Upgrading with miles at the airport

Hi all,

When you upgrade with miles at the ticket desk, are the miles immediately removed from your account or does it take a while for this transaction to occur? Recently did this, but my miles are still there !? I'm not complaining if they've forgotten!

Sorry I can't answer your Q, but can you upgrade with miles at the airport with a non-upgradeable ticket, or do you still need an upgradable ticket?

I have redeemed a econ->PE credit card voucher, and wondered if space was available could this be upgraded further with miles?

@seany - it's not always instant, no. But equally it's not impossible that they've forgotten!

@sjcraythorne - normal rules apply at the airport. Only upgradable fares can be upgraded with miles, and if you've used a credit card voucher to upgrade to PE you cannot further upgrade with miles to UC. You could cancel the voucher (which you'd get back for future use) and upgrade straight from Y to UC though, if you have enough miles and there's availability.

Thanks gumshoe

When I upgrade the wife to UC on our last flight in December the miles came straight off whilst we were in the clubhouse. They called me up to the desk to take payment once it had all been confirmed.

So in theory, what would happen if I used these miles to book a reward ticket before they were taken from my account?

They'd more than likely cancel the ticket.

@seany - it's not always instant, no. But equally it's not impossible that they've forgotten!

@sjcraythorne - normal rules apply at the airport. Only upgradable fares can be upgraded with miles, and if you've used a credit card voucher to upgrade to PE you cannot further upgrade with miles to UC. You could cancel the voucher (which you'd get back for future use) and upgrade straight from Y to UC though, if you have enough miles and there's availability.

Yes the PE voucher are not upgradeable BUT always worth an ask on the day. You might just get lucky!

2 weeks since my upgrade, and those 55,000 miles still haven't been taken, beginning to think I've been very lucky! Anybody else waited this long for miles to be taken from their account?

A few years ago OH had some miles put extra into his account quite a few thousand by memory on some transaction with Virgin, it took ages to come off his account nearly a month but they did catch up with it and took them out. It may take a long time to come off but they will do it as it will show up on some account or spreadsheet somewhere.

but you've probably not had the tier points and miles due on the original ticket yet, for that you'll certainly need to call FC, check-in upgrades always seem to need a call if you want your TP

i'd bet the upgrade miles deduction will eventually catch up, but unless you call FC the TP never will

Got our TP added with online chat they asked for a few details and did it straight away, did away with the need for a phone call.

but you've probably not had the tier points and miles due on the original ticket yet, for that you'll certainly need to call FC, check-in upgrades always seem to need a call if you want your TP

i'd bet the upgrade miles deduction will eventually catch up, but unless you call FC the TP never will

It was a Y reward booking to begin with, so no TP.