Tag Archives for upgrade.
Delta is gutting confirmed international upgrades awarded to top elite customers. Top tier SkyMiles Diamond members can select confirmed global upgrades as a ‘choice benefit’. These have moved a customer on a coach ticket to business class on any Delta flight where upgrade space is available.
However starting February 1, 2022 that’s changing.
There’s a certain genre of travel article that gives advice on how to upgrade your flight, with advice that’s nearly always wrong or at least highly misleading.
It usually begins with how you dress, but one Bloomberg piece took the art form to a new level telling you just to mention the words “revenue management” and airlines have to give you a business or first class seat. You’d be better off trying to upgrade by gifting the pilot of your flight a dependable work mule, or dressing up as a mimosa (because alcohol is free up front).
‘Agent Assist’ software is going to clear standby lists earlier on these domestic mainline flights.
That’s going to make it harder to run up to a gate and get on the standby list, getting to your destination earlier. But it’s going to make it easier to upgrade when you do stand by and make it onto a flight.
Starting today, Alaska Airlines MVP Gold 75K members and a companion are eligible for same day space available complimentary upgrades on “500-Mile eligible short haul markets.” That is, most domestic, Canada, Mexico, Central America and Caribbean flights. Up until now they’ve been offered ‘day of departure upgrades’ at check-in, if those are available, but not added to the airport upgrade standby list.
Here’s full detail on how these upgrades work for Alaska’s top tier elite frequent flyers.
Amazon’s former head of visual effects for Amazon Studios, Marc Sadeghi, is suing the company saying he was fired for upgrading a flight to New Zealand despite a medical condition he claims made coach travel impossible. If he wins, upgrades as a disability accommodation could become the emotional support animals of the 2020s.
This past Tuesday American Airlines flight AA2248 from Dallas Fort-Worth to San Francisco was delayed when the pilot decided to turn the aircraft back to the gate and offload a woman who refused to wear a mask.
But this wasn’t just any woman and this wasn’t just a mask story.
God Save The Points calls out Upgrade Pack, a startup which promises discounted airline and hotel upgrades. He apologizes for giving coverage to the startup over a year ago, since they’ve raised money, hired employees and customers have paid money to the company — but there’s still no product.
Upgrade Pack responded on twitter, defending itself by arguing that they’ve been successful in raising lots of money and hiring lots of people.
In mid-January I reached out to Hyatt after hearing from several folks that they were unable to book rooms at the Grand Hyatt Baha Mar and apply club level upgrade certificates.
Another game of whack-a-mole, and fortunately this is one where the hotel was actually out of compliance with a rule and the chain was able to do something to fix it.
A man posted a video of himself where he explains how he scammed a business class upgrade. He bought an orthopedic in an airport pharmacy and looked like he’d hurt himself and needed assistance to walk. Then he feigned difficulty sitting in his coach seat with the boot on. Cathay Pacific moved him up to business class.
The man named Jack found Violet and offered to switch seats. It was her dream come true to sit in business class, and this was her first and maybe only time every doing it.
Some people feel though that if a passenger doesn’t want their premium cabin seat it should go to the next person on the upgrade list.
Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel -- a topic he has covered since 2002.
Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »
