Upgrade Question Using Miles
 

I am traveling EWR-SFO tommorow as a Gold on an H fare and I also used 15k miles to increase my chances for an upgrade.

There are still three seats available in F, when do they clear those upgrades since we are already within 24 hours of the flight taking off?

Thanks!

I just checked pda.continental.com... assuming you are on flight 798 @8:45a and your name is BAR, A., you are #1 on the standby list.

I believe mileage upgrades go ahead of all status upgrades, and are then divided by status/fare class within the subgroup.

Yes, that's me on the top of the list, I thought that once they cleared the three elite levels for upgrades, they would then upgrade anyone using miles by elite level.

Over 20 people on the upgrade list and they have only upgraded one so far.

it looks like the OP didn't get upgraded. that sucks.

Nope, he's still numero uno.
Barring any shenanigans or 2 paid F customers, he should get it.

Thanks for the info guys, still showing 17 booked and 3 seats available, will keep my fingers crossed.

Hope you get a seat up front as well rggale!

Wow, now up to 36 on the upgrade list...looks like a flight to or from IAH.

LOL - did the same thing (gold on H fare, paid miles to jump the queue) on a recent flight... I was #1 on the list right up until boarding when the GA called me up and asked "who's your best friend in the whole world today?"

Made the LAS-EWR flight a LOT more pleasant. ;)

Anytime between now and 10 minutes before scheduled departure.

Thanks ijgordon.

Well... My spouse is flying frequently ewr-sfo (albeit usually on the 7am flight). She's plat. She's tried with miles a few times -gets to #1 for a while... then others jump in front. Keep in mind that Y-up (and perhaps B and M ups) jump ahead - y-up books directly into any F seat ... doesn't need to wait for EUA... M and B are restricted, but anecdotally I believe that they're processed ahead of mileage upgrades.

There may also be last minute flight changes from the earlier flights by people who have paid f/c tickets; or people who actually buy them last minute.

As people check in, they may also buy-up (to "Y" for example) and jump the line.

You've got a shot, but I'd rate the odds low.

Correct

As far as EUA goes, B, and M fares are not processed ahead of Mileage Upgrades. Mileage Upgrades and System-Wide Upgrades have the highest priority for EUA. That being said, a B or M can "jump" the EUA queue if 'Zish' inventory is available. All the passenger has to do is click the upgrade box in their reservation.

I believe that fare class trumps status here. We don't, however, have consensus on this point.

My understanding of all wait lists is (beyond displaced customers) that it's status + booking time or status + checkin time, depending on circumstance. Fare class not involved.

How recent is your information?

Here's the key post by CO Insider (my emphasis added), in the thread 2011 OnePass Program Changes:

What isn't spelled out is how SWUs and MURs are prioritized. I've seen others state that SWUs go first by fare class, and many CO agents have told me verbally that MURs also go first by fare class, but no one will go on record in writing that this is the case. The mods all used to contest this, but they've gone quiet after CO Insider's post. In short, it appears that no one is sure.

Prioritizing fare class actually makes sense. Why would elite status matter more than fare class? Because we're special? Right.

There were 9 seats open on my return SFO to EWR tomorrow. I'm 11 and sinking on the upgrade list, as the seats also sell. I don't put up miles in the short direction, but this issue is real, as transcon upgrades these days tend to end somewhere in the MURs. So it would be nice to at least be told explicitly in writing how the MURs sort.

Mileage Upgrades are prioritized by status and then time of request on the upgrade waitlist. They are prioritized by status and then fare class (and after that I think it's check-in time but I'm not sure) on the upgrade standby list. The former is spelled out on continental.com. The latter has been explained by CO Insider, and I think you'll find reference to it in the FAQ. I have no reason to believe this prioritization has changed, but I guess it's possible.