Question about upgrade from cruise air

[Live4cruises]

We booked our flights through Holland America; there is one transatlantic leg. We have enough miles to do a miles + $ upgrade through American Airlines, but we've found out that our air travel will not be ticketed until 45 days before sailing, regardless of whether we make our final payment now (8 months before sailing). The reservation is visible on American's site, and we are also able to move our seat choices as long as we stay in coach. Does anyone have experience with this situation? We would very much like to do an upgrade to business as soon as possible, as we are well aware that awards travel seats are very limited.

 

Thanks for any help.

[klfrodo]

Depends all upon the "fare" code that Holland America is purchasing for you.

Airline could care less if you have a quarter million miles to use to upgrade. If the fare code doesn't allow mileage upgrades,, No upgrades.

[CruiserBruce]

It is very rare to get an upgradeable fare when using cruise line air. Extremely rare. This was the reason we gave up on cruise line air. More recently seen the issues with consolidator fares as described on the Sticky at the top of the board.

[6rugrats]

We booked our flights through Holland America; there is one transatlantic leg. We have enough miles to do a miles + $ upgrade through American Airlines, but we've found out that our air travel will not be ticketed until 45 days before sailing, regardless of whether we make our final payment now (8 months before sailing). The reservation is visible on American's site, and we are also able to move our seat choices as long as we stay in coach. Does anyone have experience with this situation? We would very much like to do an upgrade to business as soon as possible, as we are well aware that awards travel seats are very limited.

 

Thanks for any help.

 

I am not an expert with AA. However, I know with UA, you can see reservations, that have confirmation numbers on their webpage, and if they are not yet ticketed (this happens a lot with my DH's business flights), you cannot request an upgrade. He also can move seats around, etc., but if you push the "request upgrade" button, you are told the reservation is not yet ticketed.

 

If you don't have a ticket number, you don't have a ticket yet to upgrade. I suspect this may be your problem with AA. And, of course, as already suggested, if you don't have a ticket in an eligible fare class, or there aren't any seats available for an upgrade, you won't be able to upgrade at all.

 

For most discount economy fares, from US-Europe, you'll need 25,000 miles plus a $350 copay. Keep in mind that some cruise air will never be eligible for upgrades.

[FlyerTalker]

if you don't have a ticket in an eligible fare class, or there aren't any seats available for an upgrade, you won't be able to upgrade at all.

The most critical words to remember when talking upgrades. You can be a plutonium elite and still sit in the back if the ticket bucket isn't eligible.

 

My personal wager...you will be in a bulk ticket class. My SWAG reasoning: if you were to be in a published fare ticket class for your trip, the ticket would have already been purchased and identifiable. There is no ticket number because there is still the detail of assigning you one of the "off the shelf" bulk tickets that are sitting around HAL offices waiting to be used. Whether that is the actual case or not is unknown but to the airline desk at HAL.

[Live4cruises]

My concern is that it isn't an upgradable class, but no one at AA has said that yet. That leg is Q - also when I just looked at the AA record it says Status - Ticketed! Does anyone know whether or not Q is an eligible class?

 

Thanks - again.

[klfrodo]

My concern is that it isn't an upgradable class, but no one at AA has said that yet. That leg is Q - also when I just looked at the AA record it says Status - Ticketed! Does anyone know whether or not Q is an eligible class?

 

Thanks - again.

 

Google is your friend

http://www.aa.com/i18n/AAdvantage/earnMiles/travel/airlines/american.jsp

Not only is Q a discount class, you may not even be eligible to earn miles on your trip.

I believe AA has different variables of Q though.

[kenish]

"Q" alone does not answer your question...the complete fare code is required on deeply discounted fares to determine if it's upgrade-eligible, earns miles, etc. There are literally hundreds of Q-class fares on AA alone, and since many are contracted consolidator fares, the rules depend on what was negotiated when the consolidator did their bulk purchase.

 

Also, there's a small but definite chance you will end up on totally different flights or not on AA at all. Holland America's flight department has indicated to AA they will use 2 of their bulk tickets to get you from A to B on a certain date. Unless you bought a Deviation (to guarantee specific flights) your current itenerary is just a "placeholder". That's why AA can't answer your question until your tickets are actually purchased.

[Live4cruises]

Yes, we did do a deviation - we're high enough status to get one, so we have confirmed flights.

[kenish]

Yes, we did do a deviation - we're high enough status to get one, so we have confirmed flights.

 

Great news!! Then you *are* on those flights, just a matter of your original question. Let us know what the full fare code is once they purchase your tickets.

[greatam]

1. You need to get a subscription to Expert Flyer ($5.00 per month) to see if there is even upgrade availability. If there is none now, keep looking every month. It MAY open up but it also may open up for only one seat. And as a general rule, ALL legs must be upgradeable AND have availability unless you have status. Then they will often let you pick and choose if you only want to upgrade the long haul, over the water flight.

 

2. If there is a 26 in your ENTIRE fare code, the ticket is definitely a consolidator ticket, non endorsable, non transferable, non reroutable and non upgradeable. And NO MILES earned although AA is much more lenient about giving miles even if the ticket is a "no miles earned" ticket than any other airline I have ever dealt with.

