upgrading Choice Air to business class

[Safety Squirrel]

If my aunt booked her flights via Choice Air to Europe (direct flight) in economy class - can she upgrade them through our TA --> Celebrity. Just received a great offer from air line and is good for five days only.

 

I booked direct so not a problem for me.

 

Has anyone done this. Would appreciate any help

[jelayne]

I would call and ask. We normally use Choice Air for one way flights to Europe as they are much less expensive than booking with the airline, if that is what your aunt did the fare may not be one that can be upgraded- but no harm in asking as all they can say is no.

[waterbug123]

Some tickets can be upgraded and others cannot. She will need to call Choice Air/Celebrity an ask about her ticket specifically.

[elkay68]

I would call and ask. We normally use Choice Air for one way flights to Europe as they are much less expensive than booking with the airline, if that is what your aunt did the fare may not be one that can be upgraded- but no harm in asking as all they can say is no.

 

I have booked through chouce air and have been able to upgrade. Once the ticket was reserved I called the airline directly.

[Wine-O]

I have booked through chouce air and have been able to upgrade. Once the ticket was reserved I called the airline directly.

 

Yeah, me to. I've upgraded twice once my Choice Air reservations were confirmed, going directly to the airline.

[vedettes1]

What airline is it? I am always looking for a good deal in business class.

[need2bespoiled]

The sometimes yes and sometimes no answer above is due to the class of ticket booked. Some of the group rates choice air offers are upgradeable, some not. I once paid about $100 more / ticket for a fare that was upgradeable with miles. If you want an upgradeable ticket, it's best to ask the ticket class before paying, call the airline and ask if the class of ticket is upgradeable later if you'd like to and / or if it is available.

 

Happy sailing,

Jenna

[sasset]

We just book Business through Choice Air. As mentioned best value is on one way international flights. We have found that we can get Business through Choice Air for very little more than booking Economy directly with the airline.

[jagoffee]

The sometimes yes and sometimes no answer above is due to the class of ticket booked. Some of the group rates choice air offers are upgradeable, some not. I once paid about $100 more / ticket for a fare that was upgradeable with miles. If you want an upgradeable ticket, it's best to ask the ticket class before paying, call the airline and ask if the class of ticket is upgradeable later if you'd like to and / or if it is available.

 

Happy sailing,

Jenna

Jenna, is you experience directly with Choice Air or just in general? Have you actually seen/experienced a Choice Air fare/ticket that was not upgradeable? I know this is true on some fares, but I am just curious about Choice Air on AA. It is going to be interesting with AA going to revenue based miles later next year. I hope we can still earn miles as I just booked by first Choice Air flight for next fall. I purchased it because I wanted the direct flight and It did not look like I could get it using miles.

 

Thanks

Edited December 3, 2015 by jagoffee

[jagoffee]

We just book Business through Choice Air. As mentioned best value is on one way international flights. We have found that we can get Business through Choice Air for very little more than booking Economy directly with the airline.

 

Does anyone ever book one of those over priced one way international fares directly with an airline? Up until next year I have always used miles.

[need2bespoiled]

Jenna, is you experience directly with Choice Air or just in general? Have you actually seen/experienced a Choice Air fare/ticket that was not upgradeable? I know this is true on some fares, but I am just curious about Choice Air on AA. It is going to be interesting with AA going to revenue based miles later next year. I hope we can still earn miles as I just booked by first Choice Air flight for next fall. I purchased it because I wanted the direct flight and It did not look like I could get it using miles.

 

Thanks

 

Personal experience with Choice Air to Asia one way on United.

 

You bring up a good point about redeamable miles based on dollars and not distance traveled. Some fare classes based on this experience were not eligible for elite status earning and some would not have earned redeemable miles. Research before purchase on every airline.

 

Happy sailing,

Jenna

[bigbenboys]

We booked thru Choice Air. We flew on Delta. Because of the ticket class we were unable to upgrade our ticket with miles.

 

 

http://www.air-ticket.us/info/airline-ticket-abbreviation.php

[ProfessorEFFE]

It just cost me 3250 for 2 business class tix from FLA to Barcelona via Choice Air. Same tix directly from American Airlines is 6600 each!!

[jules815]

It just cost me 3250 for 2 business class tix from FLA to Barcelona via Choice Air. Same tix directly from American Airlines is 6600 each!!

 

Wow! That is quite a difference!

 

Is this for 2 round trip, or 2 one-way?

