Best FF program for upgrades?
 

Hey all,
After a trip ORD-DUB on EI in Y (trip report forthcoming when I get my pictures scanned), my mother and I have decided never again to fly overseas in coach. We're going to switch all of our business to one airline, and upgrade (using miles or otherwise) whenever we fly overseas. So then, my question to FT: What is the airline/FF program that offers the best prospects as far as upgrades, both mainline and on partner airlines? Other important points: Breadth of route network, amount of service out of TYS (where we are), amount of room in domestic coach seats.
Thanks in advance, all.
-Charlie

Given your criteria, it sounds like AA might be a good choice for you. They allow upgrades using mileage on any international fare (including cheapies) and have MRTC (More Room Throughout Coach - 33-35" coach pitch) on all of their aircraft, both domestically and internationally. Plus the OneWorld alliance includes British Airways and AerLingus, and while you won't be able to upgrade flights on these carriers, you can use you AA miles to book award flights on them, if you find yourself going back to DUB again.

The downside is that there are only six daily departures out of TYS - 3 to ORD and 3 to DFW.

miles&more
Earning miles while flying all StarAlliance carriers (including UA)

allows upgrades on any paid fare (with miles or vouchers) when flying Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, Lauda, Tyrolian, LOT.

One other point I forgot to mention: It would be nice if the program in question had a miles-earning credit card (the lower the annual fee, the better).

Northwest Worldperks is the best FF program for domestic upgrades.

Good luck!

I agree

A couple of things I always have liked about AA:

- They allow you to redeem one-way upgrades on international flights using miles. If I can get a good MRTC seat on overnight segments, I'd rather stay in coach and save my miles. On flights where I'm awake the whole time (Europe back to the US, for example), I spend the miles and upgrade to biz. As a Plat, I've had relatively good success getting the seats - although I've had to standby at the gate on a couple occasions. (Only drawback to that strategy: the paper certificate process vs. the expedite fees. But I won't go there for now.)

- Domestically, I actually *like* the fact that they don't automatically upgrade every high elite. As a Plat, this means that I have a good chance of upgrading the flights that I really *want* the upgrade on. ORD or DFW to the West Coast - I call 72 hours ahead of time and get my upgrade in most cases. Midwest/East Coast flights on narrowbodies: I'm fine in an exit row seat. I will never reach ExPlat, so if they did automatic upgrades for every ExPlat on every fare, I would probably have a harder time getting the seat when I really want it.

UA is having trouble on line so summary is unavailable and, as it turns out, is slow in posting upgrades earned. When I asked where my 8 500 point upgrades were, because I needed them, Mileage Plus, instead of getting them posted, granted me two freebies so I would have enough for my upgrade. Nice, but where are my 8???

Coming the Saturday after the flight with which you earned them.

Try Norhwest

Another Northwest vote!

IMHO Yes Northwest has a great domestic upgrade policy but if you need leg room and working space watch out! You get more leg room on AA MRTC or UA E+ than you will get on most of the NW F class seats. On some of the NW domestic aircraft in F class if the person in front of you reclines thier seat you can't open your laptop on the tray in front of you.

How is NW's international upgrade policy? Does it need to be a full-fare ticket?

It's pretty restrictive actually. NW has no popular equivalent of SWUs or VIPOWs and if you want to upgrade with miles, you have to purchase certain fare classes. I suppose the fare class restrictions aren't that bad to most places, but to/from China and HK, only Y and B qualify. The irony is that most Au and Pt elites I know in China get operational upgrades more than half the time because Y always overbooks and there aren't a whole lot of NW elites over here. Contrast with United: Y also oversells frequently, but lax upgrade rules generally result in throngs of pax who are willing and able to pay to ride up front. Therefore, operational upgrades are rare on UA.

On NW's site, it says elite members can upgrade from any fare. Does this only apply to domestic flights?