UpgradeMe pricing and success

put in an upgrade offer for my ADL to CBR flight of $215 (so in the very weak territory). Minimum offer was $200

Just got the congrats email saying I have been upgraded. I am not sure how to feel?

I paid about $150 for the Save flight when I booked it. Just checked now and its up to $200.

The current Business saver fair is $659 and the standard Business fare is $759. SO I have paid a total of about $350 for a fair that costs about $650 - but with no J status credits or points....
 
Not my ticket but I'm managing the booking.

MEL-BNE on a Friday night. $115 paid for a saver. Offered $200+ to upgrade (can't remember the upper figure). I think its worth it but as I'm not flying I don't get a say.
 
I think VA have really blundered by not offering at least J SCs for upgraded fares.

You need to consider what you are actually getting for your bid. For non-status pax I think it's only increased baggage, priority luggage, check-in and boarding, a slightly bigger seat and a meal and drinks.

For status pax it's a slightly bigger seat and a meal and drinks.

I can't work out who would think $200+ for the above on a short-ish flight is worth it. I could get a fabulous meal before or after the flight for this price - much, much better than what is served in J - especially where it's a snack service.

Given for a status run many would consider $4 per SCs to be good value awarding SCs for this offer would make it much more attractive. I understand that they don't want to devalue the normal J rev ticket but these sorts of offers strongly suggest the difficulty they are having filling these seats anyway!
 
put in an upgrade offer....

The current Business saver fair is $659 and the standard Business fare is $759. SO I have paid a total of about $350 for a fair that costs about $650 - but with no J status credits or points....

Useful info - thanks for posting! :)
 
I think VA have really blundered by not offering at least J SCs for upgraded fares.

You need to consider what you are actually getting for your bid. For non-status pax I think it's only increased baggage, priority luggage, check-in and boarding, a slightly bigger seat and a meal and drinks.

For status pax it's a slightly bigger seat and a meal and drinks.

I can't work out who would think $200+ for the above on a short-ish flight is worth it. I could get a fabulous meal before or after the flight for this price - much, much better than what is served in J - especially where it's a snack service.

Given for a status run many would consider $4 per SCs to be good value awarding SCs for this offer would make it much more attractive. I understand that they don't want to devalue the normal J rev ticket but these sorts of offers strongly suggest the difficulty they are having filling these seats anyway!

Some good points there. As you said, as a Gold I get a bigger seat and a meal. I made the judgment call that for a 2 hour flight, I was going to spoil myself. The fact that my offer was in the weakest category (and yet I still got it), is a strong indication of too many empty J seats. Just out of curiousity, I know you can also upgrade with points at the Virgin Lounge - I am assuming you also don't get J status credits with this?
 
I know you can also upgrade with points at the Virgin Lounge - I am assuming you also don't get J status credits with this?

Correct - only the originally booked SC and Points, and also catering not assured.
 
I think VA have really blundered by not offering at least J SCs for upgraded fares.

You need to consider what you are actually getting for your bid. For non-status pax I think it's only increased baggage, priority luggage, check-in and boarding, a slightly bigger seat and a meal and drinks.

For status pax it's a slightly bigger seat and a meal and drinks.

I can't work out who would think $200+ for the above on a short-ish flight is worth it. I could get a fabulous meal before or after the flight for this price - much, much better than what is served in J - especially where it's a snack service.

Given for a status run many would consider $4 per SCs to be good value awarding SCs for this offer would make it much more attractive. I understand that they don't want to devalue the normal J rev ticket but these sorts of offers strongly suggest the difficulty they are having filling these seats anyway!


Totally agree. Do non-status passengers get lounge access? Even if they do, still not worth it IMHO.

At its simplest its a case of supply and demand. If there is no demand at existing J prices, prices need to drop, either temporarily (a sale) or permanently. Surely its better to generate some revenue than none at all out of the J seats. Remains to be seen whether UpgradeMe will achieve better results than a J sale.
 
