LH award upgrades
Jan 19, 2005, 6:33 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Belgium / Germany
Programs: M&M, BA EC, Delta, Hilton, Accor, IHG
Posts: 73
LH award upgrades
Based on my experience with LH - I'm farily confident I know the answer to this question.. and it's probably a fairly silly question to begin with.. 
My gf and I are flying LH economy to SFO from FRA on miles booked award tickets.
Am wishing I had booked Business instead, but...
Has anyone EVER been upgraded by LH on an award ticket? Just wondered how slim the chance was.
I have four *A upgrade vouchers too - but these seem to only be valid for YMBH classes. I didn't expect them to be valid on award tickets but live constantly in hope. Especially as we will be flying back on Valentine's day and it would be nice for her (and me!) Is anything worth a try - likely to work to get upgraded?
My gf and I are flying LH economy to SFO from FRA on miles booked award tickets.
Am wishing I had booked Business instead, but...
Has anyone EVER been upgraded by LH on an award ticket? Just wondered how slim the chance was.
I have four *A upgrade vouchers too - but these seem to only be valid for YMBH classes. I didn't expect them to be valid on award tickets but live constantly in hope. Especially as we will be flying back on Valentine's day and it would be nice for her (and me!) Is anything worth a try - likely to work to get upgraded?
Jan 19, 2005, 7:39 pm
#2
Join Date: Oct 2004
Programs: Darth Vader of AMEX, A ladys best friend of Hilton, Pt78 of SPG, *G ,*S, ANA VIP
Posts: 3,936
why you dont get business award tix.
cancel the tickets, and purchase normal tickets. dont waste your * vouchers.
dont hope that they will upgrade you. this will not happen.
dont hope that they will upgrade you. this will not happen.
Jan 20, 2005, 3:54 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Belgium / Germany
Programs: M&M, BA EC, Delta, Hilton, Accor, IHG
Posts: 73
Don't understand answer, anyone else know?
Originally Posted by derpelikan
why you dont get business award tix?
cancel the tickets, and purchase normal tickets. dont waste your * vouchers.
dont hope that they will upgrade you. this will not happen.
cancel the tickets, and purchase normal tickets. dont waste your * vouchers.
dont hope that they will upgrade you. this will not happen.
1) I didn't get business award tkts because I didn't deem it necessary at the time and did not feel like spending the extra miles that could otherwise be used for other trips.
2) Cancel the tickets and get normal tickets?? That means cancelling tickets booked with hard earned miles and instead pay for the flights - probably between 1500 -2000 Euros for two new tkts! I'm not made of money and that is 2000 less to spend on holiday. And even with vouchers and status there is no guarantee of upgrade.
3) How would I be wasting my *vouchers if I cannot use them on award flights? The vouchers run out at the end of Feb, so if I can't use them they are wasted anyway.
I apologise if I come across as rude as I'm sure you are trying to help - but I really don't understand what you mean.
Jan 20, 2005, 4:21 am
#4
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: FRA
Posts: 223
Originally Posted by britflyer1976
2) Cancel the tickets and get normal tickets?? That means cancelling tickets booked with hard earned miles and instead pay for the flights - probably between 1500 -2000 Euros for two new tkts! I'm not made of money and that is 2000 less to spend on holiday. And even with vouchers and status there is no guarantee of upgrade.
Dave
Jan 20, 2005, 5:12 am
#5
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: old Europe
Posts: 351
Originally Posted by dave125
I think derpelikan meant that you should cancel the tickets and get business award tickets instead. Of course I don't know about the availability though.
Dave
Dave
Chances of being upgraded with an award ticket are really close to zero .... so better don't hope too much (although exceptions have been reported in this forum)
Jan 20, 2005, 8:22 am
#6
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Eurozone
Programs: LH SEN, HH Gold
Posts: 3,002
Even those with LH elite status are rarely upgraded on LH award tickets; it happens, but rarely.
There's really no sense in wishing you had booked in Biz if, OTOH, you don't want to spend the miles. Either resign yourself and your girlfriend to coach (and silently hope) or commit the miles. Murphy's Air-Law includes a provision: upgrades happen when you really don't care or expect that they happen, and almost never when you're looking forward to them most.
There's really no sense in wishing you had booked in Biz if, OTOH, you don't want to spend the miles. Either resign yourself and your girlfriend to coach (and silently hope) or commit the miles. Murphy's Air-Law includes a provision: upgrades happen when you really don't care or expect that they happen, and almost never when you're looking forward to them most.
Jan 20, 2005, 9:33 am
#7
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: TXL, ROC
Programs: AB Plat (OWE), AY Silver (OWR)
Posts: 472
Ever been upgraded?
Hey,
since LH changed their Miles&More-System last year the OLD upgrade awards really lost their value for Eco-tickets. As you can now only upgrade from B or Y with them it doesnt make much sense at all , you end up paying just as much as you would have payed if you bought a cheap Business ticket... I got a 35.000-mile award in April 04 (when the old system was still used) and now they deny me to use it according to the old conditions! Heres service for LH-customers!
Has anyone of you EVER gotten an upgrade with LH on a long-haul (NOT Senators or HonCircle members, please. I can imagine you get more benefits...)??? Regular customers, M&M-members or FTs??? I think if they overbook they will rather force you to go on the next plane than offer you an upgrade...
Let me know! Thanks!
since LH changed their Miles&More-System last year the OLD upgrade awards really lost their value for Eco-tickets. As you can now only upgrade from B or Y with them it doesnt make much sense at all , you end up paying just as much as you would have payed if you bought a cheap Business ticket... I got a 35.000-mile award in April 04 (when the old system was still used) and now they deny me to use it according to the old conditions! Heres service for LH-customers!
Has anyone of you EVER gotten an upgrade with LH on a long-haul (NOT Senators or HonCircle members, please. I can imagine you get more benefits...)??? Regular customers, M&M-members or FTs??? I think if they overbook they will rather force you to go on the next plane than offer you an upgrade...
Let me know! Thanks!
Last edited by txl; Jan 20, 2005 at 9:36 am
Jan 20, 2005, 9:57 am
#8
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Italy
Programs: LH SEN, FB platinum, BAEC bronze
Posts: 473
In my personal experience it is extremely difficult to score an upgrade from Y to C on LH longhaul even on revenue tickets and as a SEN: in my three years as SEN I scored altogether 4 op-ups from Y to C (3 intercontinental, one SVO-FRA), with ZERO upgrades in 2004.