UpgradeMe pricing and success

[Rj_louise]

VA69 MEL-HKG
Getaway fare
Weak bid of $440 (min bid $425)
Gold status
Upgrade approved T-75

 

[texanaust]

VA1089 Lst-Syd, midweek. Cheap Elevate fare ($130). Bid $95 ($5 over min bid) accepted at T-80.

 

[openseat]

Coming on international short haul ticket from POM or HIR, I find I can bid successfully for $5 over the minimum for the next leg BNE-MEL. Not much point bidding for J to/from either port (especially HIR) as the flights are rarely full and if you have status you can get a seat upfront.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

eh? I can't speak for Honiara but out of Moresby of late, I've had limited success, with all J seats taken!

So much so, that I now choose PX over VA as PX in whY is the far better airline and there is no way known I'll pay the ridiculous fares for J on VA!

 

[MikaD]

Bought a sale (T) bne-lax for next easter ($850 ret!) and bid $715 for PE upgrade on both legs. Min bid was $560 outbound and $580 inbound.

Is there any way to buy economy x as a backup and not lose the $$ if the upgrade goes through?

 

[benjy]

Hi folks,
It has been many, many years since I have flown Virgin but am flying MELxSYDxOOL, MEL>OOL in a few weeks.
Keen to try J Class MEL>OOL. I paid $142 for the 6pm Sunday flight on the Getaway fare.

Upgrade me is currently offering minimum of $170 to upgrade. I'd basically paying for the flight experience, extra legroom, decent dinner, alcohol and dedicated service as I will have Lounge access thanks to Amex. Is the minimum offer likely to be reduced or should I expect that's the minimum and submit a request?

 

[pangwen]

My experience is that the minimum offer does not decrease closer to the date of departure.

 

[Bagpuss]

My experience is that the minimum offer does not decrease closer to the date of departure.

I’ve known it to happen.
I couldn’t remember which credit card details I had used, so cancelled and re-applied. The minimum was lower. (Flight for Jan 2019)
Also sometimes they can be on sale.
Don’t think there is rule of thumb to how the min bid is worked out.

 

[Jack_OC]

I got an email today regarding a MEL-SYD flight this Wednesday:

“Virgin Australia is delighted to inform you that your booking is eligible for discounted upgrade rates with Upgrade Me Premium Bid. This means that the minimum bid amount for your flight below has been reduced for a limited time.”

The minimum bid is now $100 compared to $120 on the return leg. First time I’ve received such a discounted though, so either this is a new practice or it just doesn’t happen very often.

 

[benjy]

The above is handy information. I should hold off and await the discount Upgrade Me email

 

[ozstamps]

I got an email today regarding a MEL-SYD flight this Wednesday:

“Virgin Australia is delighted to inform you that your booking is eligible for discounted upgrade rates with Upgrade Me Premium Bid. This means that the minimum bid amount for your flight below has been reduced for a limited time.”

The minimum bid is now $100 compared to $120 on the return leg. First time I’ve received such a discounted though, so either this is a new practice or it just doesn’t happen very often.

There was an Virgin email today re discounted Biz flights. So they might have slashed the upgrade bids in tandem?

As SYD-CBR was only $299 on the sale etc and comes with 50 x SC not 5, THAT is good use of a few $100.

 

[danielt25]

BNE/CNS for 10/9/18
Put minimum bid of $150 in 24 hours ago. Confirmed at T-14
Paid $150 for ticket.
Not bad!

 

[Gold Member]

PER-MEL PAID $180 getaway. I had a nice front row EconX seat preselected so wasn’t desperate. VA offered 20% off the normal lowest bid which I went for at the lowest price of $260. Successful notice arrived T-48.

Flightaware history has this flight operating as a 332 in the past two weeks for my travel day, so fingers crossed I don’t get transcon VA’d (ala TG’d) based on historicals.

 

[clipped_wings]

Still 21 days out from our SYD-LAX trip. Paid Premium Saver back in December and waitlisted both legs for J upgrade with points. I check every day on VA and ExpertFlyer for a magic opportunity.

I can't help but notice the sad irony of how the (7 day from departure) window of Biz reward availability that seemed to be a new normal - has all but disappeared. Almost to the day that one keen poster here published their observation of it's existence....

 

[jazza1971]

I can't help but notice the sad irony of how the (7 day from departure) window of Biz reward availability that seemed to be a new normal - has all but disappeared. Almost to the day that one keen poster here published their observation of it's existence....

Maybe they have a blackout period before school holidays? I noticed the same, the only available seats were with DL.

 

[danielt25]

BNE/CBR for 14/8/18
Bid $80, minimum. Confirmed T-75

 

[benjy]

Upgraded on tonight's OOL > MEL flight for minimum bid $170, original paid fare was $142.

Lookikg forward to experiencing the product for the first time, their 1hr economy flights on Friday didn't impress me

 

[clipped_wings]

(Gulp) No word yet on our waitlist upgrade from Premium Saver to the ever-exclusive saloon in Business on next week's SYD-LAX.

Seat availability is tight. Just like my arteries right now.

Pray for me my friends.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

BNE - ADL today.
Bid $345 (thought it was $445 week ago), not successful.
At least they emailed back.
VFF PS do not a VFF WP bid.
Premium cabin must be full by WP or other upgraders.

 

[dxwell]

BNE-MEL 29/9/18
Bid $120 on $110 minimum (reduced rate).
AMEX Comp flight.
Bid came through T-22 hours.
J was full on this flights.