I use Amex by paying Optiontown with Paypal.

UTO not Avaialable
 

I am mid OCT going CPH-IAD and EWR-CPH. When I looked at optiontown sunday it was possible to upgrade. At that time I also checked booking and seating and saw that there were 90% free both at business and econ premium. Today I checked again optiontown to order, but now UTO is not available and I checked again Expertflyer and still same numer of free seats ??
What is going on ??? Has SAS left optiontown ?

I can replicate your problem. Was also able to UTO the other day but today it seems to be malfunctioning.
Fairly certain SAS did not leave UTO because I received an email from SAS just a days ago promoting the relationship with UTO.

Probably just a temp technical issue with UTO.

Seems that Optiontown did have technical problems they are up running again !

I am travelling CPH-EWR-CPH in early december and signed up for M->Y for 145€ each way a few weeks ago. I have since then checked the price for Y->C and this has been about 175€ additionally each way.

Two days ago I logged on and was offered Y->C for an additional 0€ each way which I of course signed up for. So I think they have been having some problem with their system.

Doesn´t get much better than that :D

Upgrade CPH - IAD
 

Was able to upgrade from Economy Extra to Business for 155 EUR per person for me and a friend. Travelling tomorrow. :D

Q: Has anyone had luck in using Optiontown for award flights?

I would suspect no. Have tried a couple of times my self but no dice. But hey, you never know, so any luck anyone?

Is SAS offering OT upgrades to Dubai and does anyone have any idea about rates and success?

Thinking about Dubai in February for a proper FT trip, i.e. free Radisson nights (from the 1 night for 2 stays promo) and to enjoy the final days of my SPG Plat status and spending the points. Flights I would take mostly with the DB vouchers SAS gave me recently. So a week for two in Dubai including flights for 450€ total! But it would be nice to upgrade to Y+ and score 150% points :)

I read in a newspaper here in Finland that Blue1 is about to start offering VDB a few days ahead if a flight looks very oversold. They said that OT would contact people booked on oversold flights and offer alternative flights and some money (they mentioned tens of €). Not enough money for me, but I guess it would save SAS as they´re very likely to find volunteers a few days ahead quite easily.

Source, in Finnish only: http://www.digipaper.fi/extra/51428/index.php?pgnumb=8

Nrt<>cph (984/983)
 

Just checked Optiontown for SK984/983 in October.
They did not offer for the outbound, Checked with Expertflyer and status is:

Oct 17th - NRT > CPH
A0 C0 D0 J0 Z0 Y0 S0 B0 E0 M0 H0 Q0 V0 W0 U0 K0 L0 T0 G0

Oct 22nd - CPH >NRT
A0 C9 D9 J9 Z0 Y0 S0 B0 E0 M0 H0 Q0 V0 W0 U0 K0 L0 T0 G0

Optiontown are offering C for 215GBP.

Will probably go for the C upgrade inbound, but not sure what will happen to the outbound with all classes full....

Less than 24 hours to fly...
 

Can I still use optiontown with less than 24 hours to go?

Cheers,
Christian

Why don't you just try it and see?

cheers,

Henry

They have... but not on the outbound leg i guess it was too late - darn :cool:

I just recived the upgrade notification to Economy Extra on saturdays flight ARN-EWR. Paid around 140 EUR/person for the upgrade. Yippie!

Bought today cheap T-class tickets for me and my gf to Dubai in February and just also signed up for OT ugrade to Y+. The cost was 140€/person/flight + 5€ signup fee/flight. C upgrade would have been 297€/person/direction, but maybe I decide to do that later.

Now I just have to wait almost 5 months...

I'm assuming you won't get any of the points earnings of a Y (for example) when upgrading with this service.

How so? I think this thread and others plus the SK website have loads of evidence that you get the points of the upgraded class, if it clears of course.

It was more of a question than a statement, the reason I'm asking is simply because getting the points as well seems like a deal a little "too good". If that's not the case however all the better!

Unlike points upgrades, this paid upgrade changes the booking class (not the fare basis), so that you get the points for the new class of travel.

Have an IC flight coming up and I have signed up for OT Y-->C, this is the first time I use OT so I am very excited to see if it clears.

I have checked flightstats.com and the outbound is totally zeroed out in all classes so it will be interesting to see if the theory about overbooked flights and OT holds true.

Slightly OT: Flightstats has been giving me very big changes in the availability. On day it showed "at least 7" C seats and it showed 7 C, 7 J with the "mouse-over", the next day it was totally zeroed out. Y, S and B has been zeroed out for a long time, but today it showed high availability?

Same thing with another flight where C all of a sudden was zeroed out from one day to the other when having showed several availabe C seats the previous day.

Anyone got experience about the accuracy of Flightstats.com.

Any experinces with changes of depature?
 

Has anyone any experience with signing up for an upgrade and then had to change the day of departure?

Today I got the e-mail I have been waiting for - optiontown cleared the upgrade Y--> for me and the Mrs :) Have received new e-tickets and I could select seats...

The only available seats next to each other are 6 A+B or 8 A+B. Have no experience on those seats and according to seatguru they both have some drawbacks. Any advice is appreciated. I am leaning towards 8.

I would suggest 6 A+B over 8 A+B for a few reasons:

1. It is nice and private as you have the coat closet next to you instead of another duo.

2. You are closer to the door for exiting quickly.

3. Everyone boarding after C-class and *G do not walk by you while boarding

3. I think you are served before you would be in row 8, and my last experience was that rows 7 and 8 had a bit of a delay while the FAs took a pit-stop in the galley.

