NYTA

Flying in 51 hours on an overseas flight where I'm trying to use the CP upgrades. I call them regularly every day. They told me today that there are two revenue seats still for sale on the flight but my upgrade won't clear. When will they open this up for me? t-48? t-24? t-12? t-???

Any idea from the group on how they do the calculus here would be appreciated.

AlphaTango

Just keep asking. I got to use 2 certs for upgrade last year about 90 mins before the flight. Two other pax had missed their connection, club angels called the CP desk and processed the upgrades. ^

phlwookie

T-24 from the departure time of the flight. They will try to sell them up to that point. I snagged 2 seats in this manner out of MUC a few months ago by calling right at that time.

NYTA

Too bad I am going to be on another flight until T-21 or so. Hopefully nobody else will grab it until I can call.

geo1005

I'm not sure that's a hard rule. It would not surprise me if they held revenue seats to a biz-heavy destination like LHR or FRA well into the day-of-departure vs. a less biz-heavy destination like MAD.

But yes, keep calling and never give up until you're up front or the flight departs and you're in coach!

phlwookie

That's of course possible, but my experience has been very consistent here. Either they'll allow CP cert usage prior to T-24 or they won't depending upon loads and historical trends for how much of the Envoy cabin they sell, and then at T-24 remaining space typically frees up for upgrade, either miles + copay or CP certs. Obviously anything remaining may be sold at the gate/check in as well.

Brettzky

*emphasis mine.

That last sentence shouldn't be overlooked. Was traveling over the Thanksgiving break PHL-DUB and at the departure gate in Philly there was a VERY upset PP who had been allowed to check into Envoy at the counter (supposedly he had upgraded using a certificate), but had his seat sold out from under him at the last minute by a full-fare paying Envoy passenger. The rest of his family had been upgraded on miles, apparently. The gate agents were sympathetic, apologizing that he had been allowed to check into Envoy class when the seat had already been sold, but there was nothing they could do.

He ended up sleeping two rows behind me for the whole flight anyway, so I think his indignance was a little misplaced.

NYTA

At T-21 hours, there were still 2 rev seats available for sale but they wouldn't release the upgrade to me. I called again at T-12 hours and suddenly the flight was sold out.

I have to say, given how hard I have worked to try to get this upgrade only to be told that I couldn't have it less than 24 hours before the flight, really makes me wonder why it's worth it to even be loyal to US. My understanding is that at least on AA it's easier to use the upgrades. They may have earned some incremental revenue from a few last minute pax, but probably lost the loyalty of a customer and his family of 4 who only bought these tickets on US because of the upgrade potential instead of flying LX or LH which are both nicer in coach and had cheaper tickets.

Biggie Fries

Useful if sobering thread. I agree with those who posted noting that anything can happen until last minute and that they will allow CP cert usage even after OLCI in Economy. (I posted on my experience with this elsewhere....) The sobering part is the tale of the guy who got the last-minute upgrade and then had it pulled away from him for a ticket sale. Can't tell from the re-reading whether this should be interpreted as meaning anyone on a CP cert could/should worry that the seat will still get sold out from under them; or that anyone trying to use a CP cert "irregularly" (e.g., within T-24hrs) should have this concern; or whether this was just one of these IT timing glitches, where the Envoy upgrade got made without noting implication for other fare bucket....

I feel bad for OP that it did not work out this time. I understand the disillusion and wish that US were more aware of how all this plays out for FTers.... There have been several threads recently on value of CP status for CP certs and I go back to the following advice: If you are making CP for the CP certs, then you want to be doing it: (a) for an off-season trip somewhere, and/or because you have a lot of flexibility regarding destination or timing; or (b) because you are doing enough TATLs so that sooner or later the gods will open up a CP cert-eligible seat when you happen to be flying. Buying up, or re-arranging flying too much in hoping to use CP certs for a particular trip in the next year is, alas, a recipe for disillusionment.

la2clt

Ask at checkin and at club just in case. People misconnect, plans change, etc. Might be for naught, but worth it to try. If you have EF, set an alert for a C seat.

aztimm

There's a very thorough thread on using CP upgrades here:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/us-ai...er-thread.html

In a nutshell, if I wanted the upgrade that badly, I wouldn't buy a ticket unless I could immediately upgrade into Envoy.

When I've tried using the CP certs, I've called, told the agent that I'm flexible, want to use the upgrades, and hope to find an agent who's willing to help. If not, I'll politely hang up.

I've read far too many threads here about counting on using the CP upgrades then eventually not getting the upgrade. The bad thing is...on US TA at least, there's not really many (if any) good seats in coach.

pbuntrock

In my experience the CP Certs are pretty near useless; unless you are a leasure traveler whose dates and travel location are flexible. I do not find these certs to be a major benefit of being CP. I had one instance this last year (late winter, off peak to London) where I had four days of flexibility at either end of the trip and I could pick my airport either LHR or LGW; nothing. I decided to fly Icelandair in Economy Comfort for $100 more than US in coach; it was a very nice experience. In the many years of being a CP I've been able to use the certs just once; and it was pure luck.

I would never plan a trip assuming these certs will work. I cringe every time I read that someone is paying big buck to buy up to CP to get these certs. Better to use miles and cash.

Given the meger number of certs that US gives compared to other airlines, the relative uselessness is just plain stupid.

etsmyers

I wish they made this more of a hard benefit, even on a limited basis.

2 changes I would like to see,

1. PP get 2 changes with change fee waved, CP gets 4 annually
2. More of a solid envoy upgrade opportunity

Insiderdude

At least we're not back to a few years ago where your ticket price had to be greater than $1,200 to even be ELIGIBLE to USE the CP certs!

apeortdz

I actually did not mind that (and I thought it was $1400) because there seemed to be more availability.