Originally Posted by Lori_Q
Yes, definitely change to other flights if you can get those upgrades confirmed!
You only have to pay the change fee if the new fare is LESS than the original fare. If it's even $1 more, the fee is waived. (This applies to international itineraries, not domestic ones.) Call the International desk, and work with the agent to find a fare that's a little more expensive.
United has started changing the conditions on some fares to eliminate this "loophole" so don't assume you will avoid the change fee. You have to talk to reservations about your fare to know for sure.