Has anyone using Viking Air been able to upgrade?

[mtnlover46]

I think he just doesn't like the hassle of checking bags and wondering if they'll get lost. Funny that he's so optimistic that there will be plenty of space in the overhead for his slightly over sized bag. Last trip I took a pretty small bag that fits just about anywhere. We were on American then, this time will be on Delta.

 

I really want to convince him to check his bag. But it's hard to change his mind when he's sure it will be OK.

 

I thought Delta gave one bag free on international flights? Need to confirm that, I could be wrong.

 

I do suggest that you encourage him to check his bag. On one of our return flights from Budapest last year they would not even let me carry on my undersized carry on bag. Any large carry on bags were not permitted at all, and were put in luggage below.

[mtnlover46]

I'm talking mostly about small things, like on Delta, being able to upgrade from regular economy to what they call Comfort Plus. Or purchasing priority boarding and things like that. I've tried with the Delta app on my phone but it doesn't seem to work. I suspect that I'm on a very cheap ticket that doesn't let me upgrade even minor things.

 

I'm not really talking about the big thing like upgrading from coach to business. I didn't think upgrading to Comfort Plus was a big deal, but apparently it is. I can and will call the airline, I'm just afraid of "messing up" my reservation somehow.

 

If you have made your final payment, Viking will issue tickets early on request. We upgraded all our flights to Delta Comfort Plus for the overseas flights. It made a huge difference in our comfort for those long flights.

[steverhodes]

I do suggest that you encourage him to check his bag. On one of our return flights from Budapest last year they would not even let me carry on my undersized carry on bag. Any large carry on bags were not permitted at all, and were put in luggage below.

 

Coming back from St. Petersburg last year at the end of a wonderful Viking River Cruise, they made us weigh the carry-ons which we checked in at the front ticket counter. The carry on bags were within the size limit but it turns there is a rarely enforced weight limit of something like 14 pounds. In zillions of years of travel, this is the first time they ever weighed our carryons. They were over the limit so they forced us to check them.

[MURPHY27]

I think we have good flights and good seats. In fact the only thing I'm not sure of is whether there will be space for our bags once we board! That's why I'm investigating getting a Delta Amex card for earlier boarding. But not sure if it will work on these cheap flights or on Air France flights.

 

The card works for priority boarding but only if used originally to purchase your air. Even if you had charged your cruise, Viking paid the airline by electronic check.

[Grego]

Once we are ticketed (e-ticket, not just a reservation number) I upgrade on Delta to EC if there are seats available. Viking normally does not e-ticket until 3 weeks before the flight, and by then the upgraded seats are usually gone. We have a cruise coming up next week and all the EC seats are sold.

 

Good answer. We tried to upgrade with Delta after we made final payment to Viking and were told we couldn't upgrade. We were surprised that we couldn't and had the TA try going up the ladder only to get the same answer. I guess it had something to do with the off-book fare that Viking did, but we were able to do this with Princess EZAir and they do creative booking fares as well.

 

Our only recourse is to see if there is availability when we check in, but my guess is that this flight will be filled anyway and the cost upgrade might not be worth it. Regardless, we are going anyway.

 

Update.... just checked our booking with the Delta flights and there aren't open seats in the upgrade areas. Looks like the plan to see if there are cancellations when we check in to see if we can do an upgrade or tough it out.

Edited January 24, 2018 by Grego
Update information.

[acwmom]

The card works for priority boarding but only if used originally to purchase your air. Even if you had charged your cruise, Viking paid the airline by electronic check.

 

This isn't true. I have a Delta Platinum Amex, and often travel on business. The corporations sponsoring the events pays for, and tickets, my flights. They do have my FF number, and enter it on the reservation when they make it. I guess Delta must have it linked to my Amex in their system, and I always have priority boarding.

 

Robin

[LadyImpactOhio]

My husband is a Delta Elite platinum I think, but no matter where we go on Delta if I am booked with him we both get one free bag and boarding zone 1. But that doesn't apply to their partners.

 

When we went to Europe in the spring with Viking I bought their Air Plus which is $50 a person. It's worth it. You can work with them on flights and much earlier instead of having them just assign you something.

 

On our Detroit to Amsterdam flight as soon as they ticked the flights which was about 90 days, I was able to buy the Comfort Plus seats. I didn't bother on the KLM flight to Barcelona since it was only 2 hours and not full.

 

We came back on Air France and the only thing I could do was pay a small fee for a reserved seat instead of waiting to get a seat assignment at the airport.

 

The San Juan trip was different because the airfare was free. We went on American and have no status. The whole thing turned out to be a huge mess since they cancelled the precruise and then reticketed everyone for the day before the sailing, even before they asked anyone if they still wanted to go early on their own. Which we did. So then by the time we got them straightened out and back (we had already booked a hotel on our own) the decent seats were all gone.

