United 1K. Worth Switching to AC?
#31
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: 44,313
Your post is simply wrong. He'll sit wherever he wants to. TOD offers on United make it very cheap to sit up front, and I think I had about an 80% success rate getting E+ for free when I used to fly Y.
Upgrades on UA have become so hard for people like the OP because of how cheap it is for people like me to buy into F. I literally had to buy a fare a couple weeks ago where Y was 250 and F was 270. That's a regular occurrence when I'm shopping.
And that's why I'm always in F on UA, and that's my advice if you want to fly F on UA.
Upgrades on AC are much easier to come by as SE. J fares are typically a much higher Delta from Y, so it works out well to have AC status.
Upgrade on the airline with expensive J, and just spend tens of dollars for it on the airline with cheap J.
#32
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 3,359
If anything the one who's constantly paying to sit up front is the UA elite! Unless you're travelling on a W fare and bought your ticket months in advance, good luck. Otherwise you're playing a lottery and on some routes the Powerball has better odds than your upgrade clearing. As Cow pointed out it's not all that bad: you'll never find a $1000 upgrade to J to India on AC but you bet your bottom dollar that you will on UA!
#33
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Canada
Programs: UA*1K MM
Posts: 23,297
At least when I buy my W fare, I buy it for flights that I can upgrade immediately, without having to play the lottery like AC eupgrades.
I 've already used up my 2019 RPUs, all cleared at booking.
Also, low fares (K) can be upgraded, you just have to know how
#34
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: YVR
Programs: AC SE100K, Bonvoy Platinum Elite, IHG Gold, Hertz 5*
Posts: 2,132
#35
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 3,359
The 767s OTOH while ghetto at least don't have this issue and can provide reasonable lie flat comfort over the long haul.
@24left and @canadiancow please let me know if I've left something out
-James
#36
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: YEG
Programs: AC Lifetime SE100K, 3MM, SPG Lifetime Plat, Hertz PC, National Executive Elite
Posts: 2,901
The reference is to the fact that the new J pods on their 777s and 787s are known to deflate - there's a whole thread on FlyerTalk discussing the fiasco. How bad is it? Imagine sitting on a metallic park bench for a 12 hour flight! How prevalent is it? Common enough for there to be a multipage thread on FT about it and the worst part is you won't know if you're on one of those seats until part way in when the stupid bladder stops staying inflated!
The 767s OTOH while ghetto at least don't have this issue and can provide reasonable lie flat comfort over the long haul.
@24left and @canadiancow please let me know if I've left something out
-James
The 767s OTOH while ghetto at least don't have this issue and can provide reasonable lie flat comfort over the long haul.
@24left and @canadiancow please let me know if I've left something out
-James
#37
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 3,359
Joking aside no I haven't been AC J so I can't comment. However the thread on FT about this specific issue and speaking to some who do so regularly they cite this as one of the top frustrations long haul and overall (aside from certain routes going Rogue). Don't get me wrong AC is ahead of the curve in terms of all aisle access J seating something UA is starting to realize makes a lot of sense. But those deflating seats remain a sore point (pun intended)
-James
#40
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 3,359
I don't understand what this is all about. I'm merely reporting what others have said. If anyone wants to challenge my observation and say how wonderful AC J pods are on the 777 feel free to do so.
Don't shoot the messenger just cause you don't like the message!
-James
Don't shoot the messenger just cause you don't like the message!
-James
#41
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: YVR
Programs: AC SE100K, Bonvoy Platinum Elite, IHG Gold, Hertz 5*
Posts: 2,132
The reference is to the fact that the new J pods on their 777s and 787s are known to deflate - there's a whole thread on FlyerTalk discussing the fiasco. How bad is it? Imagine sitting on a metallic park bench for a 12 hour flight! How prevalent is it? Common enough for there to be a multipage thread on FT about it and the worst part is you won't know if you're on one of those seats until part way in when the stupid bladder stops staying inflated!
The 767s OTOH while ghetto at least don't have this issue and can provide reasonable lie flat comfort over the long haul.
@24left and @canadiancow please let me know if I've left something out
-James
The 767s OTOH while ghetto at least don't have this issue and can provide reasonable lie flat comfort over the long haul.
@24left and @canadiancow please let me know if I've left something out
-James
I just didn't realize your meaning. Nor did I realize they let UA customers who only buy K fares get actual experience with lay-flat beds.
#42
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Toronto
Programs: AC SE100K, Emerald Exec, HHG
Posts: 631
you might find it harder to qualify as SE with AC due to AC's skimming of AQM's relative to other airlines. I find this one of my biggest complaints with how AC treats is loyal flyers. While UA offers 100% PQM on all fares, except N and BE. AC scams its frequent flyers and only offers 50% AQM standard fares. If you fly for work and need to take the lowest logical fare, you'll most often loose out on 100% earning on most fare classes in NA.
#43
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: YEG
Programs: AC Lifetime SE100K, 3MM, SPG Lifetime Plat, Hertz PC, National Executive Elite
Posts: 2,901
Actually it looks more like you are expressing your opinions on something you know nothing about (much like the 10.00 meal voucher) and then saying you can't comment.
#44
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: CHI
Programs: UA 1K, MR Titanium, IHG Gold, National Exec
Posts: 3,841
you might find it harder to qualify as SE with AC due to AC's skimming of AQM's relative to other airlines. I find this one of my biggest complaints with how AC treats is loyal flyers. While UA offers 100% PQM on all fares, except N and BE. AC scams its frequent flyers and only offers 50% AQM standard fares. If you fly for work and need to take the lowest logical fare, you'll most often loose out on 100% earning on most fare classes in NA.
#45
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: YVR
Programs: Bottom feeder Star Gold
Posts: 2,652
Originally Posted by canadian cow
Upgrades on UA have become so hard for people like the OP because of how cheap it is for people like me to buy into F.