Do free upgrades exist?

[scheps]

just got upgraded to PE NRT-SYD. So i guess that is a good route to get upgraded? . So thats upgrade for 4 people on both legs. I think i wont get anymore upgrades for next 2 life times...

 

[Orca]

Apologies for dragging up an old thread but I thought this was worth a mention. My girlfriend (QF NB) and I have now received Op-Up's with QF on our last 2 o/s trips (SY-NRT Y to PE both ways in July last year and then in March SY-LA Y to PE, LA-BN Y to J!! on the return leg) We do not fly regularly at all (maybe 4 or 5 return dom legs a year? + 1 or 2 intl -all in Y) and all 4 of the upgrades were given upon check-in with absolutely no prompting from us? It strikes me as more than coincidental consider our nothing status. Does anybody have any clue as to why this may be the case our am I just extremely lucky? Keen to hear your thoughts...

 

[Dmac6345]

Hi,

My thoughts are......well.....Lucky you !!
This seems very odd. Especially the Y-J upgrade. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense.
I would have said don't get used to it after the first upgrade, but 4....!!! That is just greedy.
Travelling alot with QF Dom, I have had 1 upgrade in the last 3 years.

I bet you enjoyed every minute of the J experience. I gather on the refurb ?? Whre did you sit?

 

[Orca]

I thought it was extremely odd/rare! We absolutely loved the J experience coming back home, made the journey after a long and tiring trip so much easier and enjoyable. (The only drawback being SWMBO is now hooked on J/PE class and states she can't do Y trips long haul anymore ha!) We were on the refurb, 7 J&K.
I've never been upgraded domestically (about 10 flights a year on average). I guess I've just been on an extremely lucky streak... Guess I should have entered Powerball last night :/

 

[Dmac6345]

Granted my domestic upgrade, i'm pretty sure was an op/up for some reason.

Dont buy a lotto ticket, as you have used all your luck with upgrades.:mrgreen:

 

[auspal]

Another question, I am booked business class from Brisbane to Mumbai on Qantas, for a holiday, with a stay in Hong Kong until the onward flight to Mumbai with Cathay Pacific. I am being joined by my friend, who is flying Cathay Pacific the whole way and by coincidence is on the same flight to Mumbai, yet booked in economy. Is there anything we can do to give us a better chance of her being upgraded to be seated with me?

 

[CaviAck]

Another question, I am booked business class from Brisbane to Mumbai on Qantas, for a holiday, with a stay in Hong Kong until the onward flight to Mumbai with Cathay Pacific. I am being joined by my friend, who is flying Cathay Pacific the whole way and by coincidence is on the same flight to Mumbai, yet booked in economy. Is there anything we can do to give us a better chance of her being upgraded to be seated with me?

Unless you spend points/cash or are high status pax, no. There's no guaranteed way to get a free upgrade. And when upgrades are given out they seem to be random. I've seen a couple get upgraded because it was their honeymoon. I was once upgraded as a 10 year old because I was inquisitive about why there was an aircraft change from a 767 to a 777. The last and only second time I've ever been given an upgrade was because the flight was full and I was the equal highest status pax in the Y cabin from what I could tell. (Guess work by looking at seating arrangements pre T-80 on a leisure route SYD-CNS)

 

[drross]

Apologies for dragging up an old thread but I thought this was worth a mention. My girlfriend (QF NB) and I have now received Op-Up's with QF on our last 2 o/s trips (SY-NRT Y to PE both ways in July last year and then in March SY-LA Y to PE, LA-BN Y to J!! on the return leg) We do not fly regularly at all (maybe 4 or 5 return dom legs a year? + 1 or 2 intl -all in Y) and all 4 of the upgrades were given upon check-in with absolutely no prompting from us? It strikes me as more than coincidental consider our nothing status. Does anybody have any clue as to why this may be the case our am I just extremely lucky? Keen to hear your thoughts...

Lucky +++ and hope your luck continues

 

[DAC1]

Unless you spend points/cash or are high status pax, no. There's no guaranteed way to get a free upgrade. And when upgrades are given out they seem to be random. I've seen a couple get upgraded because it was their honeymoon. I was once upgraded as a 10 year old because I was inquisitive about why there was an aircraft change from a 767 to a 777. The last and only second time I've ever been given an upgrade was because the flight was full and I was the equal highest status pax in the Y cabin from what I could tell. (Guess work by looking at seating arrangements pre T-80 on a leisure route SYD-CNS)

Mate I'm rather disappointed you didn't pull out that 777 upgrade story in Year 4 show and tell!

 

[CaviAck]

Mate I'm rather disappointed you didn't pull out that 777 upgrade story in Year 4 show and tell!

We didn't have show and tell! And it was during the break between year 4 and 5.

 

[DAC1]

We didn't have show and tell! And it was during the break between year 4 and 5.

Probably told the entire OC class instead haha. I know I always did!

 

[CaviAck]

Probably told the entire OC class instead haha. I know I always did!

Why do I have this feeling we've interacted in a past life