FU airlines and your mile policies...

[Argo]

Today I experienced the BS of airline miles for the first time. I bought economy ticket on British airways, planning to use my miles to upgrade it to business class (according to their site I had enough miles).

Well, when I called them to do upgrade I find out that I can't upgrade the "regular" economy ticket. I need to buy a special ticket that costs (surprise, surprise) 85% of the business ticket price.

WTF?!? I'm going to check their website to make sure this is mentioned somewhere (I'm sure there is an extra small print on a bottom of some page)... But this is total BS. I'm going to call tomorrow and curse up a storm, demanding a refund. The only reason I bought BA ticket was due to a potential upgrade, it's actually less convenient for me than other airlines.

 

[IronWing]

This is why I never signed up for a miles program or miles CC. I could never understand what I had to do to get a free ticket or upgrade. Southwest has(had) a straight forward program but the rest are confusing by design.

 

[Crono]

Reward Miles and Rebate Programs: designed to screw you over, so I avoid them like the plague.

Points -> cash (w/Chase in my case) and straight prices are what I stick to.

 

[deadlyapp]

Reward Miles and Rebate Programs: designed to screw you over, so I avoid them like the plague.

Points -> cash (w/Chase in my case) and straight prices are what I stick to.

Yup. I get about 30 bucks back a month on my chase card. My best western rewards card has been awesome too. I stay for business and i"ve gotten about $500 in rewards things so far.

 

[wiredspider]

yea, only certain ticket codes are upgradable, cheaper tickets don't allow upgrades

 

[HappyPuppy]

I laugh, guffaw and chortle at people who think they are actually going to get upgraded on airline flights.

A few, a very few, are successful at dong so, but corporations set these things up to fuck the public constantly and I don't understand why people fall for it.

 

[Lifted]

They are called frequent flier programs for a reason. Flying two or three times a year isn't going to get you much in the way of freebies. The programs are designed for business travelers who fly XXX,XXX miles per year. These fliers get free upgrades to business class on all flights where there is an open seat. This is obviously to keep them flying on the same airline, even if it isn't the most cost effective or convenient on all flights. And unlike puppy claims, many people get these perks, they just happen to have jobs that keep them in the air a lot.

Upgrades are hard to use, and it's best to try and get a free round trip flight in coach as it will likely end up costing less in miles than a bump to business or first.

 

[vrbaba]

I laugh, guffaw and chortle at people who think they are actually going to get upgraded on airline flights.

A few, a very few, are successful at dong so, but corporations set these things up to fuck the public constantly and I don't understand why people fall for it.

I have flown economy a total of less than 10 flight segments out of about 200 in the last 2 years with at least 4 international trips a year. I have never bought a ticket more than the cheapest available economy ticket.

I laugh at people who do not want to spend the few minutes to actually understand frequent flyer programs in general. The upgrades sometime depend on how much you actually fly. That is not to say miles are worthless without flying a lot. The OP expected something without knowing the rules of the program which one can decipher by spending 5 minutes on BA's website.

"Miles for Upgrade is permitted on eligible British Airways published fares only (Fare classes are: J, C, D, R, I, W, E, T, Y, B, H) but is not permitted on bookings made with a travel agent."

 

[SSSnail]

I used to get free upgrades all the times and used them extensively (sometimes they just give me free upgrades and I didn't have to use my own), but then again I was 1K member with United. There are different upgrades levels that you can use with different tickets, I don't know how yours work. I also got free international flights, albeit I have to call in for tickets a few months in advance, but free nonetheless.

It's not all bad, you just have to know how to use the system.

 

[vrbaba]

This is why I never signed up for a miles program or miles CC. I could never understand what I had to do to get a free ticket or upgrade. Southwest has(had) a straight forward program but the rest are confusing by design.

Reward Miles and Rebate Programs: designed to screw you over, so I avoid them like the plague.

Points -> cash (w/Chase in my case) and straight prices are what I stick to.

To each his own, but I make the most of my miles and/or rewards program. Getting cash is one way but very worthless to someone who actually flies. Clearly, miles is not for someone who does not fly.

You can get over $.10 a mile vs the usual $.01 or so with cashback program with limits.