Jetstar paid upgrades at the airport

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davidjm2389

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I am interested in members' experience with purchasing star class upgrades at airport check in. I was able to do this on flights to/from MEL - HNL a couple of years ago. Last November we tried for the same paid upgrade at Mel airport but were informed by the very officious jetstar customer service person that these paid upgrades were no longer available. Surprisingly, the 10 star class seats that showed up as unbooked the day before appeared occupied on the flight.
On return at HNL airport I was told there were no upgrades left for the Melbourne flight but the sydney flight that was leaving within an hour had some availability. HNL - MEL star class again appeared full with some lucky ugraders.
Apparent inconsistency ?
Any ideas or hints on these upgrades ?
.
 
Often the Manila based JQ Call Centre will call ahead of time (around 2 weeks prior to departure) offering the Business Class Upgrade for a fee (usually around the $330 mark for a SYD > HNL journey or $430 as a MAX bundle) to passengers booked in Economy.

But as far as i'm aware these call arounds to up-grade potential passengers to JQ Business are done on an ad-hoc basis & are not frequently being offered.
 
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Purchased a one way upgrade for late March 2014 travel on Jetstar, MEL-BKK. Understand it is now all done via Jetstar Email Invitation with a reply by date a few days later on a first in best dressed basis. I received email invitation to upgrade exactly one week prior to travel date. I was told Jetstar now do not sell upgrades at Airports.

Our flight was virtually full in Business Class when we travelled but bookings were fairly low two weeks prior (I checked), so if you get an email and want to purchase suggest you may want to respond promptly by paying online as an update to your booking. We paid an extra AUD$240 pp. for full MAX bundle, alternative was AUD$180 without Lounge or points. This was on top of our economy fare which was a great price at the time where I paid AUD$199 pp. for the economy seat alone when on sale maybe 5 months before.

LCC Alternative to Jetstar Business Class Upgrades:

Having sad that, there is another option to Jetstar Business Class upgrades you may wish to consider, if not yet booked.

Air Asia X also has an upgrade process, but quite different. After holidaying in coughet we had chosen to come home via KL because the return leg on Jetstar was going to cost around AUD$350pp in economy (much more than the initial leg AUD$199, plus food etc. we paid). We secured AUD$115 economy seats, plus food etc. on sale with AAX for the return KUL-MEL flight. I must say that we were a little dubious about the price being so low, having never flown Air Asia X before, but it worked out extremely well in the end result. We purchased an Upgrade Option for AAX, through Optiontown.com, (not fully clear on how it fully works. I alike-end it to a kind of lottery possibly with some other criteria like date purchased, it certainly did not seem to be based on initial price paid). Optiontown apparently handles Air Asia X , Finnair and a few other airlines excess premium seats. This cost AUD$110pp and if not successful, then a refund of AUD$100 would be received within 5 business days if no upgrade. It seemed like a fair enough deal. To cut the longer story and give the short version, we scored the last two seats in Business at the gateway before boarding, it was supposedly before checking in that we were to be advised if successful, but we are not complaining.


Jetstar or Air Asia X Business Class Upgrades. Which is better?:
1. Air Asia X almost flat seats were by far the better seat IMHO. But 12 seats versus Jetstar's 32 seats, both on A330's means Jetstar's Upgrade probability is most likely greater.
2. On our flights (both daytime flights), Jetstar's Thai based cabin crew were hands down winners in the cabin, although the lovely AAX cabin crew were very well presented, but not around for all the flight. The food and beverage quality on Jetstar Business Class was much better and I would rate as better than Qantas International Economy food and inclusive in upgrade price. Whereas AAX in all seats was fully user pays for food and beverages, cheaper pricing, lower quality but certainly edible. AAX duty free was very well priced (you get 10% off if you pre-order on the internet), much better value than Australian Airport Duty Free, but if you do not pre-order then they may have run out before they take your order on board.
3. Based on price, AAX wins, but the availability seems somewhat questionable with so many fewer business class seats. Maybe we were lucky.
4. You be the judge, AAX better seats or Jetstar better eats (catering) with more likelihood of seats available but like the older domestic business class seat but most likely at a higher all up cost. In our view the solution is to try and get the better seats. They were very good and as an alternative to expecting good food in flight, have a really nice meal before boarding and top up inflight as needed.
5. I would not rule out either Upgrade option depending on total cost.
 
