United MileagePlus (Consolidated) - Pay w fare or hope for cheap tod?

I am planning a personal holiday trip 2/19 SBP-SIN 3/19 KIX-SBP lowest fare was $735 RT. "W" class fare was $1850. With all the Cheap TOD I am considering buying the cheapest fare and seeing if the $1100 fare difference will be cheaper to buy a TOD each way on the international portion, that gives me $550 each way. If worst comes to worst I will still be in exit row aisle owing my 1K status. Does anyone think it's worth paying the $1100 GPU roulette?

I am planning a personal holiday trip 2/19 SBP-SIN 3/19 KIX-SBP lowest fare was $735 RT. "W" class fare was $1850. With all the Cheap TOD I am considering buying the cheapest fare and seeing if the $1100 fare difference will be cheaper to buy a TOD each way on the international portion, that gives me $550 each way. If worst comes to worst I will still be in exit row aisle owing my 1K status. Does anyone think it's worth paying the $1100 GPU roulette?

I would not play the GPU lottery...

Does anyone think it's worth paying the $1100 GPU roulette?

No way!
But, keep a eye on R inventory and if it opens up down the road maybe you can pay extra to get a W fare at that time. I have no idea if the newUA will hit you up for a change fee now if you do that???

No way!
But, keep a eye on R inventory and if it opens up down the road maybe you can pay extra to get a W fare at that time. I have no idea if the newUA will hit you up for a change fee now if you do that???

I believe that they will hit you with a change fee if you buy up to W when R inventory becomes available. At least that's what an agent told me a week or so ago when I checked. It looks like my 6 GPUs will go to waste this year.

I believe that they will hit you with a change fee if you buy up to W when R inventory becomes available.

The agent was wrong. Try another one.

The agent was wrong. Try another one.

Actually, the agent was kind of correct. PmUA used to do that for free. PmCO did not. I was told by a pmUA agent that no clear directive has come from HQ in either direction so the agent you get will do what she's been taught and both will be right (I know how ridiculous that sounds)

So, yes, you can buy up from S to W with no change fee but only if you get a pmUA agent

Does anyone think it's worth paying the $1100 GPU roulette?

NO

Actually, the agent was kind of correct. PmUA used to do that for free. PmCO did not. I was told by a pmUA agent that no clear directive has come from HQ in either direction so the agent you get will do what she's been taught and both will be right (I know how ridiculous that sounds)

This sounds right. I hear this a lot from various agents.

Actually, the agent was kind of correct. PmUA used to do that for free. PmCO did not. I was told by a pmUA agent that no clear directive has come from HQ in either direction so the agent you get will do what she's been taught and both will be right (I know how ridiculous that sounds)

So, yes, you can buy up from S to W with no change fee but only if you get a pmUA agent

I was even able to get a PMCO agent to upfare my ticket to W back in April. He was the second agent I asked about the possibility and I didn't sense any resistance from him.

To the OP, if you are unable to upfare w/o the change fee, $550 is the maximum co-pay for the mileage upgrade so you'd still have that avenue to pursue. Just make sure you monitor the R availability.

I wouldn't play the GPU lottery or hope for one of those rare cheap upgrade opportunities.

I'd sit there in an exit row and say "Heck, I'm flying from San Luis Obispo to Singapore for $735, what do I expect?"

I wouldn't play the GPU lottery or hope for one of those rare cheap upgrade opportunities.

I'd sit there in an exit row and say "Heck, I'm flying from San Luis Obispo to Singapore for $735, what do I expect?"

Agree - that's a great fare these days for RT. At least on TATL flights the fare difference between W and the lowest fare is often more on the order of < $300, so it might be worth the lottery if you saw a bunch of seats in C empty. This strategy doesn't work every time, but certainly a lot cheaper than buying Z fares every time if you're a 1K, travel often, and really must sit in business class.

I have noticed R space has opened up but the fare has also gone up it would cost me about $1200RT to go to W class. Does anyone have experience with TOD to Asia? Do you think it could be less than $600 each way to Business?

FWIW, I called to upfare on an intl ticket yesterday. They quoted me the change fee ($250), but then I asked politely about whether I should have to pay the fee because I was only changing the fare. She queried some other reps and the consensus was "no." I think there is no published policy for them, but the system will automatically assess when they make the change. There was also a $25 re-issue fee because I booked on vayama.

