Option to Buy Up Disappears? FCM
 

I am finding it difficult to use the "buy up" to FC. I booked today through our corporate travel agent, waited for the ticket to issue and then went to the itinerary. It gave me the option of upgrade for ~$181, decent for a 2800 MQM set of flights.

So, as I always do for coach tickets, I hit the "Manage Upgrades" button and select to include C+, and it does it's thing, and now I am in C+ with an SU fare basis.

The problem, the option to PAY for the upgrade disappeared. Called the diamond desk and they priced the upgrade at $221. I'm not going to quibble over $40 dollars, but I thought the whole concept of FCM was to keep that upgrade price in front of you to get you to pay... My other coach itineraries have it, why not this one?

Anyone else seeing the pay for option disappear? Thoughts?

Yes, I've seen it come and go. If I wanted it for $181, I would have bought it.

.....

I've seen it come back or change overnight after the initial booking.

On a related note, just reading this thread caused me to take a look at options for one of my trips booked in coach. I was ambivalent about even putting in for an upgrade to Comfort figuring that I would be one of the many that got upgraded at the gate into a center seat from my nice exit row aisle seat.

The flight was 1400m with a connection so I would have at least burned up a couple of drinks. For the first time in my career I checked the upsell prices and was astounded to see that they would upgrade me all the way to first for $52 but could offer Comfort + for $62.

I suspected a scam but I chose my seats in first and gladly paid the $52 with my cc. Why would they offer comfort + for more money?

Is this how it typically works?

I have a flight coming up MKE-ATL-CDG-DTW-MKE. Every time I check my itinerary a box comes up on the side offering me an upgrade from C+ to F on the domestic legs. The prices are absolutely crazy! MKE-ATL for $502??? DTW-MKE for $203???

Couple of data points for some of my upcoming trips:

I have a one-way SEA-LAX-OGG. There was an upgrade offer after I booked but shortly after booking I waitlisted RUCs and now there's no UG offer displayed.

I have a trip to Florida next January. Initial offering was around $300 each way. I didn't bite. Then oddly, it only gave me an option to buy up for the return. First time it was $149 for JAX-ATL-SEA. I didn't jump on it. Next time I logged in, it was over $500+ for JAX-SEA. I regretted not jumping at the $149 offer. The next day I saw $149 for JAX-ATL-SEA again and jumped on it this time. Still no offer for the outbound (SEA-JAX).

Those prices aren't crazy. They used to be the norm before FCM.

Inventory
 

My guess is that there is more inventory available in first vice C+. Some business travel rules prohibit upgrades to first even if you are paying the fare difference out of your own pocket. That would increase demand for C+ relative to first.

Ooooof, that is one short flight, connecting or otherwise!

:D

I also book the majority of my tickets through a corporate travel agent. Whenever I have flights that I want to upgrade, I wait for the ticket to issue (meaning I get a second email from my agency) and call the DM line. The price they quote is always far less than the website.