Upgrade Using Avios on Finnair

[jonnyfly]

I couldn’t find a HfP article or previous post on this (apols if I missed it…)

It seems you can upgrade Finnair cash tickets using Avios (one or two class upgrade to premium or biz):
https://www.finnair.com/gb-en/finnair-plus/collect-and-use-avios/use-avios-on-travel-class-upgrade

Has anyone any practical experience of this? e.g.

1 Does there have to be Avios availability or just seat? (It appears to be the latter, unlike UuA on BA)

2 It says only ticketed tickets can be upgraded – have no idea how long that takes with AY – seems a risk to book, say, economy and then find upgrade with Avios to Business not possible onced ticketed some days/weeks later and then too late to cancel the cash ticket..?

3 Is this only available if you book using a Finnair+ membership (not BAEC where I have status)?

4 Assuming I CAN award to BAEC membership, I presume is it only awarded for the cash-paid cabin?

It seems like an interesting option but the published info about how it works in practice is a bit limited – so hoping someone here has actually done it!

Thanks

[Steven]

We actually done it last month.

1 – I think it was just seat availability but don’t know for definite.

2 – What happens is that you get added to a waitlist. They review this on three separate occasions (can’t remember the exact intervals – I think the earliest interval was about 30 odd days before the flight) so you will not know for certain at the beginning whether you have been successful. In our case, it was a few days before the flight we were informed.

3. I don’t think this an issue. I think all that matters is that you have the necessary amount of Avios in your Finnair Account at the time of being added to the waitlist. They deduct the Avios there and then but will refund this to you if you are not successful.

4. With our upgraded leg, we didn’t get any Avios points credited as classed as a reward booking rather than a cash one.

[jonnyfly]

Thanks for the info. My needs have changed so not pursuing it this time but useful to understand the reality of the offer.