Since e500-related posts constitute a lot of the traffic on this board, it seems we could benefit from a master thread on these upgrade certs. Please PM me with suggestions/corrections; I’ll try to update the main post accordingly.

Summary:
An e500 (also known as a “500 miler”) is an upgrade certificate that allows one to upgrade one cabin on a flight of 500 miles or less within Region 1. They can be combined together to upgrade longer flights (details below). UA elites earn 4 e500s for every 10K BIS miles flown; they can also be purchased from United.

UA.com e500 links: e500 T&C | Upgrade FAQs | Check upgrade balance

Earning e500s:

UA elites (2P and above) earn 4 e500s for every 10,000 paid BIS miles flown on UA and UX metal in a calendar year (the e500 clock resets on Jan 1st). For example: UA-operated US codeshares count toward e500s but US- or *A-operated flights do not count toward e500s.

• EQMs obtained from sources other than flying do not count [FT].
• COS bonuses do not count [FT Post #5].
• e500 qualifying miles are subject to the 500-mile segment minimum, just like EQMs [FT].
• The e500 mile ‘clock’ resets on January 1st [FT].

2P & e500s:
You start earning complimentary e500s once you reach Premier (2P, 25K EQMs). However, you don't receive the first set of 4 until you fly 10K BIS after reaching 2P. For example: You're at 24K EQMs. You fly a transcon and earn about 2,500 EQMs, earning you 2P (with 26,500 EQMs). You will earn your first set of e500s when you reach 36,500 BIS, not 35,000 [FT Post #3,8].

e500 sweeps:

e500s should be automatically deposited in your account after each set of 10K BIS flown. The consensus is that e500s credit each week on Saturday evening, but mileage earned late in the week may not post in time to contribute to that week’s sweep [FT]. Attempts to get UA to post e500s early have generally not succeeded.

It appears that e500 sweeps have not run in January for the past couple years (at least). BIS miles accrued in January each year do not generate e500s until the first sweep in February. [FT]

Purchasing e500s:

e500s can be purchased from ua.com at the following rates (per 4 upgrades) [UA]:

• 1K,1P,2P,3P: $200 [FT]
• Others: $325
• Purchased upgrades seem to post almost instantly. [FT]

Using e500s:

You can request an upgrade using e500s on ua.com for an entire itinerary or specific segments only. You need one e500 for every 500 miles you want to upgrade. There is a 50 mile ‘grace’ [FT]. For example, LAX-PHL (2401 miles) requires 5 e500s, but so does SFO-PHL (2521). e500s can be applied to Region 1* itineraries on UA/UX flights only.

* Region 1 includes North America, Hawaii, the Caribbean, and Central America. [UA]

• e500s can be applied to any paid fare class (except Z-fare (discounted C) on domestic 3-class)
• Like all upgrades, e500s CANNOT be used on free/award tickets (except GS members).
• If using e500s, you will earn mileage based on the fare class of the ticket you purchased, not your upgraded fare class.
• For some itineraries (e.g., *A) you may not be able to request an upgrade online. In this case, you will need to call customer service.

You can request an upgrade with e500s even if you do not have enough to support the upgrade. If your upgrade clears, you will have the opportunity to purchase additional e500s or decline the upgrade [FT].

Calculating e500 requirements based on mileage:

If all segments clear before check-in, the number of e500s is based on non-stop mileage between origin and destination, regardless of whether a non-stop flight exists. However, if all segments do not clear in advance (and instead clear individually), you will be charged according to the distance of each segment [FT,FT]. For example, traveling ORD-DEN-TUS, you need 3 e500s if all flights clear in advance (1437 miles). But you need 4 e500s to clear both ORD-DEN (888) and DEN-TUS (639) individually.

• UA.com will list the 'worst case scenario' requirements. In the above example, the web site will state you need 4 e500s for ORD-DEN-TUS. If all clear ahead of time, UA will only pull 3.
• If you have a non-upgradable segment in your itinerary* (e.g., BOI-SFO-SEA), you mileage is calculated based on the upgradeable segments (i.e., SFO-SEA not BOI-SEA). [FT]

* This has only been confirmed for two-segment itineraries. Please see "unanswered issue" # 3.

e500s clear based on status. If upgrade space exists, upgrades clear according to [UA]:

• GS: 120 hours
• 1K: 100 hours
• 1P: 72 hours
• 2P: 48 hours
• 3P: 36 hours
• GM: 24 hours

Note: There have been reports of e500 upgrades clearing before the designated window [see FT #132-140]; however, this behavior is not well understood.

