They’re often a long shot, but worth remembering when all else fails

Largely as a result of its merger with America West, US Airways is bringing out a new program involving “purchased upgrades.” The upside: They’re available to non-elites. The downside: Some of them probably won’t be so easy to get. Here’s my take on the quality of the various offerings and how best to take advantage of them.

North America Upgrades: So-So

Dubbed GoFirst, this part of the program offers one-way upgrades at $50 for flights up to 500 miles; $100 for flights 501-1,000 miles; $150 for flights longer than 1,000 miles; $200 to/from Alaska; and $250 to/from Hawaii.

As you can only confirm the upgrade 30 hours in advance, the odds of getting one aren’t great on many routes. (A good travel agent can help you forecast your odds by looking at the airline’s “availability screen.”) But it’s worth a shot for a short-haul flight for which it’s not worth ponying up for First Class. It can also be a heck of a deal for traveling on short notice as you might be able to confirm the seat at time of ticketing.

Very interesting: US Airways is giving everyone the same opportunity to upgrade with GoFirst. This is a significant shift from normal practice in domestic airline upgrades on lower fares—the most valued perk derived from earning an elite status card. All major carriers, including US Airways itself, require you to fly 25,000 miles annually to get in the domestic upgrade game. Not now. With GoFirst, anyone can play upgrade roulette.

Transatlantic Upgrades: Good

Dubbed “GoEnvoy” (Envoy is the name of US Airways’ international Business Class), this slice of the program offers an upgrade to Business Class for $500 each way, with 30-hour advance confirmation. It’s available with any coach fare. Availability will depend upon the season, so find a travel agent who can read flight loads well. Also try this option for upgrading friends, kids, or relatives.

Tip: If an upgrade is not available 30 hours in advance, see if the upgrade is available on a different routing. If so, it could be worth having your ticket reissued and paying the fare difference, especially on the return leg, where the change fee is usually only $150.

GoEnvoySleeper Upgrades: Great

When US Airways removed First Class from its aircraft a few years ago, it left in one row of the seats (which recline to 180 degrees) and remained a perk for top-tier elites only. The carrier is now making the seats available to any passenger with any fare at $300 each way—relatively speaking a great value. GoEnvoySleeper upgrades can only be purchased on the day of departure at the airport, and is only available in Philadelphia and Charlotte as well as European departure cities. Get to the airport early to check in and remember that this upgrade is only available on routes using the Airbus A330.

The Double Upgrade: Jackpot!

Based on availability, you can upgrade from coach to GoEnvoySleeper for $800 ($500 to get into Envoy Class and $300 for the lie-flat First Class seat). That’s equivalent to pulling a straight flush. The same First Class seat on a transatlantic flight could cost $7,000—one-way.