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
Jan 22, 2020, 2:56 pm
#1321
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: HEL
Programs: AY Platinum, TK Elite, BT VIP, AA, BA, SK, DL, NT, WB + hotels
Posts: 8,749
And it's also only 28 euros/hour. For a 12-hour-flight, that's not too much. Take the upgrade and then, mid-flight, take a walk around the plane. Look at those people crammed to their cramped Y seats, trying to snooze. I'm sure you'll realise you made the right choice.
Jan 22, 2020, 7:00 pm
#1322
Join Date: May 2015
Location: ATL/MCO
Programs: Costco Executive, RaceTrac Sultan of Soda, Chick-fil-A Red
Posts: 5,662
I have mixed feelings. Yes, it is just over half the highest upgrade prices that I'd seen (580€ or so). But it is still effectively doubling the half-round-trip price. I already have all the business class benefits from status at the airports, won't need the extra bag allowance, won't get extra points and will land in the afternoon, not too long before I can crash into a nice hotel bed.
Paradoxically I'd have been more keen to spend 50,000 points if the price was 580€.
Paradoxically I'd have been more keen to spend 50,000 points if the price was 580€.
Jan 22, 2020, 7:57 pm
#1323
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: DFW/IAH
Programs: UA GS 4MM, AA ConciergeKey 2MM, HH Lifetime Diamond
Posts: 7
Adding my entry with the format. I had a meeting in Oulu and decided to take my wife with me touring the nordic region, so far we've been to Helsinki, Oulu, St Petersburg and will visit Tallinn, Riga and Stockholm. We do not like cruises (princess had enough of it after taking a Carnival ship to the Bahamas back in the 1990's) so I booked two value tickets to ARN and took up their €55 offer. Will this increase the tier points my wife needs for BAEC? Sadly I cannot enjoy the famous reindeer on AY as Lifemiles releasing two LH F seats to IAH won over it.
Fee: €55
Fare: Value (Q)
Tier: AA ConciergeKey and my beautiful wife BA Gold
Advance: 7 days
Conveyance: App
Fee: €55
Fare: Value (Q)
Tier: AA ConciergeKey and my beautiful wife BA Gold
Advance: 7 days
Conveyance: App
Jan 22, 2020, 10:22 pm
#1325
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Seat 1L these days :)
Programs: AF Platinum/AY LUMO/SK EBG/baEC S/HYATT Globalist/MR LTP/A3 *G/HH Dia/IHG plat
Posts: 7,957
Jan 26, 2020, 4:02 am
#1327
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: The Baltic Sea
Programs: AY, BT, DY and SK. Scandic, Radisson, Marriott and HHonors. ClubONE
Posts: 5,890
Itinerary: HEL-CPH
Fee: 94€ (!) or 7500p
Fare: Campaign
Tier: Silver
Validity:
Advance: 14 days
Conveyance: app
Who said something about reasonable cash prices?
Fee: 94€ (!) or 7500p
Fare: Campaign
Tier: Silver
Validity:
Advance: 14 days
Conveyance: app
Who said something about reasonable cash prices?
Feb 2, 2020, 5:00 am
#1328
Join Date: Oct 2019
Posts: 10
Decided to check the upgrade webpage four days before traveling. Was surprised to find a reasonable upgrade offer. I’m not a Finnair Plus member. Confirmed the HEL-CTS upgrade right away, did not take the GOT-HEL upgrade.
Itinerary: GOT-HEL
Fee: €73
Fare: Q
Tier: None
Validity: Unspecified
Advance: 4 days
Conveyance: Webpage
Itinerary: HEL-CTS
Fee: €300
Fare: Q
Tier: None
Validity: Unspecified
Advance: 4 days
Conveyance: Webpage
Purchased original return ticket from GOT to CTS for around €540. I think the HEL-CTS upgrade offer is good value considering the better sleep I’d have on the 9 hour flight before a 9 AM arrival at CTS, and trying out AY’s business class ex-HEL (always wanted to try the reindeer). Also got seat 8L which seems pretty good. Overall I’m pretty happy with it, can’t wait to be on board!
Itinerary: GOT-HEL
Fee: €73
Fare: Q
Tier: None
Validity: Unspecified
Advance: 4 days
Conveyance: Webpage
Itinerary: HEL-CTS
Fee: €300
Fare: Q
Tier: None
Validity: Unspecified
Advance: 4 days
Conveyance: Webpage
Purchased original return ticket from GOT to CTS for around €540. I think the HEL-CTS upgrade offer is good value considering the better sleep I’d have on the 9 hour flight before a 9 AM arrival at CTS, and trying out AY’s business class ex-HEL (always wanted to try the reindeer). Also got seat 8L which seems pretty good. Overall I’m pretty happy with it, can’t wait to be on board!
Feb 2, 2020, 5:33 am
#1330
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: 14,174
Again getting the sense Finnair rather sells upgrades at low prices than fufilling the expectation of tier members to be able to use vouchers...
Feb 2, 2020, 5:52 am
#1331
Join Date: Jun 2015
Programs: AY+, SK EB
Posts: 2,958
Feb 2, 2020, 5:53 am
#1332
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: HEL
Programs: AY, SK, TK
Posts: 7,598
Feb 2, 2020, 6:02 am
#1333
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: 14,174
Checking now, there indeed seems to be 2 seats every now and then to CTS. A far cry from what used to be available at T-330 on just about all destinations, but it does seems like CTS is one of the few destinations where you can get a an upgrade confirmed even more than 59 days out.
Feb 2, 2020, 6:15 am
#1334
Join Date: Apr 2019
Programs: AY Platinum/OWE
Posts: 195
Isn’t CTS a A330 destination though? I have usually seen much better U availability on the A330 JPN flights like FUK and KIX-by-night. I would be surprised to find this cheap offer on AY77 (my standard route which my previous prices was referring to).
That being said, looking at this thread does indicate that AY is willing to do cash upgrades for less, and over time this will definitely enhance elite experiences.
That being said, looking at this thread does indicate that AY is willing to do cash upgrades for less, and over time this will definitely enhance elite experiences.
Feb 3, 2020, 10:48 am
#1335
Join Date: May 2014
Location: HEL
Programs: AY+Plat, ALL Plat, Scandic L2
Posts: 3,620
I'm not sure that's really fair. My cheap HEL-SIN offer (whose price is going up and and down everyday around 330€) is and always was available for 50,000 points or presumably voucher (though I don't have any to redeem right now).