Question on fare classes re. upgrades ("P" Class)
 

If the answer is out there, I couldn;t seem to find it by searching...

What is "P" class on NW? I have some flights which I am trying to elite upgrade on but being told it is sold out which read:

P8 F0 Y9 B9 M9 H9 Q9 V9 K9
P9 F0 Y9 B9 M3 H2 Q2 V1 K0

These look like kind of empty flights, especially the first one. Are P first class seats being held for sale? And F seats available for reward/upgrade? Thanks if anyone knows.

Your instinct is correct. The P inventory reflects first class for sale; F is a complimentary upgrade bucket. One can hope that, closer to flight time, P will be converted to F and you can get your upgrade.

You are correct:

Basically, P are first class seats available for purchase. F seats are available for upgrades.

What about the classes on international flights?

J C Z Y B M H etc.

Is J Business Class for sale and C the FF seats? What is Z?

Thanks

As the master complainer of NW's stinginess of award seats in the year 2000, I'll respond:

J = premium business class inventory
C = discount (if you really want to call it that) business class inventory; rulebuster award bucket inventory
Z = upgrade bucket inventory for full-fare; unpublished business class fare inventory (for consolidators)
I = upgrade bucket inventory for non-full fare
D = upgrade bucket inventory for non-full fare and standard award bucket inventory

Pat:
So when looking at NWA for WBC Standard reward availability, what is displayed really equals the "D" bucket. If I want to upgrade a non-full fare ticket, there must be either "D" or "I" seats available. Correct? And there is no way to see the availability of "I" seats?

Yeah. You only see D seats on nwa.com. There's no way to figure out if there is "I" available.

- Pat

Thanks, Wiirachay that really helps.