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-   Lufthansa, Austrian, Swiss, Brussels, LOT and Other Partners | Miles & More (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/lufthansa-austrian-swiss-brussels-lot-other-partners-miles-more-495/)
-   -   why upgrade? (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/lufthansa-austrian-swiss-brussels-lot-other-partners-miles-more/730853-why-upgrade.html)

FTLexMUC Aug 30, 2007 8:04 am

why upgrade?
 
Hi

I am struggeling with the follwoing question.

A return award ticket in biz to North America costs 90k miles
Upgrading cheap eco tickets costs 50k per leg

Why would anyone buy a paid eco ticket and use the miles to upgrade to biz?

Thx
H

SleepOverGreenland Aug 30, 2007 8:10 am


Originally Posted by FTLexMUC (Post 8319884)
Hi

I am struggeling with the follwoing question.

A return award ticket in biz to North America costs 90k miles
Upgrading cheap eco tickets costs 50k per leg

Why would anyone buy a paid eco ticket and use the miles to upgrade to biz?

Thx
H

Well, this has been answered a couple times in this forum.

Short version: 1) Company is only paying ECO tickets or 2) One needs to fly on specific dates and I class is zero. Then the ECO ticket confirms the travel dates and the upgrade may confirm just before the flight.

ottone Aug 30, 2007 8:15 am

Another reason: most people upgrade only one leg, thus spending "only" 50000 miles.

alex0683de Aug 30, 2007 8:24 am

A third possible reason could be that someone needs the status miles for a status requalification. If you fly on a C award - no miles at all. If you fly Y and upgrade, you at least get the Y miles for your flights.

Could make a big difference in years where requalification is a close call.

And I second what ottone said. A lot of people don't think it's worth upgrading a daylight flight (to the US for example) and will only try to upgrade the overnight return flight (so they can sleep).

sebastian746 Aug 30, 2007 9:04 am

now obsolete post about status miles was here...

(started my post, got distracted and when i actually posted, Alex had written his post... sorry)

FTLexMUC Aug 30, 2007 9:27 am

ok ok , convinced :-)

another question - if I book an award now for say march, will there always be a cancellation / change fee? or only after the ticket has been issued?

alex0683de Aug 30, 2007 9:33 am


Originally Posted by FTLexMUC (Post 8320380)
ok ok , convinced :-)

another question - if I book an award now for say march, will there always be a cancellation / change fee? or only after the ticket has been issued?

Cancellation and change fees apply only after the ticket has been issued, but that happens more or less instantly once you say you actually want to book the award.

FelixB Aug 30, 2007 9:40 am


Originally Posted by alex0683de (Post 8320415)
Cancellation and change fees apply only after the ticket has been issued, but that happens more or less instantly once you say you actually want to book the award.

Well I don't know what you mean with more or less, but you can actually make a reservation for a couple of weeks until the award has to be ticketed. :)

fradoc Aug 30, 2007 11:43 am

...and it is remarkable that LH recognised the (theoretical) higher value of an u/g over an award for a certain group of travellers (business travellers, that is) and took action three years ago. I assume that business travellers should be "motivated" to buy C tickets rather that u/g'ing. For compensation you could use your miles for your once-in-a-year leisure flight. It definitely makes sense from a business perspective but it sort of sucks :rolleyes:.

weero Aug 30, 2007 12:47 pm


Originally Posted by fradoc (Post 8321349)
...and it is remarkable that LH recognised the (theoretical) higher value of an u/g over an award for a certain group of travellers....

I reckon it also originates from the <2006 time when coach travel was filthily cheap and incentives had to be set in that direction.

