Jul 20, 2013, 6:22 pm
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
This is an archived thread, the active thread is UA Upsell Offers to Business/First/PP at Purchase and Day of Departure (TOD)
UA Upsell Offers to Business/First at Purchase and Day of Departure (TOD) [Archive]
Jul 29, 2015, 8:07 am
#1756
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Northern Calif./Eastern Ida.
Programs: Amethyst Premier Plutonium Medallion
Posts: 20,639
Tried to self-TOD myself but fell a bit short...
Taking an EWR-STL flight at the end of August - E170 on way out, A319/737 on the way back via ORD. I'm already booked on the return in F (Z class), but I noticed that if I reprice the entire trip in F (A class on the way out, and P on the return - this is a fare class downgrade, so was aware it was unlikely to work), it was just $5(!) more than my original itinerary. Given that it is saying 'online upgrade not available', and with my lack of interest in spending 17.5k miles to upgrade on an RJ, I thought it'd be worth calling in to see what my options were. As it turned out, the upfare was $69 (my guess is that was the $5 + the difference between P and Z on the return), but the phone agent said I'd be subject to a $200 change fee if I did that. I was surprised, as I thought the change fee was only assessed if you changed the actual flight you were flying, not simply trying to upfare on the same flight.
I figure I will probably just roll the dice on the CPU (surprisingly, no one's booked any F seats on this flight so far, even though it's probably long enough to qualify for dinner), but figured it was worth a shot.
Taking an EWR-STL flight at the end of August - E170 on way out, A319/737 on the way back via ORD. I'm already booked on the return in F (Z class), but I noticed that if I reprice the entire trip in F (A class on the way out, and P on the return - this is a fare class downgrade, so was aware it was unlikely to work), it was just $5(!) more than my original itinerary. Given that it is saying 'online upgrade not available', and with my lack of interest in spending 17.5k miles to upgrade on an RJ, I thought it'd be worth calling in to see what my options were. As it turned out, the upfare was $69 (my guess is that was the $5 + the difference between P and Z on the return), but the phone agent said I'd be subject to a $200 change fee if I did that. I was surprised, as I thought the change fee was only assessed if you changed the actual flight you were flying, not simply trying to upfare on the same flight.
I figure I will probably just roll the dice on the CPU (surprisingly, no one's booked any F seats on this flight so far, even though it's probably long enough to qualify for dinner), but figured it was worth a shot.
Jul 29, 2015, 8:50 am
#1757
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: SFO/CDG
Programs: UA 1k
Posts: 211
Try referencing GG BUYUP with the phone agent. You can search this term for discussion on moving to F without the change fee.
Jul 31, 2015, 8:48 am
#1758
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: IAH
Programs: DL DM, Hyatt Ist-iest, Stariott Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 12,789
Jul 31, 2015, 11:16 am
#1759
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: BOS (South End)
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP, TrueBlue, IHG Plat Amb, SPG Gold, Marriott Gold, Accor Platinum, National Exec Elite
Posts: 907
So I answered my own question here. After checking united.com relentlessly, today I was shown the chance to upgrade for $13. $12.54 to be precise, but it rounded to $13 on the upgrade page. Knowing UA I screenshotted every step of the process so we'll see what happens.
See this thread:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...ly-booked.html
...or you may totally luck out and the charge will disappear and you'll ride upfront for free.
Jul 31, 2015, 12:15 pm
#1760
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: San Francisco
Programs: UA MM Plat, UA 1MM, Hilton Lifetime Gold, Marriott Gold, Hertz Gold, CLEAR, AS MVP Gold
Posts: 3,618
Maybe time for a change.....
Exactly.
When you see that you were practically the first to book the flight in question (4 months in) and your upgrades never clear even up to 2-3 days before the flight - while all the time you see Y seats (15-17 in total over this period) in the back of the plane (definitely not elites) vacate and then fill the business cabin - it is truly infuriating.
Then they offer the seats for *A awards and do not bother to upgrade us, until I called in finally! (I had been checking weekly a month close-in to the flight date)
When you see that you were practically the first to book the flight in question (4 months in) and your upgrades never clear even up to 2-3 days before the flight - while all the time you see Y seats (15-17 in total over this period) in the back of the plane (definitely not elites) vacate and then fill the business cabin - it is truly infuriating.
Then they offer the seats for *A awards and do not bother to upgrade us, until I called in finally! (I had been checking weekly a month close-in to the flight date)
Aug 1, 2015, 11:54 am
#1761
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 30
Upgraded to First on LGA to ORD flight for $8
Hi there!
I'm new here but thought I'd get thoughts on something very strange that just happened...
For my LGA to ORD flight tomorrow, while checking to see if I could improve my (coach) seating assignment, I was offered an upgrade to United First on one segment (the departure out to Chicago) for only $8 (not a typo). I did successfully book it.
Is this a glitch, or is this something that can actually happen when there aren't many elites booked on a flight and first class seats would otherwise be empty? Seems insanely cheap...
In case it matters, I currently have no status (getting close to PQD req'd for Silver).
I'm new here but thought I'd get thoughts on something very strange that just happened...
For my LGA to ORD flight tomorrow, while checking to see if I could improve my (coach) seating assignment, I was offered an upgrade to United First on one segment (the departure out to Chicago) for only $8 (not a typo). I did successfully book it.
