traveller Plus to Club World
- Club World to First (where fitted on the aircraft)
As the voucher will upgrade you to the next available cabin, an economy (Euro Traveller / World Traveller) booking would upgrade you to Club Europe (from ET) on the short haul flight and World Traveller Plus (from WT) on the long haul flight.
Q: I havent got a companion. Can I still use a GUF2?
Yes. You can use a GUF2 on your own for a single or return journey. GUF2 can be divided to two GUF1 meaning that if you want to use it as a solo traveller, ask first through customer service to divide it.
Q: Does the voucher have to be used in conjunction with a paid fare?
No. Gold Upgrade Vouchers can be used either with a paid fare or a journey booked with Avios.
Q: Can I use the Gold Upgrade voucher with an Amex 2-4-1 voucher?
Yes. You can combine a GUF with a companion voucher (also known as a 2-4-1). This is a great way to really get a really good value use for the voucher as you will save a very large amount of Avios.
Q: Can I use the Gold Upgrade voucher with a Lloyds voucher?
No. A Lloyds voucher cannot be combined with a Gold Upgrade voucher.
Q: Can I UuA a ticket and then use my GUF voucher?
No. Tickets can only be upgraded using the Gold Upgrade voucher or Avios, not both.
Q: Are bookings made with the Gold Upgrade voucher flexible?
Only if the underlying ticket is in a flexible bucket. For example a J ticket upgraded to First will be flexible according to the original ticket rules. The same applies to redemption tickets.
Q: Can I use the Gold Upgrade voucher on another oneworld airline?
Yes, currently only with AA when certain conditions of use are fulfilled.
Q: Is the voucher valid on franchise operated flights?
Yes. Gold Upgrade vouchers are available for British Airways and franchise operated flights only.
Q: Can I use the voucher on an itinerary that includes non-BA flights?
With a booking direct with BA this is fine. For a TA booking you cant include non-BA flights. However, there are the occasional reports of a few slipping through where some Travel Agents have managed to apply a GUF to a booking which includes both BA and non-BA flights on BA codeshares.
Q: Can I upgrade an existing booking?
Yes. Please call the BA Service Centre to do this.
Q: Do I have to travel myself when I use the Gold Upgrade voucher like the Amex 2-4-1?
If you book with BA you can use the voucher for any other person or persons. However you must pay for the booking yourself either through your account on ba.com or through the Service Centre. If you book through a TA then the voucher owner must travel on the booking.
Q: If I cancel the booking will I get the Gold Upgrade voucher back?
If you cancel more than 24 hours before departure then the voucher will be reinstated to your account if the original validity has not expired. If you cancel within 24 hours then the voucher will not be available for further use. Any refund on the other part of the ticket will be subject to the original fare rules.
Q: Does there have to be Avios availability in the upgraded cabin to use the Gold Upgrade voucher?
No. There only needs to be discounted revenue fare availability in the cabin you are upgrading to (A for First, I for Club and T for WT+).
It used to be the case that you had to book through a Travel Agent to achieve this, and that direct bookings with BA required Avios availability in the cabin you are upgrading to. With changes to GUF2 made in 2019, this is no longer the case.
Q: Can I book the outbound leg using an Amex 2-4-1 and GUF2 and then add the inbound when it becomes available?
Yes. This can be done in the same way as adding a return leg to a booking using the Amex 2-4-1 voucher.
Q: Can I use the Gold Upgrade voucher on flights that do not originate in the UK?
Yes. Flights do not have to originate in the UK. A GUF can be used on an ex-EU booking - there is no requirement to start and finish in the UK or your Executive Club resident country.
Q: Can I use two GUF1s to upgrade two classes?
No. Nice try
Q: Can the Gold Upgrade voucher be used by anyone in the Household Account?
Any Household Account Member who earns Gold Upgrade vouchers must redeem them personally. Gold Upgrade vouchers are not part of the Household Account pool and cannot be redeemed by another Member of the Household Account. Household Account Members who earn Gold Upgrade vouchers are subject to applicable Household Account redemption rules, whereby the Gold Upgrade vouchers can only be used for members within the Household Account. These upgrades cannot be allocated to Executive Club Members under age 18. An upgrade earned by a member under 18 is allocated to the Head of that Member's Household Account, but the head must be a gold card holder. If the head is not a gold the voucher is effectively lost since it cant be allocated.
