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
Oct 12, 2014, 2:41 am
#1
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: 14,165
Please post your upgrade offers
It seems AY has increased the number of offers made to Y travellers to upgrade for cash. These offers may come in a mail, text message or possibly at check in and may be made in cash or possibly in discounted amount of points too.
I think it would be nice if this community could gather some information on this so we all can be better informed travellers. Therefore I ask my fellow FT'ers to post some data for each offer they have been made.
If you would be so kind to postwe could quickly get a feel on how common these are and what the going rate is.
Example:
Other comments are of course welcome, like how the loadfactor was, concurrency of op-ups, ...
If you feel this is too much info to post on a public forum, then post as much as you like but prioritize from the top of the list. Or consider to post full list but after your trip.
I think it would be nice if this community could gather some information on this so we all can be better informed travellers. Therefore I ask my fellow FT'ers to post some data for each offer they have been made.
If you would be so kind to post
- City-pair and/or flight number
- Price offered
- Flight date
- FF tier on reservation
- Original ticket type
- When the offer was made
- How the offer was made
Example:
- City-pair: SIN-HEL
- Price offered: 348€
- Flight date: 26-oct-2014
- FF tier on reservation: AY Gold / OW E / None / ...
- Original ticket type: Basic / Value / Pro / Campaign / ...
- When the offer was made: 14 days before take off / Check-in / ...
- How the offer was made: Mail / Text / Check-in / Gorilla Gram / ...
If you feel this is too much info to post on a public forum, then post as much as you like but prioritize from the top of the list. Or consider to post full list but after your trip.
Last edited by intuition; Oct 12, 2014 at 9:29 am
Oct 12, 2014, 3:33 am
#2
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 231
Here is something from this year to get started.
Following offer was also made to person on the same reservation (as above):
- City-pair: HEL-SIN
- Price offered: 499€ (upgrade with 50 000 points instead)
- Flight date: 2014-06-18
- FF tier on reservation: AY plat
- Original ticket type: value
- When the offer was made: 13 days before
- How the offer was made: e-mail
Following offer was also made to person on the same reservation (as above):
- City-pair: HEL-SIN
- Price offered: 499€ (upgrade with 50 000 points instead)
- Flight date: 2014-06-18
- FF tier on reservation: AY silver?
- Original ticket type: value
- When the offer was made: 13 days before
- How the offer was made: e-mail
- City-pair: JFK-HEL
- Price offered: 48 000 points
- Flight date: 2014-03-17
- FF tier on reservation: AY plat
- Original ticket type: AA booking class M
- When the offer was made: same day
- How the offer was made: SMS
Oct 12, 2014, 9:28 am
#4
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: 14,165
Flight number would be more exact, but less readable if one does not know all flight numbers by heart. I'll adjust the description though.
Thanks theBro for starting off the thread with some great data points!
Thanks theBro for starting off the thread with some great data points!
Oct 12, 2014, 11:06 am
#6
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Helsinki, Finland
Programs: AMEX Plat / AY Plat, BA GGL-CCR / Bonvoy Titanium (LTP)
Posts: 474
- City-pair: HKG-HEL / AY70
- Price offered: 248 EUR
- Flight date: 2014-07-14
- FF tier on reservation: AY plat
- Original ticket type: Value
- When the offer was made: 9 days
- How the offer was made: email
Oct 26, 2014, 11:24 pm
#7
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: HEL
Programs: AY Platinum, TK Elite, BT VIP, AA, BA, SK, DL, NT, WB + hotels
Posts: 8,735
• City-pair: SIN-HEL / AY82
• Price offered: 348 EUR
• Flight date: 2014-10-26
• FF tier on reservation: AA GLD = OW Ruby
• Original ticket type: Crazy Days campaign, W
• When the offer was made: 15 days
• How the offer was made: email
• Extra: After booking and paying the upgrade, I called the CS to see if they would reimburse the €40 seat fee that I had paid for a first-row seat in Y; the lady made me wait for a bit and then came back to tell me that since it was a paid upgrade, no points used, they would reimburse the seat fee and I received it back to my AmEx 4 days later!
• Price offered: 348 EUR
• Flight date: 2014-10-26
• FF tier on reservation: AA GLD = OW Ruby
• Original ticket type: Crazy Days campaign, W
• When the offer was made: 15 days
• How the offer was made: email
• Extra: After booking and paying the upgrade, I called the CS to see if they would reimburse the €40 seat fee that I had paid for a first-row seat in Y; the lady made me wait for a bit and then came back to tell me that since it was a paid upgrade, no points used, they would reimburse the seat fee and I received it back to my AmEx 4 days later!
