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 haven’t 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 can’t 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 can’t 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 doesn’t earn any tier points or Avios you won’t 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 can’t be applied to a selection of passengers on a booking, and has to cover all of them - you can’t 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
Apr 23, 2019, 5:18 pm
#256
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Glasgow / London
Programs: BA GGL
Posts: 3,457
The agent has made a mistake here. The difference in price will be minimal - maybe £50 or so in taxes. If BA can’t sort it out, I’d suggest cancelling the ticket and calling Propeller to make the booking for you. It will also open up improved availability as a travel agent can upgrade you directly to I class, rather than requiring reward space. Note that you will, of course, be awarded Avios and tier points based on the original, paid booking class.
Apr 23, 2019, 6:34 pm
#257
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Beijing
Programs: SK EBG, BAEC Gold
Posts: 932
I am not so sure there is a mistake here . As far as I recall the carrier surcharge for CW on ex-USA tickets was increased a few years back such that it can be even double the amount for the same route ex-UK between the same city pairs (a more recent change was a difference now in the carrier surcharge between CW and F for ex-USA tickets even though the surcharge is the same other starting points.)
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...vs-return.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...vs-return.html
Last edited by GinFizz; Apr 23, 2019 at 6:54 pm
Apr 23, 2019, 8:10 pm
#258
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,955
Yes the taxes/fees/charges exUS are in a different league compared to exUK. Just have a look at some dummy cash bookings on ba.com and look at the TFC figure shown in the price breakdown if you want to see what to expect
TFC for SFO-EDI rtn in WT+ = $829.70
TFC for SFO-EDI rtn in CW = $1,485.70
Therefore extra TFC to pay when upgrading from WT+ to CW = $656 (~£507)
[EDIT: I have added a note in the reference post now just to highlight the exUS issue.]
TFC for SFO-EDI rtn in WT+ = $829.70
TFC for SFO-EDI rtn in CW = $1,485.70
Therefore extra TFC to pay when upgrading from WT+ to CW = $656 (~£507)
[EDIT: I have added a note in the reference post now just to highlight the exUS issue.]
Last edited by KARFA; Apr 23, 2019 at 8:19 pm
Apr 24, 2019, 1:33 am
#259
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Glasgow / London
Programs: BA GGL
Posts: 3,457
Yes the taxes/fees/charges exUS are in a different league compared to exUK. Just have a look at some dummy cash bookings on ba.com and look at the TFC figure shown in the price breakdown if you want to see what to expect
TFC for SFO-EDI rtn in WT+ = $829.70
TFC for SFO-EDI rtn in CW = $1,485.70
Therefore extra TFC to pay when upgrading from WT+ to CW = $656 (~£507)
[EDIT: I have added a note in the reference post now just to highlight the exUS issue.]
TFC for SFO-EDI rtn in WT+ = $829.70
TFC for SFO-EDI rtn in CW = $1,485.70
Therefore extra TFC to pay when upgrading from WT+ to CW = $656 (~£507)
[EDIT: I have added a note in the reference post now just to highlight the exUS issue.]
Apr 24, 2019, 5:55 am
#260
Join Date: Apr 2019
Programs: BA GfL
Posts: 109
Thanks guys.
I had done a dummy booking as Avios, but hadn't compared the surcharge in different classes as historically I thought the difference was small or non existent moving from WT+ to CW, so it had been a good idea to upgrade from WT+ to CW. It can also be a bit tiresome trying to make dummy bookings as you can't always find availability to do so.
Having run a few dummy Avios bookings I got these results.
For a single flight from SFO-LON. taxes and charges-
WT £154
WT+ £195
CW £581/440 (For some reason it sometimes changed and seemed to be less on connecting flights)
Single from LON-SFO
WT £251
WT+ £345
CW £409
Thus I am probably going to buy WT tickets and use the GUF2 to upgrade them to WT+ as bizarrely the US taxes and charges are less on WT+ than a flight originating in the UK, whilst CW are more.
I was not aware of the big change to ex US charges late last year. I quite often buy tickets for family and friends coming to visit from the US and this will be a big problem.
