Sep 27, 2016, 8:36 am
Last edit by: yahrite808
Please report results of your bids
Include date, airports, # of pax, your bid/seat
Successful
Aug 10, 2016, HNL-SFO, 2 pax, cost of upgrade at check-in
Sep 30, 2016, SJC-OGG, 2 pax, $225
Sep XX, 2017 OGG-LAX, 1 pax $335
Sep XX, 2017 OGG-SEA, 1 pax $375
Sep 23, 2017 SFO-HNL, 2 pax $335 ea
July 14, 2018 OAK-OGG 2 pax $245 ea (minimum bid). Note that 5 F seats were available at 48 hours prior.
October 14, 2018 HNL - LAX $300 (min bid) red eye flight.
November 2, 2018 LAX-LIH 2 pax, $300 each
Feb 16, 2019 OGG-SJC 2 pax $330 ea (only two F seats available 48 hours prior)
July 2022 HNL > PDX 1 pax $300
Unsuccessful
Jun 22, 2016, OAK-HNL, 3 pax, $200
Jun 29, 2016, HNL-OAK, 3 pax, $200
Aug 10, 2016, HNL-SFO, 4 pax, lowest level
Sep 23, 2016, SFO-OGG, 2 pax, lowest level
Sep 29, 2016, OAK-HNL, 3 pax, $200
Jun 23, 2017, PHX-HNL, 1 pax $305
Aug 6, 2017, HNL-LAS, 2 pax, $310
Mar 4, 2018, PHX-HNL, 1 pax, $450
April 2019, HNL-LAS, 2 pax, $420
July 29, 2019 PDX - HNL (A321) $375
Include date, airports, # of pax, your bid/seat
Successful
Aug 10, 2016, HNL-SFO, 2 pax, cost of upgrade at check-in
Sep 30, 2016, SJC-OGG, 2 pax, $225
Sep XX, 2017 OGG-LAX, 1 pax $335
Sep XX, 2017 OGG-SEA, 1 pax $375
Sep 23, 2017 SFO-HNL, 2 pax $335 ea
July 14, 2018 OAK-OGG 2 pax $245 ea (minimum bid). Note that 5 F seats were available at 48 hours prior.
October 14, 2018 HNL - LAX $300 (min bid) red eye flight.
November 2, 2018 LAX-LIH 2 pax, $300 each
Feb 16, 2019 OGG-SJC 2 pax $330 ea (only two F seats available 48 hours prior)
July 2022 HNL > PDX 1 pax $300
Unsuccessful
Jun 22, 2016, OAK-HNL, 3 pax, $200
Jun 29, 2016, HNL-OAK, 3 pax, $200
Aug 10, 2016, HNL-SFO, 4 pax, lowest level
Sep 23, 2016, SFO-OGG, 2 pax, lowest level
Sep 29, 2016, OAK-HNL, 3 pax, $200
Jun 23, 2017, PHX-HNL, 1 pax $305
Aug 6, 2017, HNL-LAS, 2 pax, $310
Mar 4, 2018, PHX-HNL, 1 pax, $450
April 2019, HNL-LAS, 2 pax, $420
July 29, 2019 PDX - HNL (A321) $375
Hawaiian Airlines - Bid-Up to First Class
Jul 24, 2019, 3:43 pm
#143
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Programs: HH Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 10,458
On my recent PHX-HNL-PHX, the minimum bids for F were about the same (when added to my Y fare) as buying F seats in the first place! Not much of a bargain. I thoroughly enjoyed my Comfort seats with the 36" legroom -- they were almost as comfy as some domestic F aircraft. My only wish was to get a better meal for buying comfort seats.
Jul 30, 2019, 7:28 pm
#144
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 259
PPT-HNL overnight. July 2019. We had extra comfort seats row 11 window, which is awesome - no seats in front or behind us. But, I wanted to see if we could snag the layflats up front for the overnight . Bid $825 USD pp - bid unsuccessful. I believe the min bid was $700.
Was a brutal night - flight was delayed over 6 hours, so we spent the night at the Papetee airport. Wheels up at 6am instead of 11.40pm. Coulda used the lay flats.
Was a brutal night - flight was delayed over 6 hours, so we spent the night at the Papetee airport. Wheels up at 6am instead of 11.40pm. Coulda used the lay flats.
Last edited by Toddcan; Jul 30, 2019 at 7:30 pm Reason: additional info
Sep 7, 2019, 10:26 am
#145
Join Date: Jun 2014
Programs: AA Gold, OW Ruby, IHG PLT, JB Mosiac, Delta Silver, VA Silver, AK MVP, Hyatt Gold, Marriott Silver
Posts: 151
Data Point BOS-HNL and return
We are already in EC on flights from BOS-HNL and the return. Outgoing 9/13/19 and return overnight 22 Sept.
Bid $660 each (2 travelers), so $1320 a leg or $2640 total.
I do believe this was denied as I went to check seats today and first class is showing completely full. Will keep everyone posted but we have not received a confirmation nor denial email at this point.
ETA: Picked this amount as we had already paid $2100 (just over 1k each) for the airfare and another $2000 (so first for an additional $1230 each all in) would still put us at least at a $3000 savings for what the airfare would have cost by buying out right. Boston to Honolulu just started flying this year, but on average JFK to Honolulu averaged three to $4000 a person and since launching Boston to Honolulu has been about that as well for our time frame.
