Cost of upgrades
 

I'm curious as to cost of purchased upgrades from the various airlines. I'm aware that US charges $40 for each 800 mile segment upgrade. They just introduced a new option available to Preferred or higher status to purchase 4 upgrades for $120 (or $30 for each 800 mile segment); $160 for non-Preferred. What are the costs on UA, AA, DL? And are the segment upgrades purchased available for use on all fares and by all levels of FF status?

Aeroplan Super Elite (Air Canada) members can "buy" 8 one way from any fare upgrade certificates good from origin to destination for anywhere in the world Air Canada flies (including N. America AND confirmable at time of reservation) for 28,000 Aeroplan miles. They can also be used for a travelling companion with the same itinerary.

With the exception of travel industry and reward travel, these are good for all fares including Websaver fares, deep discount, net fares etc. It's one of the best upgrade deals I have seen.

[This message has been edited by BlondeBomber (edited 02-14-99).]

It sounds like UA has the same policy as Delta does for their Medallion Members (At least that's what I have with my Silver Medallion) Delta uses points (1 point = 800 mile segment) which can be combined for longer flights. I think they are the same general idea.

United's is a book of 4 500 mile certificates good in the US (including Hawaii), Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico. The cost for Premiers and above is $125 for the book of 4. The General Public pays $200. Premiers can upgrade on ANY published fare. General members of Mileage Plus and the Public can only upgrade on Full fares. Premiers and above receive 1 booklet (4 certs) free for every 10,000 miles flown. Premiers can also purchase these using miles from their account at 30,000 miles for 8 500 mile certs.

[This message has been edited by PremEx (edited 02-14-99).]

American's is close to United. 4 500 mile stickers are awarded for every 10,000 miles flown (after you achieve premier status). Gold and above can upgrade on any fare. Stickers are good for US, Canada, and I think PR and the Carib. They are also good on Reno Air, Midway, and I think Canadian Air.

Purchase -- General $40 sticker (I think). Gold and above -- 1-7 are $35 each, 8 and above $25 each.

--Jim

On Delta it is $40 for one 800 mile segment upgrade or $120 for four 800 mile segment upgrades. You can also get four for 10,000 SkyMiles.

Jimboliguy, can you redeem miles out of your account on AA to claim upgrade certificates? If so, how many miles are required?

From website:

AA Upgrade Awards are available for round-trip upgrade awards and now effective February 1, 1999, one-way upgrade award on any flight except within the domestic U.S. and Canada. Upgrade awards are only valid on individual published-fare tickets and are subject to capacity controls.

"Upgrade on full fare" is an upgrade to the next class of service on any unrestricted full-fare ticket. Unless otherwise noted, a full-fare ticket is one that is unrestricted, requires no fee for change or cancellation, has no advance purchase requirements, and is fully refundable.

"Upgrade on any fare" is an upgrade to the next class of service, from any eligible purchased ticket. Upgrades are not available on Midway Airlines or Reno Air.

See AA Web Site http://www.americanair.com/American?BV_Operation=Dyn_AAPage&referer=index.htm l for number of miles needed
(varies from 15,000 to 80,000 miles roundtrip)

[This message has been edited by BlondeBomber (edited 02-15-99).]

Thanks for the post BB. Yes, you can redeem your miles for upgrade certificates. Basically, 30,000 for r/t upgrade on any fare in the US, 50,000 for r/t upgrade on any fare to Europe. No more than 6 segments are allowed.

You can also redeem your miles for stickers. 8 cost 35,000 miles (either 35 or 30, I dont remember). That deal makes no sense whatsoever. You are paying $700 (35,000 * .02) for what you can pay $200. Dont do miles for stickers. However, on a long haul flight, the 30k for a 6 segment flight works since it is a guaranteed seat, confirmable at the time of reservation. The sickers are 100, 72, 24, 4 hours before flight time confirmable (depending on level).

