Your chance to upgrade to Business with Qantas

[Mollycram]

only have one O class booking coming up to AKL and can't upgrade it, actually not that I would but just wanted to check if it was possible

Think the window closed on 30 Nov....

 

[Awesom Andy]

Think the window closed on 30 Nov....

Yes... window closed. They certainly didn't give us much time to think about it.

 

[Sprucegoose]

Point upgrades are generally a poor use of points anyway, unless work has paid for the underlying fare.

Do the math

 

[serfty]

Do the math

MEL-LAX

[TABLE="class: grid"]
[TR]
[TD="align: center"][/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Economy
[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]PE[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Business[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]First[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: center"]Award Upgrade to:
[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]n/a
[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]45,000
[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]72,000
[/TD]
[TD="align: center"] 45,000
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: center"]Award Redemption in:[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]48,000
[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]72,000
[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]96,000
[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]144,000
[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

Now look at the cost of the economy[/business] award (to simulate an 'economy'[/'Business fare]) with the cost of the upgrade added:

[TABLE="class: grid"]
[TR="class: px"wysiwyg_dashes"]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: center"][/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Economy
[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]PE[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Business[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]First[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: center"]Award + Upgrade
[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]n/a
[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]93,000
[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]120,000
[/TD]
[TD="align: center"] 141,000
[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

The only 'saving' is for the Business to First, it's 21,000 more for Economy to PE and 26,000 more for economy to Business.

Note: I have excluded upgrades from "Economy (Y)", only showing "Discount Economy" costs.

 

[jpk]

That's truly a strange statement. IMO upgrades can be some of the best value, especially on international flights such as the topic of this thread.

Do the math

I think upgrades are expensive compared to JASA/FASA. Typically for an upgrade you have to book an upgradeable fare (usually slightly more expensive), and then you go into a lottery, with no guarantees. A JASA/FASA at Classic levels gets you a guaranteed seat, and you earn SC & points. For example:

MEL-LHR as Platinum, a common leisure route for me:
Discount Y to J upgrade: 96,000 - 21,000 (plat earn) = 75,000 cost, earns 60SC.
Upgradeable fare for Nov13 is ~$1200 (MEL-LHR sector)

JASA = 128,000 - 26,000 (plat earn) = 102,000 cost, earns 240SC.
Taxes $590.

For me personally, the extra points cost is offset by the much smaller $ component, plus a guaranteed J seat. SC are a bonus. Hence why I, and many others on the thread dedicated to ASAs, think upgrades aren't a great point use. Plenty of other examples in that thread. The exception of course, as I said, being if work is paying the base fare, or of course you can't find an ASA seat on the dates you need.

The OW Classic distance awards are also a better use of points, IMO.

 

[Oneworldplus2]

Has anyone had any success with these upgrade offers?

I got the offer and put in a request for HKG-SYD. Flight is tonight.

 

[nlagalle]

Has anyone had any success with these upgrade offers?

I got the offer and put in a request for HKG-SYD. Flight is tonight.

I've had 2 from 2 once as a gold and once as a WP..

 

[Oneworldplus2]

I've had 2 from 2 once as a gold and once as a WP..

I'll start my tally

0 from 1...

 

[yohy?!]

think it's only a matter of time before they relax the upgrade classes to include Discount Economy - these 'one-offs' seem to be coming at a regular pace, along with the paid airport upgrades also.

 

[roogirl]

A JASA for 128k points and $540 taxes? That must be the only time in history that's ever been offered.

 

[ozmille]

A JASA for 128k points and $540 taxes? That must be the only time in history that's ever been offered.

No not at all, I personally have been able to find those for the last three years (when I discovered JASA on AFF) with no major issues, have booked JASAs to FRA twice, to BKK and to SIN all at classic award level. There are some interesting threads about how to look and book JASA on here if you are interested.

 

[serfty]

A JASA for 128k points and $540 taxes? That must be the only time in history that's ever been offered.

No not at all, I personally have been able to find those for the last three years (when I discovered JASA on AFF) with no major issues, have booked JASAs to FRA twice, to BKK and to SIN all at classic award level. There are some interesting threads about how to look and book JASA on here if you are interested.

I suggest roogirl may not be aware of the less points intensive JASA redemptions.

roogirl, for more on those, see this thread: (Although the additional charges seem to have gone up to $595 [cf Nov 27 MEL LHR])

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....uent-flyer-program/how-do-i-book-j-29610.html

 

[Awesom Andy]

I suggest roogirl may not be aware of the less points intensive JASA redemptions.

Although given my experience, roogirl is correct whenever I wanted to make a redemption booking...

 

[serfty]

Although given my experience, roogirl is correct whenever I wanted to make a redemption booking...

Dunno - I don't expect to be able to book many along these line much less than 11 months out - any shorter is a bonus. (That why my above example is for Nov 27th 2013.)

I recently booked for myself a trans pacific JASA return at classic points levels for early November 2013.

 

[diningdecadence]

For those that have been successful with these - when did you find out? View my booking is showing "you will know 5 hours before departure" however I thought these were meant to clear from up to a week beforehand? I'm a silver if that makes any difference.

cheers

 

[flyingfan]

For those that have been successful with these - when did you find out? View my booking is showing "you will know 5 hours before departure" however I thought these were meant to clear from up to a week beforehand? I'm a silver if that makes any difference.

cheers

I found out about 24 hours beforehand.
After getting the email offer I requested the upgrade on July 25.
I received the text on the morning of August 21
The flight was on the morning of August 22.

 

[DeKa]

Has anyone seen any promos related to upgrades from non-upgradable booking classes lately?
If one does spot a promo please let the community know