Can someone explain why you can't always use US Airways Dividend Miles to upgrade to 1st Class?

Question

I just tried to upgrade our VP to 1st class using his personal ff miles. The rep. informed me that first class was booked for Dividend Miles. When I went to the website to act as if I were purchasing a 1st class tickets for the same exact flights, I went into the seating chart and saw that it was almost completely empty. Why do they say "it's booked", when it clearly isn't. Can anyone explain to me the policy. I don't travel at all so I'm really not familiar with lingo like "M Class Fare" and the other terms that they use.

Answer 1

All the ff programs that the carriers have they only set aside a certain number of seats on each flight for ff tickets and upgrades. Once those are booked then you can not use the points to get a ticket or be upgraded. The screen may show empty but they have bookings for the first class section already, people have just not gotten their seats assigned to them yet. There are blackout periods where you can use the points at all for specific routes as well.

Answer 2

Because us airways doesn't allow ALL of their seats in first or in coach to be booked by dividend members only. The airline is trying to make money. If they gave all their seats away for free then they really don't turn a profit. If they are unable to sell the seat for any dollar amount the seat will then be offered in order of dividend selection: first being chairman preferred, platinum, gold, silver...worse case is to get your VP on the priority list for first as far in advance as possible!

Answer 3

Well, you got an exact and perfect answer " The rep. informed me that first class was booked for Dividend Miles. "

Dividend miles are a liability.  The airline wants to make money.  First Class tickets are often the last sold at (I think) outrageous No Discount prices  ($1500 to fly tomorrow to come back Friday, $300 if you could have bought it two weeks ago and come back after the weekend)

  They don't want to fill up First Class with non-income passengers so they only set aside a small percentage of those seats for Upgrades.  The more likely the last minute sales, the smaller the percentage.   Something like LA to NY or DC to Chicago at 4pm Friday is likely to have almost none while noon on Wednesday, Dallas to Denver may have half the seats available.