Qantas Complimentary Upgrades: how often do you get them?

[travellerqff]

Question for the high flyers who qualify for this:

How often do you receive on departure upgrades?

Does Qantas keep record of how often they upgrade you, so everyone gets a turn?

And does anyone pick flights they know won't be too full, to increase their upgrade chances?



- I'm a sucker for window seats, not sure what I'd do if I got given a centred Business Class seat.

 

[Princess Fiona]

Do you mean complimentary as in nil points cost beep at the gate, or ODU at cost?
If you mean the former, I have had one in 3 years as a WP

 

[thewinchester]

Operational upgrades received when travelling are frequently posted in this thread:
http://www.australianfrequentflyer..../the-operational-upgrade-thread-18198-57.html

These things are always nice to get, but shouldn't really be expected. More of a pleasant surprise when it happens.

 

[travellerqff]

Complimentary upgrades - free surprise by gate staff

 

[Per_Travels]

Complimentary upgrades - free surprise by gate staff

I've been pretty lucky on the SYD-LAX route. I seem to get a free upgrade about 1 in 3 times I've done this route in the last couple of years (five J to F upgrades from the last fifteen times across the pacific - 3 in the A380, twice in 747).

 

[muppet]

I only get them on leisure routes like cairns, alice, broome etc. Being based in CBR - they're thin on the ground for me. Thin in the air for that matter.

 

[travellerqff]

I've been pretty lucky on the SYD-LAX route. I seem to get a free upgrade about 1 in 3 times I've done this route in the last couple of years (five J to F upgrades from the last fifteen times across the pacific - 3 in the A380, twice in 747).

That's great news! As QF 107 is my favoured flight to LAX.

And did you manage to get a window? haha

 

[travellerqff]

I only get them on leisure routes like cairns, alice, broome etc. Being based in CBR - they're thin on the ground for me. Thin in the air for that matter.

I need to go to Cairns, never been. And its great status run value flying PER-SYD-CNS rt, 80 SC for $598

 

[JetLagged]

Alas, in all the trips I've done over the past few years - never once received an ODU: hoping, please god's of flying - something slips my way on forthcoming RTW trip!

 

[Archphoto]

Rarely in 20 years of flying (5 of those as a WP). First time was on QF out of HKG-SYD (I think) when I was PB (flying with a colleague this time), back in 2006. As a WP, CX upgraded me on the BKK-SIN route and QF gave me 1 upgrade right before I dropped to SG in 2009. Was great - SYD-BKK and certainly didn't expect myself and partner to be upgraded.

The last time, was last year with BA BKK-SYD. Upgraded Y to Y+ (I was happy with that!) on check-in then to J at the gate - even happier!!:mrgreen:

If it happens, great, but I *never* bank on getting an upgrade. In fact, I've had no success with points upgrade requests ever, so the upgrades at the gate come as huge surprises and are very welcome.

 

[Vinny]

Flying QF I've received a couple. It's difficult enough when even offering points at them.

However, when I fly CX in Y class they take one look at my card and I get a seat up the front. I can't remember the last time I even sat in Y on a CX flight. Much appreciated CX.

 

[munitalP]

FWIW, my last 4 domestic flights (Oz) and one Int, 2 opups on QF Dom, 1 opup VA Dom and 1 On board ug on QF int. How's that for a record!

 

[muppet]

Just wanted to add, never since Platinum. 5 or 6 times Int as qp bronze and twice Dom as gold.

 

[Pushka]

We have scored a few really. Not sure why - partner has been a WP and then that put me onto Gold but those days are long gone. He is still a Gold but with all the Qantas disruptions, he has been flying Virgin.

The best one we scored was a Business upgrade from Singapore to Perth, and the best thing about that flight was that the original flight booked was a Classic Seat Award, so it was basically a free flight all round and only Economy points used.

 

[Happy Trails]

My long term average with QF has been about 5%, but in the last six months that has gone up significantly to 25%. I’m hoping that’s a long term trend and not a statistical aberration.
With CX it’s always been around 20% which tends to compensate for the reduced points.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Complimentary upgrades - free surprise by gate staff

Despite the perception it's not the gate staff who are in charge of doing the upgrade - they only print out the new boarding pass after the regrade has been actioned & hand it out. Operational upgrades are done by QF Yield Ops in SYD about 5 hours prior for domestic flights & the day before for international flights.

Occasionally op-ups might be necessary closer to departure in the case of a late aircraft swap eg a 30J/222Y config 767 goes to a 30/214Y config where whY is full so instantly you have an overbooking situation of 8 in whY. the Altea system will automatically select the top 8 pax based on their tier status/PCV (pax commercial value) & upgrade them.

Question for the high flyers who qualify for this:

How often do you receive on departure upgrades?

Does Qantas keep record of how often they upgrade you, so everyone gets a turn?

And does anyone pick flights they know won't be too full, to increase their upgrade chances?

- I'm a sucker for window seats, not sure what I'd do if I got given a centred Business Class seat.

You should do the complete opposite & choose a flight that will be full as they have no need to upgrade pax if whY isn't full. eg flights to from DRW in the middle of the dry season, school holidays or after the Darwin Cup or V8 Supercars. It's not uncommon to see flights oversold by 16 seats in whY if there are 16 seats still available in J.