upgrade- realistic ?

[maddison]

I am new to this thread. My husband and I are not really frequent flyers only travelling overseas once or twice a year. I only have bronze QFF membership.I was thinking of transferring our WP altitude points to QFF in order to get an upgrade on a Europe trip. Can anyone let me know how difficult it is to get an upgrade on bronze. Am i wasting my time transferring the points and should I just buy a business class ticket.Thanks

 

[serfty]

Firstly maddison, welcome to AFF.

If you want to be sure of travelling in a business cabin; it's best to purchase a Business Class ticket.

Having stated that, it can be an expensive business and the point lottery may be a more affordable method.

The advice here is the same as in many posts to be found elsewhere in this forum.

• Firstly, you need to try to do the following at least 3 months before you are travelling.
• Try to find flights that: 1) have plenty of Business class availability & 2) Meet your travel requirements.
• Purchase upgradeable WHY fares on these flights.
• Wait until the DAY exactly 3 months before your travel.
• Call Qantas and request the upgrades.
• That's it; other than hope they come through.

 

[simongr]

Firstly maddison, welcome to AFF.

• Wait until the DAY exactly 3 months before your travel.
• Call Qantas and request the upgrades.

Is there any difference between calling an Online from your experience? Its easier for me to do it online between tasks than call and be put on hold...

 

[Mal]

Is there any difference between calling an Online from your experience? Its easier for me to do it online between tasks than call and be put on hold...

There is no difference - unless wanting to use "Upgrade Credits" (remember them? ) or applying for the upgrade on the morning of the 90th day before travel.

The online system doesn't always recognise correctly that it's the 90th day, but Qantas should be able to override that and get you on the waitlist.

 

[serfty]

I had an issue with this last week. See here: International upgrade question.

I understand about the 'phone wait time; calling Qantas as a SG / WP is gernerally painless with very little of this once my FF number is entered.

In any case by doing this right on the 3 month limit could give the OP the jump on any NBs who waited until they were able to successfully request via the web.

 

[NM]

Or better still, if you have an eligible relative (per Qantas FF program definition of eligible) who has Platinum FF status, transfer the QF FF points to them and have them request the upgrade waitlist for you. The waitlist priority is based on the FF status of the account from which the points will come. If the upgrade does not succeed, they can always transfer the points back to you. Each member can transfer up to 100,000 points per year to one eligible family member. So if you need to transfer more than that number of points, you may been to "borrow" some from your Platinum relative until the next year.

 

[arrow]

I tried using my points for an upgrade from Econ to Bus, PER-SIN-LHR and LHR-SIN-PER, and I only got an upgrade for the PER-SIN leg. So it can be difficult.

Another point is that if you take two flights to get to Europe, like fly to SIN then connect on to a flight to LHR, then you may not want to check into your second flight at the port of departure but wait till you reach SIN.

One reason suggested to me as to why I didnt get the upgrades on the "onward" flights is that I had already checked into that flight in an economy seat and hence might have been overlooked for the upgrade. I am not sure if this is the case but i am sure others can clarify if this is the case.

best of luck with it.

 

[serfty]

If the OP is on direct flights SE OZ-UK and vv (e.g. QF29, QF1, QF10), it will cost 96,000 QFF points per person per upgrade.

That's a few 100,000 transfers required.

 

[NM]

If the OP is on direct flights SE OZ-UK and vv (e.g. QF29, QF1, QF10), it will cost 96,000 QFF points per person per upgrade.

That's a few 100,000 transfers required.

So it may take some time to "pay back" the family member. But certainly will enhance the probability of waitlist clearing.