Any chance for a paid upgrade to Business Class at check-in for an international flight with Qantas?

[shares]

I hold an economy ticket bought online directly from the Qantas website for an international flight. When I log into Qantas website and click on "Upgrade" it says "Upgrade not available Fare type not eligible".

Is there any chance of a paid upgrade at check-in on the day of the flight or no chances at all?

 

[Princess Fiona]

I hold an economy ticket bought online directly from the Qantas website for an international flight. When I log into Qantas website and click on "Upgrade" it says "Upgrade not available Fare type not eligible".

Is there any chance of a paid upgrade at check-in on the day of the flight or no chances at all?

Zero chance of that.
You have purchased a discount fare that isn’t eligible for a points upgrade eg N, O, Q class red e deal.

QF don’t do cash upgrades at check-in. They fill the higher cabins with points upgrades.

 

[TheInsider]

Zero chance of that.
You have purchased a discount fare that isn’t eligible for a points upgrade eg N, O, Q class red e deal.

QF don’t do cash upgrades at check-in. They fill the higher cabins with points upgrades.

I do have to point out, that Qantas will do upgrades at the airport, but it's not the discounted type you are looking for. They will be the change fee of what ever fare that you are on, plus the fare difference to whatever fare class is available, and depending on the fare would most likely have to upgrade the entire journey, resulting in many thousands of dollars!

You can see the cost of a business fare on the qantas website.

 

[shares]

I do have to point out, that Qantas will do upgrades at the airport, but it's not the discounted type you are looking for. They will be the change fee of what ever fare that you are on, plus the fare difference to whatever fare class is available, and depending on the fare would most likely have to upgrade the entire journey, resulting in many thousands of dollars!

You can see the cost of a business fare on the qantas website.

Well, that sucks. You read on the internet about asking for upgrades at the check-in or at the gate to possibly get cheap upgrades to Business class but it seems Qantas would rather those seats sit empty.

 

[mviy]

QANTAS may oversell economy. If there are not sufficient points upgrade requests to fill Business then they may upgrade solo Platinum One or Chairman's Lounge members for free or more rarely Platinum travellers.

With many points accumulated during lockdown and strong demand to travel, international op-ups would be very hard to come by as points upgrades would usually fill the cabin with many travellers requesting points upgrades missing out.

 

[Lynda2475]

Well, that sucks. You read on the internet about asking for upgrades at the check-in or at the gate to possibly get cheap upgrades to Business class but it seems Qantas would rather those seats sit empty.

Doubt they would sit empty, there will likely be many other people booked on fares eligible for upgrade in economy and business who will apply for the upgrades. And if no takers there likely to make available as an outright award seat rather than discounting.

You see the odd J seat vacant on some domestic routes, but on long haul unless broken they seem to have no trouble filling J with either cash, award or points upgrades.

Remembering that premium seats will always be offered to higher status passengers and those with non discount cash seats first.

 

[jrobin]

Doubt they would sit empty, there will likely be many other people booked on fares eligible for upgrade in economy and business who will apply for the upgrades. And if no takers there likely to make available as an outright award seat rather than discounting.

You see the odd J seat vacant on some domestic routes, but on long haul unless broken they seem to have no trouble filling J with either cash, award or points upgrades.

Remembering that premium seats will always be offered to higher status passengers and those with non discount cash seats first.

What fares qualify for points upgrades? Can an L class Oneworld Explorer QF flight be upgraded either on domestic or international?

 

[SYD]

What fares qualify for points upgrades? Can an L class Oneworld Explorer QF flight be upgraded either on domestic or international?

According to the table here, L fare bucket is eligible.

https://www.qantas.com/au/en/frequent-flyer/use-points/classic-upgrade-rewards/tables.html

 

[Mattg]

Well, that sucks. You read on the internet about asking for upgrades at the check-in or at the gate to possibly get cheap upgrades to Business class but it seems Qantas would rather those seats sit empty.

I have been offered paid upgrades (which cost less than the fare difference) at checkin on a few airlines - most recently Air India and Air Astana. The Lufthansa Group airlines also routinely offer paid upgrades at online check-in.

I have also seen this at Qantas check-in at AKL, but that was more than a decade ago.

 

[bam71]

Don’t trust all you can see on the net….

 

[Ikara]

Don’t trust all you can see on the net….

Oh, bugga! Really? I thought the net was the repository of everything true. At least it seems that way.