Sep 21, 2016, 7:13 pm
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
How to upgrade a partner flight using UA MileagePlus miles:
See UA's Star Alliance Upgrade Awards Page
Key points:
See this thread for the no-longer-available award chart (disappeared from united.com as of October 2018): https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unit...d-website.html
Error codes
For UA operated flights see Using Miles to Upgrade on United
Archive; How to upgrade with UA miles on Star Alliance carriers {Archive}
See UA's Star Alliance Upgrade Awards Page
Key points:
- Only a few fare classes (and expensive) are eligible -- depends on the carrier (see the UA page)
- Needs to be native flight numbers, codeshares are not eligible
- Generally no waitlisting but ANA allows waitlisting
- Most can be requested after ticketing (NH/ANA & ET cannot be requested earlier than 8 weeks to departure -- still true??) and must be done at least 24 hours prior to departure
- Max of 4 passengers can be upgraded
- Generally the available of award space is a good indicator of upgrade space (but not guaranteed) - typically requires (I) inventory
- Upgrade request can only be made electronically
- Upgrade requests are per segment
- It may increase your chance of success to request only one segment at a time on the upgrade page, even though it allows you to enter two (YMMV).
- For mileage requirements, see Interactive travel destinations awards chart
See this thread for the no-longer-available award chart (disappeared from united.com as of October 2018): https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unit...d-website.html
Error codes
- "We were unable to complete your request due to a technical problem. In the U.S. and Canada call 1-800-UNITED-1 (1-800-864-8331) within the U.S. or Canada, elsewhere use the local phone number. (Error code: 110).
- "We were unable to complete your request due to a technical problem. In the U.S. and Canada call 1-800-UNITED-1 (1-800-864-8331) within the U.S. or Canada, elsewhere use the local phone number. (Error code: 118)"
- "The traveler has the same name as an existing traveler on this flight. Please contact the operating airline for the required information and try again. (Error code: 384)"
- "Upgrade not available (Error code: 511)."
- "The number of travelers indicated does not match the number of passengers in the reservation. Please correct your information and try again. (Error code: 528)"
- "insufficient MileagePlus Balance (Error code: 2001)"
For UA operated flights see Using Miles to Upgrade on United
Archive; How to upgrade with UA miles on Star Alliance carriers {Archive}
How to upgrade with UA miles on Star Alliance carriers
Apr 25, 2022, 11:13 pm
#46
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
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I booked a trip from SFO-JNB with a connection on Swiss (via ZRH) and Lufthansa (via FRA) in business class. The fare class is P. According to United Mileage Plus, the upgrade award on Star Alliance carriers from Europe to South Africa is 45,000 each way. I am instructed to request it online, but when doing so, it indicates that the ticket is non-upgradeable. The ticket was purchased on United's website so it's 016 ticket stock. The flights from SFO to/from Europe are United codeshare numbers, while the flights between Europe and Africa are Swiss and Lufthansa flight numbers. Is there a reason why this ticket is non-upgradeable?
Star Aliance upgrades must be on native flights, not codeshares
But the real killer is P fares are not upgradeable
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Apr 25, 2022 at 11:19 pm
Apr 26, 2022, 5:42 am
#47
Join Date: Dec 2019
Location: IAH
Programs: MileagePlus-Premier Silver, Marriott Bonvoy-Silver Elite
Posts: 696
I have an inter Europe flight on LH, showing a Y fare on my 016 reservation (probably because we're flying PE on ORD-FRA?). Flying IAH-ORD-FRA-OSL. I tried the *A upgrade awards request on UAL website, even putting in the LH flight number, but it said ineligible for upgrades. Is this because the flight number on my itin is a United flight number? Can the flight number be changed to a LH number by calling United?
Apr 26, 2022, 9:35 am
#48
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
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I have an inter Europe flight on LH, showing a Y fare on my 016 reservation (probably because we're flying PE on ORD-FRA?). Flying IAH-ORD-FRA-OSL. I tried the *A upgrade awards request on UAL website, even putting in the LH flight number, but it said ineligible for upgrades. Is this because the flight number on my itin is a United flight number? Can the flight number be changed to a LH number by calling United?
Apr 26, 2022, 12:49 pm
#49
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I booked a trip from SFO-JNB with a connection on Swiss (via ZRH) and Lufthansa (via FRA) in business class. The fare class is P. According to United Mileage Plus, the upgrade award on Star Alliance carriers from Europe to South Africa is 45,000 each way. I am instructed to request it online, but when doing so, it indicates that the ticket is non-upgradeable. The ticket was purchased on United's website so it's 016 ticket stock. The flights from SFO to/from Europe are United codeshare numbers, while the flights between Europe and Africa are Swiss and Lufthansa flight numbers. Is there a reason why this ticket is non-upgradeable?
Apr 26, 2022, 2:01 pm
#50
Join Date: Mar 2022
Location: Chicago
Programs: United Silver, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 19
March 2023. Love it. Someone else who books early 
LH might release seats at any time. If you set an alert (e.g. in EF) for I-class it can be a good indication that the upgrade will go through, but not a guarantee. You can't 'waitlist' the upgrade? I thought LH allowed that, but I am only using +Ps, so no recent experience with miles.
And just to be certain, the JNB-FRA segment has a LH flight number? That is required.
LH might release seats at any time. If you set an alert (e.g. in EF) for I-class it can be a good indication that the upgrade will go through, but not a guarantee. You can't 'waitlist' the upgrade? I thought LH allowed that, but I am only using +Ps, so no recent experience with miles.And just to be certain, the JNB-FRA segment has a LH flight number? That is required.
