Premier Pain Roll Call (who has worst upgrade stats?)
#16
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: LAX
Programs: UA, Bonvoy, Amex Plat
Posts: 1,582
I had a pretty terrible year as a 2P.
UA/CO Upgrade Eligible Flights: 30
UA/CO Upgrades Through UDU: 5
Great Percentage at 16%
The flights weren't even anything special either:
UA E70 IAD-RDU
UA 757 SFO-DEN
UA CR7 RDU-ORD
UA 757 ORD-IAD
UA 320 IAD-RDU
The last two were on Y-Fare rebookings too, so my real stats are probably 3/28.
UA/CO Upgrade Eligible Flights: 30
UA/CO Upgrades Through UDU: 5
Great Percentage at 16%
The flights weren't even anything special either:
UA E70 IAD-RDU
UA 757 SFO-DEN
UA CR7 RDU-ORD
UA 757 ORD-IAD
UA 320 IAD-RDU
The last two were on Y-Fare rebookings too, so my real stats are probably 3/28.
#17
Join Date: May 2007
Location: WAS
Programs: UA GS, AA EXP, WN A+, Hyatt Glob, Marriott Tit, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,120
Things should only get better...
As a 2P on UA/CO UDU Eligible Flights: 0/13 -> 13%
These were nearly all IAD-MEX-IAD or IAD-DEN-IAD. I almost cleared IAD-MEX a few times. My colleague cleared everytime as a 1P.
As a 1P on UA/CO UDU Eligible Flights: 7/14 -> 50%
Actually cleared an IAD-DEN segment. 4 clears were around Xmas and first class went out with open seats on 2/4 flights. Other 2 were IAH-SAP-IAH (incredibly easy).
Overall: 7/27 -> 25.9%
Improving and will hopefully get better when Premier Plat kicks in late Q1. I usually buy W/E/H/Q for work and the cheapest for personal travel. I only cleared on one work segment. The other 6 were personal on T/G.
Unsure what 2012 will hold for travel plans, but at least I'm not starting from scratch this year.
As a 2P on UA/CO UDU Eligible Flights: 0/13 -> 13%
These were nearly all IAD-MEX-IAD or IAD-DEN-IAD. I almost cleared IAD-MEX a few times. My colleague cleared everytime as a 1P.
As a 1P on UA/CO UDU Eligible Flights: 7/14 -> 50%
Actually cleared an IAD-DEN segment. 4 clears were around Xmas and first class went out with open seats on 2/4 flights. Other 2 were IAH-SAP-IAH (incredibly easy).
Overall: 7/27 -> 25.9%
Improving and will hopefully get better when Premier Plat kicks in late Q1. I usually buy W/E/H/Q for work and the cheapest for personal travel. I only cleared on one work segment. The other 6 were personal on T/G.
Unsure what 2012 will hold for travel plans, but at least I'm not starting from scratch this year.
#18
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Durham, NC (RDU/GSO/CLT)
Programs: AA EXP/MM, DL GM, UA Platinum, HH DIA, Hyatt Explorist, IHG Platinum, Marriott Titanium, Hertz PC
Posts: 33,857
Ouch, but not surprising. Scary part is that it will soon become even harder to clear UDUs as a 2P. I fly to TPA a lot, which is a very elite-light destination, but other than that, I'm guessing that free upgrades will basically be a thing of the past for us come March. Gotta stretch a bit more and hit Gold this year, I guess.
#19
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 1,781
(All as a silver)
5/21 all on el cheapos
1/1 on eligible reward flights (SAP-IAH)
Upgrades were:
IAH-YVR
YVR-IAH (thanks CO.com specials!)
IAH-ORD (early early Sunday morning)
AUS-IAH (just got lucky I guess)
DEN-IAH (was early Sat. AM I think?)
Looking forward to a little better ratio as a gold next year!
5/21 all on el cheapos
1/1 on eligible reward flights (SAP-IAH)
Upgrades were:
IAH-YVR
YVR-IAH (thanks CO.com specials!)
IAH-ORD (early early Sunday morning)
AUS-IAH (just got lucky I guess)
DEN-IAH (was early Sat. AM I think?)
Looking forward to a little better ratio as a gold next year!
#20
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: LAX
Programs: UA, Bonvoy, Amex Plat
Posts: 1,582
Don't I know it. That's the reason I did a MR to get to 1P at the end of the year when I was 4,300 EQMs short. I'm not going through an even worse year than this year. It was hard enough when I could get E+ up front. Plus, so many of the upgrades I missed I would have made as a 1P. Next year I should be at least at 50% based on my flying patterns.
#21
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: WAS
Programs: UA Silver, Marriott Titanium, Nexus, GE
Posts: 2,119
I have a friend who's a 1K not on FT who flies SFO-PHL on work-heavy days regularly. He reports upgrade rates of about 10%, so that sounds pretty terrible to me. Then again, he's not super savvy about flying. He's letting all but 1 of his SWU's expire this year (which upgraded me)...so sad.
#22
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Living the dream in Antigua and the nightmare in Florida
Programs: AA PLAT 2MM, *A Gold, WN detractor
Posts: 49,591
It's nice to see some honest replies in here, with just a couple of suspicious ones. In the AA forum, you'd think that every flyer gets upgraded on every flight, when threads similar to this one are posted.