 

3. Call AA and ask them IF you ticket is upgradeable (since you can see your reservation). As Kenish posted, there are MANY variations of Q fares on AA (Q tickets are way down the line in AA's ticketing scheme-12th tier deep discounted economy-there are only 13 tiers). Q fares are sold as "PUBLISHED FARE" tickets as well as consolidator/bulk purchase tickets. AA allows upgrades from ANY published fare ticket (miles and money co-pay, space available, behind higher fare classes and definitely behind those with status). BUT you have to have access to the ENTIRE fare code (NOT just the letter but all number/letters that follow). The ENTIRE code designates what "rights" you have with your ticket.

 

AA most likely WILL NOT waitlist you for upgrade but it is worth a try. If you get NO the first time, call back. The normal philosophy is 3 calls to an airline to get the answer you want.

 

Good luck

[personnext]

American Airlines, unlike other airlines, allows upgrades and gives 100% mileage on all flights with two exceptions, none of which apply to you: Military fares and consolidator fares to South America.

[waterbug123]

American Airlines, unlike other airlines, allows upgrades and gives 100% mileage on all flights with two exceptions, none of which apply to you: Military fares and consolidator fares to South America.

 

I highly doubt that AA allows upgrades and gives 100% mileage for ANY consolidator fares, though Greatam can probably say for sure.

[greatam]

I highly doubt that AA allows upgrades and gives 100% mileage for ANY consolidator fares, though Greatam can probably say for sure.

 

As I posted previously, there are MANY versions of Q fares. Without the COMPLETE fare rules/fare code (which is very unlikely the OP can get from HAL but MAY be able to get a general idea from AA), who knows what type of Q fare the OP has??? O class tickets are not eligible for either miles or upgrades to Latin/South America but SOME Q tickets are.

 

Travel agency/reduced rate industry fares are NOT eligible for upgrade EVER (which is the very definition of consolidator).

 

I am making an educated guess that the OP's ticket is NOT eligible for upgrade.

 

But without finding out IF there is even upgrade eligibility AND finding out the EXACT Q fare code the ticket was issued under, this entire discussion is moot.

[Gardyloo]

This can easily be solved by the OP with a phone call to AA. If it says "ticketed" on AA's website, then it probably is, and the agent can give the OP the ticket number, fare basis, and say whether or not a mileage upgrade can be requested. If the OP logs in to his/her account on aa.com and checks under "My Reservations" and sees the booking, there ought to be a link to a box regarding upgrade requests. It will say "Contact AA for upgrade information" (or some such) in which case it's probably eligible. If it says "not available" then problem solved.

 

Regarding upgrade availability, if the trip is eight months in the future, I would not expect to see any upgrade availability at all for the time being. "C" inventory (mileage/SWU international upgrades) is rarely visible until much closer to the flight date, often a matter of days. Get on the waitlist now and don't think about it until you get an email saying you've cleared.

[FlyerTalker]

But without finding out IF there is even upgrade eligibility AND finding out the EXACT Q fare code the ticket was issued under, this entire discussion is moot.

Ding, ding, ding.....we have a winner.

 

As often noted elsewhere in life...the devil is in the details.

[greatam]

American Airlines, unlike other airlines, allows upgrades and gives 100% mileage on all flights with two exceptions, none of which apply to you: Military fares and consolidator fares to South America.

 

How would you know what type of fare the OP has to SA?? As previously posted, AA sells Q as PUBLISHED fares as well as "vacation package", "cruise package" and true consolidator fares. Q PUBLISHED fares ARE upgradeable to SA.

 

Until the OP know the ENTIRE FARE CODE and FARE RULES (not just Q), the point is moot.

[Gardyloo]

How would you know what type of fare the OP has to SA?? As previously posted, AA sells Q as PUBLISHED fares as well as "vacation package", "cruise package" and true consolidator fares. Q PUBLISHED fares ARE upgradeable to SA.

 

Until the OP know the ENTIRE FARE CODE and FARE RULES (not just Q), the point is moot.

 

Er.. I thought the OP was doing a transatlantic...

 

We booked our flights through Holland America; there is one transatlantic leg....

 

Yup.

 

...and the signature box shows they're on the Eurodam sailing to.. uh... Greenland. Admittedly, it's South Greenland, but still...

[greatam]

Er.. I thought the OP was doing a transatlantic...

 

 

My answer was in response to someone who brought up SA. Not for the OP

[personnext]

I highly doubt that AA allows upgrades and gives 100% mileage for ANY consolidator fares, though Greatam can probably say for sure.

 

Well, you're wrong, because AA does. They don't play the games other airlines do with miles. All fares earn 100% mileage except consolidator fares to South America (which all book into O); all fares are upgradable except the former and military fares. It's that simple.

[waterbug123]

Well, you're wrong, because AA does. They don't play the games other airlines do with miles. All fares earn 100% mileage except consolidator fares to South America (which all book into O); all fares are upgradable except the former and military fares. It's that simple.

 

I do not work for AA so I can't argue with you. However, Greatam's posts seem to disagree with yours. Given her very extensive knowledge of airline operations in general, and AA in particular, as evidenced through her history on this board, I'm inclined to believe her when she says that there are indeed fares on AA that are excluded from upgrades, beyond those that you mentioned.

[wrp96]

Gotta agree with greatam on this. AA does not give miles or allow upgrades on all fares, even outside of South America. I did not earn miles for the last two times I was booked on AA through the cruiseline.