Mar 12, 2015, 3:34 pm
Last edit by: Marschel
Background
From time to time, AY will make the Y traveller an offer to upgrade. This thread lists when, how and and how much the upgrade is.
Selection process is unknown, but it is likely that neither fare class on original ticket nor tier status of traveller is a selection criteria, at least not to travellers advantage. From the reports made so far, both travellers with and without FF# in the reservation have gotten offers.
Offers are likely made only when Y is oversold or nearly full. Some travellers have reported declining offer and being upgraded for free later ("op-up").
Offers are fixed price offers, either in € or in AY+points. The latter kind is only valid for members of AY+, while €-offers are directed to all kind of travellers.
Offers are made either in mail or via text message and recipient has 72 hours to repspond. Some reports says this time is now shortened to 48 hours. Text message offers typically arrive close to departure and may not state a last time to reply.
Offers in text message can be replied to and upgrade is instantly processed. Offers in mail has occasionally not cleared (said to be "sold out" when accepting offer too late).
If offer is accepted and upgrade clears, new ticket is issued in F, so a confirmed upgrade with all perks of business class included. Mileage earning is according to original fare class however.
Development
In august 2015 AY announced a trial to let travellers bid for upgrades, initially on AY89 and AY90. It is likely that bidding will affect the number of fixed price offers.
The trial has been made permanent, and the bidding for upgrade has been extended to more longhaul routes.
The program has also led to a consolidation of upgrade options to one webpage
https://www.finnair.com/int/gb/upgrade-options
where you can upgrade by bidding, by using AY+ points or by accepting last minute cash offers. The latter ("Last minute" offers) are the same as have been discussed in this thread.. Finnair still pushes those offers via e-mail and text-message, but now also shows them on this webpage.
Offers made
Here is a condensed list of offers made, processed including post #213.
Figures are in € unless otherwise stated. Each destination's offers are recorded in a single line in time order.
Longhaul
SIN-HEL 248, 348, 348
HEL-SIN 499, 499, 348, 349€
JFK-HEL 48k points, 348€, 348€, 499
HKG-HEL 248
HEL-HKG 348
BKK-HEL 298, 348, 348
HEL-BKK 48k points, 348€, 348€ (290€ on phone? Not yet confirmed)
HEL-HKT 348
NRT-HEL 498
HEL-KIX 348, 375 (12/19, 01/20)
KIX-HEL 391 (12/19, 01/20)
ICN-HEL 248, 318
HEL-PVG 298
PVG-HEL 448, 498
CKG-HEL 228
XIY-HEL 248
HEL-DEL 198
HEL-DEL 300 (4/19)
YYZ-HEL 225€, 225
Shorthaul
DXB-HEL 99
HEL-VNO 7k points
HEL-BUD 69€
BUD-HEL 69, 8k points, 69
HEL-PRG 69€
PRG-HEL ≈70€
CPH-HEL 7k points, 7k, 69€, 7k, 69€
HEL-CPH 69€, 69, 69
HEL-ARN 7,5k points, 41€
HEL-GOT 7k points
GOT-HEL 7k points
HEL-VIE 69€
HEL-CDG 69€, 69€, 69
CDG-HEL 89€
HEL-MXP 69
HEL-TXL 9k points, 9k
HEL-DUS 69
HEL-HAM 69,69
HAM-HEL 69
HEL-FRA 69€
FRA-HEL 69€, 89, 89€
BRU-HEL 69
GVA-HEL 69
HEL-GVA 69, 89
HEL-LHR 9k points
HEL-LHR 109€
HEL-MAD 89€, 9k points
HEL-SVO 69€
HEL-WAW 79€
WAW-HEL 79€
DUS-HEL 69€
HEL-OSL 42€
HEL-MUC 90 (01/20)
MUC-HEL 115€ (01/20)
From time to time, AY will make the Y traveller an offer to upgrade. This thread lists when, how and and how much the upgrade is.
Selection process is unknown, but it is likely that neither fare class on original ticket nor tier status of traveller is a selection criteria, at least not to travellers advantage. From the reports made so far, both travellers with and without FF# in the reservation have gotten offers.
Offers are likely made only when Y is oversold or nearly full. Some travellers have reported declining offer and being upgraded for free later ("op-up").
Offers are fixed price offers, either in € or in AY+points. The latter kind is only valid for members of AY+, while €-offers are directed to all kind of travellers.
