Question about using miles to upgrade internationally
 

Specifically, I am wondering if I can use miles to upgrade from coach on a trip from the US to Japan. If I can, can I use miles to also upgrade my family (even though they are not OnePass members). Final question - how many miles would it take to upgrade round-trip for each person. Any assistance is appreciated.

All of your questions can be answered at www.continental.com

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I agree the information is on the web site, but I'd like to add something here.
Personally I dont think its worth upgrading for the international flights.
If its not a full fare ticket, the upgrade cost could be over $400 and it takes
a lot of miles. Instead you are better off buying an international firstclass
using your miles or cash. I've never found upgrading using miles a better
option with Continental.

Have you seen some of the international BF fares recently? On random dates I just looked at later in Feb, EWR-LGW is over $3,000 - and this is a Z fare (cheapest BF on that route), I've often seen it be twice that.

Compared with this, using miles to upgrade, even with an additional fee on top of the economy fare, is an incredibly good deal. Now getting availability on the other hand, there's a different story.... :)

RE UPGRADING TO NRT/ASIAN MARKETS:

1. 25,000 MILES EACH WAY TO B/F

2. YOU CAN UPGRADE YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS REGARDLESS OF STATUS USING YOUR ACCOUNT MILAGE AS LONG AS R CLASS IS AVAILABLE....MAKE SURE THAT IF THEY ARE NOT ONEPASS MEMBERS THAT THEY SIGN UP BECAUSE THE EQM'S AND MILAGE EARNED ARE SUBSTANTIAL EVE FOR NON-ELITES.

3. USE THE H FARE AND NOT THE DISOUNT ECONOMY FARES. REASON: THE MONEY WORKS OUT ABOUT THE SAME AND THE H FARE IS FAR LESS RESTRICTIVE....PLUS, YOU CAN LOSE YOUR 400 EACH WAY FEE IF YOU CANCEL PLANS AND DO NOT RE-BOOK.

Thanks for the answers to my questions customdirect!

As far as the first and second person who answered my post, why do you even bother to post something that is obviously not what I'm looking for? Why not just ignore my questions if they bother you? Or, if you have the time to post, at least try to be helpful.

^ ^ ^ ^ For some reason some Flyertalkers would rather be condescending than helpful. Fortunately, they seem to spend a lot of time suspended. I should probably try to figure out how to block these posters as it seems there are only a few. Most FTers, like CUSTOMDIRECT, want to be helpful. There's enough negative energy in the travel world without adding to it here.

If you have any problems finding upgrades on CO metal via IAH or EWR, try NW metal. Not as nice of a service; however, better seats and usually better availability.

- Pat

Asia Flights
 

Also check out how much Y fares are --they're often significantly less than the J/D/Z fares on the Asian routes ...and allow you to upgrade to BusinessFirst for only 25,000 miles round-trip (at least they do now.)

And I agree with the previous poster --NW may have an inferior product to Asia, but they do have lots of availability (and the opportunity to sit upstairs in the 747.) Explore/price out all of your options.

OK, I hate to get off-topic here, but it's not that these people are purposefully trying to be condescending or unhelpful. It's actually the opposite. When you see 4-5 threads per month asking essentially the same question (here's a similar one from yesterday) it gets to the point where useful information becomes scattered about in multiple threads, and FT in general becomes less helpful as an information store. Ever do a search and come up with 30 threads to have to wade through for basic information? I think that's one reason the apparent hostility materializes here. But in the end sometimes it's better to just point people toward the information so they'll know where to go get it next time. What's the saying? "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime."

But lest I risk a suspension...
Yes, you can upgrade yourself and your family. It will require 50,000 miles for each person round-trip, if you purchase anything less than a full "Y" fare (currently $3650 r/t). Further, depending on exactly which fare type you purchase, there will also be a fee (in addition to the fare) of up to $900 round-trip. So basically it's going to cost you at least $1,500 per person plus miles for the upgrade.

Here are 2 relevant pages from continental.com:
http://www.continental.com/onepass/r...rade/types.asp
http://www.continental.com/onepass/r...ts/chart_4.asp

For what it's worth, I've flown CO and NW several times long-haul upfront (Hong Kong, Bangkok) and noticed no appreciable difference in service on either carrier. I would fly either one again, although I prefer to sit upstairs in a 747. :)

By using the term "NW metal" rather than "NW," this presumably means code-shares, and the upgrades would be done through CO reservations.

However, in some markets -- such as GUM and SPN -- there are no code-shares available.

This is true, and once you are at the mercy of the inventory NW feeds to CO for partner rewards, the availability is no longer so great.

Many times, I have called CO for partner rewards to Asia on NW "flights" and have been told there is no award availability (NW: D, C or I Class). Calling NW reveals wide open D,C and I class for its own members but that does not help those of us who bank our miles on the CO side.





eeds to CO