Advice for changing segment upgraded with miles to a later flight with R available
 

I'm booked on a CLE-SFO-SIN return itinerary, with 1:44 connection time in SFO to the morning flight to SIN. I have upgraded using miles + copay, with CLE-SFO waitlisted and SFO-SIN confirmed (R was available). I would have preferred a longer connection in SFO and connect to the evening flight to SIN, but R was not available when I booked. But now, R has become available on the evening flight. I have a couple of questions as I contemplate things, hoping for your advice:

1. If I call, would they be able to change my morning SFO-SIN to the evening one and transfer my confirmed upgrade (R is available). The change fee is $120, so not so bad.
2. Should I ask for a return of miles and co-pay (is it possible) and then make the change myself online and upgrade again?
3. Since I'm contemplating 1. above mostly because of the connection time, should I just not worry about the 1:44 connection time and not bother with the change at all? I'm dreading having to fly in Y if I misconnect (I know I should be able to get confirmed in J, but you never know if J is not available).

I appreciate your thoughts on this.

Absolutely, although I'm surprised the change fee is only $120.

I would definitely call. You might get a change waiver, but more important you avoid (almost entirely) any risk that the R space disappears before you do the swap out booking.

I don't think you should worry about the 1:44 connection in SFO, but I understand everyone has different risk tolerance.

Thanks. I was also surpised:
Trying the change flight option online also yields the same change fee. It's a V fare.

You can make the change by calling.

Degree of risk for a 1:44 connection at SFO depends on time of year and time of scheduled arrival.

Yes, these are new on certain TPAC fares. $120 to change for W/V/Q fares. Probably others.

I mentioned this in another thread a couple of weeks back.

Well, now that I think about it, since I'm getting the economy itinerary reimbursed, my employer may not like that I end up flying a different flight than the one I submit the reimbursement for (though I don't need to submit boarding passes). If I make the change, the upgrade and the change fee will show on the itinerary, which may not be a good idea.

So the clean solution would probably be to call and have the upgrade redeposited/refunded. Then cancel the ticket and book from scratch, using the credit. Finally, upgrade the new itinerary (and hope R doesn't disappear in the meantime).

Is this too much hassle/trouble to avoid the 1:44 connection time? (I already had this discussion with jsloan in the SFO connection thread, and he also thinks 1:44 in the morning should be fine)

Thanks, Kacee. This would be early December, arrival at 9:11am from CLE.

Just give your employer the original/current receipt. I've made changes/upgraded my own, and I never give them anything that shows that, just the original receipt.
I'd go for more then 1:44 just so I have ample time to sample the Polaris Lounge there.

If that plane sat overnight at CLE you could be looking at a deicing delay...

I would just stick with the 1h44 at SFO. A ~4:30am (Pacific) departure is basically immune from the SFO GDP, so unless you're the sort of pax who is sweating bullets without a 3h00 */I connect, it's a fine connection. It sounds like it would be a hassle to change and worst case you have the entire day to get rebooked without an overnight.

So I decided to just stick with what I had. However, now I've been hit by the infamous Friday night schedule change, and the connection is now reduced to 1h23. R is no longer available on the evening flight. So:

1. Any chance they would change SFO-SIN to the evening flight now with the schedule change and open R for me?
2. Should I wait a couple of days before calling and see if R opens up on the evening flight and then call and ask them to change to the evening flight?
3. Or is 1h23 still ok on a December morning?

1 - Yes, there's definitely a chance they'd do that.
2 - Not necessary
3 - At 1:23, I'd start to get a little nervous. It's probably still fine -- but you've been worrying about this for at least a week already, and if you can get it changed for free, you'll worry a lot less for the next five months.

minor schedule change. Still within MCT by quite a bit. They will probably move you, but they will unlikely open up 'R' in that scenario. Doesn't hurt to call and ask, but unless the schedule change puts you below MCT I doubt they will consider opening up 'R'.

There's also a decent chance of more schedule changes nearly five months out.