Originally Posted by
1Konsultant
If you had to be waitlisted for upgrade
Assume they won't clear and plan accordingly. If the flight doesn't have R inventory available at time of purchase, safest assumption is that you'll be flying in your ticketed cabin.
Originally Posted by
1Konsultant
would you take your chances on SFO-LHR in a 772 or 744 or SFO-IAD-ZRH in a 772+764 (SFO-IAD portion clears immediately)? LHR C cabins are ~60-65% full (3-class); ZRH is ~50% full (2-class) for flights in early July. I'm a Gold using a 1K's GPU.
Book the flight that works best for you, waitlist the GPU, and assume that it won't clear.
Within 24 hrs of travel, research what flights *do* have R inventory, and make a free same-day confirmed change onto them and reapply GPU on the new flight to clear instantly at time of SDC. This may sometimes require intervention from your sponsor (reports are mixed, I only ever use my own or share with my wife so it's not a big deal).
Note that SDC-eligible options to ZRH entirely on UA metal are not great — SFO-EWR-ZRH or SFO-IAD-ZRH. With an agent's help, SDC can take you ONTO United metal but cannot take you OFF of it. If you want to maximize your options, start with SFO-FRA-ZRH or SFO-LHR-ZRH and SDC (using an agent's help per notes at
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...-wikipost.html for SDC from UA codeshare to UA metal).
Also maybe consider SFO-LAX-LHR-ZRH. The upgrade situation on LAX-LHR is often less dire than SFO-LHR.