Jan 3, 2014, 7:11 pm

FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides

Last edit by: PTahCha

A recap of some of the key features of the refreshed p.s. product:

28 seats in United BusinessFirst with 180-degree flat-bed seats
48 seats in Economy Plus (36" pitch)
66 seats in United Economy
Complimentary in-seat audio video on-demand entertainment. However, headsets are no longer complimentary in economy as of 9/2014.
USB and standard 110v power outlets accessible from every seat
Gogo Wi-Fi for a fee (all cabins; no waivers for elite or premium cabin passengers)

The Global First Lounge at JFK is scheduled to remain open, welcoming Global Services members seated in United BusinessFirst on p.s. flights, as well as customers on connecting United Global First itineraries.

Upgrade policies are the same. No CPU. Only miles or instrument-supported upgrades.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/20168422-post1.html (UA Insider)

For mileage upgrades requested on or after 1 Feb 2015, Premier members are no longer exempt from upgrade co-pay on the p.s. routes. The co-pay varies by fare basis:

Fare Basis (Co-Pay Each Way)

Y, B (no co-pay)
M,E,U ($75)
H,Q ($125)
V ($175)
W ($225)
S,T,K,L,G,N ($250)

p.s.® Premium Service (LAX/SFO-JFK) Flights on UA - Questions and Experience (2014)

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Dec 13, 2014, 11:05 am

#616

WineCountryUA

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: 66,772

Quote:

Originally Posted by wco81

SFO-JFK, 12/14.

Yeah but I can't find indication that it is a PS flight..

My first year with UA, I got upgraded on a PS flight.

All SFO<>JFK flights are PS as are all LAX<>JFK.
PS flights are not CPU eligible. Require miles or RPU/GPU
However upgrades can not be request once checkin has started unless R>0 (no new requests for waitlisted upgrades after T-24 and no request via the online system at all)

There is only 1 free seat and there are 4 already on the waitlist.

Dec 13, 2014, 11:13 am

#617

IAH-OIL-TRASH

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Sep 2003

Location: Honolulu Harbor

Programs: UA 1K

Posts: 15,004

Quote:

Originally Posted by wco81

...Return flight from NY is CPU eligible though.

Well, if you're returning from EWR, it is. Not JFK.

"My first year with UA, I got upgraded on a PS flight"
Well, don't expect a second.

Dec 13, 2014, 1:51 pm

#618

TommyC80

Join Date: Oct 2007

Location: Frozen in Carbonite

Programs: UA Aluminum 0.6MM, Bonvoy Life Sentence, Hyatt Eliteist, AA Super Plutonium

Posts: 2,878

Quote:

Originally Posted by wco81

My first year with UA, I got upgraded on a PS flight.

Then it wasn't due to a CPU. If you were upgraded without using an instrument then it was an OpUp...and you got very lucky!

OR...perhaps you were flying CO/UA into EWR? Lot's of people have mistakenly thought that if they scored a 752 lie flat from LAX/SFO-EWR that this was "p.s." service. It's not -- and it is eligible for CPUs.

Anyway, I agree with the above...don't expect it to happen again.

Dec 17, 2014, 1:37 pm

#619

787fan

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Posts: 2,002

JFK-SFO down to 7x ?

i'm checking 2015 schedules and I'm noticing one thing ...

previous JFK-SFO has been 8x and JFK-LAX has been 6x for the longest time

I checked 2 random fridays in summer and fall 2015 and they're both showing SFO at 7x. when was this change announced ?

is UA going to lose those JFK slots, along with the JFK-IAD ones ?

Dec 17, 2014, 2:48 pm

#620

weirdlyndon

Join Date: Mar 2010

Location: NYC

Programs: AA EXP, UA Platinum, Alaksa MVP 75K, Air Berlin Gold, HHonors Diamond, Marriott Gold, Hertz PC

Posts: 2,389

Quote:

Originally Posted by 787fan

They may have divested some slots to other airlines.

Dec 17, 2014, 2:50 pm

#621

WineCountryUA

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: 66,772

Quote:

Originally Posted by weirdlyndon

They may have divested some slots to other airlines.

That is usually publicized, do you have a reference?

Dec 17, 2014, 2:57 pm

#622

weirdlyndon

Join Date: Mar 2010

Location: NYC

Programs: AA EXP, UA Platinum, Alaksa MVP 75K, Air Berlin Gold, HHonors Diamond, Marriott Gold, Hertz PC

Posts: 2,389

Quote:

Originally Posted by WineCountryUA

That is usually publicized, do you have a reference?