Offers are made either in mail or via text message and recipient has 72 hours to repspond. Some reports says this time is now shortened to 48 hours. Text message offers typically arrive close to departure and may not state a last time to reply.
Offers in text message can be replied to and upgrade is instantly processed. Offers in mail has occasionally not cleared (said to be "sold out" when accepting offer too late).
If offer is accepted and upgrade clears, new ticket is issued in F, so a confirmed upgrade with all perks of business class included. Mileage earning is according to original fare class however.
Development
In august 2015 AY announced a trial to let travellers bid for upgrades, initially on AY89 and AY90. It is likely that bidding will affect the number of fixed price offers.
The trial has been made permanent, and the bidding for upgrade has been extended to more longhaul routes.
The program has also led to a consolidation of upgrade options to one webpage
https://www.finnair.com/int/gb/upgrade-options
where you can upgrade by bidding, by using AY+ points or by accepting last minute cash offers. The latter ("Last minute" offers) are the same as have been discussed in this thread.. Finnair still pushes those offers via e-mail and text-message, but now also shows them on this webpage.
Offers made
Here is a condensed list of offers made, processed including post #213.
Figures are in € unless otherwise stated. Each destination's offers are recorded in a single line in time order.
Longhaul
SIN-HEL 248, 348, 348
HEL-SIN 499, 499, 348, 349€
JFK-HEL 48k points, 348€, 348€, 499
HKG-HEL 248
HEL-HKG 348
BKK-HEL 298, 348, 348
HEL-BKK 48k points, 348€, 348€ (290€ on phone? Not yet confirmed)
HEL-HKT 348
NRT-HEL 498
HEL-KIX 348, 375 (12/19, 01/20)
KIX-HEL 391 (12/19, 01/20)
ICN-HEL 248, 318
HEL-PVG 298
PVG-HEL 448, 498
CKG-HEL 228
XIY-HEL 248
HEL-DEL 198
HEL-DEL 300 (4/19)
YYZ-HEL 225€, 225
Shorthaul
DXB-HEL 99
HEL-VNO 7k points
HEL-BUD 69€
BUD-HEL 69, 8k points, 69
HEL-PRG 69€
PRG-HEL ≈70€
CPH-HEL 7k points, 7k, 69€, 7k, 69€
HEL-CPH 69€, 69, 69
HEL-ARN 7,5k points, 41€
HEL-GOT 7k points
GOT-HEL 7k points
HEL-VIE 69€
HEL-CDG 69€, 69€, 69
CDG-HEL 89€
HEL-MXP 69
HEL-TXL 9k points, 9k
HEL-DUS 69
HEL-HAM 69,69
HAM-HEL 69
HEL-FRA 69€
FRA-HEL 69€, 89, 89€
BRU-HEL 69
GVA-HEL 69
HEL-GVA 69, 89
HEL-LHR 9k points
HEL-LHR 109€
HEL-MAD 89€, 9k points
HEL-SVO 69€
HEL-WAW 79€
WAW-HEL 79€
DUS-HEL 69€
HEL-OSL 42€
HEL-MUC 90 (01/20)
MUC-HEL 115€ (01/20)
Please post your upgrade offers
Apr 22, 2019, 10:44 am
#1141
Join Date: Aug 2017
Programs: AY+ Gold
Posts: 147
I'm actually not sure since I haven't been following AY for a while but you can always gamble for a better offer at check-in, gate or inside the aircraft ...
Last similar offer I've found on this thread for HEL-ORD was at 500 EUR. To me 460 EUR is not good enough either.
Last similar offer I've found on this thread for HEL-ORD was at 500 EUR. To me 460 EUR is not good enough either.
Apr 22, 2019, 11:24 am
#1142
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: TMP
Programs: AY+ Plat, SK Gold, BT VIP, Radisson Premium, Accor Platinum
Posts: 794
Apr 23, 2019, 6:26 pm
#1144
Join Date: May 2017
Programs: AY Plat (OWE), TK Elite (*G), BT VIP, HH D, BW DS
Posts: 484
Apr 24, 2019, 2:24 am
#1145
Moderator, Finnair
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2011
Location: MMX (CPH)
Programs: Eurobonus Diamond, QR Gold, AY+ Platinum, A3*G, Nordic Choice Lifetime Platinum, SJ Prio Black
Posts: 14,180
Now this really begs the question.
