Between North America and Europe


Reward Type Miles


One-way Full Economy Fare Upgrade 10,000


One-way Select Economy Fares Upgrade 20,000


Select Economy Fares Upgrade mileage required when upgrading from World Business Class to First Class on Northwest Airlines. North America: Includes the 48 contiguous U.S., Alaska, Canada, the Caribbean, Mexico, and Central America.

BusinessFirst Select Economy Fares Upgrade Policy: Members who purchase a B, V, Q, S, T or L fare can agree to pay a non-refundable service fee in addition to the miles in order to be waitlisted for BusinessFirst. The non-refundable service fee is 300.00 USD one way for B and V fares and 400.00 USD one way for Q, S, T and L fares.

Please tell me if I have this correct: I buy a "Q" fare to an international destination on CO; to be upgraded I have to part with 20,000 miles and a nonrefundable $400.00 each way and still not be assured of an upgrade? If this is true, I'd fly another carrier.

This is correct.

At least with Pacific upgrades, if there is a seat available, it is yours at the time of booking, no matter how far out you book it.



[This message has been edited by dsimon (edited 08-06-2003).]

sacrifice a chicken on a tuesday when the moon is waxing. Always works for me...
:P

You would not pay the $400 nonrefundable one way fee on a Q fare until the upgrade cleared.

Sad to say, but yes you are reading it right. But also remember if your upgrade doesn't clear you get the $400 back (each way) and your miles are redeposited to your account.
There's alot of 'discussion' on this site about CO's international upgrade policy.

If you get your money back then why do they call this a "non-refundable service fee"? Who are the ad wizards who came up with this one?

See my post above. You pay the fee if and only if the UG clears. Once it clears, the fee charged is nonrefundable and you can't change your mind and sit in Y. And even if you upgrade to an HKYJ fare, you still won't be refuned the $300/$400 fee if you've already paid it.

But if you don't clear, they never charge you.

At least this is the way it worked for me the one and only time I played the stupid HOKEY game.

I know I'm a relative newcomer to Flyertalk, but this has to be the most common misconception about CO policy on international upgrades (and even the very frequent travlers on this board are confused on this point).

If you choose to buy a fare lower than Y, H, or K, you pay the fee, IF AND ONLY IF, your upgrade actually clears. You DO NOT have to pay the fee for the mere privilege of being added to the waitlist. They will however ask for your credit card number at the time you ask to be waitlisted. If the upgrade clears, and only if the upgrade clears, your credit card will automatically be charged the appropriate fee.

Cheers,

Brooklnflyer

The reason for the misconception, B-flyer, is that very few agents know the correct rule.

The range of incorrect answers these agents give us is truly amazing. I guess that's what happens when you let any old agent, janitor, mechanic or beancounter pick up and answer the Elite Priority Lines.