Upgrade priority question
#1
RETIRED ACCOUNT
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: *A
Posts: 135
Upgrade priority question
I'm CO Gold and traveling with a non-elite co-worker. We are both on B fares so I got the automatic upgrade at booking. If I put him up for the companion upgrade at the airport, where will he fall? From what I can tell, he will be placed ahead of anyone except a Plat/1K/GS on a Y/B/M fare. Is this correct?
Thanks in advance!
Thanks in advance!
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Floating around
Programs: UA 1K (1MM), DL Gold (1MM), Marriott LTT
Posts: 10,342
Your companion is ahead of all other golds on non Y/B fares as well as all silvers (except those on Y fares). Your companion falls below all plats/pres plats and golds on Y/B fares.
-RM
-RM
#3
RETIRED ACCOUNT
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: *A
Posts: 135
Thanks!
To clarify, will my companion fall above or below Plats on non Y/B fares?
To clarify, will my companion fall above or below Plats on non Y/B fares?
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2008
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#5
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 5,814
On battlefield, above Plats on non-Y/B/M fares but as the poster said before all plats should have been cleared by then within the EUA.
http://www.continental.com/web/en-us.../upgrades.aspx
Priority for First Class/Business Class Elite upgrades is determined by:
Full Fare Economy Y Allows all Elite members to upgrade at the time of ticketing when a seat is available on eligible flights operated by Continental
Discount Full Fare Economy B and Platinum Elite Members in M Allows all Elite members to upgrade at the time of ticketing, subject to capacity controls, on eligible flights operated by Continental
Elite level: Members are prioritized according to their Elite level — Platinum, Gold and then Silver. When traveling with other Elite members or non-Elite members, Elite members should purchase their flight on a separate itinerary.
Restricted fare class: Upgrade priority within Elite level will be based on fare class purchased. The fare class structure in priority order is as follows: M, E, U, H, Q, V, W, S, T, L, K, G and N.
Ticketing date/time: All else being equal, the sooner Elite members ticket their itinerary, the better their upgrade chances.
Check in time: If your upgrade is processed from the standby upgrade list at the airport, check in time will be used in place of booking date/time.
Full Fare Economy Y Allows all Elite members to upgrade at the time of ticketing when a seat is available on eligible flights operated by Continental
Discount Full Fare Economy B and Platinum Elite Members in M Allows all Elite members to upgrade at the time of ticketing, subject to capacity controls, on eligible flights operated by Continental
Elite level: Members are prioritized according to their Elite level — Platinum, Gold and then Silver. When traveling with other Elite members or non-Elite members, Elite members should purchase their flight on a separate itinerary.
Restricted fare class: Upgrade priority within Elite level will be based on fare class purchased. The fare class structure in priority order is as follows: M, E, U, H, Q, V, W, S, T, L, K, G and N.
Ticketing date/time: All else being equal, the sooner Elite members ticket their itinerary, the better their upgrade chances.
Check in time: If your upgrade is processed from the standby upgrade list at the airport, check in time will be used in place of booking date/time.
#6
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: TX
Programs: UA mm, Marriott PLT, Hilton Dia
Posts: 580
If I read it right, gate upgrades for a Plat on any fare will be ahead of a Gold on any fare since status is considered before fare. At the gate, your companion will be a gold equivalent behind all plats that are still on the gate upgrade list.
#7
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Northern VA (DCA)
Programs: CoAir Platinum; UAL 1K; HH Diamond
Posts: 38
Deleted by self.
Last edited by MtVernonCoAir; Jul 11, 2011 at 5:10 pm Reason: Doh! Senior moment -- Mixed-up threads. (Thought I was replying to another thread; but posted here!)
#8
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 5,814
There are two systems in play and it gets confusing/very complicated as they both work simultaneously. It's also a debate at whether you should OLCI at the 24 hour mark or not (there's a thread here somewhere on FT about it).
That battlefield list (the list that you see at the gate) isn't what you necessarily want to go off from as a #3 can get confirmed before #1 because of the other system.
Best just to add him as a companion at the gate (if he hasn't upgraded yet) and hope for the best (as it is better than his status). Thinking about it too much might give you a headache. (it always gives me one)
That battlefield list (the list that you see at the gate) isn't what you necessarily want to go off from as a #3 can get confirmed before #1 because of the other system.
Best just to add him as a companion at the gate (if he hasn't upgraded yet) and hope for the best (as it is better than his status). Thinking about it too much might give you a headache. (it always gives me one)
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: NYC
Posts: 27,230
Well, hold on a second. There definitely seems to be some conflicting information in here.
Normally, a Gold companion will be upgraded AFTER all Platinum Elites, Platinum companions and Gold elites.
The question here is whether the fact that the Gold companion is on a B fare "bumps" his priority up to the Y/B "section" at the top of the priority list, or whether the Gold companion is still processed behind ALL Gold elites, just receiving the benefit of the B fare among other Gold companions.
I have not seen any information to suggest that a Gold companion on a B fare gets treated with the higher priority, ahead of Platinum elites on sub-M fares. Co.com is not particularly specific about the ordering of companion upgrades. I would be surprised (but not shocked) if they would upgrade a Gold companion on a B fare ahead of a Platinum on an H fare.
Non-elites on full Y fares are entitled to upgrades (they stopped publishing this benefit as it happened so rarely), but those theoretically get processed after ALL elites, not after just Y/B elites. I suspect it's the same with companions.
Normally, a Gold companion will be upgraded AFTER all Platinum Elites, Platinum companions and Gold elites.
The question here is whether the fact that the Gold companion is on a B fare "bumps" his priority up to the Y/B "section" at the top of the priority list, or whether the Gold companion is still processed behind ALL Gold elites, just receiving the benefit of the B fare among other Gold companions.
I have not seen any information to suggest that a Gold companion on a B fare gets treated with the higher priority, ahead of Platinum elites on sub-M fares. Co.com is not particularly specific about the ordering of companion upgrades. I would be surprised (but not shocked) if they would upgrade a Gold companion on a B fare ahead of a Platinum on an H fare.
Non-elites on full Y fares are entitled to upgrades (they stopped publishing this benefit as it happened so rarely), but those theoretically get processed after ALL elites, not after just Y/B elites. I suspect it's the same with companions.
#10
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 5,814
For some reason in my mind, I thought he was a Plat traveling with a Gold companion -- I think this heat is getting to me .
ijgordon is correct then. However, this is at the airport (usually around 3-4 hours) -- companion upgrades are usually hard to come by (of course it also depends on route and time of day).
ijgordon is correct then. However, this is at the airport (usually around 3-4 hours) -- companion upgrades are usually hard to come by (of course it also depends on route and time of day).
#12
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 5,814
Yes a Silver on Y/B fare will be prioritized higher than a Plat on a lower fare (anything besides Y / B and possibly M).