Questions and Answers

Hi everyone!

So here’s the deal: my partner and I are booked on a flight from Sydney to New York in February. I used 80k AA miles each for business class on Qantas (we SO lucked out on this one, at that time of the year it is quite hard to find any availability!).

I am wondering, without much hope, if it is possible to upgrade those flights to First using extra points (in theory, 30k per person extra). I didn’t have enough miles on my account to book First at the time I booked, and it didn’t look like there was availability anyway, but who knows, that could change so I’d rather be prepared if availability opens.
I also wonder if, even if they don’t allow it now, that changes at check in time and they would accept to upgrade us then if there are any empty seats.

I was going to call AA to ask, but then I figured that it was tricky and that you guys might know the answer better than, ahem, some of their agents :).
Thanks in advance!

If you booked the award at the pre-devaluation rates (before March 22nd of this year) and call to upgrade, you’ll be charged the difference in miles between the [B][I]OLD [/I][/B]business class award rate and the [I][B]NEW [/B][/I]First class mileage rates, which can be quite a significant increase.

If you booked using new rates after the devaluation, then just call AA and have them upgrade you, assuming there is space and you have the miles in your account.

Thank you for your answer David. I booked the ticket on June 1st, and traveling is in February next year. It was 80k per person, and I believe this is the new rate (62.5k before). I’ll try to call AA to see what they say!

Okay, then youre fine. As long as there is availability and you have the miles in your AA account (has to be the same account where the award was originally ticketed), they’ll process the upgrade. QF is stingy with awards though, good luck!