anyone know if Copa is enforcing these fare class restrictions or if the RPU restrictions are instead the same as UA?

- Connect Regional Upgrades are not valid on the following classes on Copa Airlines and Copa Airlines Colombia-operated flights: L and T.
- Connect Regional Upgrades are not valid on the following classes on United-operated flights: Z, P, S, T, K, L, G and N.

The restriction will be embedded in the instrument. You're not going to get around it.

I'm wondering if anyone has experience using a Copa RPU on a United Z, P, S, T, K, L, G fare since UA allows RPUs to be used on these fares. Pretty different if RPUs require the same minimum fare class (W) as a GPU.

That's a fair question. But I'm skeptical, as I do believe the restrictions are embedded in the instruments.

I successfully used three CM GPUs this week on three UA itineraries. ^

Out of curiosity, were the UA itineraries credited to your MP account or to your ConnectMiles account?

It doesn't seem to matter which FF you are crediting the miles to. All that is needed is a UA Conf # with R space available (no WL). No Lufthansa flights and COPA can only do one passenger at a time. AFAIK, no changes are permissible (which means that the GPU is lost in case of any change especially a voluntary one). Hope it helps.

I believe I was in "E" and "R" space was available on UA for this particular segment. Does R space availability on United matter for the Copa RPUs?

Was just able to confirm a Copa-sponsored upgrade on a United flight. From previous posts, it sounded like a call to their call center was previously required, but I was able to do it via the website. R space was available and the upgrade was showing in my UA reservation immediately afterward.

^^^

Duplicate post

I can confirm that I just tired using an RPU on a T fare with R inventory available and was told that I cannot do it.

Just to be clear - you can use your RPU WITHIN a certain region but not to GO to a certain region. You cannot use an RPU, for instance, to go from EWR to GUM. Maybe that was not the intent of your post but it sounded like you were saying that.

This is fantastic news! :D I have a couple of tickets to book, as soon as Expert Mode is available again and I can check R inventory...

Same here. Just confirmed an upgrade on an upcoming 777 EWR-IAH. Go Copa!

I wasn't sure how this worked using a Copa instrument - maybe I should have bolded the 'I guess' portion of my post? - anyway, that clarifies, which is helpful.
The Copa info didn't seem to make the distinction between Regional vs Global clear...their website doesn't seem to provide a lot of detail. Hopefully that's improving.

Do we know if the Copa instruments will work on premium (lie-flat) United routes within a region, such as LAX-JFK?

You mean LAX-EWR, since UA no longer operates at JFK. In any event, that is the best use of an RPU (along with EWR-HNL and IAD-HNL). Although UA releases very little upgrade space on the ps routes EWR-LAX/SFO.

You can read more about where each type of instrument can be used on the UA website. RPU. GPU. Note that the CM RPUs have additional fare class restrictions and that unlike a UA GPU, they can't be used on LH flights.

Great info, thanks. Haven't flown UA in ages, forgot they shifted fully to EWR. Flatbeds are def. the best value to try to use my RPUs - well-noted on the likely limited availability.

Do I need to use my copa RPU on my United ticket? Can I use it to upgrade my parents' ticket online?

I've successfully applied Copa upgrades to a ps flight

If their tickets meet the criteria for fare codes that qualify, you may definitely use them for your parents. Check out the ConnectMiles site page on the Upgrade Certificates rules page. If qualified, you may apply them on the My Upgrades>Apply Upgrades page. You will need to be logged in to see the latter.

LAX-IAD showed R2 at booking. I was able to upgrade both itins with CM RPU's via a call to CM. Super easy. Next time I will try online.

Redepositing the RPU
 

Just FYI. When you cancel a United itinerary upgraded with a Copa RPU, the PRU is automatically supposed to go back into your account. However, it does not. Even when I call Copa, they need to send it to what they are calling their Operations Department. If you want to reuse your RPU on another flight immediately, it seems that the Ops department needs to still redeposit your certificate first before you can use it again. This, obviously, presents a problem as R space can be gone by the time you need to use it. They can "expedite your case" to resolve it within 24-48 hours. After concluding the call, I was told that I will receive an email confirmation within 24-48 hours and was given a case number.

