Do people ever get free upgrades as QFFF Gold?

[superpang]

Hi There,

I wanted to ask if anyone ever receives upgrades as a QF gold member?

I was silver back in 2008 and was upgraded about three times on BA and QF, all on long haul flights either from LAX or LHR, then once I hit gold I have received nothing!! Ive been gold for the past three years now and not been upgraded once.

Cheers,

Super

 

[flyingfan]

If you mean the much-sought op-up, yes when gold I received about six of them in three years domestically (I don't get to fly internationally that often and when I do it's often not with QF). All but one of them were in the MEL-SYD sector during peak times on the cheapest fare at time of purchase, and one was because they were moving passengers due to a very delayed flight. I even seemed to get a gold shadow once or twice - I felt the odd one out that no one was coming to sit next to me as the aircraft filled. Then I learned to appreciate it. Then again might have been just an accident, but I would have thought aisle seats in row 23-26 or so would be one of the first allocated (I take the window).

From what I've read here, WPs can go years without a single free upgrade. QF Yield Management are reportedly very good at what they do.

 

[SteveJohnson]

Yes, I've had one domestic upgrade plus two international, one was economy to premium economy and the other was from economy straight through to business, they had PE on that flight but I skipped right over it.

 

[scheps]

good on you guys for getting the op ups !! It seems pretty random from the sounds of things..

BTW the upgrade you got as silver, did you do something in particular or something happen out of the ordinary ?

 

[superpang]

good on you guys for getting the op ups !! It seems pretty random from the sounds of things..

BTW the upgrade you got as silver, did you do something in particular or something happen out of the ordinary ?

As Silver I did absolutely nothing, I was pleasantly surprised that I was getting all these upgrades and thought it was the norm. What it meant is that the first year that I was gold I never used my points to upgrade as I was hoping that maybe I would get an upgrade, alas it has not happened, so now I've started to use my points to upgrade on some long haul flights.

 

[JohnK]

I had 2 op-ups the same trip SYD-BKK return as a Silver but funnily enough I did not get any op-ups as a Gold. Well not that I remember anyway.

 

[marks]

I've had more upgrades with CX than I've had with QF with both QF Silver and Gold levels. These were in or out SIN.
The only time I got an upgrade on QF was BNE-CNS. But I received an email about "buying" an upgrade at reduced points cost.
I didn't take the offer. But when I arrived, I got an upgrade to J anyway. Made me a bit cynical about the process.

Cheers.

 

[simongr]

Two upgrades as a WP in three years with close to 100 Upgradeable flights...

 

[superpang]

I've had more upgrades with CX than I've had with QF with both QF Silver and Gold levels. These were in or out SIN.
The only time I got an upgrade on QF was BNE-CNS. But I received an email about "buying" an upgrade at reduced points cost.
I didn't take the offer. But when I arrived, I got an upgrade to J anyway. Made me a bit cynical about the process.

Cheers.

Yeah I think I had that call once......now when if I get it I always refuse because I think it means they are overbooked in Y class.

Funny with CX though I fly them more than Qantas and I have never been upgraded...Not Fair .

Oh well I have a trip MEL - DBX rtn with CX coming up in a couple of weeks so fingers crossed for that one!!

 

[scheps]

Maybe i should tell qantas to keep me as a silver then, seems there is better upgrade %

BTW are you guys talking 2011? or way back when there were total of 10 silvers, 5 golds, 2 plats in the whole QFF

 

[superpang]

I'm generally talking from about 2008 - 2009 on-wards.

I didn't get upgraded once in 2011 and I probably took over 50 flights with QF and one world affiliates.

I always wonder if its the same with other airlines, I pretty much only fly internationally and can reach gold/equivalent with any other airline in no time, I always think about switching to Star but never make the change.

 

[JohnPhelan]

Two international upgrades J to F on QF in 2011, as a Gold.

 

[danny09]

I wish Op-up's would happen more often. As a WP I Have had 2 out of my last 40 domestic flights in Y get upgarded to J. I would like to see WP & WP1 pax on domestic flights be able to get upgraded at the time of check-in to J, the upgraded pax dont need to have the J food, but atleast reward the high flyers a little more, & not let the seats go empty as they regularly do.

 

[Boris spatsky]

One upgrade on QF in 4 years as WP and over 3000 SCs per year, so lots of flying. Also flown CX, BA, JL and AA and no op ups on those carriers either.

So, good luck!

 

[serfty]

About 3 years ago Qantas changed their systems and have a different take on who to op-up.

These days those travelling on higher revenue fare buckets and who earn their status mainly on QF are more likely to be op-upped than those (like me¹) who travel in the cheaper fares and get most of their status from oneworld partners.

 

[simongr]

I wish Op-up's would happen more often. As a WP I Have had 2 out of my last 40 domestic flights in Y get upgarded to J. I would like to see WP & WP1 pax on domestic flights be able to get upgraded at the time of check-in to J, the upgraded pax dont need to have the J food, but atleast reward the high flyers a little more, & not let the seats go empty as they regularly do.

Nice idea - but given my worse ratio (2 out of 100) I don't expect this to happen.

About 3 years ago Qantas changed their systems and have a different take on who to op-up.

These days those travelling on higher revenue fare buckets and who earn their status mainly on QF are more likely to be op-upped than those (like me¹) who travel in the cheaper fares and get most of their status from oneworld partners.

I am not sure on this given I only have flown on flexi savers since they were introduced(not full whY but earn 20 SCs SYD-MEL) and have had very limited OpUps...

 

[serfty]

....
I am not sure on this given I only have flown on flexi savers since they were introduced(not full whY but earn 20 SCs SYD-MEL) and have had very limited OpUps...

Ya gotta get the 'saver' out of your flexi's and stop travelling peak times.

Seriously, I received quite regular op-ups on international flights up until late 2009 - since then it's few and far between (although, these days I avoid leaving it to chance mainly travelling on QF ASA's or NZ GE upgrades on booking).

 

[simongr]

At $500 for a return to MEL I don't see much saving...

 

[danmar]

December last year I was upgraded from PE to J - SYD to HKG, I was again upgraded (along with my wife and 2 kids) from Y to J from SYD to AKL and same on the return leg in Jan 2012. 3 upgrades in 2 months, but thats about it for as long as I can remember!

 

[serfty]

At $500 for a return to MEL I don't see much saving...

I wouldn't bother paying more - just enjoy your row 4 or row 23 seats while considering the following.

Having had 14+ years experience as a regular Gold Triangle commuter on Qantas the domestic involuntary op-ups on that route were extremely rare.

Until the late 90's, Qantas did upgrade OG on (full) Y fares about 1 in 3 - these were termed "Complimentary Upgrades".

As for the 'involuntary upgrade' - Qantas see Golden Trangle routes with their hourly+ flights as hundreds of available seats and will move PAX between flights to avoid having to Op-Up as much as possible - generally with great success.