Experience of SAS Star Alliance Upgrades
Jun 5, 2014, 6:21 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: London, Copenhagen
Programs: SK*G, BA Gold, IHG Plat AMB
Posts: 969
Experience of SAS Star Alliance Upgrades
Hi all,
Does anyone have much experience of using the Star Alliance upgrade request function through SAS? Did you use the onine form of make a phone call? If I can see the availability on the United Airlines and JAL websites for my dates I presume SAS will also see them?
Looking to purchase 1 way economy tickets from BKK-LHR and then upgrade with SAS points. Hopefully I can get it to work!
Thanks
Does anyone have much experience of using the Star Alliance upgrade request function through SAS? Did you use the onine form of make a phone call? If I can see the availability on the United Airlines and JAL websites for my dates I presume SAS will also see them?
Looking to purchase 1 way economy tickets from BKK-LHR and then upgrade with SAS points. Hopefully I can get it to work!
Thanks
Jun 5, 2014, 10:12 am
#2
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: AGH
Posts: 5,960
The big issues is that you need to buy painfully expensive eco tickets (e.g. Y or B class on UA or TG), some airlines also allow lower classes like EVA (http://www.sas.se/eurobonus/anvand-p...pgrade-awards/). If you are willing to do so, you can then use the online form without issues.
Jun 6, 2014, 5:23 am
#3
Join Date: Jan 2009
Programs: Flying Blue, Eurobonus
Posts: 186
Unfortunately, Star Alliance upgrades are not great value because the need to fly full-fare economy. Better to book the whole trip with points on your airline of choice, or go with SAS and gamble on a gate and/or Optiontown upgrade (unfortunately not possible in this case since SAS does not fly Bangkok direct).
Jun 9, 2014, 12:47 pm
#4
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: New York
Programs: SK EBD, AA PLT, SPG Gold
Posts: 95
Agree they do not make sense for Y->C upgrades because of the high cost of tickets but they can be a decent deal for C->F upgrades in some cases. I have used the upgrades this way on both TG and LH.
Jun 10, 2014, 6:22 am
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: London, Copenhagen
Programs: SK*G, BA Gold, IHG Plat AMB
Posts: 969
Normally no, they would be awful value. But the fact that I am looking to purchase a 1 way ticket, which almost automatically books into the most expensive fair bucket, on this occasion it will be more reasonable.
Jun 10, 2014, 6:28 am
#6
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: OSL
Programs: SK Diamond, LH SEN, KL Ivory, AY Basic, OZ silver
Posts: 1,103
I wouldn't do it. You need fully flexible and very expensive Y tickets, sometimes those are already more expensive than booking the C tickets directly.
So far I've been in luck when trying to book C class award tickets with SAS points on Thai (60.000 points per person one way or so). I'd say that is much more profitable than buying *A upgrades.
So far I've been in luck when trying to book C class award tickets with SAS points on Thai (60.000 points per person one way or so). I'd say that is much more profitable than buying *A upgrades.