Is J award and upgrade now sharing inventory? (I know - no one here can know for certain, but educated guesses)
Wouldn't that explain a lot? Award space has always been more limited than upgrade so that would explain the huge surge in waitlisting.
And if so, then no hope for a return of plannable upgrades. Then I'd say they decided awards and upgrades should compete and waitlist is the way to go to restore some of that decent F availability of the past. But first try to sell that space as upgrades for cash.
So upgrades now competes with everything else and is put last in line
Is J award and upgrade now sharing inventory? (I know - no one here can know for certain, but educated guesses)
Wouldn't that explain a lot? Award space has always been more limited than upgrade so that would explain the huge surge in waitlisting.
And if so, then no hope for a return of plannable upgrades. Then I'd say they decided awards and upgrades should compete and waitlist is the way to go to restore some of that decent F availability of the past. But first try to sell that space as upgrades for cash.
So upgrades now competes with everything else and is put last in line
Apr 24, 2019, 3:44 am
#1146
Join Date: May 2017
Programs: AY Plat (OWE), TK Elite (*G), BT VIP, HH D, BW DS
Posts: 484
Now this really begs the question.
Is J award and upgrade now sharing inventory? (I know - no one here can know for certain, but educated guesses)
Wouldn't that explain a lot? Award space has always been more limited than upgrade so that would explain the huge surge in waitlisting.
And if so, then no hope for a return of plannable upgrades. Then I'd say they decided awards and upgrades should compete and waitlist is the way to go to restore some of that decent F availability of the past. But first try to sell that space as upgrades for cash.
So upgrades now competes with everything else and is put last in line
Is J award and upgrade now sharing inventory? (I know - no one here can know for certain, but educated guesses)
Wouldn't that explain a lot? Award space has always been more limited than upgrade so that would explain the huge surge in waitlisting.
And if so, then no hope for a return of plannable upgrades. Then I'd say they decided awards and upgrades should compete and waitlist is the way to go to restore some of that decent F availability of the past. But first try to sell that space as upgrades for cash.
So upgrades now competes with everything else and is put last in line
Flight is 4 months out, midweek, so I would find it unlikely that someone managed to book 2 tickets in that 10 minute window between checking EF and getting the upgrade ticketed. Saw your post and was hoping for more conclusive results, but no idea what happened there.Maybe AY's algorithm got scared that someone was able to upgrade without WL and decided to kill the remaining availability right away
Apr 24, 2019, 4:15 am
#1147
Moderator, Finnair
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2011
Location: MMX (CPH)
Programs: Eurobonus Diamond, QR Gold, AY+ Platinum, A3*G, Nordic Choice Lifetime Platinum, SJ Prio Black
Posts: 14,180
Yeah, I am leaning towards they are doing some kind of dynamic inventory. Display U3, but after one booking (regardless of no of seats) zero out availability and re-assess.
May 2, 2019, 2:09 pm
#1152
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: HEL
Programs: BA Gold, OZ Diamond, LH Silver
Posts: 553
City-pair: HEL-TXL
Price offered: 50€
FF tier on reservation: BA OWE
Original ticket type: Light
When the offer was made: 13 days before
How the offer was made: e-mail
City-pair: NCE-HEL
Price offered: 160€
FF tier on reservation: BA OWE
Original ticket type: Light
When the offer was made: 13 days before
How the offer was made: e-mail
Price offered: 50€
FF tier on reservation: BA OWE
Original ticket type: Light
When the offer was made: 13 days before
How the offer was made: e-mail
City-pair: NCE-HEL
Price offered: 160€
FF tier on reservation: BA OWE
Original ticket type: Light
When the offer was made: 13 days before
How the offer was made: e-mail
May 14, 2019, 5:09 am
#1154
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 11
Itinerary: ARN-HEL
Fee: 50€
Ticket type: light
Tier: BA Silver
Validity: 36 hours
Advance: 2 weeks
Conveyance: email
I think that means 50 euro for breakfast as far as I can make out. Apparently I don't get any additional BA tier points for it.
Fee: 50€
Ticket type: light
Tier: BA Silver
Validity: 36 hours
Advance: 2 weeks
Conveyance: email
I think that means 50 euro for breakfast as far as I can make out. Apparently I don't get any additional BA tier points for it.