Oct 30, 2014, 3:31 am
#8
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: 14,165
...
• Extra: After booking and paying the upgrade, I called the CS to see if they would reimburse the €40 seat fee that I had paid for a first-row seat in Y; the lady made me wait for a bit and then came back to tell me that since it was a paid upgrade, no points used, they would reimburse the seat fee and I received it back to my AmEx 4 days later!
• Extra: After booking and paying the upgrade, I called the CS to see if they would reimburse the €40 seat fee that I had paid for a first-row seat in Y; the lady made me wait for a bit and then came back to tell me that since it was a paid upgrade, no points used, they would reimburse the seat fee and I received it back to my AmEx 4 days later!
Only involuntary upgrades (ie AY chooses to upgrade you free of charge) makes you lose the seat selection fee.
Originally Posted by AY Terms and conditions
The fee is non-refundable if you cancel the flight, are involuntarily upgraded, or in case you are not suitable to sit in the seat type selected.
The fee may be refunded if you use your Finnair Plus points or an upgrade voucher to upgrade your travel class, or if you cannot be seated in the reserved seat or in a suitable alternative seat due to Finnair.
The fee may be refunded if you use your Finnair Plus points or an upgrade voucher to upgrade your travel class, or if you cannot be seated in the reserved seat or in a suitable alternative seat due to Finnair.
Nov 13, 2014, 6:24 pm
#9
Join Date: Jan 2011
Programs: AFKL PLT, BA Gold, SK Gold, AY Gold, A3 Silver, LH FTL, IHG Gold, Marriott Silver
Posts: 408
Bingo!
*City-pair: BKK-HEL/AY96
*Price offered: 298 EUR
*Flight date: 2014-11
*FF tier on reservation: AA EXP/OWE
*Original ticket type: Campaign fare booked in W
*When was the offer made: 7 days
*How the offer was made: email
*Extra: Will take it for sure, I think it is good value for money! They might be offering op-ups in BKK for free, but with this kind of offer, it really isn't worth gambling.
*Price offered: 298 EUR
*Flight date: 2014-11
*FF tier on reservation: AA EXP/OWE
*Original ticket type: Campaign fare booked in W
*When was the offer made: 7 days
*How the offer was made: email
*Extra: Will take it for sure, I think it is good value for money! They might be offering op-ups in BKK for free, but with this kind of offer, it really isn't worth gambling.
Jan 5, 2015, 9:50 am
#11
Join Date: May 2014
Location: HEL
Programs: AY+Plat, ALL Plat, Scandic L2
Posts: 3,620
Jan 5, 2015, 4:50 pm
#12
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: SFO
Programs: AY+ Plat
Posts: 10
Here are a couple of data points more:
- City-pair: HEL-HKG / AY069
- Price offered: 348€
- Flight date: 05-DEC-2014
- FF tier on reservation: AY+ Gold
- Original ticket type: Value
- When the offer was made: 10 days before take off
- How the offer was made: Mail
- City-pair: NRT-HEL / AY074
- Price offered: 498€
- Flight date: 12-JAN-2015
- FF tier on reservation: AY+ Gold
- Original ticket type: Booking class S
- When the offer was made: 10 days before take off
- How the offer was made: Mail
Jan 7, 2015, 1:59 am
#14
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: HEL
Programs: AY+ Gold
Posts: 428
- City-pair: HEL-HKT / AY037
- Price offered: 348€
- Flight date: 25-JAN-2015
- FF tier on reservation: AA PLT & AA GLD
- Original ticket type: Booking code R
- When the offer was made: 30 days before take off
- How the offer was made: E-Mail
EDIT: Offer was also received 7 days before the flight for the second time and 1 day before the flight for the third time. Same price - same result.
Last edited by HJP; Jan 25, 2015 at 12:34 am
Jan 24, 2015, 1:50 pm
#15
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: HEL
Programs: AY, SK, TK
Posts: 7,591
Although the highest interest on this thread is about longhaul upgrade offers, I could not help posting my BUD-HEL Y->C offer 69€ 
Wow. Looking at the ad, they are mentioning high-class culinary experience in J and some other perks which I already have as OWE. Hmm. Hard product wise, exit row vs. front bulkhead. Soft product wise, coffee vs. culinary experience. 69€. .... Oh, I had deleted the message already...but thanks anyway for the offer
Wow. Looking at the ad, they are mentioning high-class culinary experience in J and some other perks which I already have as OWE. Hmm. Hard product wise, exit row vs. front bulkhead. Soft product wise, coffee vs. culinary experience. 69€. .... Oh, I had deleted the message already...but thanks anyway for the offer
