bldr1k

I fly 3-4 flights a week and haven't noticed much difference.

I'm 0/3 on CPU upgrades this year even as GS. The rest of my flights have been purchased first.

I think the real difference is the number of people purchasing first class.

jp12687

this +1,000,000,000,000,000,000

with the exception of their joke of a PS service-- First can generally be found for a fairly reasonable up-grade and i find myself doing it more now (especially on short transcons where i'll be out there for only a day-- or red eyes). Corp policy is basically stay within budget and i often can with those by adding a connection and flying in first rather than direct for about the same money in economy.

docbert

January is a crap month for upgrades - always is.

You've got the cross-over of status between those that earnt it the previous year and those that earnt it the year before, but more importantly you've got a non-trivial number of people dumping expiring RPU (and even GPU) on every flight they can - either for themselves or for others.

I used one RPU last week on a 600 mile flight that I probably would have cleared a CPU on (because, why not!), and I had 2 others applied multiple times for gold and silver status people (one finally cleared, the other didn't).

Those Gold and Silvers would have been above the OP on the upgrade list. As of this month, that's not going to happen in anywhere near the quantity it did in January.

mahasamatman

I'm sure you're correct about being told this by a supervisor, but...

Therein lies your problem. Airport agents, including supervisors, are near the bottom of those who have knowledge pertaining to United's upgrade policies. They do what the computer tells them, and they'll make up any story they feel like to explain it.

FlyingNone

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Good if you can find a supervisor who will look at a passenger list (while the flight is soon or ready to board) and "analyze" what each passenger's status is as well as the fare they paid. Even if they did see something amiss, that would not be the time to rearrange the list.

jsloan

I'm of two minds on this. On the one hand, it would be nice to be able to see everyone's status and fare basis on the website or app; not only would it help prevent shenanigans, it would enable those with flexible travel plans to SDC to a flight where they'd be higher on the list.

On the other hand, I'd hate to be #1 on the list and watch "my" seat get poached by someone using SDC. :-)

(If this were to happen, I'd also want people to appear on the list before they checked in; otherwise, the list could be really misleading...)

COSPILOT

I'm not on either side of this debate of whether the OP is correct or not, but I have flown 18 segments in the last month and was shocked at how far down the list I was for many segments.

In 2015 I would end up in the top 5 on the upgrade list for CPU's, in 2016 I have been as high as 15 on the upgrade list at the close of boarding.

Have 6 segments to fly this week beginning Feb. 2nd, but I upgraded 2 with a RPU, and 2 more are on 200's, so two flights to see how far down I will miss the upgrade at departure.

stevneil

I recently wound up 23rd on an international UG list as a 1k. Ostensibly, I was on a lowly W fare, and the LA (lounge agent) explained that there were 5 globals and 25 1Ks. On domestic routes, people with expiring regionals try to blow them off this time of year, so the OP may have found himself lower on the list than usual.

RobOnLI

Why would you hate to see the seat go to an SDC? It means someone *paid* for first class and is SDC'ing their flight. What you should hate to see is if someone TODs you

Since I buy P or higher fares (unless only on a domestic ticket) I really wish UA would hold a seat or two in F up until flight time so I can SDC when needed. Many times in the past 6 months I've been unable to SDC unless I'm willing to voluntarily downgrade myself.

-RM

simmang

I agree with this, although it seems like they usually keep 1 seat open up until departure unless someone TODs it.

I always get a little nervous when flying paid F that in case of IRROPS, they have already CPUd away all open seats on other flights.

Bonehead

Yup...in this post:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/25602566-post116.html

johnden

I've seen this happen when paid F flyers are in Y. They are like distressed passengers and get priority over Y->F upgrades. Although sometimes it doesn't get coded correctly and I've ended up at #20 on the upgrade list despite having an originally paid F itinerary.

This can happen if you miss a connection, during IRROPs, SDC, etc, lots of ways for a silver or gold to end up in Y with a paid F ticket.

jsloan

To be clear -- I was suggesting that UA publish the priority of everyone on the waitlist. As a plat frequently traveling on N, G, K fares, I would be vulnerable to SDC from a 1K, or a plat on an M, V, W, etc., presumably from a flight where they didn't expect to clear. That can obviously happen today, but publishing the priority information would make it obvious which flights were the best targets.

(I realize that only a small fraction of the flying populace would try to take advantage of this. However, a large number of the people reading this thread might be among them. :-)

DENflyer3

Tree skier, you were flying from den to SFO the week of the Super Bowl and were surprised you did not get an upgrade? I'm number 2 tonight as a GS on a y fare, it's a busy flight this week

SEA1K4EVR

Nah it's just not the case.. in the past couple years I've been upgrade at the 96 hour window, and I've been as low as #20 on the list at the gate when it was long missing it by a mile. There has been no policy change despite what an airport agent told you. After Feb 16th there's going to be a 1K friendly change where lower status folks on Y/B fares will not be prioritized ahead of 1K's on the CPU list as they are today.

Treeskier, you might also consider if you were traveling on a flight where people were re-booked from other flights that may have been delayed or cancelled due to weather..UA will often re-book them in full Y class. And if they have any level of Premier status...they will be ahead of you on the CPU list (this is another thing that will be fixed after Feb 16th for 1K's..lower level elites will not get that advantage any longer). There have been a lot of weather problems recently.. I'm thinking perhaps this is what you encountered and there were silvers/golds that happened to skip over you.

Despite what an airport employee told you... mahasamatman is correct.. they are rarely a reliable source of information on policy changes like this... UA publishes the upgrade priority right on its website... and nothing changed Jan 1. Feb 16th.. that's the date for the next change, and it will be a change in your favor.

As others have mentioned... the tantalizing A, Z, and P fares have become quite attractive as well especially with the 200% PQM earnings (which started Jan 1). I've taken just 2 domestic trips this year total and have over 25k PQM's because I took advantage of paid first deals.. no playing of the upgrade game either.