I think VA have really blundered by not offering at least J SCs for upgraded fares.
Although just because you're not offered anything more than your base fare SCs doesn't mean you won't receive more than your base fare SCs. ;)
 
I put in a minimum bid ($200) on upgrading my BNE - MEL flight and got notification this morning that the bid was accepted. I'll be curious to see what SCs I get at the end of the day.
 
At its simplest its a case of supply and demand. If there is no demand at existing J prices, prices need to drop, either temporarily (a sale) or permanently. Surely its better to generate some revenue than none at all out of the J seats. Remains to be seen whether UpgradeMe will achieve better results than a J sale.
I spent big for 2014 on their last J sale - pricing was worth it at the time, but now not. I have been finding myself cancelling the J trips when savers are on sale, and putting the cash towards more flights - Oz Fest #11 one of the bigger ones; sale J MEL-BNE-MEL was able to give me sale S MEL-OOL-MEL & Flexi AYQ-MEL... The more I fly S or Y over J on 1-4 hour flights, the less I feel I need J (at its current even sale prices).
 
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I put in a minimum bid ($200) on upgrading my BNE - MEL flight and got notification this morning that the bid was accepted. I'll be curious to see what SCs I get at the end of the day.

Whatever you do happen to get, consider wisely before you post on this public forum (which the airlines monitor).
 
I spent big for 2014 on their last J sale - pricing was worth it at the time, but now not. I have been finding myself cancelling the J trips when savers are on sale, and putting the cash towards more flights - Oz Fest #11 one of the bigger ones; sale J MEL-BNE-MEL was able to give me sale S MEL-OOL-MEL & Flexi AYQ-MEL... The more I fly S or Y over J on 1-4 hour flights, the less I feel I need J (at its current even sale prices).

I take it that the potential loss of SC's is not a factor for requal?
 
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Future data point: a few weeks ago I booked MEL-PER-HKT in Y. When this feature became available I went online and have bid $205 (min was $200) which was "very poor" for the PER-HKT leg. I consider this to be fantastic value IF I get.

I'm not holding my breath. Although it'll make my 6.5 hours in a 738 bearable, if not enjoyable. Will report back, flight is on Monday - 7 days.
 
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That's a good get. It's a shame you won't be in J the whole way. Given my experiences over the last twelve months or so I don't see the value in flying VA J domestically/short haul intl but for what would otherwise be a pretty intolerable flight in Y, $205 seems like really good value.
 
I take it that the potential loss of SC's is not a factor for requal?

Not really - I have flights booked to requalify gold, and no real possibility of hitting plat.

Note - I haven't actually hit gold yet, it's a few weeks off, but should requal by end April.
 
That's a good get. It's a shame you won't be in J the whole way. Given my experiences over the last twelve months or so I don't see the value in flying VA J domestically/short haul intl but for what would otherwise be a pretty intolerable flight in Y, $205 seems like really good value.
Yeah I've got to say, for a 6.5 hour flight I'm happy. A few drinks, a meal (which I never normally buy on Dom flights, but would on 6.5 hours) and a comfy seat is worth it. It just sucks I'll have to leave my mate in the back, but he'll be ok. ;) Would really loved to be on MEL-PER in J again, but just couldn't justify a min of $300 for a 3.5 hour flight.
 
I have been finding myself cancelling the J trips when savers are on sale, and putting the cash towards more flights

That's been my modi operandi for many years. J is nice, but never lose sight of why you fly and don't upsell to yourself simply because it seems trendy to do so. If you wish to expend cash/points to fly J, by all means do so, but always remember most flyers are in Y or Y-. Status gives us the edge and J/F are the cream when it can happen...nothing more!
 
That's been my modi operandi for many years. J is nice, but never lose sight of why you fly and don't upsell to yourself simply because it seems trendy to do so. If you wish to expend cash/points to fly J, by all means do so, but always remember most flyers are in Y or Y-. Status gives us the edge and J/F are the cream when it can happen...nothing more!

Spot on swanning_it. Being a relatively new (and self funded) player in this game I sometimes find it hard to resist some of the "offers". Then I try to being myself back to reality and Y.
 
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