In July 2018, Fiji Airways launched Bula Bid across all its international networks after receiving high demand among guests during its soft launch period in late 2017. From its inception to the present date, it has become a popular option for many passengers traveling with Fiji Airways.
How Bula Bid Upgrades Fiji Airways Transforms Your Flight
The introduction of this service provides a wonderful opportunity for individuals, couples, and friends to experience the life of luxury that is typically beyond their price brackets. It creates those special moments, epitomizing the saying ‘it’s the journey, not just the destination.’ When it comes to Fiji, however, it’s both the journey and the destination that contribute to the unforgettable experience.
Visitor Advisory 1
During the offseason, planes often don’t reach full capacity, which means you might have extra space, perhaps even several empty seats adjacent to yours, allowing for complete relaxation. Thus, upgrading to Business Class becomes more of a luxury indulgence than a necessity, granted you will not receive the additional perks such as higher quality meals and a wider selection of beverages. But in this situation, I would opt to enjoy the comfort of economy class and splurge on the beverage cart, treating myself to a few extra glasses of wine and snacks while watching a good movie and chuckling all the way to paradise.
Visitor Advisory 2
By upgrading, you gain access to the Fiji Airways Waiting Lounge, making it a worthwhile consideration, especially during long stopovers. This exclusive lounge provides a relaxing environment with a wide array of meals and drinks available, along with world-class facilities to keep you refreshed and revitalized throughout your layover.
Visitor Advisory 3
Bid only the amount you can comfortably afford. While this may seem obvious, overspending beyond your comfort zone can detract from your ability to fully enjoy the pleasure and hospitality provided by the crew and the world-class facilities available on the flight.
Visitor Advisory 4
If you are attending a special event, such as a wedding or a friend reunion, this presents the perfect opportunity to begin your adventure of online flight bidding. We have included a link to an article “Discover the Magic Number – A Quick Guide to Strategizing for Upgrades” in the footer, detailing the best tactics to use when placing your bids
How does Bula Bid Upgrades Work?
How Does It Work? – You will receive an email invitation 7 days before your scheduled flight departure if your booking qualifies for an upgrade. This invitation will allow you to submit an offer for an upgrade.
Make Offer – The greater your offer, the higher the likelihood of securing a Business Class experience. You may adjust, change, or cancel your upgrade offer up to 24 hours before your scheduled flight departure.
Outcome advised – Between 24 to 18 hours before your scheduled flight departure, we’ll send you an email notifying you of the status of your Bula Bid Upgrade offer, whether it has been successful or not.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below, we have listed the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) surrounding the Bula Bidding System. This section has been tailored to address common queries and offer clarity on various aspects of the services provided, spanning from booking procedures to in-flight amenities.
What is Bula Bid?
Bula Bid is an exciting opportunity for Fiji Airways Guests to become eligible for an upgrade from our economy cabin to our business class cabin, by making an offer to Fiji Airways for an amount you choose. Once you make an offer, you will be notified via email 9 hours prior to the departure of your flight, if your offer was accepted or rejected.
Who is eligible to make an offer?
Guests who are at least 18 years of age, and who hold a valid ticket in economy class for a flight operated by Fiji Airways with a flight number that starts with a “FJ” prefix are eligible to make an offer. Tickets purchased using rewards, redemption tickets, free tickets, ID discounts, AD discounts and infant tickets are not eligible to participate in Bula Bid. If your ticket was issued by another airline, you are not eligible to participate. You are also not eligible if you are part of a group booking.
Why should I upgrade? What are the benefits?
If your offer is accepted, you will be able to take advantage of services typically available to Guests booked business class, including priority check-in and boarding at the airport, access to our business class lounges and our finest on-board services. You will also be entitled to business class cabin baggage allowances as per Fiji Airways Baggage Policies. These benefits are only applicable on the sectors for which you are upgraded.
How will I know when to bid?
You will be invited to make an offer once you purchase an economy class ticket with Fiji Airways.
Is my offer still valid when I make changes to my booking?
If your original booking is modified or cancelled after you have made an upgrade offer but before the upgrade offer has been accepted, the upgrade offer will be deemed as invalid and will not be considered. Cancellation penalties, as per fare conditions for the original ticket purchased, will apply if you cancel you booking after your offer is accepted. If your new booking is eligible, you will be re-invited to make an offer with your new itinerary.