Tips:
- If you have requested an multi-segment upgrade, don’t check-in early (to allow all segments to clear if possible).
- If you are waitlisted for a single segment, this thread suggests you want to get on the DM list (via OLCI) as early as possible.
- If you change status while you have an upgrade pending, you need to have it backed out and reentered in order to clear at your new window (according to the FT UA FAQ "TIP #1").

Downgrading

It is possible to cancel an e500 upgrade that you've already requested.
- If your segment has not cleared, canceling is straightforward.
- If you segment has cleared, then downgrading becomes trickier:Expiring e500s:

e500s expire at the end of the calendar month one year from the date they are received. For example, an e-500 is received on November 3, 2007 can be used on flights departing as late as November 30, 2008 [FT].

• e500s with earlier expiration dates should be used first (FIFO), but it is a good idea to verify that this happens when you use them.
• They must be used (not just applied) by the date of expiry. After they expire, they are gone forever.*
  

* Prior to June 1, 2007, expiring e500s were converted to (500) RDMs. This is no longer the case. Elites at 1P or higher were allowed to register to have their upgrades continue to convert to miles, but that offer is now closed. For details, see this thread.

Miscellaneous:

Standby with e500s:
If you have a confirmed upgrade (w/e500s) and clear standby for a different flight with no upgrade space, the e500s get recredited. You can also ask the GA to put you on the upgrade list for the standby flight. [FT]

• Suppose you're flying DEN-IAD-RDU (1436 miles) and all segments clear in advance (UA pulls 3 e500s when you check in). If at DEN you standby and clear into F on an earlier DEN-IAD flight, you will revert to being charged segment by segment: 3 e500s pulled for DEN-IAD (1452) and 1 pulled for IAD-RDU (500).

“gifting” upgrades with e500s:
Unlike other upgrade instruments, e500s can only be used to upgrade a person traveling with you. However, some have reported exceptions to this rule [FT].

• See this thread for general information about sponsoring upgrades.
• Sponsored e500 upgrades should clear according to the sponsor's status (until DM); however, there are reports of exceptions to this rule.
• A sponsor may have to sign a 'bluey' to authorize the sponsored upgrade; usually this is trivial (since both parties are traveling together) and done at time of check-in.
• Technically you are allowed to upgrade only one traveling companion. A helpful GA may be willing to upgrade more than one person, however. YMMV. [FT]
• If flying with a companion, you cannot combine e500s from two accounts to upgrade one person.

Swapping upgrade instruments:

• You can switch upgrade instruments (e.g., from CR1 to e500) over the phone as long as the original upgrade has not cleared [FT,FT].
• Before the upgrade has cleared & before the flight goes to airport control, it may be prudent to avoid switching instruments. Once on airport control, upgrades clear (first) by status so switching is probably okay. [FT]
• After the upgrade has cleared... [FT] (may not be current information)

Using e500s on mixed UA/US itineraries:
You can upgrade any UA-operated segments (though your flight needs to have a UA flight number to upgrade in advance). [FT, post #29]

Profile for 500 mile upgrades: S*MPI/Upgrade500 (please let me know if you have the text for this profile).

** Many thanks to those who have contributed to this summary through their various posts on FT. The links [FT],[UA] point to those threads/posts/sites used as source material for this thread. **

_________________________________________________

Despite having combed through nearly every thread on this topic, there are a few issues I’m not clear on.

** If you have the answer, please post or PM. **

1. Let’s say I’m on a two-segment itinerary, and one segment clears before check-in. I do online check-in at T-24 and then the other segment clears before I arrive at the airport. It seems that a TA/GA offload and re-check me in to use fewer 500 milers, is that true? (see post 4 here: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=375134, and post #9 here http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=106686)
2. Does UA have to have a published routing to calculate the point-to-point distance using when pulling e500s? This thread is ambiguous: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=387652
3. Let’s say I’m flying a published routing AAA-BBB-CCC-DDD, A-B and C-D are mainline, B-C is UX with no first class. All (upgradable) segments (i.e., 1 & 3) clear before check-in. Is my e500 usage based on (A-D) or (A-B + C-D , because of the non-upgradable UX flight)? This thread suggests the latter: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=520549
   as does this one http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=354687
4. Any current information on swapping upgrade instruments after the upgrade has cleared?

Last updated: February 6, 2009, current through post #463