Another upgrade question
 

I'm currently holding 4 seats for 1/2/07 on CO391 connecting with CO667 (MIA-HOU-SEA). I'm waitlisted for mileage upgrades on all of the segments, realizing that the HOU-SEA is the only one where it would be possible. It's now 6 days until the flights and there are still 10 seats availabile in first, and I'm still waitlisted. I guess I have 2 questions:

1) What are the chances they will release reward seats?

2) If they don't release reward seats, and I correct in assuming that my gold status will upgrade us on Saturday (2 of us are gold), or will they somehow default to taking the miles as well?

Mileage upgrades always clear before EUA's so, if you're waitlisted, you will get a mileage upgrade, not an EUA (until the waitlist closes). In my experience, domestic mileage upgrades often clear when the Platinum EUA window opens.

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But that would have been Tuesday, right?

It's five days before departure. There's still time.

Ah, I thought it was seven...thanks.

Looking back, I should have worded my previous post a bit differently. Mileage upgrades (irrespective of the status of the upgrader) have priority over regular elite upgrades - in practice, that means that they can clear before or at the same time as EUA's if there are enough seats left for EUAs after the mileage upgrades. Even if your mileage upgrade doesn't clear by the Platinum window, that doesn't mean it won't clear. Keep in mind that you will be ahead of any Platinums with respect to upgrade priority and wait it out. Worse that happens is that the mileage will be redeposited without a redeposit fee and you won't get upgraded.

Looks like the worst will happen, which is a disappointment (I know, I should have just paid for first...) It's looking like a whole bunch of Platinums and Golds were upgraded, and I was not. I think it has to do with the fact that it is a two legged flight, and the first leg was sold out in first...Everyone seemed to be saying that it wouldn't affect whether the second leg's waitlist clears for me, but I can't think of any other reason this happened. :-(

Call the elite line and ask them what happened with the segment. It could be that your record is out of sync.

What does that mean?

Also, do you think that it is worth it to call the elite line on New Year's day?

Someone should be there tomorrow; it doesn't hurt to try.

Out of sync just means that something (not of your own making, of course) is preventing your upgrade from being processed - it can happen for various reasons. But, yes, you absolutely should call as soon as possible. CO reservation agents are on duuty 24/7.

I called today, and I got someone who really didn't strike me as an idiot. She spoke with confidence and even double-checked with an alleged supervisor. She made the claim that it was ridiculous for me to think that mileage upgrades would be processed before elite upgrades, and that Silvers would even be processed before me. Since the entire cabin is now full, she redeposited my miles and took me off the waitlist.

Logically, if you are redeeming miles in essence you are "paying" for the upgrade. Since Continental always likes to see a reduction in un-redeemed miles, and since you are essentially "paying" for the upgrade by taking miles off their books, logically you should be awarded the upgrade ahead of any comp upgrades, even Platinum. However, logic is not always the norm in the airline world so there may actually be some "fuzzy-logic" going on behind the scenes. Perhaps COInsider will chime in on this thread and set the record straight on priority when it comes to mileage redemption upgrades.

That being said, I know from experience that even as a Plainum I have sometimes been relegated to coach in the Seattle market. The good folks at the SEA PC (the BEST PC employees in the system IMHO) have informed me that many FC seats are actually purchased or are Easy-pass awards. This is due in some part to the connecting PAX to/from Anchorage and points beyond in Alaska. They seem to have lots of cash and lots of miles to burn. Recently I was on a K fare which I held since June from SEA to EWR and even 6 months out I rode in my original booked seat 14D. Hope this makes you feel a bit better about not getting those upgrades.

Thanks, it does. Usually I just pay the discounted F/C, but when I'm travelling with the kids I tend not to, especially since my daughter prefers coach (!) She feels more comfortable in a center seat with a family member on either side! Maybe I'll see you in the SEA PC some time soon. Btw, when I was there on 12/21, some poor guy who was stranded trying to get to the east on United via Denver (one of the days when the airport was closed) tried to get in using his Amex Platinum, but since he wasn't travelling on COA, the woman at the counter didn't have much sympathy. I took pity and let him in as my guest, but unfortunately for him my flight was boarding about 45 minutes later and the woman actually sought him out to tell him he had to leave. I realized later that he should have just paid the $26 or whatever...I keep forgetting that's an option these days...