yyz_atc_qq

Sure. I have a global E+ subscription plus companion. It cost $699 ($899 if you want to add a companion) and it's valid for 1 year.

If you do a couple of transpacific it will pay for itself.

canadiancow

You can also ask in the United Club or at the gate. It's fairly likely they'll give it to you for free.

Nitehawk

ya that usually works but lately, at least in IAH they told me blah blah blah audit I can't give it to you. this was earlier this month. before that I had good luck at the gate/UC. maybe its just ex CO stations getting heat.

yyz_atc_qq

But then you're likely to get an E+ middle seat. No thanks

Yul_voyager

Never worked for me (tried at IAH, IAD, ORD, EWR...)

Nitehawk

I just ask for a better seat, or a seat near the front. Or at the gate once the upgrades clear and they don't have enough seats... "you may as well give me 12C since at least I'm *G." I've even gotten 3 seats moved to E+ on international long haul. However that's a big reason I don't like united. E+ isn't a sure thing and I hate being way back.

canadiancow

Sometimes. Depends on the day I guess.

My success rate is high enough and my flights are short enough that I can't justify spending the money. If you can, then I'm envious of your ability to select the seats at booking

It's highly dependent on the agent. I've had agents say (in order of frequency)
"Sure!"
"I'll have to charge you."
"I can't, but the gate agent can."
"No I can't do it."

Upon saying "I'm Star Gold", the negative responses have been:
"Oh okay here you go."
"Hmmm it still says I have to charge you." (which sometimes gets it for me, sometimes doesn't)
"It's only a benefit for United Premier members."

If I were flying internationally, I'd probably pay. But for a 5-6 hour flight (and those are longer than typical for me), I'm fine with my E- aisle seat if I can't get free E+. A lot of flights seem to be full, and I find that the agents would rather put a *G in E+ than a random VBIT. Treat them well and they won't notice. Treat me well, and I'll direct my money to you.

gglave

My success rate at this as an an E50 *G is around 35-40%. Slightly higher in the club.

Most of the time they're pretty clear that there's a charge.

rankourabu

Have you actually had success with this on a longhaul United flight?

CARose

The day's of comp E+ seating are long over for Golds. I've been paying for the last 2-3 years. My UA flights are 4 plus hours, usually from SMF to IAD or DCA. I'm fortunate enough that my company pays for E+ for flights over 3 hours. By the responses here, it looks like on occassion, one may be moved perhaps to a middle plus seat, but this is not the norm so don't expect it.

aminonmiles

MileagePlus' s taking the same route as Aeroplan, KrisFlyer and other greedy Star Alliance programs. I'll stick to One World. And yes they should've banned Aeroplan a long time ago.

canadiancow

I've never flown United across an ocean.

But that's a situation where I'd either pay in advance, if seats were filling up, or I'd pay at the airport if they were unwilling to give it to me for free.

Or more likely I'd book AC and eUp

I still think some recognize that if a flight's going to go out full, it's better for them to give it to a *G for free than a general member.

LockheedElectra

Wow, as luck would have it, I am flying YYZ EWR today, and looked up to see the fare class, as the return is on AC metal under an S class booking. I saw the table posted by the OP, and was completely taken aback thinking I had missed this. With US leaving *A, this is a huge deal. While I can request Flex from our corporate travel, checking United fare classes will be a huge problem. This is now going the way of LH in Europe, which is brutal.

kwflyer

I was waitlisted (yes they have such a thing apparently) for E+ for my TLV-EWR flight and it cleared at the gate no problem. Just asked at check in.

9/10 I've been able to move from E- to E+ (window/aisle) on all my (short/long) UA flights at the airport.

It is entirely possible to get E+ you just need to ask in a friendly, ambiguous manner. And play HUCA if they tell you no.

And when you get a friendly agent, you'll want to do this

rankourabu

That is odd, since there is no "waitlist" for E+ unless they manually remembered who you are and/or wrote it down. Chances are at an outstation, the same staff operated checkin as they did the gate - so they remembered you.