Upgrades? Pffttt

[Durin's Bane]

You will only get a seat with Qantas if there are still some available for FF's. In 10 years of membership of the Qantas FF program, I have only once been able to redeem anything from Qantas and that was an upgrade from economy to business, Hong Kong-Sydney.

What is your status because that will be a huge determining factor...

I've had quite a few operational upgrades (dom and int), and received most of my international upgrade requests. The key is to select days and flights when loads will be light e.g. I don't try to get an upgrade Y to J on SYD to HKG on a Sunday because Qantas overbooks, but have always managed to get one on a Tuesday or Wednesday.

 

[Archphoto]

I too have had this happen more times than I can remember.
Forget the upgrades at the airport - even if business class isn't full. (Which really irks me!) I've yet to get one when I ask, even though I'm a Platinum/Emerald FF.

I've even tried it online - been knocked so many times I'm beginning to wonder if it's really worth the effort.

The last time I was upgraded, was on a PEK-SYD flight early this month - the flight was "overbooked" in economy so I got the upgrade. So at this rate, it looks like you need to fly on an "overbooked" flight, with some seats spare in business, and then, only at their discretion.

 

[farstar]

I really must be unlucky, I have been flying with Qantas since 1997 and have been Platinum for the last three years and have never been Op Uped.

 

[Archphoto]

I know the feeling - I really think it depends on the route you are trying to get upgraded on.

I fly regularly BKK-SYD, and not once has an online request, at check-in request or an "overbooked" flight ever resulted in an upgrade.

This last one was a real surprise - prior to this my one and only upgrade on a QF flight was in 2006.

Makes me wonder why we are being so loyal, when we aren't really getting the same loyalty in return.

 

[AnonymousCoward]

Join the Velocity program. No hassels about transferring points to only one airline, use your points to book Business with V Australia. If there is a seat unsold at the time you make the booking, you get it and it is guaranteed.

188,000 points required plus taxes for a return flight and your seat is guaranteed.

188,000 points is for a "reward seat" - reward seats are capacity controlled just like QANTAS Classic award seats.

If you want "Any Seat" purchase, you have to call Velocity to get a quote. Based on some rough analysis of economy rates, it seems to be at roughly the same rate as QFF AnySeat rewards: 1 point = $0.01. So, for a $8000 business class return ticket, you'd need around 800,000 points.

Edit: Checked online, and you can get online quotes.
SYD-LAX Business-Deal: 332,500
SYD-LAX Business-Flexi: 676,300

LAX-SYD Business-Deal: 332,500
LAX-SYD Business-Flexi: 676,200

That was for some random dates in May. Reward seats were available at 94,000 each way (total 188,000). However if reward seats aren't available, it seems you're looking at anywhere between 665k to 1350k points for a "guaranteed" business class seat.

 

[wantok]

Like most others have said its all about the status. I have had most of my point upgrade requests accepted and have been op upd almost as many times with QF, CX and FJ.

CX is especially good around Asia for op ups. I flew HKG-MNL-HKG-BKK-HKG and was upgraded on all of them.