US Airways Dividend Miles (Pre-FlightFund Merger) - US w possible upgrade or UA with guaranteed E+?

Hi,

This has probably been asked and answered many times, but since the search function is down it is very hard to find.

Here is the deal. I will be flying from YUL-SFO and can go with US via PHL or UA via ORD for roughly the same price.

Can you tell me what the upgrade possibilities are for a Preferred Gold (I am hoping to be comped to US Gold) on that PHL-SFO route? If slim I'm inclined to go via ORD with UA to get the guaranteed E+ which frankly I find perfectly comfortable. If, however, the chances are good for an upgrade I'd probably go with US.

Thanks for any help or thoughts anyone might have!

PHL-SFO is generally regarded as a tough route to upgrade on.

-JC

PHL-SFO is generally regarded as a tough route to upgrade on.

-JC

I would think it also depends on time of day / day of week. When were you planning to travel?

I would think it also depends on time of day / day of week. When were you planning to travel?

Er, Friday early afternoon. Sounds like the chances will be slim. Might be able to sneak out Thursday. Would that make a difference?

It's definitely easier to upgrade westbound on Thursday/Friday than it is eastbound, since most US Preferreds live on the East Coast and would be heading home for the weekend from SFO. And the A321s that fly the PHL-SFO route have 26 First Class seats, more than any other narrowbody plane in the fleet.

Do you have any spare US Airways miles in your account? You can get a confirmed upgrade on the PHL-SFO and return leg for 20,000 miles...not a bad deal since as a Gold you'll be earning over 11,000 miles for YUL-PHL-SFO-PHL-YUL.

Despite the day of the week, free transcon upgrades can still be tough to and from SFO. If you chance it and don't clear the upgrade 3 days prior to departure, check-in for your flight at usairways.com exactly 24 hours before departure and you'll be first on the upgrade standby list for Golds (any Chairman's Preferred members will clear before you if there are any open seats, but you'll be first among Golds if you're the first to check in.

Er, Friday early afternoon. Sounds like the chances will be slim. Might be able to sneak out Thursday. Would that make a difference?

Another question - if you can snag 9A, 9B, 9C or 9F on the A321 you are better off on US anyways and then you can hope for the upgrade. Those seats are held for preferred members.

One more thing: If your upgrade doesn't clear on the PHL-SFO and SFO-PHL segments, choose seat 9F on the A321 for virtually unlimited legroom. 9F is an exit row window with no seat in front of you and the bulkhead all the way in front of row 8 (row 8 only has an aisle and middle seat so as not to block the exit door). You can even store a small bag under 8E, since unless the flight is completely full, 9E is blocked to give the Preferred member in 9F even more room. Plus, the doors on the Airbus planes are well sealed so it doesn't get too cold by the exit. There's far more room in 9F than in any UA E+ seat.

If I'm in 9F, I don't mind if my transcon upgrade doesn't clear - the only things to look forward to in First are free alcohol, free boxed meals, free headphones, and the snack basket - all of which I personally can do without. :)

Well since we're on this topic, what west coast city tends to have the best chance of an upgrade?

SAN is easiest, in my experience---especially the SAN-CLT redeye return. There just doesn't seem to be as much business traffic from PIT/PHL/CLT to San Diego as there is to SFO and LAX.

On one of my SAN flights last summer, the gate agents surprised a Silver and her companion by telling her they could upgrade at no charge; somehow, the passenger wasn't aware of the unlimited upgrade benefit!