Upgrade % this year
 

53 segments to date -
6 ERJ's
47 possible upgrade situations
upgraded 38/47 (81%) with at least 5 battlefield (on the plane upgrades).

How is everyone else doing?

see below for my fare class breakdown...

34 upgradeable segments
22 upgrades

Total: 64.7% as Plat. :td:

3 of my flown segments were last-minute changes, though, so I may have shot myself in the foot for a couple. In one of the changes, I had to exchange two (2) confirmed F BPs for one (1) Y BP due to a delay where I didn't want to risk misconnecting. :(

12/16 on non-rj 75% including the battlefield upgrade on 48 this morning my second of the weekend.


PS- Thanks to everyone involved in making this past weekend such a success.

I'm 5 for 5 (all EUA, I think) but feel way inadiquate compared to the above numbers...

FWIW

DLM

45 main line segments 43 upgrades. 95%, thank you CO.

While you OPE guys were all out of the CO cabins at cigarman's do, suddenly 5-day EUA began working again for me :D

Now 8/12 instead of 3/7 before this weekend. And those last 5 are all 5-day EUA!

RTS

Man I'm sucking it up, remind me again why I fly CO?

Pre 3/17-
14 Segments
9 ExpressJet
1 Z
= 2/2 (50%)

Post 3/17-
8 Segments
4 ExpressJet
= 2/2 (50%)

Upgraded on a (N and N)
Not upgraded on a (U and H), but at least I got 150% EQM!

Channa, are you flying transcons out of the bay area? They seem to be particularly brutal most times, unless you fly the red-eyes !!

Anyway, I seem to be doing a lot better than last year. However, I changed my travel habits this year so far by scheduling certain times and days combined with jumping the fare up a notch or two.

XN,XN,XB,XB,XB,B,XV,XV,XW,XW :D , W,W (Plus two recent that haven't posted yet)

So, I'm 12/14 domestics + one Int'l op-up which more than offsets the two domestics I missed....Especially on a super-cheapo weekend fare (W) to keep the prices down. I really didn't deserve that one at all.

Sidenote: I was 3/4 on AA requested upgrades during a challenge this year. The one I missed had 14 ExPlats which even 2 of them sat in cattle !!

Incidentally, I think that we should also post our fare classes if we're gonna post %'s...I think it helps compare apples-to-apples. If there's someone out there flying all over on N's, I consider their missing UG's to carry more weight than someone missing the U/G on a Q from EWR-LAX.

I thought it was particularly poignant when a certain CO exec was asked point-blank his thoughts on "Riff-Raff" platinums. His response: "The more a so-called riff-raff flies, the more money he costs us. He's taking up a good seat, consuming the product and getting a good bonus. He becomes more of a liability than an asset".

So I ask: If I'm booking nothing the other side of KNBVU, am I a riff-raff? Revenue Neutral?

2 for 8 as a Plat on upgradable flights. Many RJ flights...
I still think CO is the best all around airline but without the upgrades CO's differentiation is not significant any more. I have had more long uncomfortable flights this year than any time I can remember due to full flights. No more empty middle seat next to you in coach

I am leaving for Europe today on a 757 and don't expect it to get any better. Somehow I looked more forward to the HKG 777 flights I've taken due to the wide body planes and entertainment...

Below Last Year
 

As OnePass GOLD:

YTD 2005 I have been upgraded 17 of 28 possible times (60.7%).
(This compares to 85.7% for all of 2004.)

Of the non-upgraded flights:
Last minute re-routes -- 2
EWR-IAH (or reverse) -- 3

Non-upgrades by fare class:
L - 2
X - 3
T - 1
S - 1
Q - 2
V - 2

I'm a gold at zero % so far. I did not switch any flights:

EWR-SFO I
SFO-EWR I
EWR-SFO U
SFO-EWR U
EWR-BOS U
BOS-EWR U
EWR-IAH I
IAH-EWR I

For last year I was at 40% for transcons and 100% for all other eligible flights. I've got an EWR-SLC turn in 2 weeks that is in B and shows LOTS of availability up front. Hopefully that will move me out of the zero column. I hold no such hope for my trip to SFO before that.

It's a mix, and I've actually done reasonably well with transcons, some redeyes (4 of 7 or 57%). I even got a 5-day EUA one time on a SFO-EWR. :eek:

I fly into DCA a lot, which is also a tough market. I usually fly into DCA for equipment reasons, as IAD is the preferred airport but has the jungle jet service. I'm actually debating the IAH-IAD and taking my exit row instead of gambling on the IAH-DCA upgrade roulette wheel.

2 Segments on ERJ

41/42 cleared on CO Mainline segments All from to/from DCA (including 5/5- DCA-IAH, 2-2 EWR-IAH, 8/8 EWR-DCA ) Mostly L and T fares, sometimes V = 97.7%

So far so good!!! ^

WASJETBOY

9 domestic upgradable segments (+ 2 RJs).

