Upgrade offer $59 EWR to LAX
Jan 27, 2012, 10:10 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Santa Monica, CA
Programs: UA 1K MM, Hilton Diamond, SPG lifetime platinum
Posts: 396
Upgrade offer $59 EWR to LAX
This just seems so wrong. But I was able to take advantage of it. Flying EWR to LAX. Checked in at T-24 got the boarding pass for my exit row seat. Flight was pretty full, FC had one seat open. Added to the upgrade list as usual.
Five hours later I decided to check my reservation on my iphone using UA App. Went to check in, reprint boarding pass, and noticed an offer to upgrade to FC for $59. Thought, that is odd. FC has been almost full for the last week or so and they weren't offering upgrades using miles. And the cost to pay for an upgrade was $450. And it was five hours since the flight opened for checkin. But I tried it, and I upgraded for $59. I was high on the UG list anyway, so maybe I would have got it for free, but I was on a W fare. I only paid $150 for the flight!. And now I'm sitting in FC for only $59! On a 6+ hour flight!
I don't know if the UG offer was made available to anybody checking in. I would think someone would have taken the offer due to the low price. I think they charge more to sit in E. Plus. This just doesn't make sense to me. Maybe it was a mistake?
Five hours later I decided to check my reservation on my iphone using UA App. Went to check in, reprint boarding pass, and noticed an offer to upgrade to FC for $59. Thought, that is odd. FC has been almost full for the last week or so and they weren't offering upgrades using miles. And the cost to pay for an upgrade was $450. And it was five hours since the flight opened for checkin. But I tried it, and I upgraded for $59. I was high on the UG list anyway, so maybe I would have got it for free, but I was on a W fare. I only paid $150 for the flight!. And now I'm sitting in FC for only $59! On a 6+ hour flight!
I don't know if the UG offer was made available to anybody checking in. I would think someone would have taken the offer due to the low price. I think they charge more to sit in E. Plus. This just doesn't make sense to me. Maybe it was a mistake?
Jan 27, 2012, 10:23 pm
#2
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: BKK/SFO
Programs: UA 1K, TG Platinum, SPG Gold, Hyatt GP Platinum, Priority Club Platinum, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 283
Wow How this possible
Jan 27, 2012, 10:28 pm
#3
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Silicon wasteland
Programs: UA 1KMM
Posts: 1,381
This just seems so wrong. But I was able to take advantage of it. Flying EWR to LAX. Checked in at T-24 got the boarding pass for my exit row seat. Flight was pretty full, FC had one seat open. Added to the upgrade list as usual.
Five hours later I decided to check my reservation on my iphone using UA App. Went to check in, reprint boarding pass, and noticed an offer to upgrade to FC for $59. Thought, that is odd. FC has been almost full for the last week or so and they weren't offering upgrades using miles. And the cost to pay for an upgrade was $450. And it was five hours since the flight opened for checkin. But I tried it, and I upgraded for $59. I was high on the UG list anyway, so maybe I would have got it for free, but I was on a W fare. I only paid $150 for the flight!. And now I'm sitting in FC for only $59! On a 6+ hour flight!
I don't know if the UG offer was made available to anybody checking in. I would think someone would have taken the offer due to the low price. I think they charge more to sit in E. Plus. This just doesn't make sense to me. Maybe it was a mistake?
Five hours later I decided to check my reservation on my iphone using UA App. Went to check in, reprint boarding pass, and noticed an offer to upgrade to FC for $59. Thought, that is odd. FC has been almost full for the last week or so and they weren't offering upgrades using miles. And the cost to pay for an upgrade was $450. And it was five hours since the flight opened for checkin. But I tried it, and I upgraded for $59. I was high on the UG list anyway, so maybe I would have got it for free, but I was on a W fare. I only paid $150 for the flight!. And now I'm sitting in FC for only $59! On a 6+ hour flight!
I don't know if the UG offer was made available to anybody checking in. I would think someone would have taken the offer due to the low price. I think they charge more to sit in E. Plus. This just doesn't make sense to me. Maybe it was a mistake?
Jan 27, 2012, 10:33 pm
#4
Join Date: Jul 2010
Programs: UA
Posts: 255
Maybe it would have been 590?
This just seems so wrong. But I was able to take advantage of it. Flying EWR to LAX. Checked in at T-24 got the boarding pass for my exit row seat. Flight was pretty full, FC had one seat open. Added to the upgrade list as usual.
Five hours later I decided to check my reservation on my iphone using UA App. Went to check in, reprint boarding pass, and noticed an offer to upgrade to FC for $59. Thought, that is odd. FC has been almost full for the last week or so and they weren't offering upgrades using miles. And the cost to pay for an upgrade was $450. And it was five hours since the flight opened for checkin. But I tried it, and I upgraded for $59. I was high on the UG list anyway, so maybe I would have got it for free, but I was on a W fare. I only paid $150 for the flight!. And now I'm sitting in FC for only $59! On a 6+ hour flight!
I don't know if the UG offer was made available to anybody checking in. I would think someone would have taken the offer due to the low price. I think they charge more to sit in E. Plus. This just doesn't make sense to me. Maybe it was a mistake?
