Disappointment with Continental
 

I am the only Continental Elite member having a problem with milage upgrades? On February 18 I booked a ticket MKE-IAH-LGW and return for mid-May. At the time of booking I requested my upgrade for 40,000 miles. I am a Gold Elite member, with over 60K base miles last year. At that time I was told CO did not do upgrades until 30 days prior to departure. Well, it is now 2 weeks from departure and I have still not received my upgrade <still on the waitlist>. According to a friend of mine that works at CO, there are over 20 empty seats in BusinessFirst on the outbound, and 10 on the return. DOES THIS MAKE SENSE TO ANYONE????
I addition, I have tried to book a ticket, again in BusinessFirst, to Hawaii in October or November. Despite 6 different attempts, I am unable to find flights with upgradable seats. Continental continues to refer to Elite members as some of there most "valued" customers. I do NOT believe it, and I am considering transfering my Elite status to another airline that makes international upgrading a little easier.

A search for "international upgrades" brought up 107 threads. I have picked out the several that will be of the most help to you. Obviously this is one of the most frequently discussed topics here. The summary is that Continental has a very strict international upgrade policy. In order to protect the integrity of the BusinessFirst cabin, upgrades or award tickets are only processed 30 days prior to departure to 72 hours to departure. No upgrades are processed within 72 hours of departure. If you have a high status (Platinum or maybe even gold) you will have a good chance of clearing, otherwise you have my luck. As Hawaii service features BusinessFirst service, you must upgrade using the same BusinessFirst rules as Europe et al. It is one of the hardest routes to upgrade/get free tickets. Basically if you want BusinessFirst good luck. Consider paying the fare if you don't clear at 72 hours and there are seats left, otherwise you'll have to do with coach. Other airlines are marginally better. AA allows upgrades at all fares using mileage; top-tier get 8 one-way certs. Top-tier at UA get 6 certs; others can upgrade from most coach fares with mileage. All USAir tiers get at least two systemwide certs, others can upgrade with miles. DL is probably as bad as CO or maybe slightly better. Highly capacity controlled; can only upgrade from three highest coach fares. Welcome to FlyerTalk.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum20/HTML/000265.html http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum20/HTML/000402.html http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum20/HTML/000476.html http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum20/HTML/000557.html http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum20/HTML/000536.html http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum20/HTML/000524.html http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum20/HTML/000616.html http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum20/HTML/000795.html http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum20/HTML/000804.html http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum20/HTML/000904.html http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum20/HTML/000963.html http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum20/HTML/000992.html http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum20/HTML/001002.html http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum20/HTML/001049.html http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum20/HTML/001247.html http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum20/HTML/001356.html http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum20/HTML/001141.html http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum20/HTML/001397.html http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum20/HTML/001880.html http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum20/HTML/001945.html http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum20/HTML/001953.html http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum20/HTML/001967.html http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum20/HTML/001997.html http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum20/HTML/002192.html http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum20/HTML/002269.html

Since there are 10-20 seats open, CO thinks with high probability that they can sell those seats at full price, around $3,000 one-way. As the departure day approaches, and if they predict with high probability that somes seats won't be sold, then they'll release those seats for upgraders.

According what NW/CO agents tell me, most business people buy tickets 1 week to 1 month in advance, paying usually $3,000 each way! ($6,000 is more valuable to them than upgrading a person who paid $300-$1000 RT coach ticket, regardless of status.)

Personal story: (previously posted in CO threads)
I'm an NW Silver Elite member who travelled with my friend to Europe last March. We bought dirt-cheap fares, i.e. non-upgradeable. After I got inspired to upgrade both of us to BF one week prior to departure, I called CO and they told me that upgrade seats were not available on the outbound flight. However, the agent found some on the previous day. So I had the agent change our outbound flight to the previous day. Since I had to pay some money to change my fare to an upgradeable fare basis, CO waived the change fee.

So, for you, keep on checking the IAH-LGW and EWR-LGW flights!

Welcome to FlyerTalk. This is one resourceful board.

- Pat

I upgraded to FC and BF on an upcoming trip (IAH-LAX-HNL-IAH) with no problems. I checked ITN for flights (this is in early June) with Z availability and found several with many seats available.

I haven't experienced anything like what you're describing.

Daniel

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daniel baker -- [email protected]

Seth,

No, it doesn't make sense, at least with respect to the international frequent flyer and all those who have experienced premium award travel on other airlines. You are experiencing the bane of the "best frequent flyer program"--by the way, CO supposedly has the "best" website as well http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif.

Only CO thinks it makes sense. The OnePathetic mindset.

I wish you well. Keep trying. I wish I knew, and you knew, IF the seats will open up. It could be beneficial to jokey to a different flight right before the window for upgrades closes, even though you might have to pay for a change to avoid further frustration. As a platinum, I had to do this.

JL2

This is what I've been trying to find out for a while- which fares are non-upgradable on CO/NW? And I mean for both Intl. and Dom.From what I have been given to understand, even award tickets can be upgraded. Whats the deal? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/confused.gif

I am glad to see that I am not the only one with CO problems. Although it is also nice to read that SOMEONE has not had a problem with upgrades. I have decided to change carriers of choice at the end of the year. I will probably transfer to NW <although GOD KNOWS they are not known for inflight service> or AA next year. Continental has lost a VERY LOYAL customer. : (

Seth:

The only advantage of NW would be KLM and a few other partners. Can do all NW flights with CO miles, so your options don't change much if you go NW. AA.

Thanks for the info. Good point with NW...I fly them quite a bit since I live in MKE, the service is so-so but they are so much easier to upgrade on going to Europe and Hawaii.

Please bear with me here...I posted a topic on the NW forum about using NW miles for free tickets in CO BusinessFirst and was directed to do a search in this forum for more info on this 30-day rule. But, after reading through a number of threads, I am still confused...most of the references to BF seats opening up at 30 days prior to departure involve upgrades, not free tickets.

If I am using NW miles for a totally free ticket in CO BusinessFirst, does the 30-day availability rule still apply? According to the agent at NW WorldPerks Reservations, it does not. Not sure I trust that information...what can you folks tell me?

Thanks
Bill

the 30 day rule applies to both free tickets and upgrades.

I believe the only time the 30 day rule does not apply is if you are willing to use tons of miles and go the 'easy pass' route. That is what the OP rep told me in booking a reward trip EWR-HNL, (as HNL qualifies as international for purposes of OP rewards) She told me I could get CONFIRMED BF if I used 60K miles each way--vs 35K RT for coach, and 70 RT for 30 day rule BF.

Yes, my understanding is that 1 FREE BF to HNL = 120K R/T with NO CAPACITY CONTROLS WHATSOEVER and may be CONFIRMED AT TIME OF RESERVATION AS LONG AS SEAT IS EMPTY IN CABIN.