Bidding or hoping for upgrade?
Feb 12, 2020, 6:46 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2020
Programs: SAS Diamond, Delta, KLM
Posts: 2
Bidding or hoping for upgrade?
First time here - just got diamond status again and in the dilemma whether to bid for upgrade IAD-CPH from plus to biz, or to hope for courtesy upgrade? What are your experiences and recommendations? Grateful for any input! :-)
Feb 13, 2020, 2:08 am
#2
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: VNO
Programs: Eurobonus Diamond
Posts: 111
I had a few courtesy upgrades over the years with SAS (approximately once per year as EBG or EBD) but usually only in cases where the lower service classes had been over-booked and they had to move customers up anyway. I definitely would not count on it only because you are EBD, chances for a free upgrade will only be 10-20% and highly dependent on the route and time of the year you are flying.
Feb 13, 2020, 2:44 am
#3
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: AGH
Posts: 5,967
In my opinion the courtesy upgrades and the PlusGrade system don't work well together. Since they PlusGrade system has been rolled out allowing bidding with points or cash, I haven't had a single Courtesy upgrade into J. Probably since the PlusGrade upgrades clear at T-48 while the courtesy upgrades are processed T-24. Which means, for a courtesy upgrade to work out, the flight needs to have a veeeeery light load.
In general I feel the "courtesy upgrades" benefit is kind of useless nowadays. They should change it to a one or two confirmed on-cabin class upgrades on SK (or at least to be able to request an upgrade which is processed T-56 before the PlusGrade upgrades clear) a year.
In general I feel the "courtesy upgrades" benefit is kind of useless nowadays. They should change it to a one or two confirmed on-cabin class upgrades on SK (or at least to be able to request an upgrade which is processed T-56 before the PlusGrade upgrades clear) a year.
Feb 13, 2020, 2:53 am
#4
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
I haven’t heard about tons of EBD’s commonly getting courtesy upgrades to business on IAD-CPH even when I find plenty of seats empty around me. Other SAS routes are a different story.
More recently, I’m finding that SAS seems to be pushing online cash/point sales of the upgrades harder than used to be the case. Such upgrade monetization efforts usually don’t mean good things for courtesy upgrades.
More recently, I’m finding that SAS seems to be pushing online cash/point sales of the upgrades harder than used to be the case. Such upgrade monetization efforts usually don’t mean good things for courtesy upgrades.
Feb 13, 2020, 2:57 am
#5
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Preferable @30.000 feet
Programs: More than one
Posts: 1,673
In my opinion the courtesy upgrades and the PlusGrade system don't work well together. Since they PlusGrade system has been rolled out allowing bidding with points or cash, I haven't had a single Courtesy upgrade into J. Probably since the PlusGrade upgrades clear at T-48 while the courtesy upgrades are processed T-24. Which means, for a courtesy upgrade to work out, the flight needs to have a veeeeery light load.
In general I feel the "courtesy upgrades" benefit is kind of useless nowadays. They should change it to a one or two confirmed on-cabin class upgrades on SK (or at least to be able to request an upgrade which is processed T-56 before the PlusGrade upgrades clear) a year.
In general I feel the "courtesy upgrades" benefit is kind of useless nowadays. They should change it to a one or two confirmed on-cabin class upgrades on SK (or at least to be able to request an upgrade which is processed T-56 before the PlusGrade upgrades clear) a year.
But I agree. Getting a courtesy upgrade is a slim chance and not something you should count on.
Feb 13, 2020, 3:22 am
#6
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: CPH
Programs: SK-EBD
Posts: 1,273
As others states: don't count on courtesy upgrades at all. Bid, if you want the comfort (and earnings).
In 4 years as EBD I had 2 courtesy upgrades (from PE to biz (one for 2 pax, the other for 4 pax). Last one was this January ORD-CPH on an A330. PE was almost empty in advance and biz was less than half, so it was really a courtesy upgrade, not something they 'needed' to. (in the end bizz was full).
In 4 years as EBD I had 2 courtesy upgrades (from PE to biz (one for 2 pax, the other for 4 pax). Last one was this January ORD-CPH on an A330. PE was almost empty in advance and biz was less than half, so it was really a courtesy upgrade, not something they 'needed' to. (in the end bizz was full).
Feb 16, 2020, 6:43 am
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2020
Programs: SAS Diamond, Delta, KLM
Posts: 2
Thanks for useful replies and tips! Yes, it has happened that i have been denied plusgrade bids only to find a courtesy upgrade at the airport. But many bids have been honoured as well. And a few times nothing happened. So I will bid and hope for the best. Thanks again!