Upgrade booking classes for dummies
Jun 26, 2007 | 5:04 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Oslo, Norway
Programs: FB Silver
Posts: 50
Upgrade booking classes for dummies
I really need one of those 
There must be something I'm not getting here ?
I've got a B class ticket which then upgrades into U class on a NW flight as far as I understand?
Doing a search for my NW 040 flight for the 20th of August this year on Expertflyer tells me that there are U9 tickets left.
Calling the Flying Blue helpdesk they do a search on NW and report back no availability? How is that possible? Is there any chance for me to get this upgrade through or some strange trick I just don't know ?
Cobos
There must be something I'm not getting here ?
I've got a B class ticket which then upgrades into U class on a NW flight as far as I understand?
Doing a search for my NW 040 flight for the 20th of August this year on Expertflyer tells me that there are U9 tickets left.
Calling the Flying Blue helpdesk they do a search on NW and report back no availability? How is that possible? Is there any chance for me to get this upgrade through or some strange trick I just don't know ?
Cobos
Jun 26, 2007 | 7:29 am
#2
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: BCN
Programs: BA Silver VY apologist IB up and coming
Posts: 8,706
Classes for upgrades are not visible. U (nor Z) are not the classes that flight upgrades book into - this is a common bit of misinformation floating around.
You can use them as an indicator, but the buckets are different, and not visible. Normally, if there is Z availability, there will be upgrade availability, but not always. There is no way to see for yourself online if upgrade inventory is available. The only way is to call FB. If you're seeing plenty of seats open in WBC, chances are good they will release upgrade inventory, so keep trying.
FYI - upgrade inventory on NW is very, very limited for FB.
You can use them as an indicator, but the buckets are different, and not visible. Normally, if there is Z availability, there will be upgrade availability, but not always. There is no way to see for yourself online if upgrade inventory is available. The only way is to call FB. If you're seeing plenty of seats open in WBC, chances are good they will release upgrade inventory, so keep trying.
FYI - upgrade inventory on NW is very, very limited for FB.
Jun 26, 2007 | 8:53 am
#3
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 8,527
If you follow the procedure for using KVS searching on Skyteam award availability to derive updgrade availability, my experience is that you can use this input to in turn guide the phone call with the FB desk to snag the upgrade. You may have to wait until the days/hours before departure though.
Search the NW forum for more details.
Search the NW forum for more details.
Jun 26, 2007 | 8:56 am
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Oslo, Norway
Programs: FB Silver
Posts: 50
You can use them as an indicator, but the buckets are different, and not visible. Normally, if there is Z availability, there will be upgrade availability, but not always. There is no way to see for yourself online if upgrade inventory is available. The only way is to call FB. If you're seeing plenty of seats open in WBC, chances are good they will release upgrade inventory, so keep trying.
FYI - upgrade inventory on NW is very, very limited for FB.
FYI - upgrade inventory on NW is very, very limited for FB.
Cobos
Jun 26, 2007 | 2:03 pm
#5
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Munich, Germany
Programs: LH HON, DL FO/MM, Marriott Lifetime Platinum, Accor Lifetime Platinum, Sixt Diamond
Posts: 6,174
Classes for upgrades are not visible. U (nor Z) are not the classes that flight upgrades book into - this is a common bit of misinformation floating around.
You can use them as an indicator, but the buckets are different, and not visible. Normally, if there is Z availability, there will be upgrade availability, but not always. There is no way to see for yourself online if upgrade inventory is available. The only way is to call FB. If you're seeing plenty of seats open in WBC, chances are good they will release upgrade inventory, so keep trying.
FYI - upgrade inventory on NW is very, very limited for FB.
You can use them as an indicator, but the buckets are different, and not visible. Normally, if there is Z availability, there will be upgrade availability, but not always. There is no way to see for yourself online if upgrade inventory is available. The only way is to call FB. If you're seeing plenty of seats open in WBC, chances are good they will release upgrade inventory, so keep trying.
FYI - upgrade inventory on NW is very, very limited for FB.
Flying Blue has very clear upgrade policies for travel on NW metal.
Transatlantic upgrades from Y class book into Z class
Transatlantic upgrades from B class book into D class
North American upgrade from Y and B class book into R class