Odds of getting an upgrade? Help please.

[MatF]

Hi guys,

The Mrs and I are planning to head over to Europe for a break at the end of this year.
We would be flying:

Sydney (or Melbourne) to London; then
Rome to Hong Kong, 2 days stopover, then back to Sydney or Melbourne.
Leaving on the 7th of December (possibly QF031), back mid January (11th to HK, 14th home).

I have ~320,000 FF points, and we'd like to avoid going over and back in Economy if we can

I can see a couple of options:

1. 320,000 points can get us both over there in Premium Economy, and back to Hong Kong Economy (on CX). We could then buy economy tickets back from Hong Kong.

2. We could buy economy tickets there and back, and use my points to try to upgrade.

I have actually booked option 1 - though they're easily cancelled.

So .... any thoughts? I'm a WP (without the W I like to think ) - what's the probability that we would get points upgrades to J if we put in the requests at T-3 months? I suspect the missus may be less than impressed if we ended up paying for economy tickets instead of using points and then not getting upgrades ...


Cheers,
Mat.

 

[ejb]

...I suspect the missus may be less than impressed if we ended up paying for economy tickets instead of using points and then not getting upgrades ...


Cheers,
Mat.

Then there is your answer. Do not upset the missus and take the Y+ route.

ejb

 

[JetLagged]

So .... any thoughts? I'm a WP (without the W I like to think ) - what's the probability that we would get points upgrades to J if we put in the requests at T-3 months? Cheers,
Mat.

Mat - the only consideration relevant is that upgrades can only happen for ONE class of fare - if you buy an economy ticket, you can only get upgraded on points to Y+. If you buy Y+ tickets, than you can get upgraded to J - but not Y to J if there is Y+ on the same plane.

As to likelihood of obtaining a permittable upgrade - the longer out you apply, and the higher FF status you have, the better the chance!

Cheers, and good luck!

 

[munitalP]

Mat - the only consideration relevant is that upgrades can only happen for ONE class of fare - if you buy an economy ticket, you can only get upgraded on points to Y+. If you buy Y+ tickets, than you can get upgraded to J - but not Y to J if there is Y+ on the same plane.

As to likelihood of obtaining a permittable upgrade - the longer out you apply, and the higher FF status you have, the better the chance!

Cheers, and good luck!

I disagree with both statements here...

From Y, you can request an upgrade to J both on the internet and on the secret WP ( ) phone number. Your upgrade will be approved at T-24 to the flight.

Be aware that (and I am ready for the flaming here) ticket class and status does count. There are levels within the WP status - for example, top 2.5% WP's get the AIR magazine delivered each quarter (with a scattering of others) whereas most WP's will never see one - the AIR magazine recipients will trump a (non AIR) WP in most cases on upgrades.

In my personal experience, unless the class is FULL, I have never been turned down for an upgrade yet have seen others complaining their upgrade never came through (on the same flight) and were WP's (or had snuck into the Flounge)...

If I was you I would...

1. Purchase the highest class fare you can
2. Request an upgrade a week or two out from the flight
3. Ask someone on this forum to have a look at seat checker for availability
4. Hope that if your upgrade does not come through, you get an OPUP from Y to Y+ (which seems to be quite common now for WP's) when checking in

Best of luck


Mr!

 

[GCC]

You could fly Y+ SYD to LHR on an award (QF or partner) and then Rome - LHR Sydney Y+ on QF for $$.

We just booked this as a one way flight from QF UK via our TA for $3400 each (you have to ask but it can be done - WP premium desk will also book it for you).

That should only cost a little more than Y, leave you enough points for an upgrade to J, & give you better odds of getting it as you'll be on a higher fare class.

Your worst case scenario is then Y+ on both legs and you'll get Y+ SC's on the return leg.

 

[MelUser]

I think the use of word on departure upgrade (ODU) is confusing.

ODU is used for a domestic flight upgrade which is most commonly done at the lounge.

A points requested upgrade for international flights is not an ODU but an upgrade and sector revalidation which is processed in the 24 hours before flight departure.

I have heard that fare bucket does count when they are looking at competing requests within a status level.

Beware though that I have seen upgrades fail where the passenger is only travelling part of a Qantas flight - ie from my experience and observations - LHR-MEL upgrades will triumph over the HKG to MEL upgrade.

Good luck

 

[munitalP]

I think the use of word on departure upgrade (ODU) is confusing.

ODU is used for a domestic flight upgrade which is most commonly done at the lounge.

A points requested upgrade for international flights is not an ODU but an upgrade and sector revalidation which is processed in the 24 hours before flight departure.

I have heard that fare bucket does count when they are looking at competing requests within a status level.

Beware though that I have seen upgrades fail where the passenger is only travelling part of a Qantas flight - ie from my experience and observations - LHR-MEL upgrades will triumph over the HKG to MEL upgrade.

Good luck

Point taken and changed

(I knew what I was talking about tho... )