Upgrading with Points - Qantas Frequent Flyer Program

[RichardMEL]

Reviewing this page on Classic Upgrades, it is reasonably clear imo except for one major thing.

https://www.qantas.com/au/en/frequent-flyer/use-points/classic-upgrade-rewards.html?int_cam=au%3Aupgrade%3Aarticle%3Aclassic-upgrade-rewards%3Aen%3Ann

From the top the word "request" is used. That is exactly right, but it doesn't underscore that it us a request and will be subject to the criteria of processing then outlined further on below.

I reckon the page has been written by marketing types - so it is more aspirational than pointing out the limited number of seats likely avaiable etc. Now yes, that's their job - they aren't going to say "Your chances are poor" onviously but one needs to figure out the devil in the the detail.

Of couse, it's not that Bronze members never get upgrades - that's not true, but it is so much harder to do so - specially on popular routes and times.

Still, this is no different to applying for upgrades on many other airline programs.... QF isn't a massive outlier in this respect imo.

However, as usual, the info provided is not the best - both wording pnline, and some information provided by some agents.

 

[Mwenenzi]

You mention Points+Pay. This is nothing to do with upgrades or Reward seats. It is a way of off-setting the cost of a revenue flight with Qantas Points. Most people on AFF think that this is a poor value use of points

Or maybe the phone operators were offering to upfare to Business using points and pay. That is not an "upgrade" The precise words matter.

it seems to us and what we have been told by qantas staff off shore that qantas doesnt have many seats on any flights using points plus pay,and nearly half of most flights are booked out for gold and platimun members only,we are bronze,its a joke.

with due respect,we have been told that their is limited seats if any on any qantas flights using pay and points,and our latest was 30,600 but when he asked for a upgrade it went from 30,600 each to 54,500 each plus our 1818 dollars spent

Is "we" 2 or more passenger? Getting 2 pax "upgraded" is 3 or 4 times harder than 1
Is the 1818 the original cost in $ (for 2 or more passengers?)
A straight out cash booking or used points and pay from the start?
Anyway as above phoning will not help (more confusion) as upgrade requests best done via the online links. Need to be very clear when asking questions by phone.
As others have noted the full details are not clear and attitude aggressive.

 

[RichardMEL]

Or maybe the phone operators were offering to upfare to Business using points and pay. That is not an "upgrade" The precise words matter.




Is "we" 2 or more passenger? Getting 2 pax "upgraded" is 3 or 4 times harder than 1
Is the 1818 the original cost in $ (for 2 or more passengers?)
A straight out cash booking or used points and pay from the start?
Anyway as above phoning will not help (more confusion) as upgrade requests best done via the online links. Need to be very clear when asking questions by phone.
As others have noted the full details are not clear and attitude aggressive.

I did consider this, but the stated points amounts seemed way too low imo for a upfare to J for BNE-SIN imo.

Yes, wording matters, but it is also up to the agents to properly clarify what is being requested/what the expectation of the customer is.

 

[Supersonic Swinger]

Rather than calling a call centre, I'd use the upgrade calculator which Qantas provides on their website - https://www.qantas.com/au/en/frequent-flyer/calculators.html#/upgrade - for one way BNE-SIN, for each passenger:

- If you bought full fare economy (Flexible Economy) it's 29,900
- If you bought standard economy (Economy) it's 54,500

If you can see the booking in your upcoming flights when you log in, I'd request the upgrade there. My understanding is that the priority is then based on status, followed by how early you requested the upgrade. For what it's worth, I haven't experienced meaningful numbers of upgrades until I hit Platinum.