Jun 30, 2013, 9:22 am
Last edit by: PTahCha
I am flying on LH, but the ticket was not issued by LH; it is a code share. May I use a paper GPU?
Yes, the terms and conditions printed on the paper GPU are explicit on this point. Note that starting in 2014, when PQD-based elite qualification starts for 2015, flights on LH metal but not on UA 016 ticket stock earn zero PQDs, so we hope these terms and conditions continue.
How soon should I attempt to request to be added to the upgrade wait list (aka as the grading list)?
Because LH policy is to not upgrade a pax if there are not enough meals for that cabin, and because catering, even in FRA, requires as much as three hours notice, you should plan to present your request 3.5 hours before the flight departs.
I am traveling from AAA-BBB-CCC, how many GPUs do I need?
Two.
I am traveling from AAA-BBB-CCC. When I check in at AAA, can I be added to the upgrade list for BBB-CCC?
Policy says no. There have been exceptions reported.
Can I be added to the upgrade list over the phone?
Policy says no.
I am traveling from AAA-BBB-CCC. When I check in at AAA, can the LH people there alert catering in BBB that I intend to upgrade BBB-CCC?
Policy says yes. In practice, it rarely works. There have been exceptions reported.
I am traveling from AAA-BBB-CCC. AAA-BBB is not LH metal, BBB-CCC is LH metal. When I arrive in BBB there won't be any LH people airside to request addition to the grading list. What should I do?
Exit the airside area of BBB 3.5 hours before the next LH flight from BBB departs and head to the LH check in counter.
I have reserved a special meal. May I use a GPU and eat my special meal?
Policy says no. A special meal will prevent you from being upgraded.
As a pax departing in F on LH metal may I use the LH FCL or FCT?
Yes.
As a pax arriving in F on LH metal may I use the LH FCL?
Yes.
As a pax departing in F on LH metal may I use the UA GFL?
Yes if not departing from IAD. In IAD you may be directed to the LH Senators Lounge , which is contrary to the Star Alliance lounge access policy and may not be official; see http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/20895856-post36.html .
As a pax arriving in F on LH metal may I use the UA GFL?
No.
If I am connecting in a station that has an FCT, and I am departing on LH metal in F, may I use the FCT?
Yes.
What are my chances upgrading from J to F on LH metal?
In general, very good. The earlier you try, the better.
If I go to the airport the night before departure, can I be added to the grading list?
Policy says no, but there have been exceptions reported, such as someone who has an overnight layover.
If I go to the airport the day of departure, but before I am ready to check bags, can I be added to upgrade list?
Yes.
I am traveling on a fare class that is not explicitly listed as permitted or prohibited on the paper GPU. May I use my GPU?
If the fare class prices out to less than any one of the prohibited fare classes, then assume no.
If the fare class prices out to more than any one of the permitted_ fare classes, then assume yes.
Does the person who sponsored the upgrade have to be present when the upgraded is requested?
No.
Does the person who sponsored the upgrade have to be traveling on the same flight?
No.
Do I call the 1K desk or the MileagePlus service center to get a paper GPU?
The latter. If you try the former, it is likely the 1K agent will confuse this request with a Star Alliance upgrade request, and then tell you that your fare class is prohibited. Keep in mind that outside of M+, few UA employees have ever seen a paper GPU for use on LH.
What is the number of the MileagePlus service center?
See http://www.united.com/web/en-US/content/contact/mileageplus/contact.aspx .
Or call the GS/1K phone line and select the "MileagePlus Servicing" option.
I called that the MileagePlus service center and the agent had no idea what I was talking about.
Call again.
The new policy requiring the paper GPU certificate to match an LH flight number and pax name means I cannot have any "on hand" when flying a TATL on UA metal to and from Germany in case of irrops and rebooked to LH metal, right?
According to new policy, correct. However, http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/20728446-post248.html documents a case where the LH employee only cared about the pax name on the GPU matching the name on the ticket.
Are flights operated by Privatair dba LH eligible to use a LH GPU Certificate?
According to, http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/21655941-post362.html, yes.
Yes, the terms and conditions printed on the paper GPU are explicit on this point. Note that starting in 2014, when PQD-based elite qualification starts for 2015, flights on LH metal but not on UA 016 ticket stock earn zero PQDs, so we hope these terms and conditions continue.