 

Make sure you don't let them put you on a puddle jumper on any leg. Then you have to check the larger carry ons, no choice since they won't fit in the over head.

 

On the way back from San Juan I was able to get us seats closer to the front of the plane because I was nervous about the shorter connection time in Charlotte but then we would have been the last zone to board and they of course were screaming to people about checking their carry ons.

 

I told the gate agent I had all my medicine in my carry on (true) and couldn't afford to check it. He was very nice and changed our boarding passes to an earlier zone and we had no issues.

 

The only way you can get a better seat initially is if you have a more expensive cabin. I think the people in the suites get basically free air.

 

Our trip to Egypt they gave us complimentary Air Plus because of our repeat trips.

[CarmelIndiana]

My husband is a Delta Elite platinum I think, but no matter where we go on Delta if I am booked with him we both get one free bag and boarding zone 1. But that doesn't apply to their partners.

 

When we went to Europe in the spring with Viking I bought their Air Plus which is $50 a person. It's worth it. You can work with them on flights and much earlier instead of having them just assign you something.

 

On our Detroit to Amsterdam flight as soon as they ticked the flights which was about 90 days, I was able to buy the Comfort Plus seats. I didn't bother on the KLM flight to Barcelona since it was only 2 hours and not full.

 

We came back on Air France and the only thing I could do was pay a small fee for a reserved seat instead of waiting to get a seat assignment at the airport.

 

The San Juan trip was different because the airfare was free. We went on American and have no status. The whole thing turned out to be a huge mess since they cancelled the precruise and then reticketed everyone for the day before the sailing, even before they asked anyone if they still wanted to go early on their own. Which we did. So then by the time we got them straightened out and back (we had already booked a hotel on our own) the decent seats were all gone.

 

Make sure you don't let them put you on a puddle jumper on any leg. Then you have to check the larger carry ons, no choice since they won't fit in the over head.

 

On the way back from San Juan I was able to get us seats closer to the front of the plane because I was nervous about the shorter connection time in Charlotte but then we would have been the last zone to board and they of course were screaming to people about checking their carry ons.

 

I told the gate agent I had all my medicine in my carry on (true) and couldn't afford to check it. He was very nice and changed our boarding passes to an earlier zone and we had no issues.

 

The only way you can get a better seat initially is if you have a more expensive cabin. I think the people in the suites get basically free air.

 

Our trip to Egypt they gave us complimentary Air Plus because of our repeat trips.

I think Delta recently changed their position regarding upgrades for traveling companions. I am a Platinum Medallion and was able to upgrade my spouse at time of booking. I think the traveling companion has to have a Delta account as well.

[LadyImpactOhio]

I think Delta recently changed their position regarding upgrades for traveling companions. I am a Platinum Medallion and was able to upgrade my spouse at time of booking. I think the traveling companion has to have a Delta account as well.

 

I am a Delta FF but not as much as him because he travels on business. I don't know if they changed that, but if they did they would have to bust up families by giving them different seats and boarding zones for those who don't have Elite status. Wouldn't make sense and more grief for them.

[LadyImpactOhio]

I'm talking mostly about small things, like on Delta, being able to upgrade from regular economy to what they call Comfort Plus. Or purchasing priority boarding and things like that. I've tried with the Delta app on my phone but it doesn't seem to work. I suspect that I'm on a very cheap ticket that doesn't let me upgrade even minor things.

 

I'm not really talking about the big thing like upgrading from coach to business. I didn't think upgrading to Comfort Plus was a big deal, but apparently it is. I can and will call the airline, I'm just afraid of "messing up" my reservation somehow.

 

Forgot to mention. You have to give Viking your FF numbers so they can put them in the system when they book and then ask them to ticket right away. Otherwise you won't see the itinerary even if you are logged in with the airline.

[MURPHY27]

This isn't true. I have a Delta Platinum Amex, and often travel on business. The corporations sponsoring the events pays for, and tickets, my flights. They do have my FF number, and enter it on the reservation when they make it. I guess Delta must have it linked to my Amex in their system, and I always have priority boarding.

 

Robin

 

Yes you're right. I'm United elite flyer and have their VISA club card. Everything I do is tracked through my freq flyer number and status.

 

The trick to upgrade is to get eticketed! When you book w Viking, you are guaranteed a seat, however, you are not ticketed despite confirmation #. Even using Air Plus, you are not ticketed until closer to cruise date when they pay for the bulk fare tickets. This frequently results in no available upgrade seats remaining.

If you want to upgrade, research flights with available comfort/plus seats, then use Air Plus to book and request "early ticketing". An eticket will be issued within 3 days (if not immediately). Once you get that confirmation, you can upgrade your seats.

We booked our air in Sept for April cruise and all obtained Eco plus seats the next day.

 

If you are not eticketed yet, you can still change your flights and use AirPlus if desire. Once eticketed, Viking charges $350 pp to change.