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Just got an invitation today for an upgrade to DPS in 2 weeks time. $210 Business or $320 Business Max. Have about 72 hours to book. Trying to decide. Very tempted ESP for the business max and 120 SC. Almost like a status run.

I only paid about $200 for the starter fare before adding a seat belt etc.

Interesting that it's only available SYD-DPS not return, prob makes sense given the overnight flight, unless I'll get another invite in a weeks time for the return flight.

Might help me keep my WP
 
Just got an invitation today for an upgrade to DPS in 2 weeks time. $210 Business or $320 Business Max. Have about 72 hours to book. Trying to decide. Very tempted ESP for the business max and 120 SC. Almost like a status run.

I only paid about $200 for the starter fare before adding a seat belt etc.

Interesting that it's only available SYD-DPS not return, prob makes sense given the overnight flight, unless I'll get another invite in a weeks time for the return flight.

Might help me keep my WP

If you do take up the business max offer, remember to keep everything.

And when I say everything, Im talking about the boarding pass, the original booking receipt/confirmation plus the receipt JQ give you when you pay for the upgrade, showing you paying for the Business Max bundle.

If you have all of this & the Points/SC don't post, you will have the evidence to email the QFF service centre in order to chase up. I had to claim for the correct points & SC after taking up a business max upgrade offer from JQ.
 
I just got an offer for my return flight to upgrade to Business. So tried doing it on the website and kept getting an error message on the payment side of things. So rang up to do it on the phone and saved $36!!! The online price was $310 for business max and they only charged me $274 over the phone!! Not sure how this was cheaper but I'm not complaining. Will be happy with the additional SC - I think I'll now have enough SC to requal for WP - I thought I would miss out with all the changes to the program.
 
I just got an offer for my return flight to upgrade to Business. So tried doing it on the website and kept getting an error message on the payment side of things. So rang up to do it on the phone and saved $36!!! The online price was $310 for business max and they only charged me $274 over the phone!! Not sure how this was cheaper but I'm not complaining. Will be happy with the additional SC - I think I'll now have enough SC to requal for WP - I thought I would miss out with all the changes to the program.

Last week I received, the Targeted Upgrade email option to pay to upgrade to business for my upcoming flight MEL > SIN return which was booked as Economy starter plus.

$180 each way to upgrade to business ( with no Bundle) or $ 240 each way to upgrade with the max bundle.

At first I was a little reluctant, but when I paid just $169 each way for on a club Jetstar special some months ago, I figured that the extra SC will come in handy to slowly but surely hit LTS & maybe just maybe get to WP plus additional benefits ( aka - Upgrade a member to Gold) before the end of my membership year.

Even when paying the additional $480 to upgrade for both sectors I figured the $ per SC came out at under $4 per SC, it was a no brainer decision & went ahead with paying for the upgrade.
 
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I did a paid upgrade KIX Osaka through to SYD 18 months ago. I speak fluent Japanese, so when I arrived at KIX, I went to the check in counter and spoke with JQ staff in Japanese about the possibility of an upgrade. For ¥15 000 (around $150 AUD), I received an upgrade all the way through to Sydney. Initially the upgrade was only going to be on the leg between KIX-CNS, but staff pulled a few more strings (in typical good Japanese customer service) and the upgrade was all the way. Furthermore, the upgrade included lounge access at KIX (Cathay Pacific Marco Polo Lounge) and the status credits were awarded at full business rate (KIX-CNS: 120SC, CNS-SYD: 80SC). Obviously the SC will have changed since that trip 18 months ago, but I guess it is a case of luck. Being a red-eye from Japan, that upgrade made the trip back a bit more comfortable. :)
 
Paid upgrade is one thing but you need a Business Max bundle to earn the full post Jul QF FF points and QF SC.
Business or Star Class in its own earn no points.
Have to pay $80 extra for it.
$399 SYD to MEL no QF FF points or QF SC.
Add $80 and it's all yours.
 