As a 1P, I batted .400 this year. 0 on hub-to-hub flights. I usually book 1 to 2 weeks out.
As a 1P, I batted .400 this year. 0 on hub-to-hub flights. I usually book 1 to 2 weeks out.
#23
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: DFW
Programs: UA Pleb, HH Gold, PWP General Secretary
Posts: 23,199
ran 30% as a CO Gold on UA (before status match) (less than 1P)
ran 50% as a 1p/Gold/Plat on UACO
ran 100% since hitting 1K
2/2 SWUs cleared at booking, but I cheated and made sure space was available
2/4 CR1 segments at booking 4/4 overall
2/5 miles segments at booking 4/5 overall (missed EWR-LIM )
ran 50% as a 1p/Gold/Plat on UACO
ran 100% since hitting 1K
2/2 SWUs cleared at booking, but I cheated and made sure space was available
2/4 CR1 segments at booking 4/4 overall
2/5 miles segments at booking 4/5 overall (missed EWR-LIM )
#25
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: LAX/BOS/HKG/AMS/SFO...hmm, I need a life.
Programs: United1K, AA ExPlAAt, DL MM/Gold, Hilton Diamond, Avis First
Posts: 13,316
It's nice to see some honest replies in here, with just a couple of suspicious ones. In the AA forum, you'd think that every flyer gets upgraded on every flight, when threads similar to this one are posted.
As a 1P, I batted .400 this year. 0 on hub-to-hub flights. I usually book 1 to 2 weeks out.
As a 1P, I batted .400 this year. 0 on hub-to-hub flights. I usually book 1 to 2 weeks out.
#26
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: SFO, BDL
Programs: UA 1K, AA Plat, CX GR, Hilton Diamond, Global Entry
Posts: 963
As a 1K...
112/118 -> 96.55% Overall (SWU/UDU/CR1/mileage)
104/110 -> 94.54% UDU (typical route BDL-IAD/ORD-SFO RT)
3/3 -> 100% CR1s
5/5 -> 100% for SWU (2 international/3 domestic)
Not counting single cabin or irrops due to weather in NE. Fare range: Q to K.
112/118 -> 96.55% Overall (SWU/UDU/CR1/mileage)
104/110 -> 94.54% UDU (typical route BDL-IAD/ORD-SFO RT)
3/3 -> 100% CR1s
5/5 -> 100% for SWU (2 international/3 domestic)
Not counting single cabin or irrops due to weather in NE. Fare range: Q to K.
#27
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: Tucson, AZ USA
Programs: DL-Platinum / AS-PlatPro / Hyatt - Glob / Hilton-Diamond
Posts: 1,573
Not counting single cabin or award flights...
Upgraded on 29 out of 36 for 80%, all UDU
CO Plat the full year with a mixture of CO & UA.
I travel against the grain, usually out on Friday or Thursday and return Sunday or Monday.
No Y/B/M fares this year. I used to buy B a lot. Combo of late purchases, securing the upgrade and extra 50% EQM. But have been priced out of those fares. For most late purchases I now I have to elect not to take the trip, changing my habits this year to book earlier. 2012's losing the 50% bonus for Lifetime/MM kills these fares for me 100%
Steve
Upgraded on 29 out of 36 for 80%, all UDU
CO Plat the full year with a mixture of CO & UA.
I travel against the grain, usually out on Friday or Thursday and return Sunday or Monday.
No Y/B/M fares this year. I used to buy B a lot. Combo of late purchases, securing the upgrade and extra 50% EQM. But have been priced out of those fares. For most late purchases I now I have to elect not to take the trip, changing my habits this year to book earlier. 2012's losing the 50% bonus for Lifetime/MM kills these fares for me 100%
Steve
#28
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Near SEA
Programs: UA MM, AS MVPG75K, Marriott Lifetime Gold
Posts: 7,969
I assure you my 60-for-60 is legit... I excluded 7 single-cabin flights.
My SO wasn't as lucky.. as a 2P she got upgraded on 23 of 33 flights, of which only 2 were based on her own status (SEA-LAX-SEA on a CR7), 20 were upgrades from me (CR-1, SWU), and 1 was based on a VDB re-booking (SFO-SEA). So if I weren't around, she would have been 3 for 33 (if you count a VDB rebooking as an "upgrade").
#29
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: DEN
Programs: UA Plat, 1MM
Posts: 2,182
59 UA metal segments as a 1K
7 one-cabin RJs
3 last-minute standbys where I got a BP at the last second, so not counting those.
Of the 49 that I consider eligible, 47 upgrades (95.9%)
8 SWUs
12 CR1s
27 UDUs
UDU-only flights 27/29 = 95% [missed DEN-BOS and BOS-DEN, both A320s]
Less data for CO metal (all as Plat):
10 flights, 3 RJs and 2 intl non-eligible segments.
Of the remaining 5, 4 upgrades (3 EUAs, 1 M-UP).
7 one-cabin RJs
3 last-minute standbys where I got a BP at the last second, so not counting those.
Of the 49 that I consider eligible, 47 upgrades (95.9%)
8 SWUs
12 CR1s
27 UDUs
UDU-only flights 27/29 = 95% [missed DEN-BOS and BOS-DEN, both A320s]
Less data for CO metal (all as Plat):
10 flights, 3 RJs and 2 intl non-eligible segments.
Of the remaining 5, 4 upgrades (3 EUAs, 1 M-UP).