COPA Upgrades for United members?
Sep 25, 2014, 9:35 am
#226
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,450
Good luck. If you get the upgrade, please report back whether LAS-PTY is the new interior. I'm considering that route as an alternative to LAX-PTY.
Sep 25, 2014, 10:27 am
#227
Join Date: Feb 2014
Programs: Amex Plat, Hilton Diamond, SPG Gold, Carlson Gold, CM Presidential / *A Gold, Hertz 5*
Posts: 1,648
Sep 25, 2014, 11:59 am
#228
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: MDE
Programs: AA EP, CM PP, AV GM, UA Silver, SPG Gold, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Plat, Marriott Plat, Accor Plat
Posts: 1,002
MCO-PTY-SJO-PTY-MCO. So does this mean that there are no instant/time of booking Y/B/M fare upgrades on Copa? The website makes it sound like there are ...
http://www.copaair.com/sites/cc/en/m...s-premier.aspx
Upgrades: On eligible flights, Premier members have several courtesy class upgrade options, if seats are available, including automatic, confirmed class upgrades when a ticket purchased in class Y, B and M is issued,
http://www.copaair.com/sites/cc/en/m...s-premier.aspx
Upgrades: On eligible flights, Premier members have several courtesy class upgrade options, if seats are available, including automatic, confirmed class upgrades when a ticket purchased in class Y, B and M is issued,
IME, as a 1K on that route (and I have flown it a LOT!), your MCO-PTY-MCO flights are an UG lock as a 1K, while the ones between PTY & SJO are about 60/40 in your favor. Even if you don't get the shorties, though, they are so fast that it doesn't really matter. Just try to choose a seat near the front so that you can get to immigration ahead of the bulk of the crowd. SJO is pretty good about having enough agents to keep the lines moving even if you should end up having to wait, however.
Sep 25, 2014, 12:04 pm
#229
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Posts: 5,825
Ken -
We are flying SFO-AUA in January. I'd like to stay on UA / Copa. I will have GPU's to burn for both directions for both my partner and I.
What route would you fly to maximize F percentages, while minimizing travel time?
Thanks,
Lark
PS We may just end up on AA, as the SFO-MIA-AUA routing is so attractive... If so, I'll have to burn the GPU's elsewhere.
We are flying SFO-AUA in January. I'd like to stay on UA / Copa. I will have GPU's to burn for both directions for both my partner and I.
What route would you fly to maximize F percentages, while minimizing travel time?
Thanks,
Lark
PS We may just end up on AA, as the SFO-MIA-AUA routing is so attractive... If so, I'll have to burn the GPU's elsewhere.
Sep 25, 2014, 11:26 pm
#230
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: MDE
Programs: AA EP, CM PP, AV GM, UA Silver, SPG Gold, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Plat, Marriott Plat, Accor Plat
Posts: 1,002
Ken -
We are flying SFO-AUA in January. I'd like to stay on UA / Copa. I will have GPU's to burn for both directions for both my partner and I.
What route would you fly to maximize F percentages, while minimizing travel time?
Thanks,
Lark
PS We may just end up on AA, as the SFO-MIA-AUA routing is so attractive... If so, I'll have to burn the GPU's elsewhere.
We are flying SFO-AUA in January. I'd like to stay on UA / Copa. I will have GPU's to burn for both directions for both my partner and I.
What route would you fly to maximize F percentages, while minimizing travel time?
Thanks,
Lark
PS We may just end up on AA, as the SFO-MIA-AUA routing is so attractive... If so, I'll have to burn the GPU's elsewhere.
Return flight lands at 10:39 PM unless you are willing to overnight at PTY. I see a rare early morning departure from PTY (not a daily offering) on one of the sample days I checked. That takes the ease of a PTY connection away, however. Spending the night in LA would be easier.
The benefit is that you might save your GPUs and still get the royal treatment. Just remember that some say I have been very lucky.
I know what I would do, but YMMV. It would be one long night if you did not get the UG.
Sep 26, 2014, 6:57 am
#231
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Posts: 5,825
Out of SFO, the AA routing does sound pretty appealing. If you can fly out of LAX, however, Copa flies a red eye to PTY with just 1:27 at PTY for the connection. Although many say the LAX-PTY UG is the hardest to score, I have never missed it as a 1K, and they fly their nicest F seats there that I love. I don't mind the red eye, as I sleep like a baby and arrive refreshed.
Return flight lands at 10:39 PM unless you are willing to overnight at PTY. I see a rare early morning departure from PTY (not a daily offering) on one of the sample days I checked. That takes the ease of a PTY connection away, however. Spending the night in LA would be easier.
The benefit is that you might save your GPUs and still get the royal treatment. Just remember that some say I have been very lucky. I know what I would do, but YMMV. It would be one long night if you did not get the UG.
Return flight lands at 10:39 PM unless you are willing to overnight at PTY. I see a rare early morning departure from PTY (not a daily offering) on one of the sample days I checked. That takes the ease of a PTY connection away, however. Spending the night in LA would be easier.
The benefit is that you might save your GPUs and still get the royal treatment. Just remember that some say I have been very lucky.
I know what I would do, but YMMV. It would be one long night if you did not get the UG.I don't have too many (they would be domestic) uses for the GPU's in the next 4 months, so would probably go ahead and use them on this trip.
That being said...
SFO-EWR-AUA - includes a redeye
SFO-IAH-PTY-AUA - ouch
SFO-LAX-PTY-AUA - Copa - doable on the outbound, long return
The more we look at it, the more we are thinking that AA is the best option. I'll just have to figure out how to upgrade on AA with no status.