Q: Will I earn Tier Points and Avios with the Gold Upgrade voucher?
Yes. You should earn tier points and Avios in line with the original selling class of the booking and not based on the cabin you upgraded in to - although sometimes mistakes do seem to happen and you do end up earning based on the cabin you upgraded to. As a reward booking doesnt earn any tier points or Avios you wont earn anything from a reward booking to which you had applied a GUF.
Q: I have more than two people in my booking. Can I just upgrade two of them?
No. A GUF cant be applied to a selection of passengers on a booking, and has to cover all of them - you cant end up with a booking for four people where two are still in CW and the other two are upgraded to F. If necessary you can as BA to split the booking so that those not being upgraded are under one booking reference, and those being upgraded by the GUF are in a new separate booking reference.
Q: Does an infant use an available upgrade?
No. If an upgraded booking contains an infant travelling on an infant fare, the infant will be automatically upgraded with the adults. Child fares will be subject to the same rules as adults.
BA Gold Upgrade Voucher Discussion and Wiki Thread
Mar 31, 2020, 3:04 pm
#421
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2019
Posts: 629
Using a Gold Upgrade voucher with an Amex 2-4-1 voucher
You can combine a GUF with a companion voucher (also known as a 2-4-1). This is a great way to really get a really good value use for the voucher as you will save a very large amount of Avios.
For example, a pair of F off-peak reward seats LHR-SYD rtn would set you back a total of 680,000 Avios for two without a companion voucher, and 340,000 Avios with a companion voucher. Instead you can use your companion voucher to effectively book a pair of CW reward seats (250,000 Avios total off-peak for two for a return) and then also apply your GUF to go in to F which will cost no extra Avios. Your combined use of a GUF and a companion voucher have therefore saved you a total of 680,000-250,000 = 430,000 Avios
2 weeks ago I cancelled a flight to South America booked using a GUF1 and an AMEX 2-4-1. I told the agent that I wanted to reschedule but he advised me to cancel and make a new booking. My account was quickly updated with 65K Avios and the 2 vouchers (but as yet no refund for the taxes, but that's another issue).
I had managed to get new outbound leg tickets using the AMEX 2-4-1 for 85K (?) and phoned up the GGL line as I noticed return tickets had become available. I was told that I could NOT use a GUF1 with an AMEX 2-4-1 voucher and was asked for another 125K Avios. I asked the agent to check this as I had used these vouchers together in the past and in the cancelled booking.
She told me that (in no uncertain terms !) that she was correct and had 'never utilised both vouchers in a booking in all the years I have worked here'. I asked her to look at the cancelled booking which she did, but then told me that booking was made in error. She is adamant that to book a 2 new off-peak J return flights to SCL is 250K even using the AMEX 2-4-1 and I cannot use the GUF1
If only I had not agreed to cancel the previous booking !!!
agent is right guf2 can be used with 241 but not guf1 you got lucky first time with an agent error
You can combine a GUF with a companion voucher (also known as a 2-4-1). This is a great way to really get a really good value use for the voucher as you will save a very large amount of Avios.
For example, a pair of F off-peak reward seats LHR-SYD rtn would set you back a total of 680,000 Avios for two without a companion voucher, and 340,000 Avios with a companion voucher. Instead you can use your companion voucher to effectively book a pair of CW reward seats (250,000 Avios total off-peak for two for a return) and then also apply your GUF to go in to F which will cost no extra Avios. Your combined use of a GUF and a companion voucher have therefore saved you a total of 680,000-250,000 = 430,000 Avios
2 weeks ago I cancelled a flight to South America booked using a GUF1 and an AMEX 2-4-1. I told the agent that I wanted to reschedule but he advised me to cancel and make a new booking. My account was quickly updated with 65K Avios and the 2 vouchers (but as yet no refund for the taxes, but that's another issue).
I had managed to get new outbound leg tickets using the AMEX 2-4-1 for 85K (?) and phoned up the GGL line as I noticed return tickets had become available. I was told that I could NOT use a GUF1 with an AMEX 2-4-1 voucher and was asked for another 125K Avios. I asked the agent to check this as I had used these vouchers together in the past and in the cancelled booking.
She told me that (in no uncertain terms !) that she was correct and had 'never utilised both vouchers in a booking in all the years I have worked here'. I asked her to look at the cancelled booking which she did, but then told me that booking was made in error. She is adamant that to book a 2 new off-peak J return flights to SCL is 250K even using the AMEX 2-4-1 and I cannot use the GUF1
If only I had not agreed to cancel the previous booking !!!
Apr 2, 2020, 9:41 am
#425
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Manchester
Programs: BA GfL, Marriott TfL, Hertz 5*
Posts: 267
GGL line not allowing use of a GUF1 with an AMEX 2-4-1 voucher
Using a Gold Upgrade voucher with an Amex 2-4-1 voucher
You can combine a GUF with a companion voucher (also known as a 2-4-1). This is a great way to really get a really good value use for the voucher as you will save a very large amount of Avios.
For example, a pair of F off-peak reward seats LHR-SYD rtn would set you back a total of 680,000 Avios for two without a companion voucher, and 340,000 Avios with a companion voucher. Instead you can use your companion voucher to effectively book a pair of CW reward seats (250,000 Avios total off-peak for two for a return) and then also apply your GUF to go in to F which will cost no extra Avios. Your combined use of a GUF and a companion voucher have therefore saved you a total of 680,000-250,000 = 430,000 Avios
agent is right guf2 can be used with 241 but not guf1 you got lucky first time with an agent error
You can combine a GUF with a companion voucher (also known as a 2-4-1). This is a great way to really get a really good value use for the voucher as you will save a very large amount of Avios.
For example, a pair of F off-peak reward seats LHR-SYD rtn would set you back a total of 680,000 Avios for two without a companion voucher, and 340,000 Avios with a companion voucher. Instead you can use your companion voucher to effectively book a pair of CW reward seats (250,000 Avios total off-peak for two for a return) and then also apply your GUF to go in to F which will cost no extra Avios. Your combined use of a GUF and a companion voucher have therefore saved you a total of 680,000-250,000 = 430,000 Avios
agent is right guf2 can be used with 241 but not guf1 you got lucky first time with an agent error
Ironically, I have discovered that I've used a GUF2 to upgrade myself on a future solo journey.
I could get the GGL line to swap the GUFs between bookings, then I would not feel that I've cheated the system !
As neither trip is for 9 months, I'll spare the GGL line the unnecessary work until nearer the time.
Jul 28, 2020, 9:39 am
#426
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: UK
Programs: BA, U2+, SK, AF/KL, IHG, Hilton, others gathering dust...
Posts: 2,552
Wasn't sure of the best place to ask this, but has anyone had experience of getting a second extension on a GUF during Covid? Extended one for 6 months just before it all kicked off in Europe (fully intending to book with it a few weeks later, such innocent days), so that one was not included in the blanket 6 month extension that was granted during lockdown. I might make a booking with it before the current expiry date (with a certain amount of doubt whether the trip in question will be possible), but not sure.
I can of course call BAEC and will have to in the end, but thought I'd check for any direct experience before putting them and myself through that Thanks in advance for any help.
I can of course call BAEC and will have to in the end, but thought I'd check for any direct experience before putting them and myself through that
Thanks in advance for any help.
Jul 28, 2020, 9:55 am
#427
Join Date: Jun 2018
Programs: BA, M&M
Posts: 24
Yes, I managed an extra 3 month extension after it was automatically extended by 6 months. This was back in April when things were more up in the air so I wouldn't count on it... Not sure if I understand your post but remember that you need to fly before the expiry date.
Jul 28, 2020, 10:08 am
#428
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: UK
Programs: BA, U2+, SK, AF/KL, IHG, Hilton, others gathering dust...
Posts: 2,552
Yes, I managed an extra 3 month extension after it was automatically extended by 6 months. This was back in April when things were more up in the air so I wouldn't count on it... Not sure if I understand your post but remember that you need to fly before the expiry date.
Jul 28, 2020, 10:12 am
#429
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Stockholm, Sweden
Programs: TK Elite, Hilton Diamond, BA Silver
Posts: 967
Wasn't sure of the best place to ask this, but has anyone had experience of getting a second extension on a GUF during Covid? Extended one for 6 months just before it all kicked off in Europe (fully intending to book with it a few weeks later, such innocent days), so that one was not included in the blanket 6 month extension that was granted during lockdown. I might make a booking with it before the current expiry date (with a certain amount of doubt whether the trip in question will be possible), but not sure.
