Just got off the phone with US Airways. I was trying to clear a couple of Space Positive Upgrade certs for my wife and myself for Monday and was shot down in flames.

When I made the reservation, I entered our AC AeroPlan numbers. When the US Airways agent went to place us in the upgrades queue, the reservation system wouldn't allow it.

After he discussed the matter with his supvisor, I was informed we had to have Dividend Miles accounts in order to use the upgrades. Seems to me I recall reading about folks using upgrade certs with Mileage Plus numbers in their file.

When I suggested he remove the AeroPlan numbers he informed me he could do that. But rather than leave the FF number blank he would have to enroll us in the Dividend Miles program and enter those numbers instead.

I read the conditions on the front of the certs and DM membership is not a condition for use of the Space Positive Upgrades.

As a Star Alliance Silver, I understand the fact I have no status with US Airways would put us at the bottom of the upgrade list. Still, I think I'm being sold a bill of goods by the agent.

Might I have more success just presenting the Space Positive Upgrades at the check-in counter and taking my chances? As we're scheduled to fly tomorrow morning, any input of thoughts on this subject would be greatly appreciated.

Welcome to Flyertalk.

I have extensive experience with this one. Since the whole UA partnership (and other STAR carriers) began, I have tried every way to earn UA miles on US Metal, while trying to upgrade on US Metal at the same time. Barring a super-friendly agent at the ticket counter or gate, who has a lot of authority, the only way it works is to purchase the upgrades and standby at the gate. And, that's mostly going to be US 1's and 2's - maybe 3's.

I have done two scenarios that have failed in the past: One, I booked a US flight using 20,000 miles to advance upgrade, then after confirming the seat, changed to my UA number in the record. Another time, while flying on US metal with my UA number in the record, I called to use a NA SPace Positive upgrade. In both cases, after my seat was confirmed, I later found myself seated in a center seat in the back of Y. This was despite the fact that I was Chairman's with US and was elite with United. They are reserving the upgrade priveleges for those earning with the DM program, unless you're paying for the 500 mile space available upgrades at the airport.

In the case of the space pos upgrade, I had a heated discussion on the phone with the supervisor at the Chairman's Preferred desk. Nowhere on that certificate does it say "must have DM# in record". His response was that the priority of upgrade is "US1, then US2, then US3, then US4". With a UA number, I'm therefore not a DM member on this record, so the upgrade wasn't applicable. He also told me that this will be clearly printed on the 2005 upgrade.

Your only real option to use the Space Pos upgrade is to have a DM number in the record. Or, you can get a seat in Y and hope for a friendly agent at the ticket counter or gate.

The only positive thing that came out of this is that lost my inborn fear of coach.