Wozza2404

The flight is 13 hours, which is about $80 an hour at $1000. Well worth it, IMHO, though I doubt you'd be successful at the $1000 min bid but if it were me I'd be taking a shot at it.

You can always ask in the airport, people get lucky.

srs507

I got the same option, $1000 minimum bid for Y to J on the same sector. I've done this flight in Y before, I can handle it...I'll see if I can swing an upgrade at the airport.

I've put in a minimum bid of $120 for AUH-BLR, and upgraded my BLR-AUH sector using miles. What's the lounge access rules if you are in J on one sector and Y on the other, will they let you in the business class lounge or am I relegated to the Al Reem lounge with my status?

Wozza2404

Depends. I've never had a problem accessing the F lounge on an F inbound BP with my onward in J.

Having said that, an Indian chap I work with has always been refused the same request. I don't know if I'm a little more confident, as I don't give them time to think about it, I just wander off towards the F door. He's adamant it's the colour of his skin that gets him the lesser treatment, though.

srs507

I'll report back in the next few days with how it goes, I'm also of Indian decent (but speak with a New York accent, born and raised!). Seems my bid cleared for my AUH-BLR flight, my credit card was charged and my "manage my booking" page says I'm in pearl business - but have not received any notification. I need to call them to have a seat assigned as well, it's not letting me do that online for my itinerary.

Wozza2404

Yeah don't worry about that. I have status and still usually can't book a seat online. A call will sort it.

srs507

Yep sorted it, I got a seat in row 2 for AUH-BLR, and row 1 for BLR-AUH.

Now, to figure out how to get an upgrade for JFK-AUH and the return...hmmm. hahah

stuie2210

Flew lhr - auh - bkk and back last month in j and i was offered the upgrade to f on the lhr-auh, auh-lhr legs. I offered £450 for each (slightly above the minimum of £420) and was successful on both legs. Thoroughly enjoyed the first lounge in auh and the suite was worth it imho.

overhear

We're flying MEL-AUH-ORD and all the legs of my upgrade offer are showing minimum bids of $1230 AUD ($1102 USD). Ouch! Maybe because it's the holiday season?

Wozza2404

Depends how you look at it. Some people would consider less than $100 an hour for F over J to be good value.

overhear

I realize that, and it may well be. But it's unfortunately out of my price range.

Wozza2404

Fair enough, but your original post questioned whether this was due to the holidays, but to me it looks like the price I'd expect it to be.

AUH-LHR is regularly offered at $650+, and snapped up by many people. So for a flight more than twice as long $1100 seems about right. Wouldn't have thought it was inflated for the holidays.

overhear

Good to know. Thanks for the info, Wozza.

Jclarke923

This Etihad pay-for-upgrade system is causing me some concerns based on a recent experience on a BXL-AUH-PEK-AUH-BXL flight. I was trying to use points to upgrade on the PEK-AUH leg of my return journey and was told no seats were available for upgrade. However, I checked on the web site, and I could see only one seat was currently taken in the biz section on that flight. When I phoned them again to point this out, I was told again that no seats were available for upgrade on that flight. Shortly thereafter, in fact maybe the same day, I got the email about making an offer on paying for the upgrade. Reluctantly, I made an offer of around 480 euros (minimum was 450 euros). I kept receiving additional mails from them about making an offer including this leg, which I found odd because it seemed to imply that I could increase my offer but it didn't really say that. When I checked in for my outbound flight in Brussels, I asked both in Brussels and again in AUH about the status of my offer and no one could give me any information on it! In fact, they kind of looked at me like I had two heads when asking if I got it or not. About 10 hours before the flight, I was informed that my offer for upgrade was NOT accepted without any details given as to why etc.. When I went to check in in Beijing, I found out why. The whole business check-in desk had a long queue of golfers checking in with their full golf bag paraphernalia blocking up the whole check in area. In fact, as a Gold member, I decided to go to the economy line as the queue was shorter and quicker than the business line. So I reckon their tour organiser had somehow worked out a deal with Etihad to block book those seats in business class by paying for the 'upgrades'. This resulted in no seats being available for offer to Etihad guest members to upgrade using points. If the airline keeps making a lot of money this way, it will become increasingly difficult to get upgrades with points in the future. In fact, I was kind of happy not to get it in the end as I saved 480 euros into my pocket. But the whole process and lack of transparency left me slightly dismayed and feeling rather stressed in transit. Note also that if you get this upgrade by paying, you cannot get a limo pickup, probably because it is too close to the flight time.

Wozza2404

Or maybe they were willing to pay €500, and beat your offer? Or maybe they had flexible J tickets and changed their flights, thus filling the plane and consequently voiding all upgrade bids?

EY only offer 2 seats per flight in J for miles upgrades. That's always been the case and hasn't changed. 38 of the 40 business class seats could be available for sale, but if the two that are gone were the two reward seats on that flight, you'll be told there's no space.

fly747first

^