If I use a combination of miles + $$$ to upgrade to BF on EWR-HNL-EWR (I know its an awful thought), will I at least get 150% EQM?

No, you will be given EQM based ont he original paid fare class.

-Vincent

Only if you're upgrading a full Y fare.

An H fare also would yield 150% EQMs.

Save your miles and your money - hawaii is no longer BF.
SR

It's a slightly modified BusinessFirst - still the VERY best premium cabin to Hawai'i.

-Vincent

Given the length of the flight, if you're the type who is willing to upgrade using miles and copay from a low fare, this flight is worth it, despite the slightly reduced food offerings and lack of amenity kit.

It's almost the exact same thing. I fly BF from HNL-Europe often enough, (usually always on a 764->762) and the seat is identical. So you don't get an amenity kit with $5 of goodies for Hawaii, big deal... it's definitely worth it to fly BF to Hawaii compared to the other alternatives.

I dunno, I flew AA in F to HNL before. Other than the inferior seat, the rest of the service was about the same and I saved a heap of money by comparison.

That said, they really ought to give you something in terms of EQM for all that extra cash, since it is pretty darn close to (and sometimes more than) paying for the bloody H or Y fare in the first place!

One other thing to consider about upgrading on the CO n/s EWR-HNL flights: it's pretty unlikely that you'll be able to get an upgrade unless you're going at a very non-peak travel time, as the 767 which CO uses on this route has only four rows of BF seats (20 total, less 1 reserved for pilot rest). As the upgrade fee is non-refundable (at least your miles are refundable), it's a gamble, and not a very good one. I fly this r/t several times a year, and have begun simply paying the BF fare rather than coach + miles + upgrade fees, which comes out (if you buy enough in advance to get a Z fare) to be about the same. I have never been on this flight when it's not sold out (at least not since they stopped flying it with a DC-10; yes, I've been doing it for a while).

Not always true. CO ususually uses the 764 on this route. See the timetable.

Also, the service fees are never charged until the upgrade clears. If they charged you the service fee without the upgrade clearing, it 1) would be a complete disaster, 2) no one would ever try to upgrade because they would lose their fees, and 3) CO would get sued for for keeping the fee without providing additional consideration.

BusinessFirst Select Economy Fares Upgrade Policy: Members who purchase a H, K, N, B, O, V, U, Q, I, S, W, T, X or L (or equivalent) fare can pay a non-refundable service fee in addition to the miles in order to upgrade to BusinessFirst. Members will only be charged the service fee when the BusinessFirst upgrade has been cleared.

http://www.continental.com/onepass/r...rade/types.asp

For whatever reason, the last few times I've flown EWR-HNL I've always gotten the four-row 767 version (although when I connect through IAH I seem to end up on the seven-row version). Maybe just my bad luck! And I stand corrected on the upgrade fee; unless that policy is a change, which I doubt, then I've been sweating bullets for no reason on my EWR-LGW upgrades! Thanks!

And hence crippy's comments still stand, as it is the 764 that sometimes has only 4 rows of F/J (the Micronesia version). Obviously there is a big difference in F/J availability on a regular 764 and an AirMike 764, that one cannot discern from the timetable.

Yes, you have been sweating bullets for no reason. I assume that either (1) you don't check your credit card statements very carefully, (2) you don't request the upgrade until shortly before the flight anyway or (3) your upgrades clear at the time of request or shortly thereafter. #1 and #2 seem more likely.

I must admit, sheepishly, it's actually #3. OK, it COULD also be #1, but it's not in this one instance.

One other word from me on the differing 767s on this route. It does appear that on the CO downloadable timetable the 4-row 767 (called a 767) operates on the Sunday / Monday flights, with the 7-row 767 (called a 764) operating on the other days. Guess when I'm usually flying EWR-HNL? You guessed it, Sunday night returning or Monday going. So my sample, although accurate for ME, looks to represent only 1/7 of the actual flights. But regardless, you can book a phantom BF reservation up to "check seats" just to be sure.

Ah, so one can discern between the 3 different 767 configurations on the timetable?! I did not realize that -- good to know.