TATL Upgrades using Skymiles and SWUs on Air France/KLM
#766
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: ORD/MDW
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#767
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: LIT, CDG
Programs: DL PM, AA Gold, Hilton Gold, Choice Hotels Plat, Avis First, AMEX MR Plat
Posts: 83
Any idea when those "changes afoot" could take place or what they may end up being? My remaining SWU are now worthless as almost all of my flights are US/France. I've just requalified for PM next year so needless to say I won't be picking SWU for my '13 Choice Benefit.
#768
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: ORD/MDW
Programs: DL DM; SPG Gold
Posts: 1,733
Re. SWU though, I now use my SWU to upgrade domestically on Plat/Diamond heavy routes and used to use 15k skymiles to upgrade W to O anyway. So I will still find use of my 4 SWUs. It's really my miles that will be worthless for me...
#769
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: NJ
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#770
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#771
Join Date: Jun 2008
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 167
Just to be specific -- O inventory hasn't dried up period, it's dried up in the short term. March and April are wide open from LAX. I realize it doesn't help to those that are planning trips in the short term but it's also a far cry from saying the SWU is worthless.
#772
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: New York, western US
Programs: DM/3MM
Posts: 4,246
Just to be specific -- O inventory hasn't dried up period, it's dried up in the short term. March and April are wide open from LAX. I realize it doesn't help to those that are planning trips in the short term but it's also a far cry from saying the SWU is worthless.
I did look at some random dates in 2013, JFK - CDG. Many days with no availability, some with the availability on the last flight, and even a day when O is at 9 for all AF flights (3/11/13).
I have been looking at JFK-CDG O inventory last month for any day between then and December 1, and found zero O availability. I hope there's some further clarity on this in the future; I chose the SWUs as choice benefits as I was planning on using them for this purpose, and have been unable to do so this year (although I have bought Business class TATL seats on several occasions, so O could have been available for upgrade but I didn't look).
#773
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http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/flyin...-voyageur.html
#774
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: LIT, CDG
Programs: DL PM, AA Gold, Hilton Gold, Choice Hotels Plat, Avis First, AMEX MR Plat
Posts: 83
Just to be specific -- O inventory hasn't dried up period, it's dried up in the short term. March and April are wide open from LAX. I realize it doesn't help to those that are planning trips in the short term but it's also a far cry from saying the SWU is worthless.
#776
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: ORD/MDW
Programs: DL DM; SPG Gold
Posts: 1,733
Agreed and I should caveat my earlier post - for my personal situation, I usually book 3-5 weeks in advance so the flights way out don't do me any good (Sept-Nov had O availability 6 months ago as well). And as I don't do much domestic travel I don't have the opportunity to use my SWU there.
#777
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 710
Have spent over 3 hours on the phone with Air France (AKA DL) then the skyteam desk, then the reissue desk who finally cancelled the upgrade. They are absolutely INSISTENT that Air France tickets in S are not upgradeable unless they are fully unrestricted. I then got disconnected, finally got reconnected with the Skyteam upgrade desk who said that they would be happy to process the upgrade for an addition $6000 fare. I gave up and told them to just sell me A.
#778
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: ORD/MDW
Programs: DL DM; SPG Gold
Posts: 1,733
Have spent over 3 hours on the phone with Air France (AKA DL) then the skyteam desk, then the reissue desk who finally cancelled the upgrade. They are absolutely INSISTENT that Air France tickets in S are not upgradeable unless they are fully unrestricted. I then got disconnected, finally got reconnected with the Skyteam upgrade desk who said that they would be happy to process the upgrade for an addition $6000 fare. I gave up and told them to just sell me A.
The bad news is the non sense regarding S fare:
Here is from delta.com
http://www.delta.com/skymiles/about_...erts/index.jsp
Redemptions on Air France
Valid on most transatlantic flights operated by Air France.1
One-way upgrade from Economy when booked in Y, B, or M class to Premium Voyageur class. Valid for travel on and after June 01, 2011.
or
One-way upgrade from Premium Voyageur when booked in S or W class to Business class. Valid for booking on and after June 01, 2011.
I think something was not right and I believe that those agents were wrong.
Unless.. were you trying to upgrade using Skymiles (miles or SWU)? or FLying Blue miles?
#779
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: LIT, CDG
Programs: DL PM, AA Gold, Hilton Gold, Choice Hotels Plat, Avis First, AMEX MR Plat
Posts: 83
BTW, congrats Cellisttoo on finding O availability, but it wasn't on the AF 747 BOS-CDG by chance? That could explain the cost as there is no PV (but then there shouldn't have been an AF S fare..)
I thought FB members could grab C seats that aren't available to SM members?
#780
FlyerTalk Evangelist & Ambassador: China
Join Date: Aug 2005
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I agree, I've never had an issue upgrading an S fare using SM miles or SWU. It can be a pain getting the re-issue but never a problem grabbing the O seat.
BTW, congrats Cellisttoo on finding O availability, but it wasn't on the AF 747 BOS-CDG by chance? That could explain the cost as there is no PV (but then there shouldn't have been an AF S fare..)
I thought FB members could grab C seats that aren't available to SM members?
BTW, congrats Cellisttoo on finding O availability, but it wasn't on the AF 747 BOS-CDG by chance? That could explain the cost as there is no PV (but then there shouldn't have been an AF S fare..)
I thought FB members could grab C seats that aren't available to SM members?