What caused the issue for me was the very misleading use of "taxes" by BA staff. They said the "taxes" were more numerous times and only admitted it wasn't taxes when I pushed very hard. I note I found an email discussion that someone had with BA where even after making a formal complaint they tried still to claim it was taxes and not their charges.
Having been told there may be "taxes" to pay I had no expectation of this large cost as I know what the tax position on flights is. Further I don't know why they didn't actually tell me the amount when I made the booking.
I had done a dummy booking as Avios, but hadn't compared the surcharge in different classes as historically I thought the difference was small or non existent moving from WT+ to CW, so it had been a good idea to upgrade from WT+ to CW. It can also be a bit tiresome trying to make dummy bookings as you can't always find availability to do so.
Having run a few dummy Avios bookings I got these results.
For a single flight from SFO-LON. taxes and charges-
WT £154
WT+ £195
CW £581/440 (For some reason it sometimes changed and seemed to be less on connecting flights)
Single from LON-SFO
WT £251
WT+ £345
CW £409
Thus I am probably going to buy WT tickets and use the GUF2 to upgrade them to WT+ as bizarrely the US taxes and charges are less on WT+ than a flight originating in the UK, whilst CW are more.
I was not aware of the big change to ex US charges late last year. I quite often buy tickets for family and friends coming to visit from the US and this will be a big problem.
What caused the issue for me was the very misleading use of "taxes" by BA staff. They said the "taxes" were more numerous times and only admitted it wasn't taxes when I pushed very hard. I note I found an email discussion that someone had with BA where even after making a formal complaint they tried still to claim it was taxes and not their charges.
Having been told there may be "taxes" to pay I had no expectation of this large cost as I know what the tax position on flights is. Further I don't know why they didn't actually tell me the amount when I made the booking.
Apr 24, 2019, 8:56 pm
#261
Join Date: Jul 2017
Programs: All the usual suspects
Posts: 342
Just had my first experience using both a GUF2 and Propeller, awesome service and turnaround from initial query to flight being on hold pending BA approval, even over the Easter holiday. A simple open jaw LHR-KIX / NRT-LHR but using the GUF2 has saved us a shade over £4,400 upgrading WT+ to CW.
I would never have known about either the voucher or Propeller without all the advice given on FT - so thank you all! - and the other half is now seeing the sense of my awayday to Edinburgh next week to get the 80TPs to trigger the next voucher!
I would never have known about either the voucher or Propeller without all the advice given on FT - so thank you all! - and the other half is now seeing the sense of my awayday to Edinburgh next week to get the 80TPs to trigger the next voucher!
I used Propeller this week for a GU2 to force F availability over Christmas this year for a SJC-LHR return , these guys are the real deal.
Apr 28, 2019, 10:40 pm
#262
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: LHR
Programs: BAEC GGL & CCR / QF LTG
Posts: 829
Can someone please confirm this will work?
Objective
Fly four pax LHR - JFK - LHR in First (myself, someone else from my HH Account then two from my Friends & Family list) with minimal Avios.
My vouchers
Dates are to be decided, but I will be GGL, so want to use a joker to open up 4 A class revenue seats. Plan is to use EF to find flights that have 4 A class seats, then call the GGL to book. Assuming peak, this would use 240,00 Avios:
Will this work? An alternative may be to use the second Amex 2-4-1 held by the second traveller in my HH Account. This would result in two PNRs, thus two Jokers being required.
Fly four pax LHR - JFK - LHR in First (myself, someone else from my HH Account then two from my Friends & Family list) with minimal Avios.
My vouchers
- Two x Gold Upgrade for One
- Gold Upgrade for Two
- Two x Amex 2-4-1
Dates are to be decided, but I will be GGL, so want to use a joker to open up 4 A class revenue seats. Plan is to use EF to find flights that have 4 A class seats, then call the GGL to book. Assuming peak, this would use 240,00 Avios:
- 120,00 return times two for the Amex 2-4-1 vouchers in Business
- Use the two upgrade vouchers to upgrade all four pax in to First with A class availability
Will this work? An alternative may be to use the second Amex 2-4-1 held by the second traveller in my HH Account. This would result in two PNRs, thus two Jokers being required.
