den1k

I've never tried to use 500 mile certs to upgrade to Hawaii. It has always seemed a little tough to find upgrade availability to Hawaii using miles without quite a bit of lead time.

Being a 1K, what might my chances be using 500 mile certs?

Always Flyin

I did it last year with a friend from LAX-HNL-LAX. Was waitlisted both ways, but it cleared at the airport just prior to departure.

747-200: bump from Y to C.

As a 1K, I think you probably have a pretty good chance, particularly on the 3 class of service aircraft. On the smaller 2 class of service, it might be harder.

PremEx

Always Flyin posts: Agree 100%. I've flown LAX-HNL many times on 500 Milers. As a 1K, I've cleared at 100 hours on about 80% of my flights from Coach to Business on 3-Class, and about 50% of the time on 2-Class. But all total including standby at the airport, I was successfull 100% of the time (on average of 3-4 r/t's a year).

But...and this is a big "but"...with United discontinuing their ORD-HNL non-stops, that is going to put quite an additional "demand" on upgraded seats out of LAX and other mainland Hawaii gateway cities. Not just all those Chicago folks going to Hawaii, but all those other folks that were feeding into ORD for their flights to the islands.

Because of that, 500 Milers may be harder than ever to redeem for flights to Hawaii. This may now be a route that you might want to consider using miles from your account to upgrade, in order to secure (if available) your upgrade in advance of 100 hours.

Good Luck!

[This message has been edited by PremEx (edited 11-12-2000).]

Starman

I also have cleared either at 100 hours or at the gate 100% of the time as a 1K with 500 mile certs. It's only when I need more than one seat (for a companion) that I've had troubles occasionally, but even then it often clears.

johna

I flew SFO-OGG-SFO earlier this month, and was able to upgrade both directions using 500-mile certs (I'm 1K). Both flights were 2-cabin aircraft (777 and 757). Neither upgrade cleared at the 100-hour mark , but one cleared a day before and the other had cleared by the time I checked in, so I didn't have to wait (and pray) at the gate.

LIH Prem

I have to say it depends on what time of year and what flight and your status. As a 1k, you will probably do very well, depending on how things shake up as they retire the old 747s and the nonstop from ORD but add more non-stops to the other islands.

Up until today, I had a 4 out of 4 record of getting upgraded on 747 flights between SFO and HNL. As a lowly Premier, I guess I was doing well. (I really must do a mileage run this year .. I'll need about 4.2k more to make the reduced PremEx level.)

The RCC/CSR agent got my seat moved up to the front section of economy. On this old 747, it's a small economy section with 3 rows just behind the second C class cabin. There is no e+ on this plane, so there isn't much legroom in coach. (Also, the audio is frequently broken, etc, etc. It isn't very nice in coach, that's for sure.)

It also doesn't look very good for my return flight (UA67) on Sunday, even though my return ticket is class 'B'.

The dilemna for me is if I should fly the 2-class 757 with e+ non-stop from LIH or try for the upgrade on the 747 from HNL. I might try the non-stop again.

-David