Question about upgrade on AF codeshare or CO
 

It has been a while since I have posted, but I am flying to Lisbon at the end of the month on business and have the choice of Continental or Delta codeshare on Air France. I will be on a full fare Y ticket, but since my limited travel lately has been spread across multiple airlines, I no longer have any status.

Do I have any chance of a gate upgrade from full fare coach on either Air France or on Continental?

Thanks,

Any chance? Yes. A realistic chance? Not so much.

Exactly. The OP's only chance is for an op-up. That occurs when coach is oversold and some pax are reaccmodated in business. Although there is speculation about exactly how the pax are selected for op-ups, it is pretty widely agreed that the GA starts with the elite pax of the operating airline.

In this case, IF there is the need for any op-up(s), the AF (or CO) elite pax would be upgraded before any other pax. Sometimes, the GA upgrades all of the elites of the operating airline and then moves on to the elites of other SkyTeam airlines. It does happen, it has happened to me (got an op-up on a NW flight as a DL elite), but it is VERY rare.

However, since the OP doesn't have any status, the odds for an op-up are in the same range of winning Megaball.

See what the fare difference between your full Y and paid Business is.