Is this a glitch, or is this something that can actually happen when there aren't many elites booked on a flight and first class seats would otherwise be empty? Seems insanely cheap...
In case it matters, I currently have no status (getting close to PQD req'd for Silver).
Aug 1, 2015, 11:58 am
#1762
Join Date: Mar 2012
Programs: Mileage Plus 1K; Marriott Platinum; Hilton Gold
Posts: 6,355
Hi there!
I'm new here but thought I'd get thoughts on something very strange that just happened...
For my LGA to ORD flight tomorrow, while checking to see if I could improve my (coach) seating assignment, I was offered an upgrade to United First on one segment (the departure out to Chicago) for only $8 (not a typo). I did successfully book it.
Is this a glitch, or is this something that can actually happen when there aren't many elites booked on a flight and first class seats would otherwise be empty? Seems insanely cheap...
In case it matters, I currently have no status (getting close to PQD req'd for Silver).
I'm new here but thought I'd get thoughts on something very strange that just happened...
For my LGA to ORD flight tomorrow, while checking to see if I could improve my (coach) seating assignment, I was offered an upgrade to United First on one segment (the departure out to Chicago) for only $8 (not a typo). I did successfully book it.
Is this a glitch, or is this something that can actually happen when there aren't many elites booked on a flight and first class seats would otherwise be empty? Seems insanely cheap...
In case it matters, I currently have no status (getting close to PQD req'd for Silver).
My advice is to open another *A frequent flier account, because once you pass Silver status on UA, those TODs will increase in price. But if you put the other *A FF # into your reservation, you may see such enticements again.
Aug 1, 2015, 12:01 pm
#1763
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 30
Congratulations! You scored a TOD (tens of dollars) upgrade.
My advice is to open another *A frequent flier account, because once you pass Silver status on UA, those TODs will increase in price. But if you put the other *A FF # into your reservation, you may see such enticements again.
My advice is to open another *A frequent flier account, because once you pass Silver status on UA, those TODs will increase in price. But if you put the other *A FF # into your reservation, you may see such enticements again.
Aug 1, 2015, 12:03 pm
#1764
Join Date: Mar 2012
Programs: Mileage Plus 1K; Marriott Platinum; Hilton Gold
Posts: 6,355
$8 is more than they would get if they had to give away the seat to one of us over-entitled elites who wait patiently on the upgrade list for a CPU (complimentary upgrade). UA's current revenue management team would sell those upgrades for a dollar before they would give it to an over-entitled elite.
Aug 1, 2015, 12:03 pm
#1765
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: SFO
Programs: OZ Diamond/*G, IHG Diamond Amb, Hilton Gold
Posts: 2,239
Hi there!
I'm new here but thought I'd get thoughts on something very strange that just happened...
For my LGA to ORD flight tomorrow, while checking to see if I could improve my (coach) seating assignment, I was offered an upgrade to United First on one segment (the departure out to Chicago) for only $8 (not a typo). I did successfully book it.
Is this a glitch, or is this something that can actually happen when there aren't many elites booked on a flight and first class seats would otherwise be empty? Seems insanely cheap...
In case it matters, I currently have no status (getting close to PQD req'd for Silver).
I'm new here but thought I'd get thoughts on something very strange that just happened...
For my LGA to ORD flight tomorrow, while checking to see if I could improve my (coach) seating assignment, I was offered an upgrade to United First on one segment (the departure out to Chicago) for only $8 (not a typo). I did successfully book it.
Is this a glitch, or is this something that can actually happen when there aren't many elites booked on a flight and first class seats would otherwise be empty? Seems insanely cheap...
In case it matters, I currently have no status (getting close to PQD req'd for Silver).
Aug 1, 2015, 12:10 pm
#1766
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: ORD-LAS
Programs: UA MM 1K, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Titanium Elite
Posts: 4,419
What fare class was it? ORD-LGA sees a ton of 350.00 round trip in first fares. But yes, when I was a loney silver a few years back, I got a ton of very cheap offers. I don't see those anymore though.
Aug 1, 2015, 12:13 pm
#1767
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 30
I can understand why this would be irritating to elites - I'm sure it'll irritate me too once I join the club, but in the meantime, I can't not book it for $8 (shrug)
Aug 1, 2015, 12:16 pm
#1768
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 30
The receipt link on the account is still the original receipt for the flight's original cost and coach booking.
Aug 1, 2015, 12:24 pm
#1769
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: ORD-LAS
Programs: UA MM 1K, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Titanium Elite
Posts: 4,419
Original fare class was W. They're also offering me an upgrade for the return flight, but for $88. Seats up front are all currently available, so perhaps they'll decrease the cost closer to the date of the departure. This $8 TOD didn't appear until today (~30 hours before flight).
I can understand why this would be irritating to elites - I'm sure it'll irritate me too once I join the club, but in the meantime, I can't not book it for $8 (shrug)
I can understand why this would be irritating to elites - I'm sure it'll irritate me too once I join the club, but in the meantime, I can't not book it for $8 (shrug)
Aug 1, 2015, 12:35 pm
#1770
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: if it's Thursday, this must be Belgium
Programs: UA 1K MM
Posts: 6,484
What was your total ticket price? Or per segment price paid?