Switching from AC to UA
Apr 19, 2016, 10:09 am
#691
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: YVR
Programs: AC SE*2MM. SPG Plat life
Posts: 4,644
Apr 19, 2016, 10:40 am
#692
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: YYZ, MNL, WAW
Programs: Marriott Titanium, Lifetime Plat, (now an AC nobody)
Posts: 1,978
Apr 19, 2016, 11:20 am
#694
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AC SE MM, BA Gold, SQ Silver, Bonvoy Tit LTG, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond
Posts: 44,353
edit and postscript, i doubt you'd see this in the yvr or yyc mll during a snow event. but do correct me if i am wrong (which i very well could be)
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/26506292-post13.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/26506292-post13.html
Heck, I remember back during EYW, there was some alleged fuel-worker-mini-strike in YYZ, no published issues or anything, and I had no trouble getting us routed away from YYZ. Although I accept that this one involved an email to the concierge, which is not something most people have access to.
Apr 19, 2016, 11:56 am
#695
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Canada
Programs: UA*1K MM SK EBG LATAM BL
Posts: 23,309
Nope, always 3-5 days after the flight.
Apr 19, 2016, 8:41 pm
#696
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Toronto
Programs: UA 1K, AC MM E75, Marriott LT Ti, IHG Dia Amb, Hyatt Glob
Posts: 15,521
I agree with you here. Last week I was scheduled to fly YYZ-DEN-LAS but it didn't look like my upgrades would clear, so during OLCI, looked at the four other routing options UA was offering me to change to for free (ORD, IAD, EWR, IAH), checked out the seat maps, and picked IAH. Sure enough, left with 2 empty seats in J so all silvers would have been upgraded.
Apr 19, 2016, 8:54 pm
#697
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: YVR
Programs: AC SE 2MM; UA MP Premier Silver; Marriott Bonvoy LT Titanium Elite; Radisson; Avis PC
Posts: 35,255
Apr 20, 2016, 9:02 am
#698
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: YYC
Programs: AC SE
Posts: 2,342
congratulations and good call.
as a silver ua is the best compared to any other *a. e+ and the hope in h3ll you'll get a cpu. and to be honest, i'm 2/4 upgrading as a silver, canada-iah odds tend to be ^^^ for silvers
then you go on the ua forum and see people who are 1k and 1/90 on cpu...... anyways canada is definitely a sweet spot so enjoy it. then you hit platinum and you're king of the hill (until you take iah-ewr on a weekday...where i was 12/44 on the upgrade list on a 763 with 2 seats)
this too. instant recognition like it's 2016 or something!
as a silver ua is the best compared to any other *a. e+ and the hope in h3ll you'll get a cpu. and to be honest, i'm 2/4 upgrading as a silver, canada-iah odds tend to be ^^^ for silvers
then you go on the ua forum and see people who are 1k and 1/90 on cpu...... anyways canada is definitely a sweet spot so enjoy it. then you hit platinum and you're king of the hill (until you take iah-ewr on a weekday...where i was 12/44 on the upgrade list on a 763 with 2 seats)
this too. instant recognition like it's 2016 or something!
Agreed that early recognition for Silver is a great benefit on UA for those switching programs, and that UA Silver offers good benefits, but don't expect upgrades on YYC-IAH as a Silver.
Apr 20, 2016, 10:49 am
#699
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AC SE MM, BA Gold, SQ Silver, Bonvoy Tit LTG, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond
Posts: 44,353
I would not say Canada-IAH is an easy upgrade on UA. YYZ-IAH may be an easy upgrade, but YYC-IAH is not an easy upgrade by any stretch - lots of paid J, GS, 1K's. Spouse has been in the double digits (10+) on the upgrade list as a 1K a number of times. Out of the UA routes from YYC, my impression is that IAH is the most difficult UA upgrade, with DEN, SFO, and ORD being generally better odds.
Agreed that early recognition for Silver is a great benefit on UA for those switching programs, and that UA Silver offers good benefits, but don't expect upgrades on YYC-IAH as a Silver.
Agreed that early recognition for Silver is a great benefit on UA for those switching programs, and that UA Silver offers good benefits, but don't expect upgrades on YYC-IAH as a Silver.
United offers unlimited upgrades, or so I've been told.
Apr 20, 2016, 11:33 am
#700
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Canada
Programs: UA*1K MM SK EBG LATAM BL
Posts: 23,309
Apr 20, 2016, 11:48 am
#701
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: YVR
Programs: AC SE*2MM. SPG Plat life
Posts: 4,644
Apr 20, 2016, 11:48 am
#702
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Ontario, CAN
Posts: 5,813
Apr 20, 2016, 11:52 am
#703
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: YVR
Programs: AC SE*2MM. SPG Plat life
Posts: 4,644
Apr 20, 2016, 12:50 pm
#704
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: YYC
Programs: AC SE
Posts: 2,342
If the chances for the upgrade don't look good, higher status members can always try to do a SDC for free for a flight where the odds may be better. UA has more E+ seats, plus 1K's traveling in Y get a free drink and food item, which is more than AC offers to it's SE's traveling in Y.
For people paying high fares for J or upgradeable Y fares, flying UA metal may not be the best bet. But for those who often travel on lower fares, UA benefits are pretty good.
Apr 20, 2016, 12:54 pm
#705
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Canada
Programs: UA*1K MM SK EBG LATAM BL
Posts: 23,309
The CPU's may not always clear, but at least you get on the upgrade list even when you're on the lowest fare, and may get the occasional CPU, which is something AC doesn't offer on its lowest fares. Have a CPU cleared for this weekend for a YYC-DEN.
If the chances for the upgrade don't look good, higher status members can always try to do a SDC for free for a flight where the odds may be better. UA has more E+ seats, plus 1K's traveling in Y get a free drink and food item, which is more than AC offers to it's SE's traveling in Y.
For people paying high fares for J or upgradeable Y fares, flying UA metal may not be the best bet. But for those who often travel on lower fares, UA benefits are pretty good.
If the chances for the upgrade don't look good, higher status members can always try to do a SDC for free for a flight where the odds may be better. UA has more E+ seats, plus 1K's traveling in Y get a free drink and food item, which is more than AC offers to it's SE's traveling in Y.
For people paying high fares for J or upgradeable Y fares, flying UA metal may not be the best bet. But for those who often travel on lower fares, UA benefits are pretty good.
But at least AC has transparent upgrade lists posted at every gate and online so you know ahead whether to prepare for upgrades clearing or not..
Oh wait.....