--Jim

Miles for upgrades are an acceptable deal if you would rather part with miles than Dollars or Pounds or whatever currency. I like to keep my money as my money. But what works for one, does not work for another.

[This message has been edited by Comicwoman (edited 02-15-99).]

Actually, Comicwoman, it seems that a majority of the flyertalkers use their miles for upgrades as opposed to award tickets.

There are some HUGE differences in the mileage levels required for getting upgrade certificates. From the posts here:

AA - 30,000 (maybe 35,000) miles for 8 500 mile certs.
UA - 30,000 miles for 8 500 mile certs.
DL - 10,000 miles for 4 800 mile certs.
US - 10,000 miles (8000 for Preferred) for 4 800 mile certs. (Can claim individual certs. for 2500 miles each or 2000 miles for Preferred)
AC - 28,000 miles (for SuperElite) for 8 certs. (each good for one-way trip of any distance) - Yes, BlondeBomber, this is a deal!

Interstingly, it seems that all of the airlines are charging about $40 for purchased segment upgrades for non-elites (about $30 for elites). UA is charging $50/cert. for non-elites. And the UA and AA certs. are only for 500 miles!

Also, if I understand Jimboliguy's post, a R/T upgrade on AA (any fare) is 30,000 miles in the US. More than claiming a free coach ticket. Am I missing something - that doesn't make a lot of sense.

Delta coupons look cheaper than American's, at 10K miles for 3,200 miles of upgrades vs. 30K for 4,000 on AA, but you can't use them with most discount fares. They're effectively upgrades from full coach, or within shouting distance of it. American's upgrade from any fare. In principle coupons you can use with any fare are worth more, though if one is already paying enough the Delta upgrades are a better deal on that specific flight.

I agree with Efrem...on United, Premiers can use them on any published fare as well. Delta's upgrade certs would effectivly be worthless to me as I usually travel on a fare that would not qualifiy.

MileKing: You are right, American's upgrades cost more than a free flight. I think they are trying to limit the use of the upgrade awards and hold them for the top tier members. American's opinion for earning more money is to earn the $$ via upgrade purchases. There was a comment I posted a while back that American was going to increase their earnings by dropping the four free upgrade stickers given for top tier requalification. By making the upgrades more "expensive" they are encouraging people to fly more -- with un-upgradable tickets.

They probably think that most people will pay for upgrades as opposed to using miles. For example, if you took a flight from JFK-LAX, you need 5 stickers each way (10 r/t) at a cost of $25/sticker or $250 in revenue. Most people would probably not want to "waste" 30,000 miles on such a "short" trip.

Doing the math that 30,000 miles is worth $600, and I can pay $250 for the same benefits -- I am better off.

Do I agree with American's policy -- NO. But apparently, I am the only one who complained since the policy has not been changed.

I use my miles to upgrade when travelling internationally. Domestically, IMO, I am better off paying the discounted cash price.

--Jim

JIMBO: The cat's approach to upgrades:

*If it's over ground: hope for the airline's generosity to get an upgrade (or buy first class.)

*If it's over water... use the miles for upgrades. Generally by getting a reasonable fare... I make out a few bucks ahead. (Never did the math, I'm a writer not geniuses like you guys!) CATMAN

I realize DL does not permit upgrades on the dreaded L fares, but I thought the certificates could be used on all other fares. Is this not correct? (Sorry, I haven't flown Delta lately and don't have any DL certs. lying around.)

DL allows upgrade certificates to be used on ~any fare~ except "L."

As has already been said, Delta upgrades are valid on any fare except L class, and there are fares that are a good distance further than "shouting distance" from full fare that are upgradeable, including K and Q.

Looks like Efrem and PremEx have been lead astray by UA and AA with regards to DL upgrades and their use on discount fares. Clearly AA and UA upgrades are much, much more expensive (mileage-wise) than DL or US.

