Using Miles to Upgrade
Apr 3, 2000 | 12:28 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: TPA & MCO
Programs: DL Diamond, AA EXP & UA Gold
Posts: 3,051
Using Miles to Upgrade
I'm taking a trip (pleasure) to Florida this June, and am planning to buy a cheap coach ticket and use miles 20K miles to sit up front.
Since there will be 2 of us, I am not willing to try my luck at the airport for the space available companion upgrade. So I have to burn 40K miles.
In general, how many of you elites use 20K miles to upgrade vs. the complimentary upgrade within the 3/2/1 day window? Under what circumstances would you burn the miles and when would you roll the dice?
Since there will be 2 of us, I am not willing to try my luck at the airport for the space available companion upgrade. So I have to burn 40K miles.
In general, how many of you elites use 20K miles to upgrade vs. the complimentary upgrade within the 3/2/1 day window? Under what circumstances would you burn the miles and when would you roll the dice?
Apr 3, 2000 | 12:50 pm
#2
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: Northeast MA, USA.
Programs: HHonors Diamond, DL Silver, TSA Harassee
Posts: 3,657
Any Flight to the west coast will get the 20,000 mile upgrade. This trip is just too long to risk the elite upgrade. I figure that I will earn 6000+ miles on the trip each way, includiong the elite bouns. So in essence, I am upgrading for 4000 miles.
I don't upgrade in advance anything on the East Coast, that I will risk on the elite upgrade.
BTW,
My wife will not connect when we go to Orlando. She would rather fly coach (UGH) on Delta Express and go non-stop than fly F/C on CO and connect in Newark. So once a year, I get stuck in the back. She claims this humbles me.
I don't upgrade in advance anything on the East Coast, that I will risk on the elite upgrade.
BTW,
My wife will not connect when we go to Orlando. She would rather fly coach (UGH) on Delta Express and go non-stop than fly F/C on CO and connect in Newark. So once a year, I get stuck in the back. She claims this humbles me.
Apr 3, 2000 | 1:52 pm
#3
Join Date: Feb 2000
Posts: 953
I do much the same thing---choose flights carefully and upgrade in advance on the long hauls.
So when I go DCA-LAX or SFO, this usually involves avoiding IAH and opting to go through Cleveland, instead. (sometimes EWR, but it's getting harder and harder to find the advance opportunities there.)
I don't bother on any east coast hops and "risked it" on three dca-tpa runs this fall. As a platinum, I had no problems upgrading through Cleveland.
So when I go DCA-LAX or SFO, this usually involves avoiding IAH and opting to go through Cleveland, instead. (sometimes EWR, but it's getting harder and harder to find the advance opportunities there.)
I don't bother on any east coast hops and "risked it" on three dca-tpa runs this fall. As a platinum, I had no problems upgrading through Cleveland.
Apr 3, 2000 | 1:58 pm
#4
Join Date: Feb 1999
Posts: 1,278
CameraGuy, I can relate to your wife.
I'm a CO Elite who just took a 4-hour flight on Southwest ... because it was the only non-stop and my fiancee prefers non-stops.
And yes, it was a "humbling" experience.
I'm a CO Elite who just took a 4-hour flight on Southwest ... because it was the only non-stop and my fiancee prefers non-stops.
And yes, it was a "humbling" experience.
Apr 3, 2000 | 4:13 pm
#5
Join Date: Jan 1999
Location: northern NJ
Posts: 1,352
I have the same distance rule (or did when I had elite last year):
I frequently fly EWR-LAX and EWR-PBI.
ALWAYS confirm EWR-LAX with miles and risk the elite from EWR-PBI. Only got it about 25% of time.
I frequently fly EWR-LAX and EWR-PBI.
ALWAYS confirm EWR-LAX with miles and risk the elite from EWR-PBI. Only got it about 25% of time.
Apr 4, 2000 | 6:56 am
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: TPA & MCO
Programs: DL Diamond, AA EXP & UA Gold
Posts: 3,051
Tute84,
What level Elite were you last year that you only got the free upgrade 25% of the time to PBI?
After hearing that, I am glad I used miles to upgrade my upcoming vacation from BOS to PBI (via EWR, of course.
What level Elite were you last year that you only got the free upgrade 25% of the time to PBI?
After hearing that, I am glad I used miles to upgrade my upcoming vacation from BOS to PBI (via EWR, of course.
Apr 4, 2000 | 2:43 pm
#8
Original Member and FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Kansas City, MO, USA
Programs: DL PM/MM, AA ExPlat, Hyatt Glob, HH Dia, National ECE, Hertz PC
Posts: 16,619
I used to have the same problem with my girlfriend perferring direct flights ... until I was able to get her to earn elite status on DL, and after a few rides in FC she's a convert to not minding the connections.
Apr 4, 2000 | 3:41 pm
#9
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: Jersey City
Posts: 1,321
that's exactly why i try to get status on airlines other the co. i live in jc, and it's somewhat difficult to get upgrades when your living in a hub that serves a metro area of 17 million people.