Being a Plat at HP Sucks
Jul 3, 2005, 6:50 pm
#31
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 12,242
US's auto upgrade system is based on the following:
Fare paid, then elite status. Within elite status the requests are processed in the order the were received for an upgrade.
If you purchase a unrestricted Y (Y, B, U and N fare classes) and you can upgrade immediate regardless of status. Otherwise you must wait until to the 7/3/1 day windows.
Edited to add:
Unrestricted Y upgrades come out of a seperate upgrade bucket then restricted Y upgrades. It is entirely possible if I booked a discounted Y ticket as a CP to get trumped for an upgrade by a SP on a full fare that was purchased 2 days before the flight just because of how the buckets are structured.
If you are a CP and do not clear at the 7 day window, the computer will attempt to clear you again at the 3 day window before any GPs are cleared. This will also happen again at the 1 day window.
If you have not cleared at any of the windows and their are still seats available they go to airport control and the gate dance begins.
The gate dance is based on status and then time of checkin. When I was a GP I would luck out and be the only person to clear at the gate by using the web check in exactly 24 hours in advance of the flight. If a CP checked in at the minimumn time however that person would trump me no matter what.
It's all a game. I don't like having to go through the gate dance, but after reading what HP does after the windows clear, I rather have the gate dance.
Editied to Add:
I almost forgot, if you are travelling with a companion. They will get upgraded at the same time you do. This means immediately or at the 7/3/1 day window if there are seats available in the upgrade bucket.
Unfortunately, if there is only one seat available to upgrade and neither you or your companion will get it. You will be skipped until two seats open up. The idea is that you would want to sit, at least in the came cabin, as your companion, if not next to them.
As a GP and later as a CP, I've never had a case when I was travelling with a companion and have not gotten an upgrade solely because I was travelling with a companion. I've had to wait it out at the gate, but if the upgrade was denied it was due to something else.
Fare paid, then elite status. Within elite status the requests are processed in the order the were received for an upgrade.
If you purchase a unrestricted Y (Y, B, U and N fare classes) and you can upgrade immediate regardless of status. Otherwise you must wait until to the 7/3/1 day windows.
Edited to add:
Unrestricted Y upgrades come out of a seperate upgrade bucket then restricted Y upgrades. It is entirely possible if I booked a discounted Y ticket as a CP to get trumped for an upgrade by a SP on a full fare that was purchased 2 days before the flight just because of how the buckets are structured.
If you are a CP and do not clear at the 7 day window, the computer will attempt to clear you again at the 3 day window before any GPs are cleared. This will also happen again at the 1 day window.
If you have not cleared at any of the windows and their are still seats available they go to airport control and the gate dance begins.
The gate dance is based on status and then time of checkin. When I was a GP I would luck out and be the only person to clear at the gate by using the web check in exactly 24 hours in advance of the flight. If a CP checked in at the minimumn time however that person would trump me no matter what.
It's all a game. I don't like having to go through the gate dance, but after reading what HP does after the windows clear, I rather have the gate dance.
Editied to Add:
I almost forgot, if you are travelling with a companion. They will get upgraded at the same time you do. This means immediately or at the 7/3/1 day window if there are seats available in the upgrade bucket.
Unfortunately, if there is only one seat available to upgrade and neither you or your companion will get it. You will be skipped until two seats open up. The idea is that you would want to sit, at least in the came cabin, as your companion, if not next to them.
As a GP and later as a CP, I've never had a case when I was travelling with a companion and have not gotten an upgrade solely because I was travelling with a companion. I've had to wait it out at the gate, but if the upgrade was denied it was due to something else.
Last edited by wr_schwab; Jul 3, 2005 at 7:40 pm
Jul 3, 2005, 9:43 pm
#32
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Mesa, AZ
Programs: AA Ex Plat, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Silver
Posts: 638
Originally Posted by trvlr64
Time of Reservation? I don't think so. It's based on #1 your status. #2 the time you checked in (online or kiosk) & #3 your checkin at the airport with an actual agent.
Time of Reservation is considered so that you don't have to call and asked to be put in the upgrade queue. But overall it's based on status and checkin times. I'm a US1 and have had US2's knock me out of FC because I forgot to checkin at the airport early enough (in PHX oddly enough). I won't make that mistake again.
I think US has the most generous upgrade program out there. I hope it remains after the merger. I get FC 99.9% of my flights.
Time of Reservation is considered so that you don't have to call and asked to be put in the upgrade queue. But overall it's based on status and checkin times. I'm a US1 and have had US2's knock me out of FC because I forgot to checkin at the airport early enough (in PHX oddly enough). I won't make that mistake again.
I think US has the most generous upgrade program out there. I hope it remains after the merger. I get FC 99.9% of my flights.
