Skyteam Mileage upgrade program
 

Just found this and did not find it in this forum. Aparently you can now upgrade from a full Y international flight on any skyteam airline using miles from your particular skyteam account, regardless of the skyteam airline where you bank miles. So as a delta skymiles member I could purchase a flight on Korean Airlines and upgrade with skymiles. It is 25,000 miles one way, there has to be availability, and it has to be a full Y fare but it mentions this is a first step. Might help some folks whose companies say they must buy coach seats. I would be more interesting if they increase the possible fare classes.


http://www.skyteam.com/EN/aboutSkyte...r/pr141108.jsp

Aerolflot now allows upgrades on other ST airlines using Bonus miles!
 

Press release in Russian (from SU website, not available on English part of SU site):

24 ноября 2008
Новая услуга от Аэрофлот Бонус
НОВАЯ УСЛУГА ПРОГРАММЫ «АЭРОФЛОТ БОНУС»
24 ноября 2008 года, Москва. – ОАО «Аэрофлот – российские авиалинии», член глобального альянса авиаперевозчиков SkyTeam вводит программу повышения класса обслуживания часто летающих пассажиров на рейсах любой авиакомпании-участницы альянса SkyTeam в рамках инициативы Mileage Upgrade.
Теперь клиенты бонусных программ Аэрофлота имеют возможность премиального повышения класса обслуживания за накопленные мили на один уровень от экономического класса на рейсах любой авиакомпании-участницы альянса SkyTeam (кроме а/к Alitalia)

Чтобы воспользоваться данной услугой необходимо:
– приобрести билет по полному экономическому тарифу на перелет, включающий хотя бы один международный участок, любым из 10 перевозчиков альянса (данная программа не распространяется на рейсы по соглашению «код-шеринг»);
– связаться с колл-центром бонусной программы для подтверждения возможности повышения в классе обслуживания;
– после подтверждения агенты по бронированию спишут мили со счета пассажира и выпишут новый электронный билет с подтверждением повышения в классе обслуживания.
Введение новой услуги – первый этап программы Mileage Upgrade альянса SkyTeam. На основании полученных результатов будет осуществлена возможность запроса и подтверждения премиального повышения в классе обслуживания через интернет.
Более подробно ознакомиться с программой по повышению в классе обслуживания можно на сайте «Аэрофлот Бонус» или любой другой программы лояльности альянса SkyTeam.

Summary: Passengers that have enough miles in their Aerolflot Bonus account can now use them to upgrade on other SkyTeam airlines flights (except Alitalia). This is a test program called Mileage Upgrade within Sky Team initiative. Based on the results they are expecting to recieve they will implement this award redemption (upgrade) via Internet in the future.

Here is the announcement from Sky Team webiste directly, apparently its available to all ST airlines frequent flyer programs members, but the ticket has be purchased in full fare coach for it to be elegible for the upgrade. Nonetheless, I think its pretty exciting! I havent seen it being mentioned anywhere before, and the first airline's website I saw it on was, surprisingly, Aeroflot's!

SKYTEAM LAUNCHES MILEAGE UPGRADE PROGRAM
Alliance passengers can now use miles from one program to upgrade on flights operated by another member




November 13, 2008 – SkyTeam, the global airline alliance, today announced the launch of the SkyTeam Mileage Upgrades program. SkyTeam Frequent Flyers on international flight itineraries can now use their miles to upgrade to Business class on most SkyTeam member airlines.

“The ability to earn and redeem miles has always been a key passenger benefit of alliances,” said Leo van Wijk, SkyTeam chairman. “With the launch of SkyTeam Mileage Upgrades, we are responding to passenger requests as we look to continuously expand upon the benefits we offer our customers.”

