Upgrade for Gold in INTL

Optimist1125 · 07-20-2003, 12:20 AM

Hi -- new member. Nice to have a place for questions & general info about CO and Elite.

Flying to Hong Kong via Newark. Coach, S Class.

Is there any type of comp or fee-based upgrade
path for an S-class seat?

Thanks in advance.

ragazzo · 07-20-2003, 11:24 PM

Hi Continental does not offer Elite upgrades on International flights with a Business First cabin, If they are oversold in the coach cabin they will upgrade elites with high fares first.

ragazzo · 07-20-2003, 11:27 PM

Also there is no upgrade fee, it would be the fare difference of your coach tkt.

Optimist1125 · 07-21-2003, 08:44 AM

I appreciate the info.

merchanb · 07-21-2003, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Continental does not offer Elite upgrades on International flights with a Business First cabin

Whoops . . . error.

Living in Guam all my flights, including to Hong Kong, are International and I have been hitting 100% on upgrades for a number of years. Next flight, after I return from Eastern Europe, is Newark to Tokyo on CO9 August 11 Business First "R" class and Tokyo to Guam on CO7 August 12 International Business "Z" class.

ragazzo · 07-29-2003, 04:33 AM

I know for a fact that there are no elite upgrades from EWR CLE or IAH on Business first Cabins (Europe, South America, HKG, NRT or TLV , not to say they do not give them at all as in an oversell situations or other circumstances but it is not given as complimentary upgrades as a rule. my friend is a Concierge who works strictly with the Business first product for Continental.

merchanb · 07-30-2003, 08:26 AM

Hi from Krakow,

I get 100% BF upgrades with miles on that 777 between NRT & EWR, all confirmed well before flight time, including my upcoming return trip.

Nugget · 07-30-2003, 03:03 PM

I've gotten 50% success in doing miles upgrades to BF on IAH-NRT flights. BF cabin between IAH and NRT seems to be routinely sold to capacity and there are often no seats in the proper pool for upgrades.

I did thankfully get a battlefield promotion on my most recent NRT->IAH flight, which was a nice surprise.

ragazzo · 07-30-2003, 09:13 PM

Ok you are talking about using miles, I was talking about COMLIMENTARY upgrades to BF.

ragazzo · 07-30-2003, 09:15 PM

Sorry trying to spell COMPLIMENTARY

ragazzo · 07-30-2003, 09:16 PM

Do any other airlines offer CONCIERGE service like CO on their BF cabins? I only fly with CO.

merchanb · 08-13-2003, 10:16 PM

Quoting the fine print at the bottom of the latest Continental brochure "Continental flights with a BusinessFirst cabin are not eligible for an Elite Upgrade."

Spend the miles if you have them . . . BusinessFirst is lovely.

Optimist1125 · 08-31-2003, 10:44 PM

With CO Intl [Asia] upgrades, the killer is the $400 up-front deposit each way, with no guarantees. For the non-business traveler, even Gold, I don't find this reasonable.

Have I missed the boat on something? --L

merchanb · 08-31-2003, 11:08 PM

Depends on the ticket you buy.

Y, H or K fare no cost, just the miles.

B or V fare $300 each way plus miles.

Q or T fare $400 each way plus miles.

The cheapest way to go is K fare, followed by H fare.

Less expensive than buying a cheaper fare and paying the "non refundable service fee."

Optimist1125 · 08-31-2003, 11:11 PM

Thanks for the info. Next time I shop more carefully.
This time, decided to take row 44 to be able to move around as much as possible. Live & learn. --L

merchanb · 08-31-2003, 11:42 PM

I always book H or K fare and have been hitting 100% on trans-Pacific mileage upgrades for years.

You might want to call your elite priority line and ask them how much it would be to change your ticket to K fare. There's generally not too much difference. It's Y fare that's the killer.

Optimist1125 · 09-01-2003, 09:32 AM

Will do that when I return home. [I only paid $558 RT]. --L

merchanb · 09-01-2003, 06:17 PM

Wow, $558 is a really good deal; 16,110 miles for 3-1/2 cents a mile. But 16 hours in coach . . . hope you have short legs.

Q fare shows as $657.16 and would cost $400.00 extra each way for the "non refundable service fee" to try to upgrade (total cost $1,457.16!) and no guarantee you'll get it.

K Fare, which costs nothing to upgrade, is $924.16. It would have cost you almost $370 more for an upgradable ticket.

I would have scraped around and found myself another $370. somewhere (1) had about a week's bout with DVT (emergency room and all that) and besides (2) decided to pamper myself in my old age anyway.)

Enjoy Hong Kong.

Optimist1125 · 09-01-2003, 10:00 PM

Much thanks for the research...
I think I will still call CO for the potential upgrade to the fares that will allow upgrade. Regardless, will still do the compression socks...

Today, I have to say they were GREAT about getting a companion upgraded on an IAH-CLE flight, prime time, Labor Day USA, in spite of a broken seat on a usually unavailable upgrade route... and who knows -- possibly others waiting in premium coach space.

But, as is always the case, I still have lots to learn... again, thanks for the heads up. Happy travels. --Linda

Optimist1125 · 09-25-2003, 10:01 PM

Today's the 25th & flight to HKG is 10/22... called Elite line over the weekend. No changes. ITN shows some Zseats available both ways...
What -- if anything -- to do other than wait [im]patiently? TIA... --Linda

07-20-2003, 12:20 AM	#1
Optimist1125 Member ITYT Cabin Crew Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: CLE Posts: 30	Upgrade for Gold in INTL Hi -- new member. Nice to have a place for questions & general info about CO and Elite. Flying to Hong Kong via Newark. Coach, S Class. Is there any type of comp or fee-based upgrade path for an S-class seat? Thanks in advance. __________________

07-20-2003, 11:24 PM	#2
ragazzo Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: EWR Posts: 8	Hi Continental does not offer Elite upgrades on International flights with a Business First cabin, If they are oversold in the coach cabin they will upgrade elites with high fares first. __________________

07-21-2003, 08:44 AM	#4
Optimist1125 Member ITYT Cabin Crew Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: CLE Posts: 30	Thanks I appreciate the info.

