What good is a Regional Premier Upgrade if you are IK?
As a 1K, I am eligible for upgrades on domestic flights.
UA gives me a number of Regional Premier Upgrades (RPU) each year.
What good is the RPU if I am eligible for a space available upgrade anyway? When, if ever, should I use the RPU? If I use it when I book, does that put me ahead of where I would be as a 1K who gets his upgrade several days before the flight or is put on the wait list when he checks in? Does using a Global (GPU) for a domestic flight have any higher priority than the RPU?
No one at the airport or at the other end of the phone knows the answer, if they understand the question to begin with. The best answer that I got was to give them away!
Programs: UA 1K, HHonors Gold, Hyatt GP Platinum, Le Club Platinum, LH Senator, TK Elite
Posts: 189
Some hub to hub routes have high elite traffic, many GS members flying who have higher priority than 1K. If you're flying ORD-SFO, for example, a 1K may not get upgraded with CPUs, especially if it's on an Airbus. If you use an RPU for that a month in advance though, you might get confirmed immediately, and thus get an upgrade that you otherwise would not have gotten.
I used two to upgrade my husband and I (and our lap baby) on HNL-IAH, lie flat beds last March. This would not have been an automatic upgrade situation and it was well worth it.
Being a 1K does not do much these days with respect to upgrades unless you use an RPU in advance of the flight. If you check airfare code just prior to booking (you need to be signed in with your MP number) look for space in R. That will tell you if your request for an upgrade will likely clear when you book the flight. The upgrade space can be confirmed well in advance of the flight if R space is available. If you book within the 1k upgrade window, the RPUs are not terribly useful. You also can look for P or PN fare codes if you want to fork over the extra cost of M, B or Y fares which will book into first if P or PN buckets have at least one seat available.
I use mine on transcon flights when I can confirm at time of booking, or to increase chances on the EWR-SFO/LAX flights. I have a few now that I am saving for a vacation to HNL in the spring, and I'll either go through ORD, EWR, IAD depending on where R=>1 at time of booking.
Programs: UA 1K & UC, HHonors Gold, Hyatt Diamond, Avis PC, AS, US, AA
Posts: 708
Previous posters have covered the key applications (complimentary upgrades are a lottery; PS and BF-market flights aren't eligible), but another very real application is to upgrade traveling companions.
When I fly with one family member, I just play the CPU lottery (they can clear on my status). But when I fly with wife and kid, I use an RPU to upgrade my wife and then miniQBK and I play the lottery together.
If you always fly alone, this is obviously a moot point (although you can still use RPUs to upgrade family and friends who aren't flying with you).
Previous posters have covered the key applications (complimentary upgrades are a lottery; PS and BF-market flights aren't eligible), but another very real application is to upgrade traveling companions.
When I fly with one family member, I just play the CPU lottery (they can clear on my status). But when I fly with wife and kid, I use an RPU to upgrade my wife and then miniQBK and I play the lottery together.
+1. I spend more RPUs on the girlfriend and parents than on myself.
I used two to upgrade my husband and I (and our lap baby) on HNL-IAH, lie flat beds last March. This would not have been an automatic upgrade situation and it was well worth it.
Lie-flat? Last March?
RPU puts you ahead of other 1Ks not using RPUs, but behind GS and possibly other 1Ks using RPUs/ GPUs.
I have seen the upgrade list at 150+ on SFO-IAD. I don't know who many were 1K, but I'm sure that many 1Ks did not get CPU. This is especially important if you are on a low fare.
I recall seeing pmCO 772s on that route around that time...
RPUs are definitely useful to confirm either you or someone else outside of the CPU windows or on sets that CPU doesn't exist. Also it seems you can confirm southern South America itins on Copa using them too because all of their routes are CPUable.
What good is a Regional Premier Upgrade if you are IK?