To take advantage of SkyTeam Mileage Upgrades, passengers must:

Purchase an international, published, full fare Economy class reservation on one of the 10 participating SkyTeam member airlines. The flight must be marketed and operated by the same SkyTeam carrier, as code-share flights are not permitted.
Call the award reservation line of their frequent flyer program at least three days in advance of departure to verify eligibility, check account balance and confirm if upgrade seats are available. At the current time, all requests must be made via telephone. The number of miles necessary for an upgrade varies based on the frequent flyer program to be debited and the itinerary. Passengers should visit their frequent flyer program Web site and consult the individual award charts for approximations.
If the passenger is eligible, has the necessary miles in their account and upgrade seats are available, the award reservation agents will debit their frequent flyer account and reissue the tickets with the upgrade confirmed.
For example, an Air France-KLM Flying Blue member traveling on Delta Air Lines from Paris to Atlanta on a full fare economy class ticket can use 25,000 miles from their Flying Blue account for a one-way upgrade to Business class. Once at the airport, the Flying Blue member can enjoy all of the additional benefits of Business class travel, such as additional luggage allowances, priority services and lounge access.

For full terms and conditions, and details of each alliance members’ participation in the SkyTeam Mileage Upgrade program, passengers should visit their frequent flyer program Web site.

This is the first phase of the SkyTeam Mileage Upgrade program. The alliance will use feedback from and results of phase one to improve future phases of the offer, including expanded criteria for eligible flights, the inclusion of Associate-operated flights and the ability to make and confirm requests online.

See:

http://www.skyteam.com/EN/aboutSkyte...r/pr141108.jsp

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=892072

;)

Full Y fare only. :(

Getting better but still not great. I use SU miles for this already (50k round trip from FRA to OVB via SVO mostly). The 3 day rule is laborious but, again, this is a step in the right direction.

Kudos SU and ST!

No Terry, this is not yet defined a "full published" ticket could be Y and S on KLM, or YBM on Delta. We just don't know yet.

Not fully defined, but in each program that I have researched the rules for "full fare" upgrades today are only for the "Y" fares. Even though the airlines call the next tier down "full" in some marketing junk the upgrade rules are pretty specific. CO calls Y & H "full" but only Y gets the "full fare" upgrade rates. Ditto for NW and DL. I'm pretty sure that the European and Asian carriers are the same way.

No, absolutely NOT true, as I stated above, On KL it IS Y and S, on AF the same. On Delta it is Y B or M fares. I do not know what CO's rules are, but then again they are leaving Skyteam in the next 12 months anyway. Again, you may be right, but we don't know, although I should add that in Star alliance it is generally the top 2-3 fares on most member airlines and this program has been instituted in order to compete directly with Star Alliance.

With SU you can upgrade from Q fares and those higher using SU Bonus miles. The higher fares are (highest to lowest - Y, I, S, B, M, H, K, V, T, Q). I assume you can upgrade on SU using other ST miles also from Q. That is what I assume at least...

SU's existing upgrade programme (for SU Bonus members) has no connection to the new SkyTeam upgrade programme:

http://www.KLM.com/travel/nl_en/flyi...d/index.htm#11

Good catch as this hadn't been published elsewhere.

So Alitalia isn't involved

I assume that NW is subsumed into DL for this purpose.

Three carriers allow them for a fare below Y.

Their commincation is quite bad, and to be frank this program isn;t too impressive. I suppose its a sap to the economy, allowing those travelling on business for companies with economy only restrictions to sit up in Business class, as I cannot imagine anyone doing this for leisure (especially when many companies discount rates are listed as Y fares).

Well its not all carriers can upgrade all others... don't know how well the other Skyteam carriers are implementing this but CO is only doing NW, DL, AF, and KL... in reality its only adding AF and DL since NW and KL could already be upgraded on more flexible terms.

This is not correct. Please read the ST rules in regard to that. It really does mean that ALL carriers can upgrade on ALL carriers (exception being SU cannot do AZ and vice versa, but all other combinations are possible). Has to be a full Y fare.

AZ and DL does not participate to this new Skyteam upgrade program.

New reward booking classes
 

AM : class Y
upgrade booking class R

CO : class Y
upgrade booking class F

CZ : class Y
upgrade booking class P (intra China), I (outside China)

KE : class W,Y
upgrade booking class I


OK : class Y, M
upgrade booking class I


SU : class Y, S
upgrade booking class O

AZ and DL are not yet in this new program

Very useful!!