 

We only need to get to Barcelona next October, as we'll be doing the Harmony of the Seas transatlantic.

 

Does anyone here find it cheaper to book round trip, and then just ditch the return flight?

[need2bespoiled]

For one ways attached to s cruise when you don't have miles it is rare to be able to heat choice air, even using a round trip yo save. They have special negotiate rates (hence why not all accrue benefits like miles). Sometimes, especially domestically they have the same rates available elsewhere.

 

Happy sailing,

Jenna

[stevenr597]

The answer is yes and no. It depends upon the airline. Delta is quite stingy in regards to upgrades. If you book through Celebrity and request Delta, you will be able to pay a surcharge and go to Economy Select, but I do not think you will be able to upgrade to Business Class. Other airlines are generally more flexible. The best advice, select the airline you want and then try. Good luck.

[jules815]

For one ways attached to s cruise when you don't have miles it is rare to be able to heat choice air, even using a round trip yo save. They have special negotiate rates (hence why not all accrue benefits like miles). Sometimes, especially domestically they have the same rates available elsewhere.

 

Happy sailing,

Jenna

 

This is great to know. I'm going to have to do some comparison shopping. Our other option is using points we've accrued with our Chase Sapphire card. It doesn't sound like we'll be able to get a better deal than with Choice though. I may just use Choice Air for flights, and then use our points to cover our 3 nights pre-cruise in Barcelona, which is also a little on the pricey side, or the two one-ways we'll need from FL to Chicago. Either way I'm going to have to do something relatively soon.

[waterbug123]

The sometimes yes and sometimes no answer above is due to the class of ticket booked..... it's best to ask the ticket class before paying, call the airline and ask if the class of ticket is upgradeable later if you'd like to and / or if it is available.

 

This is the key. It's not enough to just ask, "Is XXX fare class upgradeable?" You also have to find out whether they airline has released upgrade availability for your particular flight. The business class cabin could be half empty, but the airline might not be allowing upgrades at the present time. So in that case, even though you bought an upgradeable fare, you still might not be able to upgrade.

 

It just cost me 3250 for 2 business class tix from FLA to Barcelona via Choice Air. Same tix directly from American Airlines is 6600 each!!

 

It may be the same flight on the same date, but at a difference of around $5000 per ticket, the actual tickets are almost certainly not the same. Your tickets likely have additional rules and restrictions attached to them that the tickets you priced through AA do not. Whether those rules and restrictions will come into play and whether or not they pertain to things that matter to you are anybody's guess. ;)

[sasset]

Our experience last April and last month was with American Airlines through Choice Air. It was business so the upgrade question never came up, but American treated the tickets as regular Business tickets. They were refundable for a fee, they earned miles as well as the 75% bonus miles for Business. The October ones also earned 12.5 K miles bonus for a North America to Europe promotion that we had signed up for.

[need2bespoiled]

This is the key. It's not enough to just ask, "Is XXX fare class upgradeable?" You also have to find out whether they airline has released upgrade availability for your particular flight. The business class cabin could be half empty, but the airline might not be allowing upgrades at the present time. So in that case, even though you bought an upgradeable fare, you still might not be able to upgrade.

 

 

Or you're willing to risk the airline releasing upgrades later. Ymmv.

 

 

It may be the same flight on the same date, but at a difference of around $5000 per ticket, the actual tickets are almost certainly not the same. Your tickets likely have additional rules and restrictions attached to them that the tickets you priced through AA do not. Whether those rules and restrictions will come into play and whether or not they pertain to things that matter to you are anybody's guess. ;)

 

AV geeks unite! Whoops, wrong site. Maybe I should start a site, "avgeekswhocruise.com"

 

Happy sailing,

Jenna

[Safety Squirrel]

Thank you for all your comments.

 

The airline (KLM) sent me an e-mail offering an upgrade from present booking so I can go directly through them. Will have to see (via TA) if aunt can upgrade as she used choice air.

[jagoffee]

Personal experience with Choice Air to Asia one way on United.

 

You bring up a good point about redeamable miles based on dollars and not distance traveled. Some fare classes based on this experience were not eligible for elite status earning and some would not have earned redeemable miles. Research before purchase on every airline.

 

Happy sailing,

Jenna

Thanks

[ProfessorEFFE]

My flights were 2 legs of a one way ticket. I didn't check R/T fares this time, but last time they were 4 grand about.