I have noticed R space has opened up but the fare has also gone up it would cost me about $1200RT to go to W class. Does anyone have experience with TOD to Asia? Do you think it could be less than $600 each way to Business?

Thanks to UA cancelling PVG-SFO I got to go KIX-SFO. Had a chance to buy up with $550 + 20K miles (IIRC, the $ is correct for sure), but that is NOT ToD in my book.

Decided to pass and sit in exit row, as I do not feel it is worth it on the old seat, and I believe that route will be one of the last to get lie flat.

So I've done buy ups in the past and loved the lie flat bed seat, but hated the couple of times I paid for the recliner. Yes, better than coach, but not worth that much.

EmailKid

I have noticed R space has opened up but the fare has also gone up it would cost me about $1200RT to go to W class. Does anyone have experience with TOD to Asia? Do you think it could be less than $600 each way to Business?

On my past 3 trips from EWR or ORD to PVG the lowest I have seen was 850 but the others were around 950-1100. I was on H fares if that changes the buy-up amount. I don't think you would see 600 or less.

On my past 3 trips from EWR or ORD to PVG the lowest I have seen was 850 but the others were around 950-1100. I was on H fares if that changes the buy-up amount. I don't think you would see 600 or less.

Even at $850, I would take that deal than a mileage upgrade.

$850 - $600 copay = $250 or 30,000 miles. (that comes to $0.008 per mile)

So, yes, you can buy up from S to W with no change fee but only if you get a pmUA agent
pmUA stopped doing fee-free upfares about 5 or 6 years ago. If you get an agent who will do this for you, you are very very lucky.

Dave

Even at $850, I would take that deal than a mileage upgrade.

$850 - $600 copay = $250 or 30,000 miles. (that comes to $0.008 per mile)

My company gives me $1K to fly in coach because business is no longer allowed so unless the TOD goes below 500 I can't justify spending my own money for a company trip. I have considered upgrading with miles but the copay typically makes it not worth it for me.

The agent was wrong. Try another one.

No she wasn't.

CO policy was to charge the fee
UA policy was NOT to charge the fee

COdbaUA has not sent any info to agents telling them what to do. So pmCO agents will charge the fee & they would be correct. PmUA agents will NOT charge the fee & they will also be correct

Isn't that ridiculous

UA policy was NOT to charge the fee



You've said this twice now, and BOTH times you're wrong. Policy at UA USED TO BE to do fee-free upfares. That changed years ago.
Policy at UA on 3/2 was to CHARGE for upfares. Simple as that.

Dave

Policy at UA USED TO BE to do fee-free upfares. That changed years ago.
Policy at UA on 3/2 was to CHARGE for upfares. Simple as that.

This. I've been charged for this going back at least 3-4 years on PMUA.

I called in about 6 weeks ago to change my fare from T to W. Due to some other errors on my record it took her nearly 45 minutes to do the change. To say sorry she waived the change fee so i only had to pay the fare difference of about $100 (This was EWR-LHR)

You've said this twice now, and BOTH times you're wrong. Policy at UA USED TO BE to do fee-free upfares. That changed years ago.
Policy at UA on 3/2 was to CHARGE for upfares. Simple as that.

Dave

I understand you've said that but TWO agents (both UA) have told me they don't charge a fee to upsell into W. one Was about 6 weeks ago & the other I just called now. (just to check) If I'm not correct, then it's due to UA agents not knowing this "newish" policy. I would then tell people the same thing. Call until you get a UA agent. A number if other people have reported on other threads not having to pay a change fee when dealing w UA agents

I understand you've said that but TWO agents (both UA) have told me they don't charge a fee to upsell into W. one Was about 6 weeks ago & the other I just called now. (just to check) If I'm not correct, then it's due to UA agents not knowing this "newish" policy. I would then tell people the same thing. Call until you get a UA agent. A number if other people have reported on other threads not having to pay a change fee when dealing w UA agents

After reading the posts about talking to a pmUA or a pmCO agent I called the 1 K desk, I asked the CSR if she was pm CO or pmUA she mention she was pmCO. I asked her if I could be transferred to pmUA agent, she mentioned how they were one company and etc, etc. I mentioned that I read in FT that if you talked to pmUA compared to pmCO pm UA would not charge you for upgrading a fare. She said she had flexibly and would not charge me the change fee bringing the fare difference to a bit over $900. That is still a difference of $450+ each way. I am now thinking I might suffer through the exit row aisle seating and use the additional$900 + to upgrade to four seasons, madarian oriental or shangrila.