[Since my question has nothing to do with actually getting an international upgrade, I hereby apply for a waiver from the $1 penalty for this question :-)].

I have a paper ticket in coach on NW for NRT-SIN. I have secured an upgrade from CO using CO miles for both segments, and will be receiving upgrade certificates in the mail.

The big question is, how do I get this upgrade processed? I have received 3 different answers from CO reservations:

1. Turn in the certs with the ticket at the NW counter on day of departure only.

2. Turn in the certs with the ticket at a NW ticket counter, on day of departure or anytime prior for reissue.

3. Turn in the certs with the ticket at a CO ticket counter only. The certs and old tickets will be collected, and new tickets in NW business class will be reissued on CO stock.

Does anybody know what the actual answer is? As soon as I receive the certs, I will go to the CO CTO and try to get this done, and see what happens. But, I'd feel more comfortable if someone with experience with this type of transaction could tell me what the real answer is. Of course, I'd much rather get this done one way or the other while still in the US, rather than dealing with a potentially unsolvable problem at the NW counter at NRT.

I vote for option 1. Odds are decent that NW will forget to ask for the certs at check-in anyway.

Steve:
I'd be interested in knowing what the results of you efforts brings. I am in a similar, though not exactly identical, situation. See my post below CO/NW International Upgrade Anomaly. I have a certificate coming in the mail.

I really think NW will ask for cert at check in cause they don't play with theie upgrades. I was on a NW ticket using CO miles last month....MEM-DTW-NRT-SIN-NRT-HNL-SFO-MEM....50,000 miles for the round trip upgrade and had 2 CO certs and my paper NW ticket. In MEM she collected coupon.....IN SIN on the return they said the ticket had to be reissued into WBC by CO and they couldn't take the cert,although I wasn't advised of such....because it was night in the US they called and they said we will clear the upgrade but the ticket should have been reissued by CO for next time.....so I will never do that again as they have a lot of loop holes in the CO/NW upgrade thing that nees to be fixed....Good luck on your trip

I find myself again in agreement with UpgradeMe. My experience tracks with his decent odds.

Cigarman (it's my trademarked $1 fine)will this time waive the fine... BUT if anyone posts "and oh yea, biz first is so much better"... All bets are off!