Airline raises miles for upgrade

[Margaret Pilgrim]

I realize that this is off-topic, but thought that it might be important for some readers to know that United, at least, is raising the miles necessary for upgrading US to Europe to 30,000 miles each way, or 60,000 miles round trip for flights beginning January 1,2003 and booked October 1, 2002 and later. Trips ticketed before October 1 for 2003 travel are upgradable at the old 40,000 mile rate.

United is doing this very quietly. Check with your carrier to see if they are following suit. We booked 2 trips, saving 40,000 miles that will upgrade one future roundtrip.

[marcus]

You should be aware that not all coach fares are upgradeable with mileage awards on most airlines, I don't specifically know about United. Although there is already a 2 tier structure with fewer miles generally required for full fare coach versus discounted coach upgrades, there are certain fares, particularly those designated web only, that cannot be upgraded at all. You need to call the airline, and you may find that you will need to buy a higher priced ticket than you thought. If you are seeking a desireable destination at a peak travel period, then in all probability you won't be able to upgrade at all, as there are an infinite number of miles chasing a very small number of available seats.

[Margaret Pilgrim]

All true, Marcus. But because we live on the west coast and travel most frequently to the east coast and to France, we have found it worth while to work the system as much as we can in order to upgrade for those 7 and 12 hour flights. Yes, you can't upgrade the cheapest fairs, but the savings in stress are worth the difference in price to us. For a few hundred dollars more and 40,000 miles, we can get a seat that the person sitting across from us may have paid several thousand dollars more for. (I know this to be true because we are always close to the last to be asked for our meal preference, although we are upper level frequent flyers. This means that we have paid the least in the cabin, just ahead of those who are flying free. )

If you are a frequent flyer and you are willing to gamble, you can many times get upgraded from a very inexpensive ticket at boarding, as a friend of our does on almost every trip. But this approach was not the subject of my post. It was just a heads up about a major rule change.

[pirate]

Quote from Margaret Pilgrim

I know this to be true because we are always close to the last to be asked for our meal preference, although we are upper level frequent flyers

Im surprised by the remark. It's never happened to me and I'm Star Alliance Gold. In fact I'm flying to Europe in 2 days in business class using 80000 ponts and have top notch seats.

[jordyn]

(I know this to be true because we are always close to the last to be asked for our meal preference, although we are upper level frequent flyers.  This means that we have paid the least in the cabin, just ahead of those who are flying free.      )

Actually, on United at least, meal requests should be taken in the following order: 1K (highest level of frequent flier); all other revenue passengers regardless of fares paid; non-revenue passengers. Within each of those three groupings, orders are taken front to back or vice versa, depending on the direction of travel.

I think I read recently they may be changing this to add more layers of granularity, but on most American airlines, frequent flier status trumps fare paid when prioritizing people.

(This mostly makes sense; your frequent flier may not be paying a lot today, but why make them angry if you know there is repeat business, versus a one-time high-paying cusotmer.)

[Margaret Pilgrim]

First, to Pirate, we are always entirely satisfied with our seat assignments, usually getting our first request. In fact, we are entirely satisfied with the level of service we have enjoyed. I was refering only to the way meal preferences were taken, which is of little consequence since I find it makes little difference what they serve.

Jordyn, you may be entirely correct about United, at least about its policy. However, on many international flights I have watched the steward hop around the two sections of the business cabin, taking an order from one person or couple here, then jumping several rows or going to a different aisle to take an order from another. As we are mid-level frequent flyers, I assumed that the priority was price, since I doubted that the entire cabin was 100K.

I was told by a United rep that frequent flyer status trumps the same fare, but not a higher fair. But then I've been told a lot of things by airline reps.

[PaulaJK]

I'm was interested and surprised to read these posts.

We usually travel on AA or CO and have never noticed

this kind of hopping around when taking orders in BC.

Has anyone else?

Since this is a food board, I will note that for our

recent return from Paris, we visited a traiteur pre-

departure for airport. Using only the dishes and

[awful plastic] utensils offered by the airline, we

had a most satisfactory 'repast' on our return

flight.

[Bux]

... we visited a traiteur pre-departure for airport.

Always a reasonable idea. If not traveling first class it's almost esential, although on recent flights I've found myself just bearing through the trip because I was too disorganized prior to leaving for the airport.

[hollywood]

Bastardos!

[cabrales]

While I fly business class some of the time, I fly economy with almost equal frequency. There are sometimes very good deals on direct flights to Paris from the East Coast (e.g., $500 in recent days), and, even when those are not upgradeable, I do not hesitate to purchase them.

[pirate]

quote from Bux: If not traveling first class it's almost esential

First Class food varies tremendously. American carriers are generally mediocre. For some reason the international first class lounges of United in the USA are the best. I rate Air New Zealand best on first class food. They have someone who, if not a chef, dresses like one and seems to prepare food not just unwrap it. Also nice New Zealand wines. Singapore Airlines and All- Nippon are very good. Lufthansa used to be very good but has gone downhill (for example, they used to serve excellent warm blinis with good sevruga caviar instead of the usual cold toast- no more).

[anil]

Expect a better than normal food service from most Asian carriers. Amongst the European carriers AF has a slight edge in F, SR (old Swiss Air) used to have excellent service in F (and we know they are bankrupt and gone, with new Swiss nothing like the old SR).

Amongst the US carriers flying trans-atlantic, they have the same catering service LSG (A Luftansa owned sub.) Tell then the price per pax, and they give you a series of options - pick and choose

About miles - 160,000 Skymiles to fly AF Concorde, down from 200,000 miles in the past. All good and real skinny on FF miles are best discussed here