I'm currently working towards CO elite, and i have a question:

How do upgrades work with CO? Are they like UA where when you fly 10,000 miles you get 4 500-mile upgrades? or what? How do they complimentary elite upgrades work??

Thanks in advance,

Joe.

They are space available and the computer automatically does it, plats at 5 days out by fare category, then golds 3 days out by fare category, then silvers 24 hours out by fare category...nothing for you to do....

Domestic upgrades are unlimited (i.e. no certificates or milegage necessary), based on space availablity. International upgrades to Europe and a few places in South America and Asia are a very different story. For more info, check out:
http://www.continental.com/onepass/elite/upgrades.asp

For info on international upgrades and/or securing a guaranteed upgrade using FF miles, see:
http://www.continental.com/onepass/r...de/default.asp

Elite Upgrades? How do they work?

That's a good question. We can tell you how CO says they're supposed to work, but things don't always work out the way they're supposed to.

It's all done by the trusty computers programed by CO's peerless technical staff.

Your mileage may vary.

Ok- so upgrades are automatic?

Like as soon as you buy a ticket (and call CO to confirm your on the list ) you're automaticly put on to a standby list??

That's awesome! Wayyy better than UA..

Thanks.

Joe

Not exactly ... you should read the links posted earlier to co.com. The only upgrades which happen at purchase are "yup" ... if you purchase a full fare coach ticket (domestic) and there are first class seats available you can upgrade immediately (but you have to call and ask or click the upgrade button at co.com while viewing your itinerary - after purchase. Other upgrades are based on elite level, fare class and may happen in advance of the flight - 1 to 5 days depending on status, or at checkin or after checking - again depending on fare class and status.

International upgrades require miles and possibly $$ depending on fare class and destination (search on HOKEY). To Hawaii - let's call it pseudo-international - you can also purchase a revenue upgrade - see "revup."

Disclaimer - all of the upgrades noted above are space-available. As a silver I haven't had a upgrade in about 2 years (and that one was using miles). I am fortunate to have mananaged on a couple of flights to have an empty middle seat or exit row. At least for me, I'd guess that the flights I've been on have been at or near capacity - no more than 4 or 5 empty seats - most flights totally booked, including F. I have managed y-up a couple of times... however the first trip was rescheduled and the second probably will be . I was able to snag an upgrade & Std BF award travel to ogg next week. I would not have been able to access those tickets without elite status.

Ok, thanks- that helped alot.

The CO route I fly alot (well.. first segment anyways) is JAX - IAD, and that's usually a fairly empty route. So I should be able to upgrade at least on that 2 1/2 hour flight.

Thanks again.

CO flies JAX-IAD?

I'm sorry.. I meant JAX - IAH.

It looks like 3 of 5 of the JAX-IAH flights are those all First Class Jungle Jets.

OT, but since we were discussing EQM I thought I might ask a question. Do the 1,000 bonus miles for booking online count toward EQM status? Any help would be appreciated

Nope, sorry. Actual or 500 mile minimum, unless you fly on a high fare ticket (F, Y or H), which gets you a 50% bonus.

Thanks for replying. I am booked for the rest of the year on all Z and D fares. I forgot to mention that. The only reason for asking is if they do not count, then I will fall short of elite by 1000 miles. I was going to book a short trip to earn the status, but if the online miles counted, it wouldn't be necessary.

You are in luck, A, C, D, J, Z fares are all FC fares and get the 50% bonus elite qualification miles. I guess that F ain't in the CO alphabet anymore.

NO bonus miles ever count for elite status. A/D/Z/Y/H fares earn "elite qualifying miles" (EQMs) at the rate of 1.5x actual flight miles, but that is separate from bonus miles. A/D/Z fares earn a 50% class of service bonus; Y/H fares do not.