Any idea what the booking/fare codes are for KL/AF?

My speculation is KL: S and B, booked into D

In many of the markets it's offered from, D class (discounted biz) on OK is cheaper than (not just Y but also) M. :eek:

Where are you seeing that DL does not participate? They are actually used as one of the examples in the press release announcement and there seem to be details about booking class and purchase class for them.

For AF: Y/B/K (and H in Japan, and T in New Caledonia) to O in Biz
For AF: J/C/D to A in First
For KL: Y/S/B to D
no First on KL

For DL, I know that it is written on the press release but it is not mentioned on the AF communication to travel agencies.
And of course I have no code.
So, these are the rules for AF/KL Flying blue members.
There are probably different rules for others skyteam FF programs.
Hope it helps you.

This mileage upgrade program seems to be much more restrictive than what everyone is posting. I think the disconnect may be that some are posting what their own frequent flyer program offers as upgradeable fares, whereas the Skyteam Mileage upgrade program seems to be truly FULL fare economy.

NW offers its own frequent fliers upgrades with Y/B fares. Delta Y/B/M fares, KLM Y/S/B and AF Y/S/B/K. However as an example, when I look at the following NW chart, NW fliers can only upgrade AF Y fares, not Y/S/B/K like Flying Blue members:

Skyteam parner upgrades for NW:

SkyTeam Carrier Marketing and Operating Code Eligible Full Fare Booking Classes:

Aeroflot SU S, Y
Aeromexico AM Y
Air France AF Y, S
China Southern CZ Y
CSA Czech Airlines OK Y, M
Delta DL Y
Korean Air KE W, Y

Alas, at these fare levels it is usually cheaper to buy a discounted business class fare than use the miles to upgrade. Then again, it might be a advantageous for last minute travel.

As an add-on comment for this thread-- the Skyteam upgrade program is truly FULL fare Y class. I recently booked a Y fare international ticket with DL and after 20 min on hold with the NW Platinum line, they told me I could not use Woldperks miles to upgrade the DL ticket because it was an international Y fare that was not classfied as "FULL Y" fare.

That points out part of the joke of this program-- the domestic segments on DL were already upgraded at time of ticketing because it was a "Y" fare but yet I could not use NW miles to upgrade the international segments under the Skyteam program because the ticket was not FULL Y.

Since DL upgrades Y/B/M tickets under its Skymiles progam, I could use miles I have on that account to upgrade my Y fare, ut but then I don't want to lose the NW miles collection and EQM collection when others tell me I will lose that benefit if I pay the miles with DL.

So at the end of the day, my million plus NW miles are still worthless, because I cannot use them to upgrade a Y ticket and don't want to risk losing the EQM by using DL Skymiles for the upgrade since I am told I will then earn Skymiles EQM instead.

Has anyone had success with this program? I am considering a trip to EZE on AM and Delta tells me I need to call AM and they will call DL to process the UG. That doesn't seem right to me. The rep also told me it is only 10,000 miles each way to UG NYC-EZE of AM full Y which also seems too low.

Has anyone done an upgrade from biz to first on KE? How is it done?

AFAIK the ST upgrade program applies only for Y -> C.
Also I think that First awards in general are only for members of the home FFP. (AF might have a special agreement with KE though, but not for upgrades.)

That's what an FB agent told me, but he seemed pretty clueless about it so I wanted to double check. Maybe I'll trying calling KE directly and see if there is a way. I'm booked in biz on the KE A380 LAX-ICN but I'd love to try F.

The SkyTeam Mileage Upgrade Programme does indeed seem to be limited solely to upgrading economy to business:
As a SkyTeam frequent flyer you can use your Miles to upgrade from Economy to Business Class on international flight itineraries on most of the SkyTeam Member airlines (Aeroflot, Aeroméxico, Air France, China Airlines, China Southern, Czech Airlines, Delta Air Lines, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Korean Air).

See this thread for my recent experience of using FB miles for a Y->Z upgrade on KE.

I hope you manage it! :)