4. You are less likely to be close to infants who do not like changing altitude, as row 7, and the first row of Y, are where there are places for bassinets.

I've been in row 6 several times and generally find I am not disturbed by being close to the galley/buffet. However, I do prefer the window seat when in that row.

Wherever you pick, I am sure you will enjoy your flight! Very good service in C-class on SK.

I don't like 6 A or B because of all the foot traffic in flight from everyone in rows 1-5. For me that was bothersome, and you won't have that in row 8. Plus I like the private feel of the back cabin as well.

So can I read into this, that it is not wise to do OLCI while waiting for confirmation about whether to get an upgrade or not?

Any other experience with upgrades after OLCI?

Edit:
Info for future reference; A0 C3 D3 J0 Z0 Y4 S0 B0 E2 M2 H0 Q0 V0 W0 U0 K0 L0 T0 G2
B -> C pending T-15h

got my B->Z upgrade 12½ hour before departure. Was not checked in. Availability was as seen above 3 hours ago and is now showing:

A0 C2 D2 J0 Z0 Y4 S0 B0 E3 M3 H0 Q0 V0 W0 U0 K0 L0 T0 G3

Looks like someone was upped from M->Y and then I was upped from Y->C (or it could be that someone just bought that Y-ticket).

I flew Iad-Cph today. Got OT upgrade M->Y for 135EUR confirmed 3 days before departure and Y->C op-up at gate.

Perfect :-)

No I have that!

Optiontown add another charge, in this case EUR 57 and I still did not get the upgrade.:(

Anyone knows how the optiontown selection is done?

I'll use points instead and I'll get my upgrade as there are plenty of seats in C on the flight, but it would have been good deal with EUR 135 to C instead of 20k points.

had this situation last week. I changed the booking a while ago, and registered on OT from Y+ to C. 4 days prior to my departure I got a call from OT saying I have to pay €35 for the change of departure (one way). I got the upgrade with a total price of €135+€35 = €170

Upgrade from T->Z using Optiontown:

I did receive my new ticket today from SAS informing that I had gotten a Z ticket from CPH-ORD this Friday.

In the last sale from SK I bought a T ticket for CPH-ORD-CPH for EUR 535,- and now I have paided EUR 300,- for getting it upgraded to Z. I signed up for both EconExtra and Business upgrade. I have prepared the same for the return trip. In stead of making 2x1075 points I can make 2x8600 (both plus EBG bonus).

For me the business case is good. I get a much better travel experience and more points out of it. Of course you do not know if you will get it or not. But I will not normally getting a chance for a round trip business class ticket for EUR 1100,- with SK.

So in my world it is working as designed.

/HerrO

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Hi herro, very nice to see you again in the CPH lounge yesterday. As mentioned my Optiontown experience with Blue1 was far from good. Did not work online. I was on the phone with India five times before securing one of two flights. They never called back 4 of the times like they promised, meaning I did not get the first upgrade due to 24 hr deadline. Got one flight from cheap Eco to Premium for €48. Don't think I will use it for Blue1 upgrade again.

Success
 

Yesterday I received the e-mail confirmation for the upgrade Y->C for €135, so no points is required on a pretty busy flight IAD-CPH. So I'm a happy camper^

Hi,

First time poster. I'm booked on SK945 ARN-ORD on Dec 23 and back on SK904 EWR-ARN on Jan 2 (economy restricted, not sure the exact fare code). I did the OT upgrade for both legs to both E+ and Business (cost €305 each way for that). Both flights are showing as totally sold out on flightstats.

What would you say are my chances of either upgrade on either flight? Both flights and upgrades were booked in August.

Cheers.

Hi and welcome to FT, efanekoku.


SK945 on the 23rd December is not sold out according to Expertflyer:

A0 C9 D9 J9 Z9 Y9 S9 B9 E9 M9 H9 Q4 V0 W0 U0 K0 L0 T0 G0

Neither is SK904 on 2nd January:

A0 C9 D9 J9 Z0 Y9 S9 B4 E9 M4 H0 Q0 V0 W0 U0 K0 L0 T0 G0

In fact it looks completely open up front, so I'd say your chances are pretty good, depending of course how it looks when we get closer. Especially on the latter as it seems it might sell out in normal economy.

Sounds good, thanks for the info :)

I am flying CPH-BKK on DEC 4 and BKK-CPH on Dec 22. I have bought an upgrade to Y+. I normally use seatcounter to look how full the flights is, but it is down now. Can anyone help to find out which bookingclasse are free. And is there any alternatives to seatcounter. ?

At this moment:

SK973 4DEC: A0 C9 D9 J9 Z9 Y9 S9 B9 E9 M9 H9 Q9 V9 W9 U0 K9 L8 T1 G9
SK972 22DEC: A0 C9 D9 J9 Z3 Y9 S9 B7 E9 M9 H0 Q0 V0 W0 U0 K0 L0 T0 G0

Your best alternative is probably KVS tool or Expertflyer (http://www.expertflyer.com/). They both cost a little money though.

I enjoy Expertflyer very much and find it more handy than KVS tool, as it works in mobile browsers when I'm on the road.

Funny the cheapest economy is still Q on sas.dk on SK972, but that is well another topic.