Nope. But I have a friend who works for UA at JFK. Granted, it's speculation, so until anything is publicly available, it's debatable.

Dec 17, 2014, 3:08 pm

#623

riphamilton

Join Date: Mar 2013

Location: BDL/NYC/BOS

Programs: UA/*A Gold, Global Entry, Marriott Plat, Hilton+IHG Gold, Hertz PC, DL

Posts: 1,752

i can continue to dream that there's an extra p.s. bird sitting around that'll get placed onto LAX-BOS turns permanently.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...anksgiving+bos

Dec 17, 2014, 3:43 pm

#624

787fan

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Posts: 2,002

Quote:

Originally Posted by weirdlyndon

Nope. But I have a friend who works for UA at JFK. Granted, it's speculation, so until anything is publicly available, it's debatable.

The best info I can deduce from UA's online timetable is that start Jan 7 it's going from 8x to 7x, through end of schedule, and it doesn't seem to be a seasonal reduction.

JFK-LAX remains at 6x the whole time.

Dec 17, 2014, 5:05 pm

#625

mduell

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Join Date: May 2007

Location: Houston

Programs: UA Plat, Marriott Gold

Posts: 12,686

Quote:

Originally Posted by 787fan

In the schedule I have from Dec 1, 2014 most of 2015 will be 7 flights a day:

Code:

   month    | d1 | d2 | d3 | d4 | d5 | d6 | d7 | d8 | d9 | d10 
------------+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+-----
 2014-12-01 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  2 |  3 |  2 | 17 |  7 |  0 |   0
 2015-01-01 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  5 |  5 | 18 |  3 |  0 |   0
 2015-02-01 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  5 |  3 | 20 |  0 |  0 |   0
 2015-03-01 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  4 |  5 | 22 |  0 |  0 |   0
 2015-04-01 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  1 |  4 | 25 |  0 |  0 |   0
 2015-05-01 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  4 |  1 | 26 |  0 |  0 |   0
 2015-06-01 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  4 |  0 | 26 |  0 |  0 |   0
 2015-07-01 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  4 |  0 | 27 |  0 |  0 |   0
 2015-08-01 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  3 |  2 | 26 |  0 |  0 |   0
 2015-09-01 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  4 | 26 |  0 |  0 |   0
 2015-10-01 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  5 | 26 |  0 |  0 |   0
 2015-11-01 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  4 | 26 |  0 |  0 |   0

(d1 means days with 1 flight, d2 means days with 2 flights, etc)

Similarly some number of days with 5 flights for JFK-LAX:

Code:

   month    | d1 | d2 | d3 | d4 | d5 | d6 | d7 | d8 | d9 | d10 
------------+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+-----
 2014-12-01 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  5 |  6 | 20 |  0 |  0 |  0 |   0
 2015-01-01 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  2 |  9 | 20 |  0 |  0 |  0 |   0
 2015-02-01 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  1 |  7 | 20 |  0 |  0 |  0 |   0
 2015-03-01 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  9 | 22 |  0 |  0 |  0 |   0
 2015-04-01 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  8 | 22 |  0 |  0 |  0 |   0
 2015-05-01 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  0 | 10 | 21 |  0 |  0 |  0 |   0
 2015-06-01 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  8 | 22 |  0 |  0 |  0 |   0
 2015-07-01 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  8 | 23 |  0 |  0 |  0 |   0
 2015-08-01 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  0 | 10 | 21 |  0 |  0 |  0 |   0
 2015-09-01 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  8 | 22 |  0 |  0 |  0 |   0
 2015-10-01 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  9 | 22 |  0 |  0 |  0 |   0
 2015-11-01 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  9 | 21 |  0 |  0 |  0 |   0

The number of flights in 2015 was cut in November 2014 -
Number of UA flights (in the cells) scheduled JFK-SFO in 2015 (months down the left side) by date the schedule was published (months across the top, on the first of the month):

