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Buy up to higher fare class w/o change fee? {GG BUYUP}

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Old Mar 20, 2017, 5:47 pm
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Last edit by: WineCountryUA
"GG BUYUP" references to a policy (not publicly published) that UA will waive change fees, if on your presently booked flight you wish to buy-up / upfare to the next cabin. That is, pay the fare difference from your present economy fare to business / first.

If the agent is unfamiliar with the policy, ask them to reference "GG BUYUP" or ask a supervisor.

Note this is only on UA tickets and only applies to the same flight, flight changes are not permitted by policy (a rare agent might but generally no).

This does not waive change fees for buying-up to a "W" fare to apply a GPU but some agents may still waive the change fee and some may not.
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Buy up to higher fare class w/o change fee? {GG BUYUP}

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Old Oct 2, 2016, 9:15 pm
  #331  
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Originally Posted by United747
Not even close to being worth it for me.
What he said.
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Old Oct 3, 2016, 1:07 am
  #332  
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Originally Posted by PsiFighter37
Anyone think a GG Buyup for $700/person is worth it for PHX-LAX-EWR (former on an E175, latter on a p.s. 752)? I bought a bargain-basement PHX-LAX-EWR fare a couple months back, and the pricing seems relatively fare (pun intended) given that the LAX-EWR leg is going for $649 (which seems to be the new baseline for discount P fares on p.s.). However, that suggests that the upfare on PHX-LAX is costing me $300, so I think it's a bad deal. I do hate riding in the back on TCONs, though...
Too steep for me. Flying p.s. domestically is a trap if you're connecting at either end since you can't route a domestic premium fare onto it (hence the big price here). Note connecting in IAH/DEN/ORD would give cheaper F tickets (too late now though).
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Old Oct 3, 2016, 5:02 am
  #333  
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Originally Posted by PsiFighter37
Anyone think a GG Buyup for $700/person is worth it for PHX-LAX-EWR (former on an E175, latter on a p.s. 752)?
Only if you need PQD.
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Old Oct 3, 2016, 6:10 am
  #334  
 
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Originally Posted by Kacee
Only if you need PQD.
Yeah, it's really the only good reason. This is in Feb. 2017 though, so hard to tell if I will really need it.
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Old Oct 18, 2016, 1:39 pm
  #335  
 
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I just tried to do a buy-up over the telephone. And they said there is a $200 change fee.

I'm booked on a K fare. Looking to buy up to P (there is availability on my flights). No change in flight/routing.

Is this an issue fo hang-up and try calling again until I get an agent that will waive the fee?
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Old Oct 18, 2016, 1:58 pm
  #336  
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Originally Posted by Diabeetus
I just tried to do a buy-up over the telephone. And they said there is a $200 change fee.

I'm booked on a K fare. Looking to buy up to P (there is availability on my flights). No change in flight/routing.

Is this an issue fo hang-up and try calling again until I get an agent that will waive the fee?
Call until you get a pmCO agent...
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Old Oct 18, 2016, 2:39 pm
  #337  
 
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Originally Posted by Bonehead
Call until you get a pmCO agent...
Thanks. I'll keep trying.

The agent sounded like they were working from home. None of the backgroud noise that I'd expect of a call center, if that means anything.
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Old Oct 21, 2016, 2:31 pm
  #338  
S.R
 
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So not sure if this is possible, but just want to make sure.

So I'm flying IAH-LGA next friday morning in Y. Something came up and I need to switch to a later flight friday. The change fee and fare diff is coming out to about $350. However, if I wanted to pay to upgrade, the fare difference is $289, plus the 200 change fee.
Now if I wanted to switch to a later flight while also upgrading, would they wave the change fee? Since it is still an upgrade? I'd feel a little better about paying $289 for an upgrade plus change then just $350 to fly a couple of hours later in Y. And I'd rather not risk it waiting to do a same day change.

Also, is it possible to use an ETC to pay change fees?

Thanks!
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Old Oct 21, 2016, 3:35 pm
  #339  
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Originally Posted by Diabeetus
Thanks. I'll keep trying.

The agent sounded like they were working from home. None of the backgroud noise that I'd expect of a call center, if that means anything.
I talked to one rep at legacy-UA call center in Honolulu a couple of months back who was about to move to mainland and would be working from home.
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Old Oct 21, 2016, 5:12 pm
  #340  
 
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Originally Posted by Diabeetus
Thanks. I'll keep trying.

The agent sounded like they were working from home. None of the backgroud noise that I'd expect of a call center, if that means anything.
I got that yesterday when I called. I then asked to speak to her supervisor, who then told me I could either buy a refundable F fare or would have to pay a $200 change fee. I said "I will call back and get someone else, since all the other agents waive change fees when I'm buying up." She then said "well, they're not supposed to" and I said "they all do, thanks!"

Called and got another woman who did it immediately.
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Old Oct 21, 2016, 5:41 pm
  #341  
 
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Originally Posted by nycflyer222
I got that yesterday when I called. I then asked to speak to her supervisor, who then told me I could either buy a refundable F fare or would have to pay a $200 change fee. I said "I will call back and get someone else, since all the other agents waive change fees when I'm buying up." She then said "well, they're not supposed to" and I said "they all do, thanks!"

Called and got another woman who did it immediately.
Dangerous thing to say (alerting them you plan to call back and get another agent). A lot of agents will then take it upon themselves to put a note in your reservation to not let you.
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Old Oct 21, 2016, 6:40 pm
  #342  
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Originally Posted by jmanirish
Dangerous thing to say (alerting them you plan to call back and get another agent). A lot of agents will then take it upon themselves to put a note in your reservation to not let you.
Yes literally asking for trouble.

One of the key components of a proper HUACA is to politely end the call.
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Old Oct 21, 2016, 6:56 pm
  #343  
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Again, if you get any pushback at all it's likely a pmUA agent. Just say thank you very much and HUACA.
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Old Oct 22, 2016, 2:40 pm
  #344  
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Originally Posted by jmanirish
Dangerous thing to say (alerting them you plan to call back and get another agent). A lot of agents will then take it upon themselves to put a note in your reservation to not let you.
Originally Posted by Kacee
Yes literally asking for trouble.

One of the key components of a proper HUACA is to politely end the call.
can also go the other way. 2nd agent said: I see you have called about this before and they advised you there is a change fee ... snip ... she actually said she would report it for re-training

Originally Posted by S.R
So not sure if this is possible, but just want to make sure.

So I'm flying IAH-LGA next friday morning in Y. Something came up and I need to switch to a later flight friday. The change fee and fare diff is coming out to about $350. However, if I wanted to pay to upgrade, the fare difference is $289, plus the 200 change fee.
Now if I wanted to switch to a later flight while also upgrading, would they wave the change fee? Since it is still an upgrade? I'd feel a little better about paying $289 for an upgrade plus change then just $350 to fly a couple of hours later in Y. And I'd rather not risk it waiting to do a same day change.

Also, is it possible to use an ETC to pay change fees?

Thanks!
Upfare you cannot change flights ... it is the same flights just moving cabins. AFTER you have done this you can SDC at your leisure. I have done that as a strategy many times ... upfare from L to P for $100 ... then the next day SDC from P to P on a later flight.

You cannot use ETCs for this

Last edited by WineCountryUA; Oct 22, 2016 at 6:05 pm Reason: merging consecutive posts by same member -- please use multi-quote
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Old Oct 22, 2016, 6:05 pm
  #345  
 
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Is there any chance United would upfare United-operated, CA-codeshared flights ticked by CA? I'm guessing the answer is no but would be happy to be wrong.
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