UpgradeMe pricing and success

[Stealthflyer]

Virgin have been spamming me with upgrade bid reminders ever since I clicked on the link out of curiosity. With a few days until my flight, I put in the minimum bid of $100 for HBA - MEL (first part of a two leg trip to ADL) and got it straight away. It was an Elevate ticket and I’m Velocity Gold. I wasn’t too fussed about succeeding - it was more curiosity than anything else. But it’s lunchtime and I do have a tight connection so it might be handy. I’m always surprised to see business class seats filled on flights out of Hobart because it’s not like there’s the added perk of a lounge while you wait.

 

[SilverFlamingo]

Booked SYD-MEL-HKG-SYD happy hour $500 return fare.

Bid $325 for the MEL-HKG sector and confirmed 70 hours out.

Syd-Mel was the morning a330 service and lounge staff printed my ticket as 3A!

Flew back in economy HKG to Sydney but had 4 middle seats to myself (poor man’s lie flat).

Overall a great value trip! $825 return with outbound business on both flights.

 

[aamslfc]

It's always worth trying the minimum to see what happens.

We were booked on a discounted Elevate fare SYD-ADL last weekend. Didn't get any email to bid for an upgrade but figured I'd go online and put in a lowball offer just for LOLs.

Turns out the bare minimum of $130 or so was enough... bid was instantly accepted, even though half the cabin was already booked

 

[SeaWolf]

So I got an UgradeMe offer email for LAX-MEL last week and it offered me the choice of bidding for either Business or Premium Economy. I bid the minimum on a Business seat and didn't succeed.
When I bid for the upgrade I just put the bid in and left it, but afterwards I was wondering if there was any way I could have bid on both so that if I didn't get Business I'd still have a chance to get Premium Economy.
Anyone get any experience with doing this? Is it possible at all? I couldn't immediately see an option but now I wonder if I was just missing something.

 

[Stealthflyer]

I bid the minimum on a Business seat and didn't succeed.

Can you tell us how much you bid please?

 

[SeaWolf]

Can you tell us how much you bid please?

It was $1490, which was the minimum.

 

[idanzzz]

So I got an UgradeMe offer email for LAX-MEL last week and it offered me the choice of bidding for either Business or Premium Economy. I bid the minimum on a Business seat and didn't succeed.
When I bid for the upgrade I just put the bid in and left it, but afterwards I was wondering if there was any way I could have bid on both so that if I didn't get Business I'd still have a chance to get Premium Economy.
Anyone get any experience with doing this? Is it possible at all? I couldn't immediately see an option but now I wonder if I was just missing something.

I have the option for both as well and was wondering if it was 1 or the other (I suspect it is) so was going to try and wait till closer to see what seats are still available to work out how much i should bid

 

[cqtiger]

I bid $160 (the minimum) on a Adel-Bris flight and did not succeed. I noticed the seats in business were empty so asked at lounge if I could buy them at the $160 price and he said it would $220 so I and passed on the price and I noticed the business seats remained empty. Nice way to treat your platinum customers.

 

[jase05]

I bid $160 (the minimum) on a Adel-Bris flight and did not succeed. I noticed the seats in business were empty so asked at lounge if I could buy them at the $160 price and he said it would $220 so I and passed on the price and I noticed the business seats remained empty. Nice way to treat your platinum customers.

That isn’t great I agree.
I was in MEL on the weekend and was flying home Sunday arvo in Y but put a bid in of $110 on Saturday afternoon and was most surprised to see the upgrade come through about 10 minutes later.

 

[Carrots]

Interesting re Bris. I put in a minimum bid for some flights on Saturday to Adel - Bris return (although back via Syd) and hit all 3. Had my own private butler for the flight up as I was the only one in J.

 

[westsurf]

We’re almost always successful when we place upgrade me bids. Last trip was two X seats, one free due to VA Platinum CC, the other a getaway fare from MEL-PER.

We usually click when we first get the offer email and then not bid. Get spammed with “complete your bid” emails. Wait until approx 72 hours before making min bid, $350 pp in this case, and received confirmation email with four hours.

