Economy Basic Upgrades
Jan 19, 2020, 9:00 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Newcastle/London & Worldwide
Programs: BAEC Gold, Virgin Flying Club Silver
Posts: 818
Economy Basic Upgrades
Hi all - I’m struggling to find an exact answer searching the topics but there’s some amazing New York fares available currently (£69 for the return leg) in economy - and loads of Avios availability - are economy basic long haul fares eligible for upgrades - it’s been years since I’ve booked an economy ticket !
Jan 19, 2020, 9:06 am
#2
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
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Cash upgrades: POUG and AUP - yes, see the two threads in the Dashboard.
Avios upgrades - well probably not. It's not the fare per se, but the fare bucket. Q, O and G are the cheap ones and they do not allow upgrades. N, L, M etc are OK for Upgrade using Avios. These fare buckets are not directly related to Basic fares on BA (but they are on AA) since Standard Economy also books into the same buckets. Since you can only UuA one cabin, and since APD at the higher rate applies on WTP, it's often not that efficient to UuA from WT to WTP in the UK-USA direction. It can be on the return. More details in the Spending Avios guide sticky.
Avios upgrades - well probably not. It's not the fare per se, but the fare bucket. Q, O and G are the cheap ones and they do not allow upgrades. N, L, M etc are OK for Upgrade using Avios. These fare buckets are not directly related to Basic fares on BA (but they are on AA) since Standard Economy also books into the same buckets. Since you can only UuA one cabin, and since APD at the higher rate applies on WTP, it's often not that efficient to UuA from WT to WTP in the UK-USA direction. It can be on the return. More details in the Spending Avios guide sticky.
Jan 19, 2020, 9:11 am
#4
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
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Jan 19, 2020, 9:21 am
#5
Join Date: Jan 2018
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 439
It's quite easy to see on the app. When you select the flights and it takes you to the page with the fare breakdown- the one immediately after selecting the two flights, tap on either of them at the top and it will display the fare bucket, type of aircraft etc.
As mentioned above, £69 is highly likely to be O and non upgradeable.
As mentioned above, £69 is highly likely to be O and non upgradeable.
Jan 19, 2020, 10:33 am
#6
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Gloucestershire
Programs: BA Gold (ex-GGL, maybe future Silver), Hilton Diamond
Posts: 6,198
Where the £69 O fares are available, straight premium economy is only about £200. As such, an upgrade is likely to be a very poor use of Avios, especially if there is a corresponding difference in charges. Now upgrading from that cheap premium economy is another matter...
Jan 19, 2020, 10:47 am
#7
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 943
Upgrading from WTP-J can be a bit of a sweet spot. I'm doing INV-LHR-KIX in December, W sale fare was £700. UUA was the avios 72k + £137 (LHR-KIX legs) Vs a J Fare ex INV on those dates of £3,500. All WTP fares are upgradable regardless of price
Jan 19, 2020, 11:23 am
#8
Join Date: Jan 2007
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Not necessarily true. Some agents sell unbundled ex flight+hotel flights which can't be upgraded from WTP to Club as they come from a special bucket. Amex travel are a prime source if this from time to time.
Its rare I grant you, but I have seen them and I bet others have too.
Its rare I grant you, but I have seen them and I bet others have too.
Jan 19, 2020, 11:28 am
#9
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 943
Not necessarily true. Some agents sell unbundled ex flight+hotel flights which can't be upgraded from WTP to Club as they come from a special bucket. Amex travel are a prime source if this from time to time.
Its rare I grant you, but I have seen them and I bet others have too.
Its rare I grant you, but I have seen them and I bet others have too.
Jan 19, 2020, 11:45 am
#10
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: living near Malaga
Programs: BA Gold , Mucci recipient. Coffee Drinker, Blue Sky Thinker
Posts: 2,111
Its normally a tavel agent like the aforementioned Amex (or someone like Sandals)..
Others will know for sure and be along to clarify the situation.
Jan 19, 2020, 1:02 pm
#11
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
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Bulk / inclusive tour / consolidation tickets in WTP are sometimes not upgradeable via UuA, due to the fact the fare is non-public and therefore it's not possible to recalculate the taxes etc. Also some agencies may cook together on a joint business route using Iberia or AA ticketing stock, also not UuA. So yes there are some WTP tickets which cannot be upgraded using Avios. Some can't even be upgraded using AUP. They won't be in fare bucket B - that's just a flexible economy ticket on BA, or a Basic fare on AA.