It is an LH number. Figured out they haven't released upgrades for this flight yet, and the pay price is now $1500 ( was $850) I was able to upgrade my second segment using miles. I will keep checking. this was the leg I really wanted since it is overnight and 11 hours. I may end up bidding and take my chances. At least I can sleep the last leg home if neededEither that or I'll be so exhausted at the end of my trip that I will pass out in PE.
May 2, 2022, 9:12 am
#52
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Redwood City, CA USA (SFO/SJC)
Programs: 1K 2010, 1P in 2011, Plat for 2012,13,14,15 & 2016. Gold in 17 & 18, Plat since
Posts: 8,824
May 2, 2022, 9:34 am
#53
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.99MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,769
LH P fares are not PlusPoints upgradeable on P or Z fares
May 2, 2022, 8:32 pm
#54
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Washington DC Area
Posts: 364
I am looking at IAD-IST-SIN on Turkish Airlines. Before I book, I want to make sure I get all the facts. Booking on "H" class (eligible to use UA miles to upgrade). Someone mentioned about Star Alliance Upgrades are by segment; on the website it states 35K miles to upgrade for one-way. Is this conflicting? Also, any co-pays on this type of upgrades? Thanks a lot!
alextktan
alextktan
May 2, 2022, 9:08 pm
#55
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
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Posts: 66,769
Each individual segment requires a separate Star Alliance Upgrade Award. For example, if you are flying on an eligible fare from Madrid to Frankfurt to London, two awards are required.
alextktan[/QUOTE]
May 3, 2022, 1:21 pm
#56
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat
Posts: 184
Booked SFO - NRT - BKK on premium economy through Amex Travel and then used United miles to waitlist both segments for upgrade. When I checked yesterday, my SFO - NRT segment is showing two confirmed tickets, one in Premium Economy (K) and in Business (I). It also shows a popup that I have a duplicate reservation and have to contact my travel agent. I was unable to select seats for any segments. Today I called ANA (1 hour+ wait time). The agent was initially unable to select seats for me until she placed me on hold and checked with someone else. She keeps saying that I need to contact my travel agent to cancel the SFO - NRT premium economy segment. Otherwise right now the system thinks I have two tickets from SFO - NRT.
Has anyone else experienced this with ANA?
Has anyone else experienced this with ANA?
May 3, 2022, 2:01 pm
#57
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This is pretty normal when clearing UA upgrades on partners (it's coded the dumb way: a waitlisted segment is added, and when it clears a human has to clear the duplicate). I have never done this on an agency ticket; with an 016 ticket UA clears it up fine when you call and ask (often automatically). If a 205 ticket... someone (either NH or "Amex") will have to fix it.
May 3, 2022, 2:10 pm
#58
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This is pretty normal when clearing UA upgrades on partners (it's coded the dumb way: a waitlisted segment is added, and when it clears a human has to clear the duplicate). I have never done this on an agency ticket; with an 016 ticket UA clears it up fine when you call and ask (often automatically). If a 205 ticket... someone (either NH or "Amex") will have to fix it.
What the OP will need to do is call Amex Travel and escalate until you get someone with Sabre access (that's the GDS they use) to clean up the record, and make sure they don't cancel the upgraded segments, so you'll want to be very - and I mean very - clear with them and ask them to verbally repeat back what they will be doing to the PNR before they actually do the work to confirm they won't be making a mistake.
May 3, 2022, 2:31 pm
#59
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat
Posts: 184
Unfortunately Amex Travel is not a real travel agency, it's a front-end for Expedia and finding an actual agent there with GDS access to talk with is extremely difficult. In our GDS, we just .HK the upgraded segments and cancel the duplicate original segments to clean up the record, it's about 30 seconds of work.
What the OP will need to do is call Amex Travel and escalate until you get someone with Sabre access (that's the GDS they use) to clean up the record, and make sure they don't cancel the upgraded segments, so you'll want to be very - and I mean very - clear with them and ask them to verbally repeat back what they will be doing to the PNR before they actually do the work to confirm they won't be making a mistake.
What the OP will need to do is call Amex Travel and escalate until you get someone with Sabre access (that's the GDS they use) to clean up the record, and make sure they don't cancel the upgraded segments, so you'll want to be very - and I mean very - clear with them and ask them to verbally repeat back what they will be doing to the PNR before they actually do the work to confirm they won't be making a mistake.
Is there any downside in not clearing this up? My NRT - BKK segment still shows upgrade waitlisted but the ANA agent said that it might not be valid until I clear this up, but she couldn't say for sure.
============
Well AMEX called ANA and then the ANA agent said there was only the Premium Economy segment. Somehow the upgrade requests from United was cancelled for both segments and my miles were refunded. I was able to request to be waitlisted again for the NRT - BKK segment. The SFO - NRT segment shows available in the Star Alliance Upgrade Tool, but it is giving me an error when I try to confirm it. The AMEX agent is on the line with me on hold for a United representative now.
I would try to upgrade using ANA miles as well if it is available. But my spouse is on the ticket with a middle name which doesn't match what ANA has in their system. Her name is "FirstName MiddleName" on the ticket, but ANA can only upgrade if it is "FirstNameMiddleName" (no space).
Last edited by WineCountryUA; May 3, 2022 at 4:19 pm Reason: merge update / consecutive post by same member