Last edited by Jase76; May 1, 2019 at 12:06 pm Reason: Updated vouchers
May 1, 2019, 7:28 am
#263
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,295
Objective
Fly four pax LHR - JFK - LHR in First (myself, someone else from my HH Account then two from my Friends & Family list) with minimal Avios.
My vouchers
Dates are to be decided, but I will be GGL, so want to use a joker to open up 4 A class revenue seats. Plan is to use EF to find flights that have 4 A class seats, then call the GGL to book. Assuming peak, this would use 240,00 Avios:
Will this work? An alternative may be to use the second Amex 2-4-1 held by the second traveller in my HH Account. This would result in two PNRs, thus two Jokers being required.
Fly four pax LHR - JFK - LHR in First (myself, someone else from my HH Account then two from my Friends & Family list) with minimal Avios.
My vouchers
- Gold Upgrade for One
- Gold Upgrade for Two
- Two x Amex 2-4-1
Dates are to be decided, but I will be GGL, so want to use a joker to open up 4 A class revenue seats. Plan is to use EF to find flights that have 4 A class seats, then call the GGL to book. Assuming peak, this would use 240,00 Avios:
- 120,00 return times two for the Amex 2-4-1 vouchers in Business
- Use the two upgrade vouchers to upgrade all four pax in to First with A class availability
Will this work? An alternative may be to use the second Amex 2-4-1 held by the second traveller in my HH Account. This would result in two PNRs, thus two Jokers being required.
May 1, 2019, 7:33 am
#264
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,295
Extending GUF2 after drop from Gold to Silver?
My plans to use my GUF2 unfortunately were dashed. I earned the GUF2 at the end of my Gold qualifying year when I crossed 2500 TPs just before reset in month 11, so it will expire in month 23. Unfortunately, I will not re-qualify for Gold, and I will drop to Silver around ~month 24. Will BA still grant the 6 month extension (to ~month 29?) if I do not re-qualify for Gold? Trying to plan out a dream vacation!
Thanks!
-Surgee
Thanks!
-Surgee
May 4, 2019, 3:24 am
#266
Join Date: May 2010
Location: London
Programs: HH Diamond; BA Gold
Posts: 154
One more for the hive mind...
LHR-HKG (BA)
HKG-MEL (CX)
MEL-SYD (QF) - likely a separate PNR from the rest of the itinerary
SYD-SIN (BA)
SIN-LHR (BA)
Will be booked through corporate TA in J,C or D. Looking to use my GUF2 (for one) to get until F.
Question 1 - can I use the voucher by calling BA direct after the TA booking has been made. Recent feedback on this thread seems to suggest yes, per recent change?
Question 2 - can I use the voucher despite there being a non-BA airline in the booking. Again? It seems per recent change this is yes, but hard to be sure? Obviously I know the upgrade would only go through on the three BA flights.
Question 3 - clearly this is not a direct return booking. Does the voucher work for multi-city itinerary like this? Note the SYD-SIN-LHR is not a through booking, but separate with a few days stop in SIN.
Question 4 - is there likely to be availability for these popular routes if I’m looking out to second half of September?
Thanks all!
LHR-HKG (BA)
HKG-MEL (CX)
MEL-SYD (QF) - likely a separate PNR from the rest of the itinerary
SYD-SIN (BA)
SIN-LHR (BA)
Will be booked through corporate TA in J,C or D. Looking to use my GUF2 (for one) to get until F.
Question 1 - can I use the voucher by calling BA direct after the TA booking has been made. Recent feedback on this thread seems to suggest yes, per recent change?
Question 2 - can I use the voucher despite there being a non-BA airline in the booking. Again? It seems per recent change this is yes, but hard to be sure? Obviously I know the upgrade would only go through on the three BA flights.
Question 3 - clearly this is not a direct return booking. Does the voucher work for multi-city itinerary like this? Note the SYD-SIN-LHR is not a through booking, but separate with a few days stop in SIN.
Question 4 - is there likely to be availability for these popular routes if I’m looking out to second half of September?
Thanks all!