No upgrades on:

MSY-IAH "V" fare (24 seat 757!)

IAH-PHL "U" fare (733-return from the DO)

So I am 7 for 9 (77%), but I am picky on the types of planes and times I fly. I try to fly out of PHL where there are fewer (but not a lot fewer) Plats and fly on 738s and 739s where there are more upgradable seats.
What is troubling is that these 2 fares that I was not upgraded on were not riff raff fares (Q and lower).

Next trip is in 2 weeks (PHL-IAH-OAK) and return, all on 738s. I paid a little more for "V" on all segments. We'll see what happens.

So far in 2005: 17 segments on RJs..... :eek:

Upgraded 5 of 6 available segments: 2 Y, 1 N, 1 S, 1 Q.
The segment not upgraded was an I class.

Not too bad, but would like some more segments in non-RJ aircraft! ;)

B= 6/9
V= 1/3
U= 2/2
Q= 4/4
S= 13/14
T= 6/8
X= 6/7

B - 2/15
V - 2/6
Q - 10/20
I - 0?2

The exec was Mark B, and the question was asked by me....

And I think "riff-raff" is probably Q and lower...


K

I'm at 64% as of 4/5/05

Upgraded on 9 out 14 segments that were available for upgrades

Total of 42 segments in 2005 thus far.
CO Mainline Upgrades - 9 out of 14
ERJ flights - 15
Purchased first class flights - 8
Other Carrier (DL) - 5

Fare classes where upgraded
3 out of 9 - QWISTXL (discount economy)
6 out of 9 - NH

79%
 

Y: 1/2 (the one I missed was EWR-IAH)
Q: 4/5
I: 2/3 (One battlefield on the EWR-PDX)
T: 3/4
L: 5/5 (the irony...)

Total: 15/19 ~79%

No complaints - I've gotten EUA'd on the flights that matter (transons) so I'ma happy customer.

PS: I was UG'd on the 6 FC 735 but not so on the 10 seat 735... oh well... I'll happily take what I can get.

I know, I just didn't want Mr.B to get a raft of e-mails. Thanks for asking the question.

I'm 5/12 as a plat = 41.7%

I wish I had the luck of my fellow FT'ers.

Cheers,
Brooklynflyer

I love this thread and we should keep it going. Especially, we need to know success rates (or lack thereof) by FARE BASIS.

I had assumed that if I bought a little higher on the food chain, my chances would be better. I find shocking the percentage of non-upgrades on fares in the area of "B" and non-riff raff fares and how many riff-raff fares do get upgraded. The more info we can get the better. Based on what I have seen so far, it does not seem logical to buy-up.

Please keep this thread going!!!!!

Since the DL Stupidfares have hit it seems that "B" and other fares that used to be considered high aren't so high at all. In addition, more F seats are being sold, limiting the EUA pool considerably.

Upgrades - Upgrades ? What are those... I'm at 60% (excluding RJs)- I've also been buying more F seats this year...

-Vincent

It clearly depends on the route and what fares elites tend to buy on that route. I think the mix bought by elites on a leisure route is very different than on IAH-EWR or business routes. So I think that, while it is helpful to know fare classes, it's not that helpful. I bet those getting upgraded on L fares are traveling different routes and/or times than those not getting upgraded on B fares (this is almost a truism actually). So can I ask people to publish which routes they are getting upgrades on in addition / instead of fare classes?

1/6 as gold: U: 0/2, W: 0/1; I 0/2; T 1/1.
And 0/5 on BOS-IAH vv, 1/1 on BOS-CLE.
I'm a proud riff-raff and it's not so clear I'm consuming a lot of benefits that cost CO any money (one alcoholic drink and washing one glass so far this year, plus the bonus miles).

So, did anyone ask and receive a straight answer of these people in Houston what precisely, exactly is up with EUA in 2005, or are we still just presuming it is due to vague variables such as more Elites in '05, more sold F, etc?

I was told that there have been no unannounced changes in EUA and that the differences we are seeing are as a result of people paying for F. Based on the number of red lines with "There are no First/BusinessFirst/International Business Class seats available" displayed when I check on upcoming flights within the EUA window their claim is clearly not a lie. In the past they have always left a few seats for sale when doing EUA so if they are full in F three days out it's not because they gave away all the upgrades for free.

If you have a problem with this, blame Delta for the low F fares. Of course, because of this there will also likely be more elites next year...

I'm 27/29. What is that -93%? Can't complain.

And I've always gotten a seat on the "single " side of the RJ. I consider that a "50%" upgrade!

Wow 93%!
That's amazing. What airline do you usually fly?

