I have used this strategy to secure a J seat on UA international award tickets several times, even if only Y seats were available at time of booking. For me, award space in business very rarely clears before flight time. But this strategy *always* worked at the gate -- even in NRT when after telling us four times (because I ask at every new point of contact) that there were no upgrades, a member of ground staff came on the plane and took me and my wife up to Business class.

But one day last year (maybe late 2009?) when going from IAD to GRU the departure gate agent told me there was no such "waitlist" or upgrade policy (award ticket was for my wife and resv had shown "waitlisted" for months on-line). "If space was available I have always been upgraded in the past," I pleaded. "She has to travel in the class she is booked." "But we've paid for business class, surely you won't let the seat fly empty." She conferred with a colleague who confirmed my perspective, that a business class seat should go to my wife if it's otherwise available. She said, "I could lose my job if I do this," as she did not want to budge. I said nothing. She hit a few keys on her keyboard and she slapped the business boarding pass on the counter. I took it, smiled, thanked her a lot, and left as fast as I could before she could change her mind! But I was still left with the impression--and only from this one experience--that there is no company-wide policy about ranking waitlisted award pax higher on the DM list. I do agree that appropriate ranking on the DM list should be the case. There were empty seats in J during the flight.

Anyone care to comment further on this Y to J award upgrade policy / process?