How soon should I attempt to request to be added to the upgrade wait list (aka as the grading list)?
Because LH policy is to not upgrade a pax if there are not enough meals for that cabin, and because catering, even in FRA, requires as much as three hours notice, you should plan to present your request 3.5 hours before the flight departs.
I am traveling from AAA-BBB-CCC, how many GPUs do I need?
Two.
I am traveling from AAA-BBB-CCC. When I check in at AAA, can I be added to the upgrade list for BBB-CCC?
Policy says no. There have been exceptions reported.
Can I be added to the upgrade list over the phone?
Policy says no.
I am traveling from AAA-BBB-CCC. When I check in at AAA, can the LH people there alert catering in BBB that I intend to upgrade BBB-CCC?
Policy says yes. In practice, it rarely works. There have been exceptions reported.
I am traveling from AAA-BBB-CCC. AAA-BBB is not LH metal, BBB-CCC is LH metal. When I arrive in BBB there won't be any LH people airside to request addition to the grading list. What should I do?
Exit the airside area of BBB 3.5 hours before the next LH flight from BBB departs and head to the LH check in counter.
I have reserved a special meal. May I use a GPU and eat my special meal?
Policy says no. A special meal will prevent you from being upgraded.
As a pax departing in F on LH metal may I use the LH FCL or FCT?
Yes.
As a pax arriving in F on LH metal may I use the LH FCL?
Yes.
As a pax departing in F on LH metal may I use the UA GFL?
Yes if not departing from IAD. In IAD you may be directed to the LH Senators Lounge , which is contrary to the Star Alliance lounge access policy and may not be official; see http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/20895856-post36.html .
As a pax arriving in F on LH metal may I use the UA GFL?
No.
If I am connecting in a station that has an FCT, and I am departing on LH metal in F, may I use the FCT?
Yes.
What are my chances upgrading from J to F on LH metal?
In general, very good. The earlier you try, the better.
If I go to the airport the night before departure, can I be added to the grading list?
Policy says no, but there have been exceptions reported, such as someone who has an overnight layover.
If I go to the airport the day of departure, but before I am ready to check bags, can I be added to upgrade list?
Yes.
I am traveling on a fare class that is not explicitly listed as permitted or prohibited on the paper GPU. May I use my GPU?
If the fare class prices out to less than any one of the prohibited fare classes, then assume no.
If the fare class prices out to more than any one of the permitted_ fare classes, then assume yes.
Does the person who sponsored the upgrade have to be present when the upgraded is requested?
No.
Does the person who sponsored the upgrade have to be traveling on the same flight?
No.
Do I call the 1K desk or the MileagePlus service center to get a paper GPU?
The latter. If you try the former, it is likely the 1K agent will confuse this request with a Star Alliance upgrade request, and then tell you that your fare class is prohibited. Keep in mind that outside of M+, few UA employees have ever seen a paper GPU for use on LH.
What is the number of the MileagePlus service center?
See http://www.united.com/web/en-US/content/contact/mileageplus/contact.aspx .
Or call the GS/1K phone line and select the "MileagePlus Servicing" option.
I called that the MileagePlus service center and the agent had no idea what I was talking about.
Call again.
The new policy requiring the paper GPU certificate to match an LH flight number and pax name means I cannot have any "on hand" when flying a TATL on UA metal to and from Germany in case of irrops and rebooked to LH metal, right?
According to new policy, correct. However, http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/20728446-post248.html documents a case where the LH employee only cared about the pax name on the GPU matching the name on the ticket.
Are flights operated by Privatair dba LH eligible to use a LH GPU Certificate?
According to, http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/21655941-post362.html, yes.
Update to Lufthansa (LH) GPU Certificate Request Process
Oct 23, 2014, 12:43 pm
#586
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
I always travel on short notice as well. I believe that what UA isn't telling you/US is that Fedex isn't the bottleneck, UA is. IME they take at least a business day to send it out. For example, my latest request I called on a Tuesday, it arrived via overnight Fedex on the Thursday, showing a ship date of the Wednesday (the agent even built in more cushion saying it wouldn't arrive until Friday). The time before that I called on a Thursday for travel on a Sunday and was told it wasn't enough time.
The real problem here is the ridiculous paper GPU process. It penalizes exactly the pax UA should be trying to make happy - business travelers making last second purchases of long-haul tickets.