Of course these days when the Y cabin can only be had for a leg and an arm, upgrading at these conditions make nearly no sense anymore.

alex0683de Aug 30, 2007 1:00 pm


Originally Posted by fradoc (Post 8321349)
...and it is remarkable that LH recognised the (theoretical) higher value of an u/g over an award for a certain group of travellers (business travellers, that is) and took action three years ago. I assume that business travellers should be "motivated" to buy C tickets rather that u/g'ing. For compensation you could use your miles for your once-in-a-year leisure flight. It definitely makes sense from a business perspective but it sort of sucks :rolleyes:.


Originally Posted by weero (Post 8321818)
I reckon it also originates from the <2006 time when coach travel was filthily cheap and incentives had to be set in that direction.

Of course these days when the Y cabin can only be had for a leg and an arm, upgrading at these conditions make nearly no sense anymore.

You've both addressed part of the problem.

But I think what they realized is that many companies have switched to flying their people around in Economy rather than Business. It's not about motivating the individual business traveller, I think very little motivation is needed. The problem is that the corporation paying that traveller's flight is no longer willing to shell out the cash.

And those people who want to continue to fly Business and now use their miles to upgrade are a great way for LH to get mileage liabilities off their books... @:-)

mth Aug 30, 2007 2:00 pm


Originally Posted by alex0683de (Post 8319971)
A third possible reason could be that someone needs the status miles for a status requalification. If you fly on a C award - no miles at all. If you fly Y and upgrade, you at least get the Y miles for your flights.

Could make a big difference in years where requalification is a close call.

Is that still true? I read here a while ago (I can't find the thread at the moment though) that they no longer give you the status miles for Y, but rather the status miles for the booking class you paid for (so, 100% or less, as opposed to 150%). If that's true, I guess that lessens the value of an upgrade (upgrading and getting 150% status miles made me make FTL last year - I wouldn't have made it otherwise).

Paying 50.000 miles for an upgrade while getting 150% of status miles instead of 100% might make it worth it for me, in a year that I need to re-qualify for FTL, but don't have a chance to get a decently priced Z-Class ticket - but if I will only get the status miles for the booking class I paid for (G, H, K, M, Q, S, V, W or even E, L, T or U) it might not.

Martin

alex0683de Aug 30, 2007 2:12 pm


Originally Posted by mth (Post 8322341)
Is that still true? I read here a while ago (I can't find the thread at the moment though) that they no longer give you the status miles for Y, but rather the status miles for the booking class you paid for (so, 100% or less, as opposed to 150%). If that's true, I guess that lessens the value of an upgrade (upgrading and getting 150% status miles made me make FTL last year - I wouldn't have made it otherwise).

Paying 50.000 miles for an upgrade while getting 150% of status miles instead of 100% might make it worth it for me, in a year that I need to re-qualify for FTL, but don't have a chance to get a decently priced Z-Class ticket - but if I will only get the status miles for the booking class I paid for (G, H, K, M, Q, S, V, W or even E, L, T or U) it might not.

Martin

I meant Y as shorthand for Economy (whichever booking class you happen to be booked in), not the booking class Y. The deal you mention is indeed gone.

But even the normal status miles for a ticket booked in Q, let's say, could make a difference at the end of the year if things get tight. A FRA-LAX flight in Economy earns about 5800 miles, plus maybe an Executive Bonus - that may be peanuts to some people on this board, but it can make a big difference.

mth Aug 30, 2007 2:22 pm


Originally Posted by alex0683de (Post 8322428)
I meant Y as shorthand for Economy (whichever booking class you happen to be booked in), not the booking class Y. The deal you mention is indeed gone..

ok, thank you for the clarification. I agree that it still might be worthwhile for some - but less so than the deal I was lucky enough to get last year.

Martin

DownUnderFlyer Aug 30, 2007 3:52 pm


Originally Posted by alex0683de (Post 8321916)
But I think what they realized is that many companies have switched to flying their people around in Economy rather than Business.

Not sure about that. Premium cabins on all carriers have record load factors and C&F prices have gone up significantly. I think after a short pause companies are sending more and more people business again and many executives have negotiated F deals for themselves.


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