Five hours later I decided to check my reservation on my iphone using UA App. Went to check in, reprint boarding pass, and noticed an offer to upgrade to FC for $59. Thought, that is odd. FC has been almost full for the last week or so and they weren't offering upgrades using miles. And the cost to pay for an upgrade was $450. And it was five hours since the flight opened for checkin. But I tried it, and I upgraded for $59. I was high on the UG list anyway, so maybe I would have got it for free, but I was on a W fare. I only paid $150 for the flight!. And now I'm sitting in FC for only $59! On a 6+ hour flight!
I don't know if the UG offer was made available to anybody checking in. I would think someone would have taken the offer due to the low price. I think they charge more to sit in E. Plus. This just doesn't make sense to me. Maybe it was a mistake?
Jan 27, 2012, 10:34 pm
#5
Join Date: Oct 2000
Posts: 2,657
Oh please. THis has happened before. And has been going on for a while. Supposedly fixed.
You may with to revisit my thread
CO LAX-EWR. Upgrade to First Class for $425 . Disgusting!
I fly regularly to LA. Since UACO, I've been splitting my flights between JFK(p.s) and EWR open jaw/combination. Usually p.s for redeyes coming back.
$59 seems low though to me. You must have already been on a high fare.
It usually $400-$200. Mr.Chicken (RIP) used to offer them too, but CO's system lets you bypass the line.
You may with to revisit my thread
CO LAX-EWR. Upgrade to First Class for $425 . Disgusting!
I fly regularly to LA. Since UACO, I've been splitting my flights between JFK(p.s) and EWR open jaw/combination. Usually p.s for redeyes coming back.
$59 seems low though to me. You must have already been on a high fare.
It usually $400-$200. Mr.Chicken (RIP) used to offer them too, but CO's system lets you bypass the line.
Jan 27, 2012, 10:35 pm
#6
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: SEA
Programs: Kimpton Inner Circle, HHonors Silver, Delta Gold Medallion
Posts: 155
$59? That sounds more like AUS-IAH, not a transcon!
Jan 27, 2012, 10:36 pm
#7
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: if it's Thursday, this must be Belgium
Programs: UA 1K MM
Posts: 6,484
what day of week, and time? Maybe the upgrade demand was not high?
Jan 27, 2012, 10:38 pm
#8
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Dallas TX (DFW/DAL)
Programs: American Gold, Hyatt Diamond, Starwood Gold
Posts: 312
Sounds to me like 'right place, right time'. Although I do agree that this is something that should probably be noted and fixed for the future.
Jan 27, 2012, 10:41 pm
#9
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: SFO
Posts: 3,942
Jan 28, 2012, 2:35 am
#10
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Japan
Posts: 5,577
Jan 28, 2012, 7:04 am
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: LGA/JFK/EWR
Programs: UA 1K1.75MM, Hyatt Globalist, abandoned Marriott LTT (RIP SPG), Hertz PC
Posts: 21,169
OP said he was on a $150 W fare. Cheapest M fare (for Plat buy-up) now seems to be ~$648 (a differential observed by the OP that seemed to be in line with official buy-up policy until OLCI). So this appears to be just a classic PMCO TOD - break your own rules (and sell out your loyal customes) for 10 cents on the dollar. 
No surprise too, the offer ended in a "9" - amazing how these "errors" are always $59/$79/$99. Wake up folks...
She did post a couple times yesterday in the thread about whether lifetime 3MM 1Ks would get annual GPUs.
No surprise too, the offer ended in a "9" - amazing how these "errors" are always $59/$79/$99. Wake up folks...
She did post a couple times yesterday in the thread about whether lifetime 3MM 1Ks would get annual GPUs.
Jan 28, 2012, 7:15 am
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Brooklyn, NY, USA
Programs: DL SM Plat, B6 TrueBlue, UA MP, AAdvantage
Posts: 10,008
Another "error" that put an extra $59 in UaCo's pockets...
Every little bit helps, no wonder the company posted a profit in the 4th qtr 2011 despite all the costs of integration.
Every little bit helps, no wonder the company posted a profit in the 4th qtr 2011 despite all the costs of integration.
Jan 28, 2012, 7:16 am
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: SJC, SFO, YYC
Programs: AA-EXP, AA-0.41MM, UA-Gold, Ex UA-1K (2006 thru 2015), PMUA-0.95MM, COUA-1.5MM-lite, AF-Silver
Posts: 13,437
Seriously, I would expect the wait list to be close to 100 people.
This is the way it will be from March 3 onward. This thread at least gives elites on FT an advantage over those who are not.
^ to OP for scoring. I don't begrudge him one bit, I would done the same.
Jan 28, 2012, 7:25 am
#14
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PSM
Posts: 69,232
I have no idea which way this one goes, but the "9" is hardly a smoking gun.
I'm more surprised that there was a $150 W fare transcon.
Jan 28, 2012, 7:40 am
#15
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Frozen in Carbonite
Programs: UA Aluminum 0.6MM, Bonvoy Life Sentence, Hyatt Eliteist, AA Super Plutonium
Posts: 2,878
I could see each segment being 150 -- but on a W fare?