Qantas Confirmed Upgrades

[SYD]

None of that is a guaranteed upgrade. There is no way to guarantee an upgrade - until now. This is a guaranteed upgrade.

Sorry, I interpreted your earlier comment was it’s impossible to get any upgrades.

There are folks here who say it’s impossible to get award seats…which is obviously not true.

 

[dairyfloss]

Probably no more than changing an existing booking to the higher cabin by paying fare difference and change fee (if any) - as a high end - so not necessarily cheap.

Yes - I think it will be something like this, but only on flights with lower than anticipated loads, and marginally discounted to account for the fact you only get the original SCs and points. I doubt it will even be offered on many routes, but I guess we’ll see

 

[elanshin]

Yes - I think it will be something like this, but only on flights with lower than anticipated loads, and marginally discounted to account for the fact you only get the original SCs and points. I doubt it will even be offered on many routes, but I guess we’ll see

I can already think of 2 flights to Japan over the last year I've taken that this would be offered.

BNE-NRT last September flew with 10-12 open J seats on takeoff.

SYD-CTS in March this year. J full but a bunch of them were on standby staff travel (Could overhear them talking to the cabin crew about it).

Could definitely be some converts from Y if the price was right.

 

[moa999]

BNE-NRT last September flew with 10-12 open J seats on takeoff.

But why were FFS not redeeming points on the leg?

 

[Scarlett]

My opinion, and like nearly everyone, that’s all we’ve got right now:

The price will not be right! This is QF we’re talking about here.

Want a confirmed seat in the J cabin? Pay the J price. Want a confirmed upgrade? I reckon you’ll be paying 85% of the walk up J price.
They’ve got the data, so yes, the offer will be targeted…

 

[mviy]

I have a lot of points I want to use for J/F points seat releases return to LHR or for upgrades on that route. If it becomes even harder to use points for this route now that there will be confirmed cash upgrades that will certainly be frustrating.

I do agree that with points becoming much harder to earn from later this year QF is pivoting. I reckon they killed Points Club because they expect most of those who currently have it wouldn’t have found it makes sense to keep it when credit card points earn reduces significantly.

 

[SYD]

But why were FFS not redeeming points on the leg?

Probably never occurred to them because they’re not on AFF! . Too busy saving their points for F class return to xyz - just like the “effluencers”.

Want a confirmed seat in the J cabin? Pay the J price. Want a confirmed upgrade? I reckon you’ll be paying 85% of the walk up J price.

More than that. Otherwise peeps will game it.

They’ve got the data, so yes, the offer will be targeted…

Yep. They have a lot of data that we don’t.

I have a lot of points I want to use for J/F points seat releases return to LHR or for upgrades on that route. If it becomes even harder to use points for this route now that there will be confirmed cash upgrades that will certainly be frustrating.

I’d be surprised if there’s a rush for these upgrades - most of the time.

I do agree that with points becoming much harder to earn from later this year QF is pivoting. I reckon they killed Points Club because they expect most of those who currently have it wouldn’t have found it makes sense to keep it when credit card points earn reduces significantly.

If anything, it’s the Points Whales that have been the bain of our existence getting award seats and upgrades. Happy days that they’re being harpooned IMHO.

 

[mbe1510]

The pay for a confirmed upgrade happens on other airlines such as Air France or British Airways.

Will be interesting to see what the price point is that Qantas charges, and whether it will be dynamic based on seat loads. The more seats empty, the "cheaper" it is than a comparable full flight.

 

[mviy]

If economy is oversold and there are insufficient upgrade requests one imagines the price might be more attractive as a confirmed upgraded would give them something rather than doing an op-up

 

[SYD]

The pay for a confirmed upgrade happens on other airlines such as Air France or British Airways.

Will be interesting to see what the price point is that Qantas charges, and whether it will be dynamic based on seat loads. The more seats empty, the "cheaper" it is than a comparable full flight.

Yep, BA has had them for years. The Euro biz offers are usually pretty good value and QFFs used to earn at the higher rate until that was enhanced. Now they don’t automatically earn at all as the post as a J reward.