Code:

   month    | jul | aug | sep | oct | nov | dec 
------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----
 2014-12-01 | 240 | 236 | 234 | 210 | 210 | 210
 2015-01-01 | 235 | 235 | 215 | 211 | 204 | 205
 2015-02-01 | 212 | 212 | 204 | 185 | 183 | 183
 2015-03-01 | 239 | 235 | 235 | 231 | 204 | 204
 2015-04-01 | 232 | 231 | 228 | 228 | 222 | 204
 2015-05-01 | 238 | 238 | 237 | 233 | 233 | 208
 2015-06-01 | 232 | 232 | 232 | 228 | 228 | 202
 2015-07-01 |   0 | 240 | 240 | 236 | 236 | 209
 2015-08-01 |   0 |   0 | 238 | 235 | 235 | 209
 2015-09-01 |   0 |   0 |   0 | 232 | 232 | 206
 2015-10-01 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 | 239 | 212
 2015-11-01 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 | 206

(the 0s are because the schedule only goes out 12 months)

Dec 17, 2014, 5:36 pm

#626

Boraxo

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Dec 2002

Location: Danville, CA, USA;

Programs: UA 1MM, WN CP, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Gold, IC Plat

Posts: 15,716

Just took my first RT on PS. As gleff was fond of saying, it's all about the seat. Nothing special otherwise. The service was good both directions, maybe even a little more attentive than usual as the FAs came by a couple of times at the end of the flight to offer refills. But the food was typical mediocre UA fare and didn't even reflect what was on the menu cards!

That being said, having a comfy lie-flat recliner seat for 5-6 hours is a huge improvement over the normal domestic F seats and easily worth an RPU. But maybe I will pack my own food next time.

Another plus: It appears they try to protect these flights from cancellation, there were a slew of SFO-EWR weather cancels during last Thursday's horrendous storms, but the early PS flights went forward.

Another minus: The JFK terminal and UC are pretty horrid, makes LAX look luxurious.

Anyway, just my thoughts, I doubt I will be flying this route again for a while.

Dec 17, 2014, 6:00 pm

#627

787fan

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Posts: 2,002

Quote:

Originally Posted by mduell

In the schedule I have from Dec 1, 2014 most of 2015 will be 7 flights a day:

Code:

   month    | d1 | d2 | d3 | d4 | d5 | d6 | d7 | d8 | d9 | d10 
------------+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+-----
 2014-12-01 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  2 |  3 |  2 | 17 |  7 |  0 |   0
 2015-01-01 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  5 |  5 | 18 |  3 |  0 |   0
 2015-02-01 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  5 |  3 | 20 |  0 |  0 |   0
 2015-03-01 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  4 |  5 | 22 |  0 |  0 |   0
 2015-04-01 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  1 |  4 | 25 |  0 |  0 |   0
 2015-05-01 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  4 |  1 | 26 |  0 |  0 |   0
 2015-06-01 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  4 |  0 | 26 |  0 |  0 |   0
 2015-07-01 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  4 |  0 | 27 |  0 |  0 |   0
 2015-08-01 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  3 |  2 | 26 |  0 |  0 |   0
 2015-09-01 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  4 | 26 |  0 |  0 |   0
 2015-10-01 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  5 | 26 |  0 |  0 |   0
 2015-11-01 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  0 |  4 | 26 |  0 |  0 |   0

(d1 means days with 1 flight, d2 means days with 2 flights, etc)

Thanks so much for the data. I'm wondering what's the reason for the cut. Is JFK-SFO doing so poorly ? Or is UA considering deploying p.s. birds onto a route other than JFK-SFO/LAX ?

Meanwhile, EWR-SFO is at a crazy high of 16x daily in July. EWR-LAX is not too bad either at 13x.

Dec 18, 2014, 1:17 pm

#628

hudson_jeremy

Join Date: Sep 2011

Posts: 5

Premier Silver CPU on PS flight = fluke?

Hey everyone - I read on here before that CPUs do not apply on PS flights. However, my wife and I (I'm premier silver, she's A3*S) both got upgraded on the JFK - LAX PS flight this morning. Was this a fluke or is this common?

Thanks!

Dec 18, 2014, 1:22 pm

#629

FoxFlyer

Join Date: Nov 2005

Location: LAX

Programs: UA 1K MM; Bonvoy Titanium; most other FF programs...

Posts: 654

Total fluke, unless they needed to do operational upgrades (if coach was oversold).

Either way, kudos. I can barely get my RPUs to clear on this route.

Dec 18, 2014, 1:23 pm

#630

aacharya

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Posts: 12,521

I have to assume, as a UA Premier, you don't mean E+.

In that sense, you were the benefit of an op-up - and not a CPU at all.

It is not common to be op-up'd on any route. It happens due to overselling of Y, and usually goes via Premier status.