Oct 23, 2014, 1:37 pm
#587
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Between AUS, EWR, and YTO In a little twisty maze of airline seats, all alike.. but I wanna go home with the armadillo
Programs: CO, NW, & UA forum moderator emeritus
Posts: 35,415
uld rather that these passengers purchase business class fares instead of upgrading from coach.
Oct 23, 2014, 4:26 pm
#588
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.995MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,844
Oct 27, 2014, 10:16 am
#589
Join Date: Feb 2012
Programs: SEN, 1K
Posts: 8
Question for the experts as I just ordered my GPU paper voucher for a LH upgrade from business to first class.
The wiki states that the request at the airport should be submitted ~3.5 hours before departure for upgrades into F class. I am flying out of IAD with the first (18:05) LH-metal flight of the day to Frankfurt. My understanding is that LH check-in counters do not open until 3h before departure. Will this be a deal-breaker? Or any other way to get on the list before this?
Thank you!
The wiki states that the request at the airport should be submitted ~3.5 hours before departure for upgrades into F class. I am flying out of IAD with the first (18:05) LH-metal flight of the day to Frankfurt. My understanding is that LH check-in counters do not open until 3h before departure. Will this be a deal-breaker? Or any other way to get on the list before this?
Thank you!
Oct 27, 2014, 10:24 am
#590
Join Date: May 2006
Location: DCA & IAD but never BWI
Programs: UA GS
Posts: 181
Not a dealbreaker and shouldn't be a problem. I have a perfect record upgrading C to F at IAD...I've never arrived earlier than 3 hours either.
Tim
Tim
Oct 30, 2014, 8:47 am
#591
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: a proud member of FT since 05-05-1998
Programs: DL, AF and KL - UA - *G
Posts: 2,239
I returned paper GPU's to be credited to my account - it has been 2 weeks but they have not shown up in my account yet.
I am getting a bit nervous - any experience by others how long it takes for paper GPU's to be back in the account?
Thank you!
I am getting a bit nervous - any experience by others how long it takes for paper GPU's to be back in the account?
Thank you!
Oct 30, 2014, 3:04 pm
#592
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: ORD, MKE
Programs: Bonvoy LT Gold, Hilton Silver, Hyatt Discoverist, Hertz PC, National EE
Posts: 710
When it did finally arrive a couple days later someone errouneously recredited my account but they pulled it before I had a chance to alert them.
Nov 7, 2014, 2:01 pm
#593
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 23
I'll be booking a flight for ~January 9th from Europe to SFO in biz D class. Will I have a better chance clearing a paper GPU for upgrade to F via FRA or MUC? Thanks!
Nov 7, 2014, 3:36 pm
#594
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: a proud member of FT since 05-05-1998
Programs: DL, AF and KL - UA - *G
Posts: 2,239
MUC will be better usually - less connection's to fill the plane
Nov 7, 2014, 3:46 pm
#595
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: IAD
Programs: Free Agent
Posts: 1,937
Are LH Premium Economy Fares (N, E, G) eligible for paper GPU's? The UA website doesn't seem to have been updated yet.
Nov 10, 2014, 11:28 am
#596
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: YYZ
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 108
Hi,
I have never requested a GPU on LH, I do have a few questions.
1) How do I book a V class ticket on LH on the web?
2) What are the chances of an upgrade from
FRA to HND/NRT on Dec 9th?
HND/NRT to FRA on Jan 20/21/22?
3) So I need to show up at the airport at to do this upgrade?
I have never requested a GPU on LH, I do have a few questions.
1) How do I book a V class ticket on LH on the web?
2) What are the chances of an upgrade from
FRA to HND/NRT on Dec 9th?
HND/NRT to FRA on Jan 20/21/22?
3) So I need to show up at the airport at to do this upgrade?
Nov 10, 2014, 1:24 pm
#597
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 23
Thanks. The only problem with MUC is no FCT. I'm leaning towards going big or going home - try for FRA + FCT and if I don't get it, no biggie. Maybe I should book FRA to SEA or something less popular than SFO...
Nov 10, 2014, 2:59 pm
#598
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Northern Calif./Eastern Ida.
Programs: Amethyst Premier Plutonium Medallion
Posts: 20,638
the LH GPU i have in my possession right now states that N and E are ineligible fare classes for upgrade. G is not explicitly excluded, but, i personally would not risk it on a G fare given that information, YMMV.