We find for international making the min bid is never successful so we bid the next availed value above. This is also particularly successful for Air NZ to get from economy to premium economy which I rate very highly

 

[knagelli]

So I got an UgradeMe offer email for LAX-MEL last week and it offered me the choice of bidding for either Business or Premium Economy. I bid the minimum on a Business seat and didn't succeed.
When I bid for the upgrade I just put the bid in and left it, but afterwards I was wondering if there was any way I could have bid on both so that if I didn't get Business I'd still have a chance to get Premium Economy.
Anyone get any experience with doing this? Is it possible at all? I couldn't immediately see an option but now I wonder if I was just missing something.

Even I was planning to bid for my upgrade from MEL-LAX for the bare minimum. Do they even entertain low ball offers , as AU-US routes are mostly full and actual ticket price is quite high compare to the minimum bid offer.

 

[SeaWolf]

Do they even entertain low ball offers , as AU-US routes are mostly full and actual ticket price is quite high compare to the minimum bid offer.

Previously on the SYD-LAX route I've bid the minimum for Premium Economy and always had success, though it has been a while. This was my first time trying for Business.

 

[knagelli]

Previously on the SYD-LAX route I've bid the minimum for Premium Economy and always had success, though it has been a while. This was my first time trying for Business.

I was trying for the PE but the suggested offer was 1190 and difference in suggester PE and Business was only 300 so still in a limbo to bid for PE/Business.

 

[knagelli]

I am not able to get the upgrade option with points , however I can still bid for an upgrade with currency on domestic flight from MEL - ADL. The lowest for upgrade is $100 , so want to check how many points will they seek for this one.

 

[Carrots]

I am not able to get the upgrade option with points , however I can still bid for an upgrade with currency on domestic flight from MEL - ADL. The lowest for upgrade is $100 , so want to check how many points will they seek for this one.

Depending when the flight is, I'd just bid the minimum dollars. I don't think it's worth the points spend personally.
If you're outside of peak times you'll have a pretty good chance of snagging the upgrade.

I can't recall seeing anything previously (but there's way to many pages to re-check - is there any priority around bid upgrades based on Status v $ Bid?

 

[Melburnian1]

I bid $160 (the minimum) on a Adel-Bris flight and did not succeed. I noticed the seats in business were empty so asked at lounge if I could buy them at the $160 price and he said it would $220 so I and passed on the price and I noticed the business seats remained empty. Nice way to treat your platinum customers.

While VA is probably fearful that if you succeeded at the lounge and word got out, revenue would drop as others became copy cats, surely it's more sensible to allow your last minute lounge "bid" to be accepted? Airline A$160 more revenue (less cost of food and drink, but food loaded for J might have gone to waste anyway) and you pleased as a passenger.

Reminds me how there's nothing more perishable than an empty hotel room...except an empty airline seat.

 

[Demonoid]

VA1210 bne to cbr
Original elevate fare. Both me and wife are gold.
Minimum bid of $120 each offered. Success. 3 days out from flight.

Can anyone please advise if they have had luck getting the increased baggage allowance normally allocated to business class? We are coming back from an international flight so we’ll have close to 30kg in each suitcase. T’s & C’s state original baggage conditions apply which for gold means 2 suitcases at 23kg. This doesn’t help me as we each have one really heavy one.

 

[knagelli]

VA1210 bne to cbr
Original elevate fare. Both me and wife are gold.
Minimum bid of $120 each offered. Success. 3 days out from flight.

Can anyone please advise if they have had luck getting the increased baggage allowance normally allocated to business class? We are coming back from an international flight so we’ll have close to 30kg in each suitcase. T’s & C’s state original baggage conditions apply which for gold means 2 suitcases at 23kg. This doesn’t help me as we each have one really heavy one.

I have been told in the past that if you have a connecting flight ( international to domestic ) the international flight baggage allowance applies. However please do check with VA to be sure it is correct.

 

[Demonoid]

Unfortunately this is not a connection as the international flight is with Emirates on a separate itinerary. So I’m theory we are screwed although I have read that they usually don’t enforce the baggage conditions of your original economy ticket. I guess I’ll find out soon enough. Bit disappointing if so...we are also silver with qantas and even at that level we can travel with 32 kg domestically in the one bag.