How often do your RPUs clear?
Sep 17, 2014, 10:30 am
#16
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Sep 17, 2014, 10:37 am
#17
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I don't think he/she does - with the claim of 24 unbought seats - which nobody would know unless using m.united.com well in advance (but who would, if looking for R), or access to UA rev management. He is probably seat map counting - which has its flaws.
Sep 17, 2014, 10:54 am
#18
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Yeah, I try to be a company man but if I have to travel every week away from my family I think about myself for flights 3hrs+.
Typically if I see 8 seats open in F class I will try to buy all of them and if it shows up I assume they are good. Not sure how this logic is fawed...
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Sep 17, 2014 at 2:03 pm Reason: merging consecutive post by same member
Sep 17, 2014, 11:12 am
#19
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As for LAX-ORD 11/17, there is R available at 6:42a, 8a, 6:45p, 11p. Are none of those suitable or are you insisting on a specific flight, which obviously reduces your chances? I see R all through that week (not on all flights), but what do you expect - R on every flight???
I can sympathize with the challenge of using upgrade instruments, but I can't say I've had the same problem with clearing.
Sep 17, 2014, 11:34 am
#20
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I've used or every one of mine. Each confirmed at booking. Since I don't like to waitlist, I have to be flexible.
As for LAX-ORD 11/17, there is R available at 6:42a, 8a, 6:45p, 11p. Are none of those suitable or are you insisting on a specific flight, which obviously reduces your chances? I see R all through that week (not on all flights), but what do you expect - R on every flight??? It doesn't work like that. To be flexible on use of my GPUs, I'm talking shifting cities/dates. You can't even move to an earlier or later time between the same city pair on the same day. I have zero pity for your "plight".
Obviously, empty seats in mid-September hardly is a gauge of a fill with last minute business travelers 2 months from now. Complaining that you can't get a specific flight is ridiculous when UA is offering you four other flights. You are opting not to use them on the available R flights on the day you want to fly - that's not UA's fault.
As for LAX-ORD 11/17, there is R available at 6:42a, 8a, 6:45p, 11p. Are none of those suitable or are you insisting on a specific flight, which obviously reduces your chances? I see R all through that week (not on all flights), but what do you expect - R on every flight??? It doesn't work like that. To be flexible on use of my GPUs, I'm talking shifting cities/dates. You can't even move to an earlier or later time between the same city pair on the same day. I have zero pity for your "plight".
Obviously, empty seats in mid-September hardly is a gauge of a fill with last minute business travelers 2 months from now. Complaining that you can't get a specific flight is ridiculous when UA is offering you four other flights. You are opting not to use them on the available R flights on the day you want to fly - that's not UA's fault.
If you are complacent that a 757 at a more opportune time has no R seats I'm fine with that. I didn't know that the intent of RPU/GPUs was for the very worst and inopportune travel times. When 7 reasonable time slots two months out on empty planes are unavailable I find it dissapointing.
I figure spending $20K annually on domestic flights might actually give me the ability to use my 8 instruments for non-red eye or 6am flights... I guess I'm just overentitled to think these instruments work like they used to or at least 25% of how they used to...
Sep 17, 2014, 11:42 am
#21
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...If you are complacent that a 757 at a more opportune time has no R seats I'm fine with that. I didn't know that the intent of RPU/GPUs was for the very worst and inopportune travel times. When 7 reasonable time slots two months out on empty planes are unavailable I find it dissapointing...
There is also R on the 8am and 6:45p flights. Again. if you want R, you to exhibit just a bit more flexibility than you seem to be willing to do. Again, this inflexibility is pretty much your problem, not UA's. UA's made seats available on the days and city pair you want.
As for a 757, use of that plane at that time might mean more demand for F seats at that time, not more F seats to give away. Later at night, you might see a 73x, matching lower demand. Business routes (LAX to ORD certainly counts as one) can fill amazingly fast in one month. UA has predictions on loads and they allocate R based on it. You look at an empty cabin and think UA should give away seats. UA might have data that says they have a chance of selling most of them between now and then and would rather allocate R closer to departure time. Again, this is very basic.
Last edited by IAH-OIL-TRASH; Sep 17, 2014 at 12:02 pm
Sep 17, 2014, 12:03 pm
#22
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I just found plenty of available flights when booking a trip to Beirut in September.....cleared both ways IAD-AMS and KWI-IAD at booking....
Sep 17, 2014, 1:25 pm
#23
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Seriously????? Then you are completely out of sync w/ how benefits work. Saver awards and R space are allocated at times/days/flights that UA thinks there will be extra seats. "Reasonable time slots" are those flights UA thinks they can sell the seats. This is a very basic concept and am very surprised that a 1K doesn't seem to know this. What you want (and what UA might be willing to sell you) at more convenient times is a Y/B/M up. But your notion that UA is going to make a lot of R available ahead of time during "convenient" (ie high demand) flight times is just not what UA (or many other carriers) does..
There is also R on the 8am and 6:45p flights. Again. if you want R, you to exhibit just a bit more flexibility than you seem to be willing to do. Again, this inflexibility is pretty much your problem, not UA's. UA's made seats available on the days and city pair you want.
As for a 757, use of that plane at that time might mean more demand for F seats at that time, not more F seats to give away. Later at night, you might see a 73x, matching lower demand. Business routes (LAX to ORD certainly counts as one) can fill amazingly fast in one month. UA has predictions on loads and they allocate R based on it. You look at an empty cabin and think UA should give away seats. UA might have data that says they have a chance of selling most of them between now and then and would rather allocate R closer to departure time. Again, this is very basic.
There is also R on the 8am and 6:45p flights. Again. if you want R, you to exhibit just a bit more flexibility than you seem to be willing to do. Again, this inflexibility is pretty much your problem, not UA's. UA's made seats available on the days and city pair you want.