I was just able to upgrade a UA itinerary online with GPUs.

It didn't work when I tried to do it as a roundtrip. I had to enter each segment separately.

Good to know. Just to be clear, did you have to apply per "segment" or per "direction?" Big difference depending on how many segments are involved.

I don't know. It was a simple two-segment RT itinerary. When I tried to upgrade both segments at once, it wouldn't let me apply the instruments.

Gotta say I was skeptical about this but it worked like a charm.

As far as I know, a Copa certificate can only be applied to a single segment, even when flying in the same direction. I had to use two Copa certificates to upgrade SFO-DEN-DCA, and I had to apply one certificate per flight number.

I'd be interested to see if you could upgrade multiple segments on one Copa certificate if the segments had the same flight number.

It is a great idea, but it doesn't seem to be working at least for me using the form under "Request an upgrade".

I thought perhaps it was because the flight is a CM codeshare, but when I entered the initial flight that is pure UA the same thing happened....little ring goes round and round and eventually the same screen shows up again, no error message, no apparent effect at all.

Also, it only allows me to use my Connect Miles account. Since the flight isn't booked under that one but under UA, it may not be able to make the connection.

Also, very curious that it wants to know the number of miles you have and wants your CM number twice, but nowhere does it ask for the certificate #.

I also tried using a just booked CM itinerary, same result.

Sigh, guess it's time to call and escalate.

How to "Apply Upgrades" (certificates)
 

Under My Upgrades there is no "Apply Upgrades" option, just "Request an Upgrade" which doesn't mention any certificate# and "Upgrade certificates" which only lists them and doesn't give a clue as to how to use them.

Are the Copa upgrades expiration dates travel by or redeem by?

AFAIK, it is "Travel by".

Is it possible to use COPA RPU to waitlist UA flight ?

Is one COPA RPU good for two segments, oneway ??

No.

One segment.

Error Message
 

I've tried the Copa website trying to upgrade numerous United Flights since the site appeared. All I have ever gotten is the red X: "Error when processing your request. An error occurred when processing your request. Please try again later."

Is this Copa's way of telling me the fare class doesn't qualify or R space isn't available? I want to rule out some technical error.

Copa website worked for me the first time I upgraded using GPUs about six months ago, then they "upgraded" the website and it did not work when I tried again in October. I had to call. The phone agents told me the website does not work. It took me two calls btw to find an agent who was able to do apply the instruments . . . first one couldn't find my UA reservation, then told me it wasn't eligible. Second agent was awesome, and took care of the upgrade very efficiently.

IIRC, you do need a W or higher to use the CM RPU on a UA flight.

Upgrade instrument philosophy
 

So I have all my CM GPUs & RPUs expiring at year end. My family and I are on UA IAH-PTY on an H fare, which should be eligible for these instruments. When I do a UA flight search for the flight, I see R0, which I assume is why I get an error on the CM upgrade page, as previous posts here say no waitlisting. Is there anything else to do other than keep checking and jump on it if I see R change?

(I used expiring UA GPUs on the outbound flight, which are waitlisted, and I have had GPUs get rejected on both flights before, so I'm not enthusiastic.)

The H fare is eligible. You're right, you need R to confirm the upgrade. Nothing to do but check diligently and have the upgrade processed if R opens.

It would be nice if their terms and conditions actually said you need R space on UA (vs only mentioning Z space is needed, which applies to Copa flights only it seems)

Yadi, do you get an error on Copa site saying that your class is not eligibile, or that the space is not available? I get the former even though it's a W fare...

I just get the error message I posted above, no details on what the error is. It's always the same. In my recent tries, I know the fare is eligible, and I know
R=0 on the UA website, but the same error. In my previous tries, it's likely my fare didn't qualify, but the same error.

do we know if the 12/31/16 expiration date is the redeem by or the fly by date?