I figured if we could get in for about $4000 total we were saving a good three to $4000 in what we would’ve paid buying outright. We have other travel coming up including a trip to Bermuda in November and a trip to Thailand in January flying Qatar business from JFK so we are not too plussed one way or the other way if we have to do extra comfort for this trip.
Bid $660 each (2 travelers), so $1320 a leg or $2640 total.
I do believe this was denied as I went to check seats today and first class is showing completely full. Will keep everyone posted but we have not received a confirmation nor denial email at this point.
ETA: Picked this amount as we had already paid $2100 (just over 1k each) for the airfare and another $2000 (so first for an additional $1230 each all in) would still put us at least at a $3000 savings for what the airfare would have cost by buying out right. Boston to Honolulu just started flying this year, but on average JFK to Honolulu averaged three to $4000 a person and since launching Boston to Honolulu has been about that as well for our time frame.
I figured if we could get in for about $4000 total we were saving a good three to $4000 in what we would’ve paid buying outright. We have other travel coming up including a trip to Bermuda in November and a trip to Thailand in January flying Qatar business from JFK so we are not too plussed one way or the other way if we have to do extra comfort for this trip.
Last edited by sperkins921; Sep 7, 2019 at 10:41 am Reason: typos, additional info
Sep 7, 2019, 2:00 pm
#146
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: HNL
Programs: UA GS4MM, MR LT Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 6,447
Wow, for a flight not much longer in duration than LAX-HNL, that seems to be a very high price.
Sep 11, 2019, 9:35 am
#147
Join Date: Jun 2014
Programs: AA Gold, OW Ruby, IHG PLT, JB Mosiac, Delta Silver, VA Silver, AK MVP, Hyatt Gold, Marriott Silver
Posts: 151
Data Point: BOS-HNL accepted
Just wanted to add that my bid up (see my post on 7 Sept 19, should just be one to two posts up thread) was accepted. I got the notification on my phone that a CC transaction had occurred, though could not see details since phone was locked. Knowing that better half and I are both at work and neither is charging anything, I unlocked the phone- honestly thinking "great two days before vacation and my AmEx is getting hacked" only to find it was HA processing upgrade for the outbound. It was processed at 47 hours out.
Inbound will apparently be processed separately.
Inbound will apparently be processed separately.
Sep 21, 2019, 4:51 pm
#148
Join Date: Jun 2014
Programs: AA Gold, OW Ruby, IHG PLT, JB Mosiac, Delta Silver, VA Silver, AK MVP, Hyatt Gold, Marriott Silver
Posts: 151
Data point: HNL to BOS $660pp x2 ($1320 total)
Bid unsuccessful for flight on 9-22-19.
I am VERY unhappy to report that HA still placed a pending charge on my AMEX for $1320 even though I did not win an upgrade. I find that tacky. Esp since the pending charge went on at 47 hours out from the flight.
What’s the point of placing a charge on accounts where the bid doesn’t actually win?
Note to future bidders- I spent 2.5 hours on the phone with HA on this (Charge on my card but no upgrade processed caused me to call) and was told the system automatically makes pending charges on every bidder- even though that is not what happened on the inbound leg. YMMV
I am VERY unhappy to report that HA still placed a pending charge on my AMEX for $1320 even though I did not win an upgrade. I find that tacky. Esp since the pending charge went on at 47 hours out from the flight.
What’s the point of placing a charge on accounts where the bid doesn’t actually win?
Note to future bidders- I spent 2.5 hours on the phone with HA on this (Charge on my card but no upgrade processed caused me to call) and was told the system automatically makes pending charges on every bidder- even though that is not what happened on the inbound leg. YMMV
Sep 22, 2019, 9:18 pm
#149
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: HNL
Programs: UA GS4MM, MR LT Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 6,447
I am VERY unhappy to report that HA still placed a pending charge on my AMEX for $1320 even though I did not win an upgrade. I find that tacky. Esp since the pending charge went on at 47 hours out from the flight.
What’s the point of placing a charge on accounts where the bid doesn’t actually win?
Note to future bidders- I spent 2.5 hours on the phone with HA on this (Charge on my card but no upgrade processed caused me to call) and was told the system automatically makes pending charges on every bidder- even though that is not what happened on the inbound leg. YMMV
It could be worse - some airline programs will take the money at upgrade request (not just pending) and refund you if you don't get it - that may be months out and if you carry a balance you are paying interest on that
Sep 23, 2019, 4:59 am
#150
Join Date: Jun 2014
Programs: AA Gold, OW Ruby, IHG PLT, JB Mosiac, Delta Silver, VA Silver, AK MVP, Hyatt Gold, Marriott Silver
Posts: 151
Hotels and rental car companies do pending charges all the time - for instance when you check in. When you check out/return the car, the amount is settled for whatever the final amount is. A pending charge is simply an authorization. In this situation, when the window opens they do a pending of the $1,320 to see if it will be authorized - and no matter else you put on that card, that $1,320 is authorized for the upgrade. If you get it - the $1,320 is settled and ff not, it drops off in a day or so
It could be worse - some airline programs will take the money at upgrade request (not just pending) and refund you if you don't get it - that may be months out and if you carry a balance you are paying interest on that
It could be worse - some airline programs will take the money at upgrade request (not just pending) and refund you if you don't get it - that may be months out and if you carry a balance you are paying interest on that