As for a 757, use of that plane at that time might mean more demand for F seats at that time, not more F seats to give away. Later at night, you might see a 73x, matching lower demand. Business routes (LAX to ORD certainly counts as one) can fill amazingly fast in one month. UA has predictions on loads and they allocate R based on it. You look at an empty cabin and think UA should give away seats. UA might have data that says they have a chance of selling most of them between now and then and would rather allocate R closer to departure time. Again, this is very basic.
GPUs/RPUs aren't marketed as if they are limited to red eyes and off/off peak travel times. From 2009 to 2012 I had confidence that instruments would clear on a 757 LAX-ORD route like I mentioned well before or at the 96 hour window. I would wager to guess that if I put it in, it would be waitlisted until boarding time.
I have been told that having an instrument in puts you ahead of higher class same status customers on the waitlist who are waiting on UDU. I haven't been able to tell either way as the waitlisted never cleared.
Maybe the fact I have had zero luck this year is unique to me, but the changes post Smisek to UDUs and instruments are noticeable. When I travel 2 to 4 roundtrip PS flights a year among many other 4+ hour legs and they don't clear in favor of $279 last minute buy ups I can be skeptical.
I wish I could take my GPU's to next year. I've never tried using them on International travel. Do they require a specific booking class and copay? Would love to use them to take the wife to FRA. Obviously I would be more flexible on times when using them on a significant flight...
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Sep 17, 2014 at 2:04 pm Reason: mewrging consecutive posts by same member -- please use multi-quote
Sep 17, 2014, 1:38 pm
#24
Join Date: Jul 2008
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We have 4 RPUS that I finally gave up on trying to use. DW is disabled and we need to clear in advance. I bought P fares instead.
I just made platinum so I got two more of these essentially worthless coupons.
I just made platinum so I got two more of these essentially worthless coupons.
Sep 17, 2014, 5:59 pm
#25
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How often do your RPUs clear?
Hello All,
I was curious on how often people use RPUs for flights and how often do they clear?
I fly EWR to LAX RT every week during the business flight hours and for the last couple weeks I have applied an RPU. Each time after checking in I have been between 3-8 on the upgrade list. #8 on k and #3 on U.
I know this is a popular flight with many 1k and GS but it just got me curious what others experience on popular routes and how often you use RPUs and they clear.
I am starting to worry if I don't fly a different route I will never be able to use my RPUs
I guess I receive an F in searching forums.
I was curious on how often people use RPUs for flights and how often do they clear?
I fly EWR to LAX RT every week during the business flight hours and for the last couple weeks I have applied an RPU. Each time after checking in I have been between 3-8 on the upgrade list. #8 on k and #3 on U.
I know this is a popular flight with many 1k and GS but it just got me curious what others experience on popular routes and how often you use RPUs and they clear.
I am starting to worry if I don't fly a different route I will never be able to use my RPUs
I guess I receive an F in searching forums.
Last edited by warehouse341; Sep 17, 2014 at 6:51 pm Reason: Fail
Sep 17, 2014, 6:12 pm
#27
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10/10 this year on PS
Half of them was flexible enough to get R space at booking
The other half I had to fight for in between T-24 and boarding time, given the opening of R space and not clearing the UGs
Half of them was flexible enough to get R space at booking
The other half I had to fight for in between T-24 and boarding time, given the opening of R space and not clearing the UGs
Sep 17, 2014, 6:24 pm
#28
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I have had them clear only about 66% of the time. I've had them waitlist for months and never clear. And I need to ask for one which cleared back, after it went from upgrading both legs including an international 763 to upgrading only a mid-con domestic F followed by a 3+ hour CRJ-200... fodder for a different thread 
.
At the same time, UA is selling paid F and UFCs on those flights for barely more than discount Y. I actually have unused RPUs at the moment, in part due to traveling in paid F (via Z, P, and -UP/UPDI fares) several times this year. Frustrating.
.At the same time, UA is selling paid F and UFCs on those flights for barely more than discount Y. I actually have unused RPUs at the moment, in part due to traveling in paid F (via Z, P, and -UP/UPDI fares) several times this year. Frustrating.
Last edited by exerda; Sep 17, 2014 at 6:32 pm
Sep 17, 2014, 6:28 pm
#29
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www.diditclear.com is one (incomplete) source of info.
This is a perennial topic and the results vary widely
- When did you book
- what routes
- time of day / week
- fare
- size of the F cabin
all are influencers
BTW, I have clear 12 RPUs this year (almost all PS), 50/50 on clearing at booking or clearing after booking. Once did a SDC to move to a flight with R1. No failures. I tend to have some scheduling flexibility (on a given day) and book 6-8 weeks out. (And avoid Monday mornings)
There was an early thread today on this, so I will merge the two of them together. There are old threads but I suspect folks want recent
info
WineCountryUA
UA coModerator
This is a perennial topic and the results vary widely
- When did you book
- what routes
- time of day / week
- fare
- size of the F cabin
all are influencers
BTW, I have clear 12 RPUs this year (almost all PS), 50/50 on clearing at booking or clearing after booking. Once did a SDC to move to a flight with R1. No failures. I tend to have some scheduling flexibility (on a given day) and book 6-8 weeks out. (And avoid Monday mornings)
There was an early thread today on this, so I will merge the two of them together. There are old threads but I suspect folks want recent
info
WineCountryUA
UA coModerator
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Sep 17, 2014 at 6:53 pm
Sep 17, 2014, 6:33 pm
#30
Join Date: Jan 2014
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I've had an RPU not clear twice, SFO-ORD Thursday evening both times. FWIW, on one of the occasions, I called in after OLCI to have my RPU request removed. Refreshed flight status on UA.com, and my position in the UG list did not change.