Paid upgrade is one thing but you need a Business Max bundle to earn the full post Jul QF FF points and QF SC.
Business or Star Class in its own earn no points.
Have to pay $80 extra for it.
$399 SYD to MEL no QF FF points or QF SC.
Add $80 and it's all yours.

has nothing to do with 'post July'
 
Just got an invitation today for an upgrade to DPS in 2 weeks time. $210 Business or $320 Business Max. Have about 72 hours to book. Trying to decide. Very tempted ESP for the business max and 120 SC. Almost like a status run.

I only paid about $200 for the starter fare before adding a seat belt etc.

Interesting that it's only available SYD-DPS not return, prob makes sense given the overnight flight, unless I'll get another invite in a weeks time for the return flight.

Might help me keep my WP

Flying to DPS in march, i needed to secure the sc's so I decided to secure the return flight in *class, and so paid the full hit.
We (Mrs GPH and i) have struck some good upgrade deals (specials) in the past flying to Japan at a decent discount to full bundle J fare
 
Ah, I didnt keep track of if QF FF points/QF SC were reduced post that Simpler and Fairer, with flying JQ?
So neither dropped?
Wish I had taken a screen dump or taken notes on the number (differences) of QF FF points and QF SC earn pre and post Jul 14.
Ok, will just read replies on this post now.
Ta, Aussieflyer.
 
Ah, I didnt keep track of if QF FF points/QF SC were reduced post that Simpler and Fairer, with flying JQ?
So neither dropped?
Wish I had taken a screen dump or taken notes on the number (differences) of QF FF points and QF SC earn pre and post Jul 14.
Ok, will just read replies on this post now.
Ta, Aussieflyer.

The post was saying that needing to buy a business max to earn QFF points had nothing to do with post July. That requirement has been around for a lot longer. But the earning did change post July. However, jetstar business max might have increased earning.
 
This threat has filled me with some hope :) So, here's my story and question.....

I have used points for a Melbourne- Denpasar flight but could only book 'down the back'. Happy to pay extra to get up the front. I know there are vacant seats up the front on the flight (at the moment).

Do you think there's a chance that an email invitation to upgrade will be sent to me? (I have a history of Business Max flying with Jetstar but I doubt their system will be so advanced to realise that).
 
I just received another targeted Email from JQ to upgrade on our upcoming flight JQ23 MEL > NRT at the end of the month.

Today's offer was $199 per person to upgrade to Business or $299 per person to upgrade to Business Max.

After quickly consulting with my travelling companion, We decided to jump on the opportunity on the upgrade as i knew that the seats had risen in price to double the normal price of a J seat on this sector & quickly calculating that Business max will earn a very handy 120 Status credits & 13,000 QFF points for myself aS a WP .... The decision was a no brainer.

$5.53 per SC i figure is good value plus this flight will earn a loyalty bonus for myself of another 8000 QFF points.

So all in all a happy camper.

It also appears all the seats on this flight in the J cabin are blocked so looks like a full J cabin .

Which brings me to another point.... Is premium traffic on the MEL > NRT route on the rise?
Is QF going to service this route eventually?
 
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Interesting the small difference to Business Max from Business. Most bought tickets I have seen recently added $200+
 
Interesting the small difference to Business Max from Business. Most bought tickets I have seen recently added $200+

I Too was surprised at the cost difference.

In the past the difference between business & business max is often more.

I know I've paid $439 to upgrade to business max in the past on the HNL sector.

Now crossing my fingers I get the same email for the return sector (which I suspect will be 14 days prior to departure).

Will report back if another offer is taken up in the return sector.
 
I Too was surprised at the cost difference.

In the past the difference between business & business max is often more.

I know I've paid $439 to upgrade to business max in the past on the HNL sector.

Now crossing my fingers I get the same email for the return sector (which I suspect will be 14 days prior to departure).

Will report back if another offer is taken up in the return sector.

I've often found that I don't get an email for the return sector so make sure you check the website 2 weeks out.
 
I got an email offer T-10 days, $180 MEL-SIN or $230 for max. Nothing for return, didn't think to check the website :(
 
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