Booking upgradeable TA fares on the website
Apr 28, 2007, 10:12 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: ROC
Programs: UA Plat, Starwood Gold, Hilton Silver
Posts: 250
Booking upgradeable TA fares on the website
I am looking to book a trip ROC-PHL-AMS in September and want a chance 
to use a CP TA upgrade certificate. Since I have hitched my wagon to US for at least a few more months, I want to maximize my mileage by getting the website booking bonus. However, I can find no way to book an upgradeable fare on usairways.com short of booking an immediately upgradeable B or Y fare (ripoff). Am I missing something or will I have to go through the CP desk and forfeit the 500 miles?
to use a CP TA upgrade certificate. Since I have hitched my wagon to US for at least a few more months, I want to maximize my mileage by getting the website booking bonus. However, I can find no way to book an upgradeable fare on usairways.com short of booking an immediately upgradeable B or Y fare (ripoff). Am I missing something or will I have to go through the CP desk and forfeit the 500 miles?
Apr 28, 2007, 1:05 pm
#2
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: AVL
Programs: AA EXP ; Cunard Plat
Posts: 4,211
It appears decent M,H, Q, fares are now loaded, at least for PHL-AMS. Quick look at random Sep 6 - 9 dates show lowest fare is "V" ($517 +). There are "Q" fares showing from $737 +, "H" from $877 +, and "M" from $1050 +. Which means for as little as a few hundred extra, the CP certs can be used for a decent chance at upgrade. This is the way it once was, and I'm glad to see it return (on a Sep date for this route at least; I haven't checked for others)
Apr 28, 2007, 2:04 pm
#3
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Washington DC
Programs: AA Plat
Posts: 1,304
I've never been able to figure out how to do it on the website either. IIRC United has a good fare class selector on their website. Wish US had that too.
I wonder what would happen if you booked in Y via web and subsequently called the CP desk to change to Q. My suspicion is that they would cancel the entire itinerary, refund entire fare, and reticket anew. It would be a boon if you could just get them to re-class the booked fare and refund the difference.
I wonder what would happen if you booked in Y via web and subsequently called the CP desk to change to Q. My suspicion is that they would cancel the entire itinerary, refund entire fare, and reticket anew. It would be a boon if you could just get them to re-class the booked fare and refund the difference.
Apr 30, 2007, 8:26 am
#4
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: St. Croix, USVI
Programs: AAdvantage Executive Platinum & Million Miler. Hilton Diamond
Posts: 915
This is an item I believe on their "todo" list for the website. Many of us have reported it to them. On the old US website you could "search by price" and get all of the different fare classes to look up this sort of thing. Hopefully they will eventually implement this again.
I'm glad to hear that Q fares are pricing better now. For a while the CP TA certs were a complete joke as Q fares were pricing so much higher than V it was cheaper to just "GoEnvoy." At least it appears that they have some usage now ($120 more than V plus my CP cert for Envoy is reasonable).
BTW, while not totally on topic this is interesting and relevant: If you book a V fare and then later decide you want a Q fare they will charge you a $200 change fee. At least thats what happened to me 2+ years ago when I bought a V fare because it was upgradeable using miles at the time only to have them switch it so V fares were not upgradeable. I then asked to pay for a Q fare and they said "fare difference plus $200." This was before GoEnvoy so I balked...very pissed off at them for their stupidity on not letting me pay them more for the same seat (and a chance to upgrade with miles). Agent on the phone at the time agreed and was sympathetic but could do nothing.
Sean
I'm glad to hear that Q fares are pricing better now. For a while the CP TA certs were a complete joke as Q fares were pricing so much higher than V it was cheaper to just "GoEnvoy." At least it appears that they have some usage now ($120 more than V plus my CP cert for Envoy is reasonable).
BTW, while not totally on topic this is interesting and relevant: If you book a V fare and then later decide you want a Q fare they will charge you a $200 change fee. At least thats what happened to me 2+ years ago when I bought a V fare because it was upgradeable using miles at the time only to have them switch it so V fares were not upgradeable. I then asked to pay for a Q fare and they said "fare difference plus $200." This was before GoEnvoy so I balked...very pissed off at them for their stupidity on not letting me pay them more for the same seat (and a chance to upgrade with miles). Agent on the phone at the time agreed and was sympathetic but could do nothing.
Sean