I'm sure this topic has been addressed before, so apologies all around at the start. I'm flying YVR-BKK-- one way J, and return on Y. I've been blessed with the odd upgrade from time to time, but started wondering if there was anything I could do to increase my chances-- i.e.-- internet check in, asking if they are upgrading (or NOT asking), etc.? I notice that the HK-YVR flights seem to be full quite often, so it would not seem completely unrealistic. I may well end up in coach, as that's the ticket I bought, but if there is anything more I could do, I'd love to know about it...Thanks...

not an advice on operational upgrades...but if you are interested in another option, Asia Miles is now running a 30%-off CX upgrade awards promotion, for Jun 1 to Sep 15 I think...all one-way or roundtrip CX economy to business upgrade awards now cost 30% less than usual...I think for a one-way YVR-HKG-BKK, it's probably around 30-35k usually...so it's now only somewhere around 20-25k, sounds not bad...

One way on J, and one way on Y. Didn't that cost you a fortune? I had an interesting experience, where one way HK-YVR costed more than roundtrip YVR-HK bought in Vancouver. Rule of the thumb is NOT to ask for an upgrade. A more sneaky way of asking for one may be, to ask if they need any volunteer in case the flight is overbooked. They most probably will put you on the business class of the following day. (Am I correct about this?) From the stories I heard from Airport ground agent, they HATE it when the passengers ask for an upgrade. If you keep your mouth shut, then you have better chance.

tedhl: Do you think it's worth it to use my miles for one way upgrade at this moment? I understand that usually one-way upgrade costs a lot more than roundtrip in terms of miles per sector.

Can't speak to the psychology of asking vs. not-asking, but dressing sharp certainly couldn't hurt (blue blazer & slacks, for example). Because so many people coming into BKK are leisure travelers, they tend to be a pretty slovenly bunch-- particularly when flying ex-BKK on the return.

I've used miles to upgrade to BKK, but since I purchased the ticket there, I can't do a RT upgrade right now. Tickets are a lot cheaper from there, so it's worth the extra bother (for me or for whoever is paying me to fly) to work off of tickets from there.
I guess I'll just try to be nice and polite, and not bother anybody. I do notice that any upgrades I've gotten in the past have come as a complete surprise, so who knows? Maybe wear a tie, but I'm afraid that among travellers leaving BKK, that would make me look like a lunatic, as half the passengers seem to be wearing shorts, sandals, and funny hats.....Well, hopefully Gold status (newly christened) will help to some extent....

umm...it's more, but probably not "a lot more"...it's at most 20% more if you are comparing 2 x one-way upgrades vs 1 roundtrip upgrade, for the same award zone...for different award zones the numbers are (for economy-to-business upgrades)

S - 2 x 15k vs. 25k (20% more)
A - 2 x 15k vs. 25k (20% more)
B - 2 x 20k vs. 35k (14% more)
C - 2 x 25k vs. 45k (11% more)
D - 2 x 35k vs. 60k (17% more)
E - 2 x 40k vs. 70k (14% more)
F - 2 x 50k vs. 85k (18% more)

these are all the standard numbers...now during the promotion you can take 30% off each of these numbers...

now, however, sometimes it might be more advantageous to use one-way upgrades, like during this 30% off promotion period - example:

if one-way of your travel happens in the promotion period (i.e. eligible for 30% off) while the other half does not...you cannot claim a roundtrip award at 30% off...in this case, if you are redeedming S or A economy-to-business upgrades, it makes sense just to redeem a roundtrip award at the standard level, instead of 1 one-way at 30% off + 1 one-way at standard level...if you are redeeming B, C, D, or E, it makes more sense to redeem a one-way at 30% off and another one-way at the standard level...if you are redeeming F, it doesn't matter, either way it's the same (or, probably you should redeem roundtrip at standard level in this case because one of the one-way upgrades cannot be used after the promotion period, just in case your travel plan changes)...you can do the math to verify...

tedhl:

Appreciate your input! I will check with the availability and consider again.

thanks

Suppose I do a RT upgrade from BKK, knowing that I'll change the return (YVR-BKK) dates at some point? Will AsiaMiles staff have any problem with date changes on an upgrade(as long as it's still within the promotion period)? I can never quite figure it out-- sometimes things are very easy, and sometimes inexplicably difficult.

Commuter - Asiamiles upgrades are basically good for 6 months from date of the first upgrade (if done on a return basis) - However with the special 30% less promo, the last date that one can travel on that is 15 September 2001.

I've found that my GOLD Marco Polo status helps tremendously in getting upgrades. It doesn't matter if you checked in early or late. If the flight is oversold, CX's computer automatically does a 'sweep' for Marco Polo members first with the Diamonds, then Golds and Silvers to be 'later' assigned for possible upgrades.

But if you're travelling from Bangkok, you might at first be assigned an economy class seat from HK to Vancouver. Don't ask for anything there - because you would have been 'already' checked in through to YVR from BKK. But sometimes, strange things happen just when you're boarding the aircraft and as your ticket is being read by the boarding pass reader, you hear a "Beep". That usually means that your seat has been reassigned - hence an upgrade!

I find that being Marco Polo Gold, my chances of upgrades are better than when I put my AA Emerald number on the file.

Thanks Guy Betsy for the info. Now, not to get too esoteric, but do you have any idea how the computer would deal with, for example, 3 MP Golds and one available upgrade? I assume this kind of thing happens quite often. Do they look at length of club membership, time of check-in, height and weight, random selection, etc...??? Thanks for any insights. I realize that I have no idea how airlines deal with these problems....

I checked in via the internet on CX's Internet Check-in (1000 bonus asiamiles for first time users of this service) last night for today's flight CX 711 to Singapore at 355pm.

I arrived at the airport with one hour to spare, and was told that I was upgraded to Business Class because the flight is full. Woohoo!

While on the airport train transfer , being a busy body that I am, I noticed that the guy next to me was holding a Business Class boarding pass too but he had an economy class ticket. And he wasn't even a MPO - just Asiamiles.

So it's hard to say what on earth goes on in Cathay's computer mind! I would think that it sorts out passengers according to the clas booked, but lately I have seen tour groups being upgraded between Singapore and Bangkok.

If you're GOLD, chances are good that you will be upgraded if economy is oversold. But if it comes down to the 3 Golds and 1 seat left to upgrade, well, I think it will all depend on maybe the class booked in economy class. Y taking precedence, then B, H, M, K and L. But I know I was once not chosen for an upgrade in Sydney and some other non status passenger was given the upgrade ahead of me! So I really can't tell you any secrets.

I was told CX does not sort passengers by their fare-basis, or their sub-classes booked. Status IS important, I know a DM member who never flew on Y class, because if he books himself on Y class, he would always get upgraded!

By the way, where did you hear about the online-checkin promotion? I thought it was long over...

i am DM, i only got upgraded if i the flight is full (op upg)...never compl upg at any time (i fly J 90%, which makes the chance even smaller since they seldomly overbook J)

[This message has been edited by pegasus8228 (edited 06-04-2001).]

On the question of courtesy and complimentary upgrades, would it be better to have one's FF status (in my case AA PLT) in the record locator or just show the card at check-in?

It never hurts to have your elite status on the file. If the operational upgrade is going to happen, I believe they look for "candidate" before the flight day, when they do the final inventory control, which is often few days before the flight. If you are chosen to be the lucky one, then you will receive the upgraded boarding pass at the time of checkin.