What is the typical Time a Qantas Waitlisted upgrade comes through?

[datal1]

After reading 30 pages without finding an answer i'll just go ahead and ask:

What is the typical time an upgrade confirmation comes through? I know it can be up to 5 hours before, but is it normally earlier? and is it always SMS'd or should i keep checking online?

I don't want to check-in online 24 hours ahead of my QF9 flight MEL -> LHR tomorrow incase that has an effect on my upgrade chances when they process them

Given the current flight loading at T-30 F2 A2 P0 J9 C9 D9 I9 W1 R1 T1 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L9 S9 N9 Q9 O9 G0 X9 E0, I'm hoping the high number of I fares means a good chance for a Y to J upgrade for myself and partner. Does that analysis sound right?

 

[Kangol]

Re: Flight Availability/Loadings & Upgrade Probability Help Desk

After reading 30 pages without finding an answer i'll just go ahead and ask:

What is the typical time an upgrade confirmation comes through? I know it can be up to 5 hours before, but is it normally earlier? and is it always SMS'd or should i keep checking online?

I don't want to check-in online 24 hours ahead of my QF9 flight MEL -> LHR tomorrow incase that has an effect on my upgrade chances when they process them

Given the current flight loading at T-30 F2 A2 P0 J9 C9 D9 I9 W1 R1 T1 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L9 S9 N9 Q9 O9 G0 X9 E0, I'm hoping the high number of I fares means a good chance for a Y to J upgrade for myself and partner. Does that analysis sound right?

There is no "typical" or "normal" time - it all depends on status, availability and the published times specifically say "from x hours" depending on your respective status level.
It can even be at the gate - there is a thread on that, do a search.

I don't think doing OLCI at T-24 has much or any of an effect on your upgrade chances.

Your analysis does sound right, but then again you never know there could be a lot of last minute revenue fares sold between now and then or there could be a whole lot of higher status fliers who have a higher priority in the upgrade queue than you.

Unfortunately there is no certainty regarding your questions and this topic in general as there is always some degree of unpredictability.

So yes - a high number of I fares is going to help your chances.

 

[heycam]

I don't want to check-in online 24 hours ahead of my QF9 flight MEL -> LHR tomorrow incase that has an effect on my upgrade chances when they process them

This is something I have wondered as well. Will checking in reduce the chance of a points upgrade or op-up on Qantas, and more generally on other airlines? (I have a strong preference for an aisle seat, so I usually try to check in as early as I can to make sure I get one.)

 

[simongr]

Can you not preselect seats in advance of OLCI?

 

[Bundy Bear]

I have had 3 upgrades come through in the last 12 months.

16/06/12 Australian time received a text 12:49AM, which would have been 3:49PM Franktfurt time, to say that I had received an upgrade for my Singapore-Brisbane flight, I was starting in FRAnkfurt on a PE fare, so about 23 hours before the flight.

20/11/12 I didn't ask for an upgrade, checked in ok; and then got a beep at the gate, best kind OP to PE from Y.

20/01/13, I received a text at 5:24AM AEST which was 3:24AM in Singapore for flight departure that day at 11:35PM (I was still half awake at 3:24AM, don't ask.

So it is very random.

I wonder whether the machine, maybe with someone watching maybe not at that hour there is a process that goes through each flight and processes upgrades, maybe it waits until the previous flights have left, makes sure no one has been rebooked on the next day service, and then the upgrade process is started.

 

[heycam]

Yes you're right, often I can. Maybe my question should have been: Will checking in or selecting seats reduce the chance of a points upgrade or op-up on Qantas, and more generally on other airlines?

 

[Sprucegoose]

After reading 30 pages without finding an answer i'll just go ahead and ask:

What is the typical time an upgrade confirmation comes through? I know it can be up to 5 hours before, but is it normally earlier? and is it always SMS'd or should i keep checking online?

I don't want to check-in online 24 hours ahead of my QF9 flight MEL -> LHR tomorrow incase that has an effect on my upgrade chances when they process them

Given the current flight loading at T-30 F2 A2 P0 J9 C9 D9 I9 W1 R1 T1 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L9 S9 N9 Q9 O9 G0 X9 E0, I'm hoping the high number of I fares means a good chance for a Y to J upgrade for myself and partner. Does that analysis sound right?

Yes that's a reasonable conclusion. What status are you?

 

[datal1]

Yes that's a reasonable conclusion. What status are you?

Lets just say my status won't help me at all, thats how low I am. Hoping that there are not too many others infront applying for upgrades, afterall the MEL -> LHR does require a few points to go from Y to J. Unfortunately my business doesn't involve much flying at all, but it does involve a lot of expenses put through my AMEX....so I end up with a tonne of points but no status credits

 

[Princess Fiona]

I have done OLCI and received late upgrades. Don't think it affects the chance at all, in fact IMHO they would be more likely to do late upgrades on passengers who have checked in and therefore will definitely travel

 

[datal1]

I have done OLCI and received late upgrades. Don't think it affects the chance at all, in fact IMHO they would be more likely to do late upgrades on passengers who have checked in and therefore will definitely travel

Oh I see, that's the sort of thing I was wondering about. When you say late, how far out? and was it a points upgrade being processed or was it an op-up given your WP status

 

[Princess Fiona]

Oh I see, that's the sort of thing I was wondering about. When you say late, how far out? and was it a points upgrade being processed or was it an op-up given your WP status

My latest cleared upgrade was a points upgrade at T-5 hours : I was on my way in a taxi to the HEX at Paddington when I got a text message saying the upgrade was successful. Taxi driver got a big tip

 

[codash1099]

Last couple of upgrades came about 3 days before the flight - roughly at T-80, although I wasn't checking that at the time. Admittedly they were domestic.

IIRC my int'l upgrades have usually been at least a day before the flight.

 

[LadyC]

I've had 2 upgrades from J to F - QF 9 and QF10. I was notified T-24 and T-36 respectively. Enough time to plan my first ever F lounge visit

 

[datal1]

T-23 the SMS came through. Online switched to upgrade confirmed and now showing business. Points were taken 5 mins after all this.

i am very lucky. Bronze frequent flyer that has earned 0 status credits. My booking class was Q which is normally not upgradeable but in early jan I got an email saying my fare type can be upgraded to premium economy for a limited time, I had enough points for business though and managed to select that and it went through

for the record I never managed to get to do the olci for economy, I was about to and then take the chance of the upgrading going through but when I went to do that the upgrade has been processed