07-29-2003, 04:33 AM	#6
ragazzo Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: EWR Posts: 8	Error? I know for a fact that there are no elite upgrades from EWR CLE or IAH on Business first Cabins (Europe, South America, HKG, NRT or TLV , not to say they do not give them at all as in an oversell situations or other circumstances but it is not given as complimentary upgrades as a rule. my friend is a Concierge who works strictly with the Business first product for Continental.

08-31-2003, 10:44 PM	#13
Optimist1125 Member ITYT Cabin Crew Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: CLE Posts: 30	If it were only miles... With CO Intl [Asia] upgrades, the killer is the $400 up-front deposit each way, with no guarantees. For the non-business traveler, even Gold, I don't find this reasonable. Have I missed the boat on something? --L

07-20-2003, 11:27 PM	#3
ragazzo Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: EWR Posts: 8	Also there is no upgrade fee, it would be the fare difference of your coach tkt.

07-30-2003, 08:26 AM	#7
merchanb Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: GUM Posts: 136	Hi from Krakow, I get 100% BF upgrades with miles on that 777 between NRT & EWR, all confirmed well before flight time, including my upcoming return trip.

07-30-2003, 03:03 PM	#8
Nugget Senior Member ITYT Navigator Join Date: Sep 2001 Posts: 610	I've gotten 50% success in doing miles upgrades to BF on IAH-NRT flights. BF cabin between IAH and NRT seems to be routinely sold to capacity and there are often no seats in the proper pool for upgrades. I did thankfully get a battlefield promotion on my most recent NRT->IAH flight, which was a nice surprise.

07-30-2003, 09:13 PM	#9
ragazzo Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: EWR Posts: 8	Ok you are talking about using miles, I was talking about COMLIMENTARY upgrades to BF.

07-30-2003, 09:15 PM	#10
ragazzo Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: EWR Posts: 8	Sorry trying to spell COMPLIMENTARY

07-30-2003, 09:16 PM	#11
ragazzo Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: EWR Posts: 8	Do any other airlines offer CONCIERGE service like CO on their BF cabins? I only fly with CO.

08-13-2003, 10:16 PM	#12
merchanb Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: GUM Posts: 136	Quoting the fine print at the bottom of the latest Continental brochure "Continental flights with a BusinessFirst cabin are not eligible for an Elite Upgrade." Spend the miles if you have them . . . BusinessFirst is lovely.

08-31-2003, 11:08 PM	#14
merchanb Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: GUM Posts: 136	Depends on the ticket you buy. Y, H or K fare no cost, just the miles. B or V fare $300 each way plus miles. Q or T fare $400 each way plus miles. The cheapest way to go is K fare, followed by H fare. Less expensive than buying a cheaper fare and paying the "non refundable service fee."

08-31-2003, 11:11 PM	#15
Optimist1125 Member ITYT Cabin Crew Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: CLE Posts: 30	OK, Live & Learn Thanks for the info. Next time I shop more carefully. This time, decided to take row 44 to be able to move around as much as possible. Live & learn. --L

08-31-2003, 11:42 PM	#16
merchanb Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: GUM Posts: 136	I always book H or K fare and have been hitting 100% on trans-Pacific mileage upgrades for years. You might want to call your elite priority line and ask them how much it would be to change your ticket to K fare. There's generally not too much difference. It's Y fare that's the killer.

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09-01-2003, 09:32 AM	#17
Optimist1125 Member ITYT Cabin Crew Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: CLE Posts: 30	Fine idea... Will do that when I return home. [I only paid $558 RT]. --L

09-01-2003, 06:17 PM	#18
merchanb Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: GUM Posts: 136	Wow, $558 is a really good deal; 16,110 miles for 3-1/2 cents a mile. But 16 hours in coach . . . hope you have short legs. Q fare shows as $657.16 and would cost $400.00 extra each way for the "non refundable service fee" to try to upgrade (total cost $1,457.16!) and no guarantee you'll get it. K Fare, which costs nothing to upgrade, is $924.16. It would have cost you almost $370 more for an upgradable ticket. I would have scraped around and found myself another $370. somewhere (1) had about a week's bout with DVT (emergency room and all that) and besides (2) decided to pamper myself in my old age anyway.) Enjoy Hong Kong.

09-01-2003, 10:00 PM	#19
Optimist1125 Member ITYT Cabin Crew Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: CLE Posts: 30	Next time... Much thanks for the research... I think I will still call CO for the potential upgrade to the fares that will allow upgrade. Regardless, will still do the compression socks... Today, I have to say they were GREAT about getting a companion upgraded on an IAH-CLE flight, prime time, Labor Day USA, in spite of a broken seat on a usually unavailable upgrade route... and who knows -- possibly others waiting in premium coach space. But, as is always the case, I still have lots to learn... again, thanks for the heads up. Happy travels. --Linda

09-25-2003, 10:01 PM	#20
Optimist1125 Member ITYT Cabin Crew Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: CLE Posts: 30	Still No BizClass upgrade.... aargh! Today's the 25th & flight to HKG is 10/22... called Elite line over the weekend. No changes. ITN shows some Zseats available both ways... What -- if anything -- to do other than wait [im]patiently? TIA... --Linda __________________