V-Flyer

Of getting into the JFK lounge before my flight (VS026 leaving at 7:40AM), or getting an upgrade to Upper Class? I realize I bought the cheapest ticket, and don't mind flying PE (it would be my first time). Just curious if there's any chance - especially since I'm flying alone (and so have more flexibility).

Access to the CH is very unlikely, but ask at check in and they might allow access for a fee.

As for UC, do you mean by paying /using miles or as an op-up? If the former, if there is availability and you are happy to pay the fee then sure, if the latter, then unless you are a Au card holder and most importantly they NEED to move people due to over booking then very very unlikely.

Thanks. Definitely unwilling to pay a fee, since this is a short day flight, and wouldn't really benefit from having a bed. In the future, perhaps.

I'll probably just make my own little clubhouse at a McDonald's table at JFK

Upgrade 3 H fare PE to UC last year for 30000 miles and $245 in total frm EWR

That's all you paid for 3 upgrades?

zenithar wrote:That's all you paid for 3 upgrades?

Yep, not even sure how they got to that figure as it doesn't come to a round number if you divide it by 3 as you'd expect but that's all it was plus the 10,000 miles each ,

That's cheap, and surprising, especially as you also had the cheapest PE fare code.

zenithar wrote:That's cheap, and surprising, especially as you also had the cheapest PE fare code.

I was shocked aswell , I knew they had availability from checking flightstats ,I dealt with what I assume was a supervisor/ manager at the ticket desk in Newark who despite it bring very early in the morning couldn't have been more helpful , y) I was expecting to pay a lot more but wasn't complaining at the outcome ,my girls were happy as it meant they did UC both ways and got one up on their brother

Wait - that was the price for both flights?

zenithar wrote:Wait - that was the price for both flights?

Ha ha no it wasn't that good , that was just the inbound on vs18 , we had already done UC on the way out a few days earlier

I'll be sure to ask at check-in what my options are, just out of curiosity.

I think the airport desks use a random number generator to price upgrades.

The reason I suspect Blacky got such a good deal is that sometimes they will just charge you additional fuel surcharge rather than switching your ticket to an upgradeable bucket.

at240 wrote:I think the airport desks use a random number generator to price upgrades.

The reason I suspect Blacky got such a good deal is that sometimes they will just charge you additional fuel surcharge rather than switching your ticket to an upgradeable bucket.

the $ price was probably not divisible by 3 because it would have been priced in GBP and then converted into US$. The GBP probably would have been divisible by 3.
I always find the US check-in agents are fare more 'upgrade friendly' than the UK but free upgrades are so seldom you can say virtually never.

Well... if I'm offered an upgrade for < $300... I may take it. You only live once, right?

There is definitely a 'Twilight Zone' in down-route airport upgrades.

I've been able to upgrade to UC from assorted Y and PE tickets, with variable fees and miles, regardless of whether online dummy bookings showed G availability or not.
JFK is a great one for this... the staff on the ticket desk, just across from the UC check-in seem really pro-active in sorting you out.
(Despite it taking them a good 10--15 minutes of typing into their computer to adjust the ticket type and rules... )

I was under the impression that you couldn't upgrade H fares? I'm just wondering as I'll be booking a Virgin Holiday soon so will have an H fare, and have plenty of miles to upgrade with.

FLYERZ wrote:I was under the impression that you couldn't upgrade H fares? I'm just wondering as I'll be booking a Virgin Holiday soon so will have an H fare, and have plenty of miles to upgrade with.

Correct, you can't with miles on an 'H' fare. With cash on the day anything is possible though... ii)

joeyc wrote:

FLYERZ wrote:I was under the impression that you couldn't upgrade H fares? I'm just wondering as I'll be booking a Virgin Holiday soon so will have an H fare, and have plenty of miles to upgrade with.

Correct, you can't with miles on an 'H' fare. With cash on the day anything is possible though... ii)

That's not what the poster above mentioned. They paid cash and points on H fares to upgrade.

zenithar wrote:

joeyc wrote:

FLYERZ wrote:I was under the impression that you couldn't upgrade H fares? I'm just wondering as I'll be booking a Virgin Holiday soon so will have an H fare, and have plenty of miles to upgrade with.

Correct, you can't with miles on an 'H' fare. With cash on the day anything is possible though... ii)

That's not what the poster above mentioned. They paid cash and points on H fares to upgrade.

Blacky is an AU and also, I believe, got lucky at check-in to snag all 3 upgrades (good on him for asking - you don't ask you don't get ).

As a side thing, there was also a bit of a 'grey area' with H fares when Blacky bought and upgraded, that could be used to the passenger's advantage for mileage upgrades - said 'grey area' has since been closed ii)

The official line is that 'H' fares are not upgradeable with miles.

That's fine. I like to sit in the seat I've paid for.

zenithar wrote:That's fine. I like to sit in the seat I've paid for.

Ha, never be afraid to give it a pop for the upgrade.... you never know

I'll ask at check-in - and make it quite clear I'm not looking for a freebie - but just curious about the cost. I'll be sure to update this post when I'm in London at the end of the month.