May 4, 2019, 3:28 am
#267
Join Date: May 2014
Location: BRU
Programs: BA GGL, TK E (*G), ITA exec
Posts: 4,091
My plans to use my GUF2 unfortunately were dashed. I earned the GUF2 at the end of my Gold qualifying year when I crossed 2500 TPs just before reset in month 11, so it will expire in month 23. Unfortunately, I will not re-qualify for Gold, and I will drop to Silver around ~month 24. Will BA still grant the 6 month extension (to ~month 29?) if I do not re-qualify for Gold? Trying to plan out a dream vacation!
Thanks!
-Surgee
Thanks!
-Surgee
May 4, 2019, 3:40 am
#268
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 4,709
One more for the hive mind...
LHR-HKG (BA)
HKG-MEL (CX)
MEL-SYD (QF) - likely a separate PNR from the rest of the itinerary
SYD-SIN (BA)
SIN-LHR (BA)
Will be booked through corporate TA in J,C or D. Looking to use my GUF2 (for one) to get until F.
Question 1 - can I use the voucher by calling BA direct after the TA booking has been made. Recent feedback on this thread seems to suggest yes, per recent change?
Question 2 - can I use the voucher despite there being a non-BA airline in the booking. Again? It seems per recent change this is yes, but hard to be sure? Obviously I know the upgrade would only go through on the three BA flights.
Question 3 - clearly this is not a direct return booking. Does the voucher work for multi-city itinerary like this? Note the SYD-SIN-LHR is not a through booking, but separate with a few days stop in SIN.
Question 4 - is there likely to be availability for these popular routes if I’m looking out to second half of September?
Thanks all!
LHR-HKG (BA)
HKG-MEL (CX)
MEL-SYD (QF) - likely a separate PNR from the rest of the itinerary
SYD-SIN (BA)
SIN-LHR (BA)
Will be booked through corporate TA in J,C or D. Looking to use my GUF2 (for one) to get until F.
Question 1 - can I use the voucher by calling BA direct after the TA booking has been made. Recent feedback on this thread seems to suggest yes, per recent change?
Question 2 - can I use the voucher despite there being a non-BA airline in the booking. Again? It seems per recent change this is yes, but hard to be sure? Obviously I know the upgrade would only go through on the three BA flights.
Question 3 - clearly this is not a direct return booking. Does the voucher work for multi-city itinerary like this? Note the SYD-SIN-LHR is not a through booking, but separate with a few days stop in SIN.
Question 4 - is there likely to be availability for these popular routes if I’m looking out to second half of September?
Thanks all!
Q2 The right TA can often work around this.
Q3 Don't see any issues there
Q4 See point 1!
May 4, 2019, 5:37 am
#269
Join Date: Apr 2019
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 228
Hi,
Been having a look at my current tier points (1705) and what I am likely to have by September 8th (At the moment either 2390 (maybe 2440) or 2460 depending on what flights work book for June) (WT or WT+) which will give 35/70 TP each way depending on the fare or 90 each way for WT+
Getting an extra 110 TP might be a bit of a big ask, but 40 TP not so much, but is the upgrade voucher worth trying to get an extra flight in to reach 2500 TP?
Been having a look at my current tier points (1705) and what I am likely to have by September 8th (At the moment either 2390 (maybe 2440) or 2460 depending on what flights work book for June) (WT or WT+) which will give 35/70 TP each way depending on the fare or 90 each way for WT+
Getting an extra 110 TP might be a bit of a big ask, but 40 TP not so much, but is the upgrade voucher worth trying to get an extra flight in to reach 2500 TP?
May 5, 2019, 3:28 pm
#270
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,295
Hi,
Been having a look at my current tier points (1705) and what I am likely to have by September 8th (At the moment either 2390 (maybe 2440) or 2460 depending on what flights work book for June) (WT or WT+) which will give 35/70 TP each way depending on the fare or 90 each way for WT+
Getting an extra 110 TP might be a bit of a big ask, but 40 TP not so much, but is the upgrade voucher worth trying to get an extra flight in to reach 2500 TP?
Been having a look at my current tier points (1705) and what I am likely to have by September 8th (At the moment either 2390 (maybe 2440) or 2460 depending on what flights work book for June) (WT or WT+) which will give 35/70 TP each way depending on the fare or 90 each way for WT+
Getting an extra 110 TP might be a bit of a big ask, but 40 TP not so much, but is the upgrade voucher worth trying to get an extra flight in to reach 2500 TP?