United MileagePlus (Consolidated) - When does United do the upgrades

All,
I'm a platinum member who is flying on Friday afternoon (12:37pm) which is three days away. I read online that for a platinum member United will perform the system upgrade up to 72 hours in advance.

If I'm going to get upgraded, would United perform the system upgrade at exactly 12:37pm or does the system do it at certain intervals (like every hour etc.)?

Thanks!

All,
I'm a platinum member who is flying on Friday afternoon (12:37pm) which is three days away. I read online that for a platinum member United will perform the system upgrade up to 72 hours in advance.

If I'm going to get upgraded, would United perform the system upgrade at exactly 12:37pm or does the system do it at certain intervals (like every hour etc.)?

Thanks!

It does it at exactly (or very near exactly) 24 hour intervals before the flight. If your upgrade doesn't happen at 72 hours..then the next possible opportunity is at 48 hours.

Sounds good, thanks!

My last gold upgrade didn't process at the 24 hour mark but almost half an hour later.

My last gold upgrade didn't process at the 24 hour mark but almost half an hour later.

Correct; that's been the case with all of my recent flights. If I get upgraded, it's usually within 1/2 hour to 1 hour after T-48.

I was wondering how this worked. Today's flight cleared on Sunday but my flight for Thursday hasn't cleared yet. Good to know I have another shot at 24hrs.

Just got to Gold last week :D

Within 24 hours of departure, I think it can happen at any time.

As a Silver, I've noticed that a number of my domestic flights have upgraded lately at about T-24:30. Always a welcomed surprise.

As a Silver, I've noticed that a number of my domestic flights have upgraded lately at about T-24:30. Always a welcomed surprise.

what? a silver getting a CPU? something must be wrong in houston - nobody is getting upgraded these days - especially a silver! :D

(please note the sarcasm in this post)

what? a silver getting a CPU? something must be wrong in houston - you'd think nobody is getting upgraded these days - especially a silver! :D

(please note the sarcasm in this post)

BE-LIEVE me, I know!!

I would bet they run the upgrade engine every hour for all flights within an hour's window. I.e. at 6:30 they run for all flights departing 6:00 to 6:59. (I made those numbers up, could be anything similar.)

I would bet they run the upgrade engine every hour for all flights within an hour's window. I.e. at 6:30 they run for all flights departing 6:00 to 6:59. (I made those numbers up, could be anything similar.)

AFAIK, usually, they run at the elite upgrade windows, and then between 24 hours and 3 hours prior, it runs every time an upgrade-eligible customer (I.e) elite, checks in. That's why some report getting upgrades as they check in. On my last trip, that is what happened - checked in with a seat in economy, BP on the app came up in F.

It does it at exactly (or very near exactly) 24 hour intervals before the flight. If your upgrade doesn't happen at 72 hours..then the next possible opportunity is at 48 hours.

Not exactly, although it should be exactly at 24 hour mark but lately my upgrades times has been eratic. I am 1K and have received upgrade e-mail 3-2-1 days prior but at different times. For example, my flight would be at 5:35 pm but got e-mail notice 2 days prior at 4:14 am and also 6:15 am.

Also on another flight at 5:30 pm, I got upgrade the day before at 2:15 pm and 4:15 pm.

So I stopped expecting at 24 hour marks.

AFAIK, usually, they run at the elite upgrade windows, and then between 24 hours and 3 hours prior, it runs every time an upgrade-eligible customer (I.e) elite, checks in. That's why some report getting upgrades as they check in. On my last trip, that is what happened - checked in with a seat in economy, BP on the app came up in F.

This. The EUA (CPU) system runs whenever someone checks in for the flight.

However, UA is no longer using the visible "R" bucket for upgrades on their flights. This is proven in many ways - the latest and most particular to this thread - today's UA 434 (SEA-IAH) was R2 at the 24 hour mark. Flight had 19 people on the standby upgrade list, some of whom were 1K's at the top. No upgrades processed until the gate and only one seat was available because someone else either purchased a seat up front or took a bump off an earlier oversold flight.

Just because you see "R" space does not mean CPU will happen.

-RM

AFAIK, usually, they run at the elite upgrade windows, and then between 24 hours and 3 hours prior, it runs every time an upgrade-eligible customer (I.e) elite, checks in. That's why some report getting upgrades as they check in. On my last trip, that is what happened - checked in with a seat in economy, BP on the app came up in F.

The 3-hour EUA ending time has been gone for a while. EUA runs until checkin close.


However, UA is no longer using the visible "R" bucket for upgrades on their flights. This is proven in many ways - the latest and most particular to this thread - today's UA 434 (SEA-IAH) was R2 at the 24 hour mark. Flight had 19 people on the standby upgrade list, some of whom were 1K's at the top. No upgrades processed until the gate and only one seat was available because someone else either purchased a seat up front or took a bump off an earlier oversold flight.

Just because you see "R" space does not mean CPU will happen.

-RM

They are using the "R" bucket, but EUA has some logic in it that doesn't process upgrades on certain flights that fall below a certain amount of R inventory which seems to be defined by flight or market.

I don't think there's some hidden bucket as much as they have some additional logic not to release below X on certain flights.

This is proven in many ways - the latest and most particular to this thread - today's UA 434 (SEA-IAH) was R2 at the 24 hour mark. Flight had 19 people on the standby upgrade list, some of whom were 1K's at the top. No upgrades processed until the gate and only one seat was available because someone else either purchased a seat up front or took a bump off an earlier oversold flight.

Just because you see "R" space does not mean CPU will happen.

-RM

Possibly lends credence to the theory, but certainly doesn't prove it. For example, how do you know the next guy on the CPU list didn't have an out of sync ticket?

They are using the "R" bucket, but EUA has some logic in it that doesn't process upgrades on certain flights that fall below a certain amount of R inventory which seems to be defined by flight or market.
.

What bucket are they using for J->F upgrades on the 3 class non PS transcons?

What bucket are they using for J->F upgrades on the 3 class non PS transcons?ON

Not exactly, although it should be exactly at 24 hour mark but lately my upgrades times has been eratic. I am 1K and have received upgrade e-mail 3-2-1 days prior but at different times. For example, my flight would be at 5:35 pm but got e-mail notice 2 days prior at 4:14 am and also 6:15 am.

Also on another flight at 5:30 pm, I got upgrade the day before at 2:15 pm and 4:15 pm.

So I stopped expecting at 24 hour marks.

My last one came in around 5 am for a flight leaving 2 days later at 6:40 pm

my last one came in at the 60 hour mark even though I'm 2P. not that I'm complaining.