EQM % Question and randoms
 

I read the FAQ and it says for certain booking classes, you only get 50% EQM. I just tried booking a flight on CO.com from ALB to STR and even though it's in the booking classes which only give you 50% EQMs, it shows that it'll give you 100% EQMs. Why? Here's a photo

http://i40.tinypic.com/11lo19h.png (the second one if the more expensive fare).

I know with starting out, I'm going to have to purchase F tickets, which is fine, but when can I start getting upgrades? What are the general upgrades CO gives, and how many miles does it take to get a F upgrade inter-continental?

I'm leaning towards CO for my diversification needs. Looks like a smart move so can anybody tell me what to expect, and the downfalls of the programme/airline? (This will be for 95% domestic travel - the other 5% to attain the status I need by taking a longhaul flight with CO rather than LH/*A).

I must have skimmed that.

Do you get upgraded in your status as soon as you achieve the miles or do you have to wait? Are domestic and transcont upgrades (viz. Asia) difficult on CO without paying? Or can you just use miles?

The effects of the status kick in the day after the flights credit. If you are going from nothing to elite you have to have your OP number re-added to your existing reservations to make the automatic upgrades start working 100% correctly.

As an elite there are no co-pays on domestic mileage upgrades. There are co-pays on international mileage upgrades for everyone, regardless of status, unless you are on a full Y fare.

If you are flying a lot out of EWR you will not see a ton of free upgrades as a Silver elite. Nor will you see many (any, really) upgrades as as silver on transcon routes. You will likely see upgrades on destinations that are more leisure traffic, but there is no guarantee and all the higher elites will get them ahead of you.

Try reading the FAQ sticky at the top of the forum; most of this information - and lots more, too - is in it.