Worthless Gold Status
 

I fly fairly regularly between LGA and IAH, and previously was able to get upgrades automatically with Gold status and paying the standard full fare - about $1300 for B class. Now CO has downgraded the standard fare to M class, which means that you can no longer get upgrades when you book the ticket and don't get the mileage bonus that goes along with Gold status and a B class ticket. It is cheaper to buy a First Class ticket than a B class ticket, but I can't be reimbursed for First Class travel. With only Gold status, it is pretty much impossible to ever get an upgrade through the standard means. Now I understand that CO is just trying to maximize their profits, but what really annoys me is that people can book connecting flights from LGA that go through IAH on B class fares for $700-$800, and get upgrades ahead of me. I am paying more and have a higher status and flying on the same airplane but others get upgraded ahead of me.

Does anyone have any ideas of how to get around this? I'm thinking of booking connecting flights that go through IAH and just not showing up for the second leg, but I suspect that may cause problems. Has anyone else tried this?

Welcome to FT, if you book a oneway connectinng thru IAH, you have to make sure they dont check your lagguage all the way thru and you'll be fine. If it's roundtrip it won't work since you have to use all the flight coupons in the order they were booked.

DO NOT not show up, that is hidden city ticketing and will result in cancellations, and if done multiple times, suspension of OP account potentially.

what about flying out of Beaumont or something? :)

Great first post. (:rolleyes:)

Welcome to FlyerTalk. Just remember that the only way to be in F all the time is to pay for F, and that upgrades are not a given. Being in an exit row is not the end of the world.

Another one and done. Popcorn table 1.

you can still buy a B fare for $1300, go to the advanced search. You can buy it and most likely upgrade it on the spot. Seems like a waste of money, but then again I get bumped almost 100% on L fares.:p:p

yawwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwn......another upgrade whiner.........
as said above, if you want F, pay for it. If not, then take your licks in coach with the rest of us.

I did a quick search and found plenty of B-ups for LGA-IAH.

If you use the avanced search function go to the area that says "What is your fare preference?"

Click on the circle for" Enter specific classes of service: (ex. Y, B, M)"

then type in the letter "B"

That will give you the inventory you want (if available)

I believe you could also aim for Platinum and get M-Ups that way, if you don't feel like paying for B.

@:-) Quite possibly, instead of complaining here;

put forth the time to make a very persuasive argument to the head chief beancounter. Just tell him the first class ticket is less expensive than the coach ticket. (in my experience, beancounters love the words "less expensive!")

The world runs on exceptions. ;)

I would NOT consider not showing up as an option...maybe you shall just tell your chief beancounter about your situation and maybe you'll be flying F soon...

My chief beancounter would question repeated $1300 IAH-LGA tickets in Y.

Since you said GOLD is worthless, you do still get free luggage, board the plane first to claim some overhead.

The secret here is to work your way to Platinum, it is a must. You say you fly that route a lot... and you're not platinum? You're "alot" is different from my "alot." But keep pushing... you'll get thre.

Exactly. My company's travel policy has a requirement that I book into the lowest available fare in Y - and that we can't override fare in favor of mileage benefit. If I suddenly started turning in itineraries with B fares and $1,300 totals, I'd get the third degree.

Offering advice to the OP is fruitless. 3:1 odds that they have already forgotten their password for FT. colpuck is right - one and done.