What are the conditions for an offer to be rejected or accepted?
Unlike a directly purchased business class fare, Bula Bid uses unsold business class seats. Your offer will be accepted or rejected in Fiji Airways’ sole and absolute discretion, taking into account various factors, on a case by case basis, including but not limited to the amount you bid when you make an offer. You are not guaranteed to receive an upgrade, regardless of whether or not seats are available in business class on your flight.
How will I be notified once my offer is accepted?
You will be notified by email whether your upgrade offer has been accepted or rejected prior to the departure of your flight. You must wait until you have received notification from Fiji Airways that your Upgrade Offer has been accepted or rejected before checking-in online. If you check-in online before receiving such notification from the airline, your upgrade offer will no longer be valid.
Does the offer amount include the value of the original economy class ticket purchased by me?
No, the offer you make is incremental to the value you have already paid for your economy class ticket.
What forms of payment can I use to pay for an upgrade once my offer has been accepted?
The following credit cards may be used to pay for a successful upgrade: American Express – MasterCard – Visa – Diners Club. Vouchers and other forms of payment or consideration cannot be used to make or fulfil an upgrade offer. An upgrade offer may be accepted or rejected by Fiji Airways at any time until 9 hours prior to the scheduled flight departure.
When will the amount offered be deducted from my account?
The offered amount will only be deducted from your account in the event that your offer is accepted by Fiji Airways. Amounts will be deducted in the currency displayed on the payment page at the time the upgrade offer was made by you.
What happens if my offer is not successful?
If your upgrade offer is not successful, travel will be as per you original economy class ticket.
Can I modify or cancel my offer?
You can make, modify or cancel an upgrade offer up until to 9 hours prior to the scheduled flight departure. New offers submitted less than 9 hours prior to the scheduled flight departure cannot be modified or cancelled.
What if there are more than one person on my booking?
If reference booking contains more than one Guest, the offer you make applies to each Guest in your booking. The offered amount will be multiplied by the number of Guests included in the original booking.
Is my offer refundable?
There will be no refunds, credits, or exchanges once your offer has been accepted by Fiji Airways, and your credit card has been charged, unless one of the following conditions applies: A flight for which an offer is selected as being successful is cancelled or disrupted or Your offer was accepted and you were given an upgrade, but you were not able to be seated in the upgraded cabin class for reasons solely attributable to Fiji Airways.
FURTHER READING: For those interested in exploring this topic further, additional resources and in-depth materials are provided below when available; otherwise, no further reading is included at this time.:
- Discover the Magic Number – A Quick Guide to Strategizing for Upgrades” Unlocking an upgrade often hinges on a single, elusive factor: the Magic Number. This concise read offers strategic insights to help you identify and reach that crucial threshold, by Jenny Hewett from the Escape Website Link
- Runway Girl Network – A few years ago, Runway Girl Network published a captivating piece spotlighting the exceptional quality of service and amenities offered by Fiji Airways. The article showcased the luxurious full-flat seats and the inviting Bula Space found on Fiji Airways’ A350 aircraft. Link
- Take a quick peek at the “Bula Bid Upgrades Terms and Conditions” page on the Fiji Airways Official Website. It’s a brief read, featuring around two dozen concise bullet points that lay out the essentials. Fiji Airways has organized the page for easy scanning, allowing you to swiftly gather all the important details in an efficient manner.\
- Fiji Airways Planes and Seat Maps by SeatGuru (Tripadvisor)
REFERENCES: This guide is based on over a decade of research and firsthand experience living in Fiji. It incorporates extensive knowledge gained through long-term residence and ongoing engagement with the region. Images and text have been sourced from official references, which are acknowledged below, to ensure accuracy and comprehensiveness.
- Fiji Airways (FJ) (2019, January 1). Bula Bids Upgrades. Fiji Airways. Retrieved March 11, 2024, from Link
- Fiji Airways (FJ) (2019, January 1). Bula Bid Upgrades F.A.Q. Fiji Airways. Retrieved March 11, 2024, from Link
FOOTNOTES: Additional details, clarifications, or sources referenced in this article are included as Footnotes below the text when applicable; otherwise, no Footnotes are provided.