Sep 26, 2014, 8:31 am
#232
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: MDE
Programs: AA EP, CM PP, AV GM, UA Silver, SPG Gold, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Plat, Marriott Plat, Accor Plat
Posts: 1,002
Of course that means you'll either want to complete the challenge or kiss the option goodbye for a few years. If you are SFO-based as your name implies, then losing the option might not be that big of a deal for you.
Sep 26, 2014, 8:50 am
#233
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Posts: 5,825
AA is still offering a free status challenge to UA 1Ks. If you time it correctly, you could be traveling on AA with EXP status.
Of course that means you'll either want to complete the challenge or kiss the option goodbye for a few years. If you are SFO-based as your name implies, then losing the option might not be that big of a deal for you.
Of course that means you'll either want to complete the challenge or kiss the option goodbye for a few years. If you are SFO-based as your name implies, then losing the option might not be that big of a deal for you.
I'll have to call and see if they will give me another challenge after they gave me the match 2 years ago.
And yes, being SFO based I could not make AA work for my travel patterns. EXP one year, soft landed to Plat, then back to GM in 2014. So, if I were able to sign up for the challenge now, it would likely just be for the benefits on this one trip.
Sep 26, 2014, 7:20 pm
#234
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: MDE
Programs: AA EP, CM PP, AV GM, UA Silver, SPG Gold, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Plat, Marriott Plat, Accor Plat
Posts: 1,002
I accepted AA's generous EXP match in 2012 (got in right after they stopped including the GPU's).
I'll have to call and see if they will give me another challenge after they gave me the match 2 years ago.
And yes, being SFO based I could not make AA work for my travel patterns. EXP one year, soft landed to Plat, then back to GM in 2014. So, if I were able to sign up for the challenge now, it would likely just be for the benefits on this one trip.
I'll have to call and see if they will give me another challenge after they gave me the match 2 years ago.
And yes, being SFO based I could not make AA work for my travel patterns. EXP one year, soft landed to Plat, then back to GM in 2014. So, if I were able to sign up for the challenge now, it would likely just be for the benefits on this one trip.
Best of luck!
Sep 26, 2014, 7:48 pm
#235
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: LAX
Programs: UA Plat MM, CM Plat, Amex Plat, Hertz CP, Hyatt Globalist, SPG Gold, Vons Club
Posts: 6,851
Anyone with experience with Copa Upgrades on the following city pairs: MEX-PTY PTY-SCL SCL-PTY PTY-MEX Im *Gold on UA (most likely Platinum when taking flights late November on the S/B and early December on the N/B) Thanks and Safe Travels..
Sep 26, 2014, 7:54 pm
#236
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Posts: 5,825
You are UA MP Gold. Or UA Gold.
*G, or *Gold refers to status within the Star Alliance (*A). *S (Star Silver). *G (Star Gold).
As you can see from my past few posts, I can't answer your question, but you are in the correct thread!
Sep 27, 2014, 4:32 am
#237
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 4,115
If you can fly out of LAX, however, Copa flies a red eye to PTY with just 1:27 at PTY for the connection. Although many say the LAX-PTY UG is the hardest to score, I have never missed it as a 1K, and they fly their nicest F seats there that I love. I don't mind the red eye, as I sleep like a baby and arrive refreshed.
Side note regarding the instant upgrade fares mentioned upthread... I think every single Copa flight I've ever flown was in YBorM, and I've never received anything resembling an instant upgrade; they do process nicely and reliably at the windows though.
Last note regarding Copa: Use a travel agent with them, always. You can't even get a refund on a refundable fare over the phone with them, they want you to go to a ticket counter in person with your passport and credit card. Dealing with them on the phone for ticket exchanges is excruciating, and several times I've had to walk away from residual value on refundable tickets because of this kind of nonsense. I guess you lose this 25% bonus thing, but not worth it to me. Maybe Ken has some better advice, but my experience has led me to use a TA for Copa tickets.
Oct 1, 2014, 5:36 pm
#238
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Programs: Hotels.com Gold
Posts: 168
Just used Copa's upgrade request form for an upcoming trip LAS-PTY leg. Only 7 seats left in business. It says that CPU's will be awarded first, being UA Silver, I should be able to get one but I don't know how honest their policy's are so I went ahead and said I'm willing to pay an extra $130 a person (2 people) for a 6 hour flight.
We'll see what happens. Flight is 4 days out.
We'll see what happens. Flight is 4 days out.
Oct 1, 2014, 5:40 pm
#239
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: LAX
Programs: UA Plat MM, CM Plat, Amex Plat, Hertz CP, Hyatt Globalist, SPG Gold, Vons Club
Posts: 6,851
Just checking again to see if anyone has experience originating at MEX. Thanks and Safe Travels
Oct 10, 2014, 5:54 am
#240
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: DCA
Programs: AS MVP Gold 75K
Posts: 947
GEO today: no upgrades left?
Greetings from beautiful Georgetown, Guyana! I'm here on the $296 deal ex-IAD... had a great experience with Kaieteur Falls yesterday and am heading home GEO-PTY-IAD later today.
I tried to do OLCI, but copaair.com says I have to check-in at the airport.
Having flown PTY-GEO Tuesday (it's a 2/week flight) in a 8/12 J cabin with T-48 notification (as Gold), I was a bit surprised not to get an upgrade notice yet for the return.
Am I doing something wrong, or do they not process these until the gate, or are there suddenly lots of MP elites getting out of GEO today?
I tried to do OLCI, but copaair.com says I have to check-in at the airport.
Having flown PTY-GEO Tuesday (it's a 2/week flight) in a 8/12 J cabin with T-48 notification (as Gold), I was a bit surprised not to get an upgrade notice yet for the return.
Am I doing something wrong, or do they not process these until the gate, or are there suddenly lots of MP elites getting out of GEO today?