Good Morning fellow flyers, I done a search and couldn't find anything which helped me unfortunately.

My partner and I booked a short break last night (BFS - EWR) and afterwards we had a discussion where we eventually agreed to fly business first on the way back (cost dependant obviously). I signed into the booking and was presented with the option to upgrade using miles & cash (impossible, I don't have status) or "buy up to first" - where it states - NO UPGRADE AVAILABLE.

I've checked the seat maps and BF is wide open, with only one seat being reserved. I then tried to go through the booking process again selecting business first to see if it would allow it - no problems at all (apart from the �1500 fee for each PAX, one way - which incidentally is MORE than the return fare in BF as that automatically assigns a Z Fare class).

We'd be willing to pay around �1200 in total (which if I could get a Z should be achievable).

Any ideas?

You need to call CO and ask to be placed on BF waitlist. This can not be done online.

The fact that the engine tells you "no upgrade available" means that the upgrade fare class has not been released. This is different from BF seats being available. CO may (or may not) release BF upgrade seats at random intervals from now until departure. The number of seats available in F does not necessarily effect the available of upgrade seats.

So call CO and, depending on your original purchased fare price they will take some $$ and miles from your account and place you on the waitlist.


Also, since there are two of you waitlisting, you have a decision to make. You can keep your PNR together, which means that the BF will only clear if two seats are released simultaneously. Or, you can split and try to UG one seat at a time, with the possibility of only one of you getting the UG.

Thanks for that, seems a bit silly

I'll leave it for the moment, it's for our honeymoon but we'll manage somehow.

Is it likely to be an option to Buy Up to First at EWR when checking in? I haven't signed up for one pass as I'm earning with BD Diamond Club

I don't think that the buy-up on day of departure offers have been issued for flight in the BF markets ( most international flights). SOmeone else will hoepfully post about that, But I think that if you want BF an dyou have already bought your tickets, waitlisting now is the way to go.

Thank you Dergon,

I'm maybe being silly here, surely though, if you're willing to pay the fare difference from S to Z then you shouldn't have to waitlist?

thanks again for your help

You can cancel your original ticket since you're within 24 hours of purchase if the total BF price is something you're willing to pay.

That may well be an option, didn't think of that - thanks!

When it comes to BF, there's no upgrade fare. The buy-up is the difference in price between purchased ticket, and lowest possible BF fare. Unlike a domestic upgrade fee, when you buy-up to BF, you are actually getting a new fare class. Therefore, you should be able to buy-up if there are seats available. It's possible the site is having a glitch. Did you fly the outbound yet? If so, then you cannot buy up; you can only upgrade with miles/cash. And that's unconnected to status. It's reward miles, not EQMs. You use miles (depending on the route, 20-30K each way, per passenger,) and if seated in Y/B, there's no co-pay. If not, then there's a co-pay depending on your fare class...

No, we don't fly out until 17th Feb (does that make a difference to fares being released)?, I only have *A miles through BD, none for CO.

Your best bet is to call CO and talk to a reservations agent. If there's not a fare you can buy up to now, just have them cancel the whole thing and book again.

If you had flown already, you wouldn't have been able to buy-up. Since you haven't, it's irrelevant.

Agreed. But wouldn't that entail a penalty?

Yes -- which is why if he doesn't have any CO miles to waitlist he's possibly SOL. Might find an agent who will wave the change fee if he's just repurchasing the same itinerary in BF from Y, but not guaranteed.

OP booked yesterday. It's been less than 24 hours. Cancel asap.

Ah! You're right...cancel now and then figure it out!

Just call CO. Some of the earlier advice in this thread is wholly off-base. I think there might be some new bugs in CO.com in paying for upgrades; I had a similar issue on a recent domestic itinerary. Alternatively, if you are in the 24 hr period, cancel and re-book whatever you want (you can mix coach one way/bf the other).