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Add to del.icio.usOn flights to Europe, most airlines permit mileage upgrades to Business Class, but there are huge discrepancies between the actual value of one mileage upgrade versus another.
Some carriers require that you pay inflated fares if you want to upgrade, while others do not.
Some carriers now impose a cash surcharge. Another allows a double-miles upgrade with the lowest fares.
First Class Flyer readers know that we devote great time and space to sorting out all the details of each airline’s program so you can decide for yourself who will get your loyalty.
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A few examples of how policies can vary one carrier to the next when upgrading to Business Class flights:
• Air Canada doesn’t offer mileage upgrades, so if mileage upgrades to Business Class travel are important to you, this is not your preferred carrier.
• Air France does not permit upgrades with its lowest fares, but you can upgrade to Business Class travel for 50,000 miles round-trip with K fares –- often not more than $1,200.
• For 35,000 frequent flyer miles each way, Lufthansa will upgrade you to Business Class travel from any fare except its lowest (S and W fares).
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I have used miles to upgrade to business class and also to acquire frequent flyer tickets (super saver, not anytime seats). Do the airlines make the same number of seats available for frequent flyer tickets and for upgrade tickets (said a different way do the seats come from the same pool or from separate poolsof seats)?
I'm a new member and am especially interested in connections to Asia and good deals through smaller-city airports.
With so many changes recently, what do you think is the best reward value for business class travel from USA to Europe?
Do the points have to be airline specific or can they be with say, Score Card Rewards (Visa points) (Rurope and in Continental US?)
You often refer to "i" and "d" class tickets for business travel on American Airlines. How does one qualify for these fares?
Note that the LH information is incorrect - 35k miles for LH upgrades are only applicable for the *highest* fare classes - only Y and B class! See the LH mileage calculator here: mileage-calculator.com/php/meilen_sammeln2.php "Oneway-Upgrade to the next higher service class 35.000 from Economy Class (B Y) to Business Class 50.000 from Economy Class (G H K M Q V) to Business Class"
I've tried using mileage on Cointinental to go to Venice in August 2008 business or first class and they show no availabilities even that far out. Are they pulling a new scam to keep us from using mileage to go in those classes?
I just flew first class from Boston - SF - Hong Kong. The SF to HK leg my TV didn't work. I wrote Cathay but have heard notheing back, what should I expect if anything?
I just flew first class from Boston - SF - Hong Kong. The SF to HK leg my TV didn't work. I wrote Cathay but have heard notheing back, what should I expect if anything?
Please make sure your upgrade on LH is guaranteed. Last time I tried to upgrade, they would only confirm the upgrade based on availability 24 hours before the flight.
I am flying from Cleveland to Paris via New York on Continental. I have Gold Elite status and was told elite upgrades are not permissible on "certain" international flights. I was hoping for an comp upgrade to business class from Newark to Paris, but told I would have to purchase that seat with miles and $$$. Interesting enough, I just returned from Cancun last week and got a comp upgrade on all legs of my flight including to and from Cancun. It's interesting how airlines can cherry pick what seats are available even when they haven't been purchased.
Just how good it an upgrade using miles, if the airline can take it away from you minutes before boarding. That's what happened on a recent flight with United from LAX to London because of a change of equipment, even though I had checked in over 2 hours before the flight. I paid a good $700.00 over regular economy prices in order to use my miles and would like to get the money back.
Now that Dragon Air is part of the American Airlines group can we use the upgrade passes I have for American and use them on Dragon?
Not only did United make me pay $700 more to upgrade to Business using miles, but then they had the nerve to take my business class seat away 4 mins before boarding due to a change of equipment.
The article would have been more informative had it provided a comparison chart for different airlines.
I did used Premium Economy with british Airways. There in not diference boarding with coach , the seats and food nothing special, and the service, very bad. I would not recomended. GH
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