I upgraded a $859 RT EWR-BKK on June 27. I called CO and they put me on CO to NRT and NW on to BKK. Later I found out that this was against the rules, that there are no code shares to ASIA that are upgradeable and that CO should have put me on 100% NW aircraft. That's a separate issue. The original coach fare basis was "K" class.

Looks like this is another classic case of the CO and NW programs being out of Sync, this time in CO's favor. I purchased today form CO, a NW ticket, JK-SIN-JFK next May for $1120RT. I could have done KUL ($1040) or BKK ($859). I had no trouble upgrading with 50,000 miles from my one pass account. I did have CO reservations check many differnt options and it was no problem upgrading the "cheap" ticktets with Onepass miles!

If I am unable to upgrade cheap tickets to Asia anymore, then my whole strategy changes with buying tickets. There is no advantage to buying 9-11 months in advance anymore. I plan to wait until 30-45 days before departure and get a consolidator ticket. These tickets are usually $100-150 cheaper than the lowest fare you can buy direct from NW. They aren't upgradeable, but I'll suffer in coach and save $ and rack up the miles. After two paid trips I will earn one free trip in biz class.

Paul3456 who do you use for a consolidator? I have not used any in the USA but they were very popular in Japan.

Beetee, I have some Filipinos in my office and from their contacts I use a small local travel agent located in the Filipino community. I travel to MNL as well as BKK. If you are looking for a good agent located on the web, try http://www.asiaairfare.com/ This is the site for Vantage Travel, located here in a Chicago suburb. I've never used them for air tickets but I have bought phone cards from them. All of the consolidator prices from competitive agents are about the same (within $10-20.) The consolidator tickets to MNL are substantially lower than the cheapest fare you can get from NW direct, but the BKK fares are usually only about $100 cheaper and they are harder to get because NW has less service to BKK. I have been buying consolidator tickets (H class) to MNL and upgradable (V class) tickets to BKK.

[This message has been edited by Paul3456 (edited 08-11-2000).]

I have been searching for award seats in BC or FC for a Feb trip to BKK since Mar without any success. Thinking about doing the upgrade route. Maybe I should consider getting a ticket immediately.

Peter - I have always done the upgrade to Asia (even getting a free upgrade from NRT to BKK on a rock bottom consolidator ticket when I could not upgrade) rather than trying the "free" ticket route. Please let us know the cheapest upgradable ticket (and fare bases code) you can pry out of NWA

beetee- Things are changing - fast - or perhaps I should say have already changed!

The Super Apex fares to Asia seem to be the cheapest fares you can find on Northwest, but the fare basis code varies depending on the city you are departing from. For example, from Chicago O'Hare to BKK the best fare is in V class, a fare code of VLARC. However, from Milwaukee the best fare is in M class, a fare code of MJXAB7. Both of these fares are the "Super Apex Fares."

I suggest looking at www.travelocity.com. On their home page there is a place to list originating and destination cities, and it will find the best fares in that market along with the fare basis codes. To the best of my knowledge, all published fares you would find here to Asia on Northwest are upgradeable.

Instead of going to Travelociy, I just found that the same information is available on Northwest's web site.

I'm not sure if this is a new feature or not, but I just found the "Lowest Fare Finder" on Northwest's web site at http://www.nwa.com/travel/fares This will give you the lowest published fare in a given market and the price to look for when searching for tickets.

There is a lot of detailed information listed about each fare, but missing is whether the fare is upgradeable. A suggestion to Northwest, add this information to the fare description.

[This message has been edited by Paul3456 (edited 08-16-2000).]

I dont like this plan here. If there are any areas of travel still reserved for the well off, frequent transpacs are the last frontier. Most everyone from a 10 yearold to a 100 year old who crosses the pacific frequently is an elite member. This system will lead to lots of angry elite members who will be stuck in economy for a long time. Of course it is the ft's who the airlines want to keep and since the asia routes by their sheer length are where fts are most common

I checked with NW last night regarding upgrades on transpacific flights. Was informed that upgrades using miles on discounted fares are from the same inventory as award travel. Otherwise upgrade from full coach. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with my Feb trip to BKK. Been checking since March for mileage ticket in WBC or F. Nothing has been available.

The lowest discount fares are not upgradable with miels, says NW's Japan web site section on their winter (Oct.-March) tariff for Super Apex tickets.

http://www.nwa.co.jp/travel/cyber/

A small print remark says World Value 14 tickets (14-day advance purchase required) are not upgradable with miles, a remark which is not found anywhere in their summer tariff section.

NW has also switched the inventory for upgrade with miles from economy to the 'D' class -- the same as business class award tickets, thus increased competition for limited inventory?

Previously, the 'C' class inventory was used for upgrade with miles from economy. The C class is a revenue ticket business class.

[This message has been edited by Chiangi (edited 08-26-2000).]

Since it has gotten more difficlut to upgrade from a decent discounted Coach fare, I will take a courier flight to BKK during the High season of the Year end holidays for $450.00 and accept whatever JAL offers in coach. Of course, the courier company pays a bigger price, so I will try for a 'hardship' upgrade. Unfortunately, I believe the staff at JAL sticks to the rules. My welfare check still hasn't arrived and I have been waiting for it for 9 years.

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