Y-Ups and fees for first-class upgrades
 

Hi!,
I'm a reporter at The Arizona Republic in Phoenix currently writing a story on NON frequent-flyer upgrades. I want to talk to people -- hopefully from Arizona, but I'm open -- who either have upgraded to first-class on the farecompare Web site, or upgraded at the last minute at the ticket counter, kiosk or gate as first-class seats became available.

Help!
Christia
Christia L. Gibbons
602-444-8617
[email protected]

Welcome to FlyerTalk! ^. Depending on the airline, the YUP fares on Farecompare book into first and thus are not upgrades. You might get a greater response if you go through the administrators of FlyerTalk. They regularly post stickies at the top of the forum for reporters seeking input for articles.

YUP fares ARE upgrades
 

They simply allow you to upgrade at the time of booking so it appears that you booked into First. However, your ticket is still Coach.

On your travel date, if you end up getting re-routed due to delays or cancelleations, your new flights will most likely be in coach. If transferred to a different airline, you will be in coach. Period.

You will not be entitled to a partial refund for riding in coach, even if a lower "non-YUP" fare was available when you decided to pay higher for the YUP.

And of course the fare basis code of YUP translates to "Coach Upgradable".

It should be noted that United -UP fares are first class fares and filed as such. Everything steve64 wrote above does not apply on United. The same goes for US Airways fares, which the OP is likely to be looking to write about. The only airlines I'm aware of that the above applies to are American and Northwest.

They are First-Class tickets
 

and book into First Class seats. Accumulate first-class class-of-service bonuses when flown. And all that other nice stuff.

The "instant upgrade" part of these Y-UP fares is the provision that if you were to be reaccommodated in coach (whether due to standby or irops), and you accepted, that you are not eligible for downgrade compensation.