I can of course call BAEC and will have to in the end, but thought I'd check for any direct experience before putting them and myself through that Thanks in advance for any help.
I can of course call BAEC and will have to in the end, but thought I'd check for any direct experience before putting them and myself through that
Thanks in advance for any help.
Jul 28, 2020, 10:43 am
#430
Join Date: Jun 2018
Programs: BA, M&M
Posts: 24
Jul 28, 2020, 11:03 am
#431
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Singapore
Programs: BA Gold. KrisFlyer Gold
Posts: 732
Wasn't sure of the best place to ask this, but has anyone had experience of getting a second extension on a GUF during Covid? Extended one for 6 months just before it all kicked off in Europe (fully intending to book with it a few weeks later, such innocent days), so that one was not included in the blanket 6 month extension that was granted during lockdown. I might make a booking with it before the current expiry date (with a certain amount of doubt whether the trip in question will be possible), but not sure.
I can of course call BAEC and will have to in the end, but thought I'd check for any direct experience before putting them and myself through that Thanks in advance for any help.
I can of course call BAEC and will have to in the end, but thought I'd check for any direct experience before putting them and myself through that
Thanks in advance for any help.
Jul 28, 2020, 11:37 am
#432
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 4,709
Wasn't sure of the best place to ask this, but has anyone had experience of getting a second extension on a GUF during Covid? Extended one for 6 months just before it all kicked off in Europe (fully intending to book with it a few weeks later, such innocent days), so that one was not included in the blanket 6 month extension that was granted during lockdown. I might make a booking with it before the current expiry date (with a certain amount of doubt whether the trip in question will be possible), but not sure.
I can of course call BAEC and will have to in the end, but thought I'd check for any direct experience before putting them and myself through that Thanks in advance for any help.
I can of course call BAEC and will have to in the end, but thought I'd check for any direct experience before putting them and myself through that
Thanks in advance for any help.
Sep 20, 2020, 1:21 am
#434
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 4,709
Had an expiring GUF2 and cheapest/easiest way to extend the expiry was to book a cash flight and then FTV it.
I found LHR-PMI x2 pax for 85 total. I then tried to make the same booking but clicking through from the GUF2 voucher and the total booking was 215. That seemed like far too high TFC attached to it.
So instead, I made the booking for 85 in total and then rang up to apply the GUF2, total TFC was 26; so all up 111. No idea why trying to just redeem it outright came in 104 higher, I'm guessing because it used a slightly different fare bucket on the underlying Y fare?
I found LHR-PMI x2 pax for 85 total. I then tried to make the same booking but clicking through from the GUF2 voucher and the total booking was 215. That seemed like far too high TFC attached to it.
So instead, I made the booking for 85 in total and then rang up to apply the GUF2, total TFC was 26; so all up 111. No idea why trying to just redeem it outright came in 104 higher, I'm guessing because it used a slightly different fare bucket on the underlying Y fare?
Nov 15, 2020, 10:49 am
#435
Join Date: Apr 2014
Programs: BA Gold, IHG Rewards, BAPP
Posts: 356
Using a GUF2 and a 2-4-1 voucher to HND
I have managed to confirm our dates when we should, covid permitting, be able to visit our daughter in Tokyo.
The plan is to use an avios 2-4-1 and a GUF2 but as it's a while since I've done this, I'd like some info if possible. I have read the sticky but it's not got the full answer so...
There are avios redemption business class seats available on our selected dates so I could book them but they are on the BA7/8 ie the early LHR-HND return and we would prefer the later ex NRT. The sticky says there has to be I class fare availability, which there is for the later flights, but there is no avios availability at all for the flight, only cash tickets. Does this mean I can call BA and ask them to book two seats on the later flight when there are no listed avios seats available?
Thanks as always
AQ
The plan is to use an avios 2-4-1 and a GUF2 but as it's a while since I've done this, I'd like some info if possible. I have read the sticky but it's not got the full answer so...
There are avios redemption business class seats available on our selected dates so I could book them but they are on the BA7/8 ie the early LHR-HND return and we would prefer the later ex NRT. The sticky says there has to be I class fare availability, which there is for the later flights, but there is no avios availability at all for the flight, only cash tickets. Does this mean I can call BA and ask them to book two seats on the later flight when there are no listed avios seats available?
Thanks as always
AQ