Nope. Not lead astray. Sure there are other fares besides the L fare, but you have to PAY MORE for them. So when compairing, you have to take this into account. A co-worker here flys Delta and he always calls for the lowest fare (who wouldn't) and these seem to be clasified as L no matter what the price. It's really very simple...on United you can upgrade domestically on even their lowest published fare (and even E-Fare web specials). Last week my co-workers and I were split between flights on United and Delta from LAX to MCO. Both had a $215 R/T fare available, and United's was upgradeable (and we did), but the lowest fare Delta had that was upgradeable (Q) was $396. Since they had to go with the lowest fare of $215 (an L), needless to say they flew in coach with Delta. It's clear to me which way I'd rather go.

[This message has been edited by PremEx (edited 02-16-99).]

Not having checked Delta fares recently, I was unaware that they seem to be classifying everything as L class. I thought these fares were only available on certain routes and because they were deeply discounted there were not too many of them. I would agree that if DL is calling everything an L fare, then the upgrades available on other airlines are certainly more appealing.

Another problem with DL upgrade certificates, unless you happen to be Gold or Platinum Medallion, is that you can't use them until 24 hours before flight time. And that's on each leg. If I'm leaving DC at 12:01 on Tuesday to Atlanta, I can't call until 12:01 on Monday; if my return is at 12:01 on Thursday, I can't call until 12:01 on Wednesday. Even if I paid for my upgrades.

Phil ~ The 24 hour restriction is in effect at most airlines, not just Delta for segment upgrades.

Am I the only one that does not like the 500 mile increments of stickers. Most flights from Chicago out east are 600 to 850 miles yet I need to use 2 stickers (1000 miles). Since upgrade accounts are now electronic (at least mine is on American) why not just deduct the actual miles from this account.

First, I don't think I've been led astray on the Delta L fare issue. Thanks to a 1998 switch I'm both Delta Gold Medallion and AA Platinum AAdvantage, most likely losing Delta elite this year but earning AA Exec Platinum, and speak from LOTS of personal experience with both. Nobody has fed me a line on either airline. My experience confirms that Delta's premium for upgradeability vs. the cheapest available fare is typically 2-3 times more than the cost of purchased AA upgrades for that route. This, to me, more than offsets AA's relative stinginess with free upgrades.

Second, on balance, the smaller the increment the less likely you are to waste miles. For BOS-ORD, 867 miles, I have to use 1,000 miles of AA upgrades but would need 1,600 miles of Delta's if Delta flew that route. BOS-SFO is 3,000 miles of AA upgrades, 3,200 miles of Delta's (again, if Delta flew that route). There are examples where any given size works out best, and one person's travel patterns may happen to use those routes a lot, but on balance the smaller size will statistically waste fewer miles overall.

It should be noted that it seems that Delta only allows Medallion members to buy upgrades for the fees outlined earlier in this thread. General members can use miles to upgrade though but can not buy the 800 mile segment upgrade points. This is from their web site:

Delta's one-class 800-mile segment upgrade points are a special benefit available only to Medallion ™ level members.

Some clarification on American's upgrade costs.

Yes, eight 500-mile stickers cost 30,000 miles. Not worth it. But 16 stickers cost 40,000 miles, or 2,500 miles for every 500 miles of upgrade. On a coast-to-coast itinerary, this means you would need 10 stickers, which translates to spending 25,000 miles (at the 16-sticker redemption rate), as long as your trip doesn't exceed 2,550 miles each way (American gives a 50-mile leeway for the required number of stickers).

25,000 miles is a better deal than 30,000 miles for an upgrade award. Yes, I know that the award is confirmable when you buy your ticket, but if you're a Platinum, you'll get the upgrade 72 hours ahead of time better than 90% of the time. Plus, who wants to use 30,000 miles to upgrade a shorter trip than coast-to-coast?

For the record, JFK-LAX is 2,475 actual flight miles, but trips involving connections through Chicago or Dallas and most other coast-to-coast itineraries come out to more than 2,550 miles.