Thank you for the help! So if you buy a Coach ticket you can upgrade to J and if you buy a J ticket you can upgrade to F, yes? Alrighty, well J will do just fine for those long flights I'm sure. No facials, messages, or pedicures needed here. ;-)

Hmmm... UA scares me because it seems like they could croak. I live within reasonable driving distance to LAX so I don't imagine airline availability is an issue! The airport here in town (SBP) is small (prop-only for commercial flights) but it would be interesting to find out who flies in and out of here... it is reasonable price-wise a lot of the time, and more convenient than driving to heLL-A.

Places we want to go whether we pay (likely)or use miles are: AU/NZ, Eur (esp. Spain and Moroc!), HI, AK. We also have fam in EUG (OR) which we visit frequently (2-4 times per yr.). EUG is, I believe, only served by AS and UA.

If you have any other ideas to throw at me or direction to offer based on the above, I'd be happy to hear!

I'm going to go do some digging on AA now... wish me luck.

Julie the Newbie

I'm not a tall person, so the extra leg room up front isn't critical but it helps enhance traveling comfort. Here are the main reasons I try and fly business or first class on longer flights (e.g., international, or coast-to-coast) even if it means spending miles and more $ to get an upgradable ticket:

1) Up front I'm less likely to have screaming babies or rowdy children sitting near me, interfering with my working or resting/sleeping on the plane. Mothers (especially American non-disciplinarian laissez-faire mothers) rarely can or will respond to requests to control their kids properly, and generally there are less of them up front because it's more expensive.

2) Up front the toilets are cleaner and there are rarely lines to use them. People who use the toilets up front are often more careful with their "aim" and what condition they leave the toilet in when they're done. There are also less women up front on many routes (as most business travelers are still men), and so you're less likely to encounter long lines waiting to use the toilets because women are in there putting on make-up etc.

3) Up front there are less likely to be people who don't fly very often and have no concept of airline etiquette, e.g., you'll see more overall consideration for fellow passengers up front. For example, on international flights to more unusual/exotic locations, you're less likely to encounter foreign travelers with distasteful personal habits, e.g., heavy body odor, putting smelly feet up on your seat from behind you, etc.

4) On popular leisure routes, you're less likely to land up sitting immersed among discount tour group members who believe their sacred duty is to drink all the alcohol on the plane and then stand around in the aisles laughing loudly, or who share their vacation colds with you by sneezing over your head.

On the other hand, a long relatively empty flight in coach with 3 seats to yourself to stretch out and sleep on, no babies, and no tour groups, is even better than first class (as long as you've brought some tasty snacks along with you and a little pinot noir to wash them down). It's just that these flights are few and far between.

OH MY. You for real?!

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/rolleyes.gif

"So if you buy a Coach ticket you can upgrade to J and if you buy a J ticket you can upgrade to F, yes?"

Unfortunately, your question here is a gross oversimplification. Most airlines, AA has been an exception, require purchase of either a full fare ticket or a slightly discounted one to upgrade internationally.

Only specific fare classes allow you to upgrade internationally and often the same is true of domestic upgrades.

For example, to Europe NW allows one to upgrade only B and Y fares. To Asia except China and HKG one can also upgrade an M. An M is usually around $300 more from the west coast to Asia than a K, V, Q etc. NW no longer allows non-elites to upgrade the lower price domestic tickets with miles.

CO has a strange lottery system. DL doesn't allow upgrades on the lowest fare tickets.

So beware! It is all contained within this web-site as to the rules. Searching requires patience and dedication. But then, so does dealing with airline fare rules, frequent flyer programs, and staff.

Thanks opushomes. Actually I thought I'd go right to the source... the AA site. I poured over the whole website and didn't see any info on upgrading w/miles. Oh well, learned a bunch of other stuff.

At this point I think I need to just pick a blasted airline and go for it! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif AS or AA, AA or AS... eeny-meeny-miny-mo! (How do you spell that anyway!?)

Julie

Hint: it's an award.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif You answered your own question. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

Note that this was with regards to international business/first class. Many fly because of the overall comfort and service, from the check-in until baggage claim.

Once you've tried it, it's hard to go back. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

The first time I flew confirmed (i.e. no considering operational upgrades) in business class was because an agent misquoted the amount of miles required for a business class ticket, which turned out to be 2,500 miles less than a coach class ticket. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

- Pat

I've also been reading this thread with interest, being a FT newbie myself too, but I'm surprised no mention has been made of companion fare awards, almost as if free tickets and upgrades were the only way to go. And in fact, until now, I've redeemed what little miles I've earned this way - on a buy one get one free basis.

My logic was that if a pair of us were travelling [and I'm the only one with FF miles under my belt] and we were already going to buy a Y fare each, then we might be better off buying one J fare, generally for little more than twice a Y fare, and getting another J ticket for free. The differences I saw between this and buying two Y's and upgrading them both were that I could easier find a flight with one available J award than with 2 [especially as the upgrade itself wasn't always guaranteed], and that I still got the J miles on the fare I paid for.

I should add that I applied this logic to flying long-haul from Australasia to Europe.

I'd be interested to hear what the experts out there think of this approach to redeeming miles . . .

I've flown first class twice on award trips to Europe, and business class once on an award trip to China.

All my other overseas trips have been in economy (with the exception of one SFO-LHR segment where I received an operational upgrade to business class -- nice!).

Part of it was to experience the novelty of it. It is really a treat to go in first class and get to use the first class lounge (relaxing surroundings, good food and drink) and experience other special services (flying in FC, was escorted at LHR when I needed to connect to a flight to AMS). Even the less-fancy Red Carpet Club (on the international biz class trip) is a cut above the regular waiting area.

And the actual flying experience, on the UA "First Suites," was superb -- especially the very first time I flew it, SFO-LHR. I think it was the first time in my life I was ever actually disappointed when we landed! However, the next time in a First Suite (CDG-SFO), I was already jaded! (Plus a nasty FA somewhat ruined the experience on that flight.)

There is a world of difference between a UA First Suite on a 777 and an economy seat on the same aircraft -- especially the non-Economy Plus seating! I've flown on both and, fortunately for me, have adapted to both. I consider myself an adaptable person and don't INSIST on premium class flying! (I'm only 5'4", so that helps.)


Kathy