fidgetwidget

Total noob to this, so would really appreciate the help. It sounds like calling for Z availability isn't a sure thing anymore. I want to upgrade 3 BR economy up tickets TPE to JFK and I don't want to transfer the miles without knowing I can get the upgrade. What do you all recommend?

bocastephen

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it seems the days of easy upgrades with Z mapped roughly equivalent for both BR and *A upgrade space are over. I've been working on upgrades for two of us next November, and when I call EVA to confirm availability and checking for flights with 6+ Z spaces (should be more than enough to cover 2 *A awards), we're able to upgrade one of us, then the space disappears and we can't upgrade the other. So I am in a cycle of booking/issuing/voiding and then needing to waste time with the MP service center to get my miles back for the one upgrade that cleared.

It may be that BR takes Z from 6 to 0 instantly when one upgrade clears, but since they never answer the phone in the USA, and I need to wait until the Taipei office opens to call, I can't be sure of what's going on until tonight.

After I call this evening, I will be able to better understand if:

1. Z space goes to 0 for all upgrades the moment one clears, or
2. BR is now able to separate Z into different buckets for *A and BR program upgrades behind the scenes - but I am almost positive the phone agents will not disclose availability for the *A bucket because once you mention *A to them, they will clam up and stop discussing availability altogether

It's frankly impossible to get anyone at BR to even acknowledge *A upgrades are possible, or even exist, let alone disclose the likelihood of one clearing. To them it's like Fight Club - never to be talked about.

bocastephen

Update:

1. Z space does NOT go to 0 after processing an upgrade - but it may be reduced by revenue management by 1 or more than 1 seat even with 1 successful upgrade
2. Z space no longer maps 1:1 with *A upgrade awards - BR officially holds back *A upgrades and can decline the automated request from a partner airline to release and process a Z seat in exchange for an upgrade coupon. However, this appears to be a revenue management function, and Z class is not separated into sub-classes (like some airlines do with a secondary character), or at least done in a way that reservations can see it separately

This means you really need to book refundable tickets and keep trying for upgrades on flights with 4+ Z seats in the hope you will get one to clear - and if it does not, be prepared to refund your ticket

fidgetwidget

Wow, ok thank you so much. What a bummer.

skimthetrees

Does anyone happen to know if Z class still corresponds to EVA miles upgrade space (with EVA miles)?

bocastephen

Yes, for EVA miles upgrades, Z should correlate 1:1

skimthetrees

Thanks. Somehow that makes me feel a little better. There is still some order in the Universe.

Dave510

The upgrade miles requirements are so high on EVA's own program that you might as well just make a full award redemption.
​​​

bocastephen

So it looks like *A upgrade awards have disappeared again completely. I decided not to bother calling BR to get a count of Z seats since they no longer map 1:1 (or even 1:3) with *A upgrade options, but I went into my GDS and tried dummy bookings for SFO-TPE and IAH-TPE, on dates where the J cabin seat map was essentially empty, issued the tickets, then tried to run the upgrades and they all failed, so I voided the tickets and now back to square 1.

So now the question is: are there really no *A upgrade seats at all on BR, or has the UA upgrade tool broken again and I am getting false rejections?

I recall AC removed the capability to process *A upgrade awards completely, is there another *A program with an Amex miles transfer option where one can try testing for BR *A upgrades?

skimthetrees

If you are US based you can try ANA.
https://www.ana.co.jp/en/us/amc/star-alliance-upgrade-awards/

Edit:
Oops, reading to the bottom of the ANA *A upgrade page it says UA is the only eligible carrier? What? ANA may not be an option. The UA only statement is under waitlisting so maybe you can do a Star upgrade on EVA? I can't tell from the way they list it, but it makes no sense they would have a Star upgrade only for United so my guess is the upgrade waitlist is only for United.

BlackHappy

I’ve done 3 upgrades using Ana miles in the past month for flights in Aug, Sep, and Oct.

sfo3388

Slightly OT.

Dear OP, were you able to get miles back quickly to your MP account after your BR upgrade was cancelled? Do you have any tricks?

When Air Canada Aeroplan processed SAUA before COVID, the return of miles was instant. However, United takes away my miles in one heartbeat but never returns my miles quickly when SAUA was cancelled. When I wrote to MP, they asked me to show proof that the upgrade was cancelled. I have no idea how to show the upgrade is cancelled?

bocastephen

The miles never come back automatically - you need to chase United MP until they credit them back manually. Usually they can see the ticket status and know if the ticket was canceled, or you can show a boarding pass for the ticket where you flew economy. Did you cancel/refund the ticket? Or just cancel the upgrade and fly economy?

Since you're an AC customer, are they ever going to bring back *A upgrade awards? My understanding is they canceled them for good and will never offer that feature - which is technically a violation of their *A membership.

sfo3388

I always cancelled the entire ticket within 24 hours when SAUA couldn't be confirmed. A few times I had to buy a new ticket with next available dates. (Or fly from SEA or YVR, which seems to have more upgrade seats than SFO, where I am based.) United charged 30K for SAUA between SFO and TPE. I don't have that many 30Ks to hanging between UA and BR. It is just odd that the miles do not go back to United immediately after the SAUA is cancelled. Has been like this for years.

AC Aeroplan still hasn't brought back SAUA.

BTW, my most recent success of SAUA was done in July for a February SFO/TPE. One funny thing was I gave BR agent wrong departure date as I forgot BR17/BR27 leave at 23:30/23:50, instead of after midnight, in February. I didn't call again and decided to take a chance to use correct departure date. The upgrade went through. This is the only time I didn't ask for Z availability.

wchen24

Need some advice. I booked a flight a couple of weeks ago and just discovered the SAUA upgrade process. Managed to get the agent to tell me that there was 4-5 open Z spaces on TPE-SEA (BR26) on Nov 4th.
Problem is right now that I booked in Q and upgrading to B will cost $215. I will also have to move some Chase UR to United.

Any way to confirm that the upgrade will process before I spend the money and move the points?