AA also offers them (and I assume other US airlines). But in both BA and AA, you often don’t get an invite, just go to the app and it’s there waiting unannounced.

 

[levelnine]

Which might be the future world we live in post the upcoming credit card point apocalypse v2

That'd be my guess. They're building out the infrastructure to change upgrades from a points product to a paid product as the points landscape is reshaped.

Building out their own infrastructure will also allow them to cut Plusgrade out of the picture, as they currently handle a lot of Qantas' non-points upgrade products.

 

[GrahamBRI]

Another article on it:

https://www.executivetraveller.com/news/qantas-cash-upgrades

With this image:
View attachment 509506

Have I missed something here? The graphic and the new wording on QF classic upgrade site suggests that “instant” classic upgrade awards are now dead? they are now all waitlisted? The previous way they worked (for the most part) was that if there was a classic award business seat available on a flight, and you purchased and economy seat, you could do an “instant” classic upgrade. Every thing I can see now suggests this is dead???

 

[SYD]

Have I missed something here? The graphic and the new wording on QF classic upgrade site suggests that “instant” classic upgrade awards are now dead? they are now all waitlisted? The previous way they worked (for the most part) was that if there was a classic award business seat available on a flight, and you purchased and economy seat, you could do an “instant” classic upgrade. Every thing I can see now suggests this is dead???

The article doesn’t differentiate between QFd and QFi upgrades - so it’s possible that is only for QFi (the 7d thing is existing).

If it’s now being applied to QFd, that would be a downer for many.

 

[logicallysynced]

Have I missed something here? The graphic and the new wording on QF classic upgrade site suggests that “instant” classic upgrade awards are now dead? they are now all waitlisted? The previous way they worked (for the most part) was that if there was a classic award business seat available on a flight, and you purchased and economy seat, you could do an “instant” classic upgrade. Every thing I can see now suggests this is dead???

Now that you mention it, I went to the Classic Upgrade Rewards page and there’s no longer any mention of instant confirmations on domestic flights (or maybe I’m missing it)..

https://www.qantas.com/au/en/frequent-flyer/use-points/classic-upgrade-rewards.html

 

[GrahamBRI]

Now that you mention it, I went to the Classic Upgrade Rewards page and there’s no longer any mention of instant confirmations on domestic flights (or maybe I’m missing it)..

And the FAQ at the bottom of this page is even more telling:

How are Classic Upgrade Rewards different to Qantas’ other upgrade options?​

Classic Upgrade Rewards are a waitlisted upgrade that allows you to request an upgrade using Qantas Points at a set amount. Requests are assessed based on seat availability and Frequent Flyer status, with confirmation provided anytime from seven days before departure.


So confirmation is only from 7 days in line with graphic........

 

[Daver6]

I can't see t his being good news for most of us. Only going to reduce the chances of a points upgrade.

The only slight silver lining if for work travel where your employer pays for your flight and you pony up for the upgrade. At least that cost could be a tax deduction.

 

[GrahamBRI]

I can't see t his being good news for most of us. Only going to reduce the chances of a points upgrade.

I think if this is what QF have done, it would be definitely misleading to refer to a points upgrade as "classic". This is clearly not "classic", but a new approach. Definitely smells like another "down down prices are down" suggesting to the consumer one thing "classic" but delivering another "second chance if your lucky"

 

[AirAdl]

Sorry if a P1 book a flex flight and request points upgrade, who gets first rights to the upgrade
The P1 or the non FF paying the moolah?
And are confirmed upgrade offers made to FF in order of status?
Will the fare type adjust the offer ( I assume )
Confused
Just seems loyalty is now dead and dying

 

[levelnine]

Sorry if a P1 book a flex flight and request points upgrade, who gets first rights to the upgrade
The P1 or the non FF paying the moolah?

The person paying cash as they are processed ahead of points upgrades.

 

[AirAdl]

The person paying cash as they are processed ahead of points upgrades.

So loyalty is dead
Cash is king