I would think generous would be you can arrive up to say the required time to check in for the flight then whoever is on the list it goes by Current Status first then in that group, the person with the most miles flown (either last year, YTD, or rolling). That would be fair and generous, well maybe not generous to that US2 that sat at the airport for 4 hours hoping to get a ride up front. I don't think someone that flys in excess of 100K miles per year should have to show up early at the airport to "save a place in line" like someone waiting for the best seat for a new movie.
Lance
Jul 3, 2005, 9:57 pm
#33
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: FLL & PIT
Programs: Marriott Platinum for Life.
Posts: 1,235
Originally Posted by Robertsonland
But why would you LIKE it based on your time of check in at the airport. If you are a US1 and some US2 guy happens to be able to get to the airport before you he would get your seat. That's generous to him maybe but not to you.
I would think generous would be you can arrive up to say the required time to check in for the flight then whoever is on the list it goes by Current Status first then in that group, the person with the most miles flown (either last year, YTD, or rolling). That would be fair and generous, well maybe not generous to that US2 that sat at the airport for 4 hours hoping to get a ride up front. I don't think someone that flys in excess of 100K miles per year should have to show up early at the airport to "save a place in line" like someone waiting for the best seat for a new movie.
Lance
I would think generous would be you can arrive up to say the required time to check in for the flight then whoever is on the list it goes by Current Status first then in that group, the person with the most miles flown (either last year, YTD, or rolling). That would be fair and generous, well maybe not generous to that US2 that sat at the airport for 4 hours hoping to get a ride up front. I don't think someone that flys in excess of 100K miles per year should have to show up early at the airport to "save a place in line" like someone waiting for the best seat for a new movie.
Lance
My "generous" comment was based on the amount of times that I'm upgraded. Which again in 99.9% of the time. I don't get that with NW too much anymore. And only on UA once in a blue moon if there are no 1K's or UA employees!! LOL
Thanks wr_schwab for giving the true upgrade procedure. I couldn't remember it word for word.
Jul 3, 2005, 10:24 pm
#34
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 12,242
Originally Posted by Robertsonland
But why would you LIKE it based on your time of check in at the airport. If you are a US1 and some US2 guy happens to be able to get to the airport before you he would get your seat. That's generous to him maybe but not to you.
I would think generous would be you can arrive up to say the required time to check in for the flight then whoever is on the list it goes by Current Status first then in that group, the person with the most miles flown (either last year, YTD, or rolling). That would be fair and generous, well maybe not generous to that US2 that sat at the airport for 4 hours hoping to get a ride up front. I don't think someone that flys in excess of 100K miles per year should have to show up early at the airport to "save a place in line" like someone waiting for the best seat for a new movie.
Lance
I would think generous would be you can arrive up to say the required time to check in for the flight then whoever is on the list it goes by Current Status first then in that group, the person with the most miles flown (either last year, YTD, or rolling). That would be fair and generous, well maybe not generous to that US2 that sat at the airport for 4 hours hoping to get a ride up front. I don't think someone that flys in excess of 100K miles per year should have to show up early at the airport to "save a place in line" like someone waiting for the best seat for a new movie.
Lance
Just as a clarification. Once the seats go to airport control, status trumps everything hence the gate dance.
All CPs will clear in the order they checked in before any GPs clear.
All GPs will clear in the order they checked in before any SPs clear.
All SPs will clear in the order they checked in before they start selling F seats to the masses.
If there is only 1 seat left and there are 2 CPs whoever checked in first gets it. This is all done just before boarding is supposed to start.
This PSA was brought to you by my 200th post
Jul 5, 2005, 8:49 am
#35
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Mesa, AZ
Programs: AA Ex Plat, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Silver
Posts: 638
Originally Posted by wr_schwab
Just as a clarification. Once the seats go to airport control, status trumps everything hence the gate dance.
All CPs will clear in the order they checked in before any GPs clear.
All GPs will clear in the order they checked in before any SPs clear.
All SPs will clear in the order they checked in before they start selling F seats to the masses.
If there is only 1 seat left and there are 2 CPs whoever checked in first gets it. This is all done just before boarding is supposed to start.
This PSA was brought to you by my 200th post
All CPs will clear in the order they checked in before any GPs clear.
All GPs will clear in the order they checked in before any SPs clear.
All SPs will clear in the order they checked in before they start selling F seats to the masses.
If there is only 1 seat left and there are 2 CPs whoever checked in first gets it. This is all done just before boarding is supposed to start.
This PSA was brought to you by my 200th post
Originally Posted by trvlr64
My "generous" comment was based on the amount of times that I'm upgraded. Which again in 99.9% of the time. I don't get that with NW too much anymore. And only on UA once in a blue moon if there are no 1K's or UA employees!! LOL
Lance