laxmillenial

Note that 1K certificates are different than GS certificates and clear into different fare classes: PN vs. R.

There's better PN availability than R

But, I agree with you, I use all my certificates and wish I had more.

FlyerTom111

Domestics are only good for upgrading family and friends. I only use them on myself on high demand routes if I see that one will clear instantly.

Unless it's a PS or Hawaiian flight, then I use them on those for myself.

As for GPUs, I use them if I can get a W fare or higher (depending on the region).

fracmeister

I always use mine up! It helps to be GS though

nomad420

Just curious what day of travel is that? I am still sitting on 2 RPU's on that route (SFO-EWR-SFO) and 2 on the new PS service SFO-BOS route. I see F is still wide open on both but no R availability yet. While most my travel is pretty restrictive as far as time/dates I do have a little flexibility.

As a 1K I have been sitting on approx. 18 RPU/GPUs for over six months now. Not a single one has been pulled. I have been throwing them at almost everything I buy from UA. I will say that I don't have the flexibility with my travel dates and times due to work constraints but R space for me seems nonexistent. As I see it being GS has a clear advantage with clearing into PN space. It is what it is.

laxmillenial

Are you buying fares last minute? Is it possible that last minute purchases are really hurting your chances? I tend to book 1.5-3 months before my departure date at the lowest fare class offered at that time.

nomad420

No, same thing, usually about 1.5 to 3 months. I even had two recent TATL flights, SFO_HAM and SFO-FRA that I probably bought 6 months ago not hit (I did BUY the SFO-HAM upgrade last minute). I believe much of the problem is being based out of SFO were GS paxs are a dime a dozen.

findark

The big differentiator is always day/time of the week. I've cleared RPUs on p.s. (Friday and Saturday nights westbound), and CPUs on things like Thursday noon DCA-ORD and Saturday afternoon IAD-BOS. Ask "does it make sense for a big-money consultant to fly this time?". If the answer is yes, your upgrade is not going to clear.

Syzygies

There are various easy and constructive steps United could take if it wanted.

[1] Admit the value they place on clearing an RPU or GPU rather than upselling the seat at check-in. Forecast their best estimate of the odds of a cert clearing, and offer to apply their valuation of the cert to an upgrade at checkin.

[2] I often can fly any flight in a half day or day window, I just need to get across the country and I'd rather do so in an upgraded seat. Allow us to list alternative flights, and clear us automatically into alternate flights when possible.

LangerhansCellHistiocytosis

June 2, 6;30 pm out of Newark and a 1am red eye out of SFO on the 17th. I'm GS though so I'm looking for PN inventory.

cyclogenesis

Get ready for me to be shot down in flames:
[3] Upgrade Business PAX to First to allow space in Business for GPUs before allowing staff to clear wait-list into first.

every-time I have failed to clear a GPU First has had folks clear who were on standby.. Now this does not mean they were staff (AFAIK) but very likely

laxmillenial

Don't they do this? When flights are overbooked, I have seen agents upgrade Business GS and high fare 1K's into First and then clear more upgrades from Economy -> Business

findark

But they don't do it if Y is not oversold. NRSAs go out in F and GPUs die in the back.

cfischer

The 6.39 p.m. today shows R3 right now ... not bad

restlessinRNO

While I agree with you, this will become less and less an issue, as UA retires their 3-class B747s and buys more 2-class B787s.

prometa

Your [2] would be okay from a customer service standpoint, but it would mess with revenue management unless (a) the alternate only cleared in I/IN and not R, or (b) you were willing to pay the difference in Y cabin fare to get the other flight (presuming they'd waive the change fee). You'd also have to waitlist on a separate list from confirmed Y passengers, and would have to have priority after even a non-status confirmed passenger waiting for a MUA.

For that reason, you'd pretty much only be able to confirm upgrades on flights where you can probably get them in advance now and would pay more for the upgrade due to the re-fare, but at least you wouldn't have to gamble on R-class opening on the redeye and could wait to confirm on that flight when it did.