Bumpted to keep this going a little more. The information being provided by people regarding their lack of upgrades by fare basis is invaluable, I feel, in helping us see how bad the situation is. Especially B and above.

I agree that this is a valuable thread to have, but I think knowing more information about each situation would be more valuable. Even the CO brass admitted that things like day of week, time of day made a difference. So, fare class, route, day and time are all important to accurately gauging what’s been going on. However, it’s more than my meager brainpower can handle to track consistently all these effects.

It does make for interesting reading and comparisons.

Segments 53
RJ 19
D Class 1
Courtesy Upgrade 2
Upgradeable 31


Date Day Fare Upgraded
1-Jan Sun X N
3-Jan Mon K Y
6-Jan Thur S Y
6-Jan Thur S Y
13-Jan Thur N Y
13-Jan Thur N N
17-Jan Mon V Y
21-Jan Fri Q N
24-Jan Mon S Y
27-Jan Thur V Y
27-Jan Thur V Y
31-Jan Mon V Y
4-Feb Fri V Y
7-Feb Mon V Y
11-Feb Fri V Y
14-Feb Mon N Y
18-Feb Fri H N
18-Feb Fri H N
21-Feb Mon B N/A
24-Feb Thur B N/A
24-Feb Thur Y N
28-Feb Mon B N
7-Mar Mon V Y
10-Mar Thur N Y
13-Mar Sun B Y
17-Mar Thur B N
17-Mar Thur B Y
21-Mar Mon K Y
24-Mar Thur N N
24-Mar Thur N N
29-Mar Thur V Y
1-Apr Fri V N
4-Apr Mon D N/A
8-Apr Fri V Y

Upgraded 20/31 = 64.5%

I did not count the 2/21 and 2/24 flights as I received a comp upgrade due to issues on my 2/18 flight

Prior to Feb 28 as a Plat in 2005 upgraded on 5 of 6 flights, the one non-upgrade being a transcon. 2004 far much less as a Plat. Even when the computer upgraded me they would give the seat to someone else. Took my first trip since being downgraded from Platinum to Silver on Feb 28 (the last time I was Silver was in the 1980s when it was equivalent to Gold.) .

PBI-IAH, Apr 1 - W - no upgrade
IAH-LAS, Apr 3 - B- no upgrade
LAS-CLE, Apr 5, 11:14pm - T- upgraded at check in on computer around 9 AM, Apr 5 .
CLE-PBI, Apr 6, 920 AM, - T - automatic upgrade Monday, April 04, 2005 8:12 PM.

I won't liekly see any more upgrades for rest of year since I am sampling other airlines looking for a new "home."

The ones that stand out here are 0/2 on "H" and 2/4 on "B".

While true that days/time/city pairs play a big part, with enough data, we can get a pretty good idea of the overalll upgrade situation.

Can someone tell me what "Battlefield" is referring to - sorry if this was answered before - I am learning. Thanks

Fare

I 1/3 EWR-LAX UG EWR-LAX NO LAX-EWR NO
Q 2/2 EWR-IAH UG IAH-MEX UG
U 1/1 MEX-EWR UG
K 0/2 SAN-EWR NO EWR-DFW NO
Y 0/1 IAH-EWR NO (777 no less)

44%

Your butt is already parked in coach, and you get moved up to the front before take off.

SunLover

Here is what happenend on the 2 H fare flights and why I think I did not get upgraded. I purchased the ticket three days before departure and did not get an EAU even though there were 7 of 24 seats still available for sale. I contacted the an individual at the platinum line two days before the flight since I did not get the EAU and she said not to worry that since I was on an H fare there should be no problem unless all the first class tickets were sold. She sais I would probably be first on the list if I did not get an EAU since they had just changed the day of departure upgrade to be based on fare class within elite level rather than check-in time within fare class. Usually I check in online almost 24 hours prior to departure, but since she told me this, and since I was at a hotel without wireless, I decided to check in at the airport. Unfortunately the new upgrade procedure did not take effect until mid-March, so when I checked in I was seventh on the list with 6 available seats and 6 people ahead of me. I assume all were platinum.

Obviously I was not too happy. I went to the service center at IAH and worked with someone who told me she had not heard of the new day of departure upgrade procedure. Well, after an hour of her trying to get to the bottom of things and her waiting for the GA to check in so she could tell him/her what had happended and to have him move me up the list, the system assigned the remaining 6 open seats to the 6 individuals ahead of me on the list.

Because of I was miseld on the new procedure, she upgraded me on my flight the next week.

EWR-CUN XW
CUN-IAH XT
IAH-EWR XT
EWR-IAH I
IAH-SAT XX
SAT-IAH X
IAH-EWR I

4 of 7 thus far . . . and happy to have received them!