UpgradeMe pricing and success

[MrPlow]

Hi All,

I''ll be travelling back from DPS to MEL via BNE with the girlfriend over the new year period and am considering bidding for a points upgrade to J from a fully flexible Y ticket.

I'm just wondering whether anyone has flown back overnight on the 737 in J and whether it would be worth spending the 14,900 points x 2 on this?

I'm already a VA Gold so will have access to the poxy little lounge at DPS so really seeking advice whether the points would be well spent in J on the 6 hour overnight trip to BNE or not?

Thanks in advance!

 

[dxwell]

The flight DPS-BNE is usually 5:25 hours. Subtract the taxi, take-off, meal service - then the wake-up one hour out, you only end up with perhaps 3.5 hours of sleep.
The 737 seats are pretty rudimentary - not long haul style extra recline or lie flat.
I think it is better value to fly J on the daytime flight - we did this early September and had a wonderful time. The 8 of us in the cabin almost drank the bar dry and had a very enjoyable and interactive time.
If you have loads of points our want to impress the SO (try to do this during your entire relationship btw) then go for it.
Otherwise, you're better to get economy X seats. Don't go for the first row (row 3) as the immovable seat dividers significantly reduce the seat width plus don't allow you to lift the divider and snuggle up together.
Row 14 exit row has the most room and presents good value.

FWIW: The best flight DPS-BNE is the 3:25pm (sometimes 3:45pm) that gets into BNE just before midnight. However, that doesn't work if you then need a connection to Sydney. Why are you not flying direct DPS-SYD.

 

[Sbv72]

TSV - BNE 20/9
Min bid was $85 but I declined to bid.
We were upgraded to J at the gate.

 

[clipped_wings]

(Gulp) No word yet on our waitlist upgrade from Premium Saver to the ever-exclusive saloon in Business on next week's SYD-LAX.

Seat availability is tight. Just like my arteries right now.

Pray for me my friends.

WOO HOO! Found out we were upgraded in an unorthodox way, but I'll elaborate further when I start my trip report later this week.

Suffice to say - I DID pray. And now I owe Him. Big Time.

 

[Edge]

Question - I need to fly MEL-LAX-MEL on days when the direct MEL-LAX flights are not available. If I book Freedom fares that go MEL-syd-LAX can I still put in a points upgrade request for the SYD-LAX leg and vice versa?

Thanks in advance

 

[Denali]

For our LAX upgrade flights, I found it easier to book BNE-LAX return and make our own way up to BNE/return on a different booking (also points upgrade).

 

[Edge]

Thanks. Good suggestion. I guess my query is what happens if the domestic flights are delayed and it compromises the international flight - I would be attempting to book the flight with the shortest possible changeover time. I think it would be safer from that perspective if I booked it as a MEL-LAX?

 

[reecho]

A question for the Upgrade Me boffins.

If the flight I placed a bid on has been changed to one earlier in the day do I need to cancel the current bid and rebid on the new flight number, or will it automatically transfer?

I logged on and attempted to cancel the bid, but it came up with an error "cannot find the resource you are looking for"

Calling CS they said it should transfer but didn't sound to confident on the phone...

It does say on an email if I change the flight (not VA) I need to re-bid. This adds a little to the confusion..

 

[MrPlow]

The flight DPS-BNE is usually 5:25 hours. Subtract the taxi, take-off, meal service - then the wake-up one hour out, you only end up with perhaps 3.5 hours of sleep.
The 737 seats are pretty rudimentary - not long haul style extra recline or lie flat.
I think it is better value to fly J on the daytime flight - we did this early September and had a wonderful time. The 8 of us in the cabin almost drank the bar dry and had a very enjoyable and interactive time.
If you have loads of points our want to impress the SO (try to do this during your entire relationship btw) then go for it.
Otherwise, you're better to get economy X seats. Don't go for the first row (row 3) as the immovable seat dividers significantly reduce the seat width plus don't allow you to lift the divider and snuggle up together.
Row 14 exit row has the most room and presents good value.

FWIW: The best flight DPS-BNE is the 3:25pm (sometimes 3:45pm) that gets into BNE just before midnight. However, that doesn't work if you then need a connection to Sydney. Why are you not flying direct DPS-SYD.

Thanks for the info flying home to MEL and no direct flight on VA unfortunately hence the stopover in BNE

 

[openseat]

BNE - PER. I wasn't feeling up to Y for Australia's longest trans-con. Minimum bid was $250, I bid $260 and was successful. A bargain when you consider to buy J it is $2000 or so.

I must say that the service was really very good (even for the very needy passenger next to me) as well as the food (it was the dinner flight - VA470). The cheese plate is pretty good as well (I got a second!) and long may it be offered. Even though it was 737 J, it was a nice flight and a bargaom

 

[gwilli1]

SYD - ADL , Minimum Bid was $100 (20% off) , I bid $110 and was successful . Great value considering this was my Amex redemption flight

 

[sshazam]

Anyone had any luck on long haul international flight ?

HKG to Syd minimum is $440, I'm unsure whether I should offer slightly above or offer a lot higher?

The starting for "good" is $1k and the highest bid is $1400, this is with a 20% discount.

 

[clipped_wings]

Just upgraded to The Business on an A330 for our AMEX comp flights in January. First checked that there was Z availability on the proposed sector. Then I had to make 2 separate AMEX bookings via the Velocity website, so Mr Clipped (Plat) and I (Red) ended up with separate PNRs. Finally, I rang Velocity and asked if we could upgrade with points.

Velocity said "no problem" and even moved me to a seat allocation (normally out of my league) just so I could be next to my man, although apparently he was quite prepared to sit 50 rows ahead of me.

BOO-YAH

 

[ozstamps]

SYD - ADL , Minimum Bid was $100 (20% off) , I bid $110 and was successful . Great value considering this was my Amex redemption flight

Just got an email for SYD-ADL next week and min bid was $140. FERGEDD it!

We have Row #3 anyway and at the $100 above I'd bite for 2 pax, but not $140.

 

[mikeyg0]

Last week:
MEL-HKG - $360 - unsuccessful
HKG-SYD - $460 - successful

This week:
SYD-HKG - $410 - successful
HKG-SYD - $460 - successful

All were about $20 more than the minimum

 

[sshazam]

Last week:
MEL-HKG - $360 - unsuccessful
HKG-SYD - $460 - successful

This week:
SYD-HKG - $410 - successful
HKG-SYD - $460 - successful

All were about $20 more than the minimum

That seems like awesome prices so great work !

Just received an email saying I'm unsuccessful with a $770 bid 12 hours before my flight.

Anyone have any insight as to why I would have been unsuccessful? There was 1 saver business fare and 2 business fares remaining yesterday, then it said 3 normal business seats and now 2 business seats. I would have thought if they were offering a bid they’d be happy to fill all their seats ?

 

[Fifi]

Sat 20/10 SYD to LAX from Premium Economy to Business > Bid $780 (about $50 over lowest bid value, weak) - rejected
Sat 27/10 LAX to SYD from Premium Economy to Business > Bid $770 (about $90 over lowest bid value, weak) - accepted

 

[bullerdude]

MEL-BNE - Minimum bid of $110 accepted.

 

[JasonD]

CNS-BNE min bid $140, successful at $150

 

[bullerdude]

BNE-MEL - Unsuccessful at $140, minimum was $115.

This was an evening flight so pretty full.