Well, RN3 or RN2 makes no difference. Cancel the upgrade request by calling and then re-apply the PlusPoints online to get into PremPlus immediately.

Yes, United closed the buy-up loophole. If $300 is a buy-up and not a re-fare then you will not be able to use PlusPoints to get into Polaris. However, if you do a re-fare and flat out pay for PremPlus (O/A/R) then you can absolutely apply PlusPoints. Not only do you save yourself a bunch of PlusPoints (which doesn't sound like your motivation) but you also move higher up on the list per my previous post. However, you will almost definitely screw up your return. Technically if you re-fare it has to rebook all segments into the class of service you are paying for. All upgrades go away and PPs are refunded to your account. Does the return flight still have PZ open? If so then this is an easy change. If not then you are taking a huge risk because there's no guarantee that you giving up your seat will force PZ to open again. In all likelihood it will not. Now, having said all that, a very good UA phone agent can take care of this change while preserving your upgrade but technically that's not how it works and you may not find an agent willing to do it.

-RM

Excellent. This is exactly what I needed to know.

I saw I could cancel the upgrade request myself on the app, so I did, and then reapplied and immediately confirmed into PP. Upon doing so, I also moved from 5 to 3 on the upgrade list according to the beta feature 🤷🏼‍♂️

No new seats in Polaris have been assigned and it still shows P7 (and RN2, despite me just now clearing). However, a seat that was not previously available in PP became open and I am now in it (previously only center middle seats were open and I was able to get a center aisle)

Thank you for following along with my experiment.

I’d say that wasn’t supposed to happen, but it’s actually possible that you triggered two upgrades into J. It seems like you triggered at least one, in order to stay at RN2 and open the seat you wanted.

I agree, but the seat map in J is exactly as it was before and J remained at P7 (PN0, PZ0)

It is confusing how I went from 5 to 3.

here is a screenshot of the current load immediately after cancelling and reapplying plus points and is the same as the above from before 🤷🏼‍♂️

Well, the other option is that you’ve triggered the defect where sometimes, but not always, clearing into RN re-classifies you as if you had purchased Premium Plus in the first place.

Wahoo!

The only change I can see is that my buy up offer to Polaris before cancel/reapply was $1300 and now to buy up from PP to Polaris would be $2000.

You do NT need to call UA to remove a PlusPoint request. Within your account on the web site...

• From the main screen select "View My United" or MileagePlus->Account
• On the right hand side of your account summary it will show "PLUSPOINTS" and "View upgrades". Select "View upgrades"
• For each upgrade listed there will be a "Cancel upgrade" link.

Easy peasy!

I also saw it on the app under my trips at the very top it says “Plus Point Upgrades”. May only show up if you have a pending request bc hadn’t noticed it before.

Recently (past few days) experience suggests the loophole is still there. A 1K friend was in economy (PlusPoints applied) and I was in paid PremPlus (MUA for Polaris), Polaris was full, but PremPlus had space. At the Gate, the 1K was moved to PremPlus (seat next to me!) and moved ahead of me for Polaris -- which did not matter as Polaris was full but clearly showing the loophole is still there.

Why was he ahead of you on the list if you were in paid PP? Was it because he used PlusPoints and you used MUA?

Because the system appears not to make a distinction between Paid or Or Upgrade PremPlus (contrary to what UA has inferred). Note this has been a long running issues and 2 years ago I communicated with a UA VP's office about this and received compensation.

Normally Polaris upgrades are process first before PremPlus, and not a problem. This becomes an issue if space opens in Polaris (misconnects, no shows, ...) after PremPlus upgrades.

Pretty sure it wasn't that.

I can assure you that it’s not quite that simple. UA does make a distinction between the two, and I have seen cases where it absolutely prioritized them properly. It’s just that there are also multiple reports where it has not. I’m not sure we’ve found a pattern yet, or if there even is one.

But if you two have the same status wouldn’t you still be higher because of being there first?

All I can report is what I have experience, and this issue I have seen more than once in past year -- fortunately it did not change the outcome.

We did not have the same status and there is not priority factor on when you get into a cabin. Time of request is a priority factor but there are 6+ other more important factors.

I moved to 4!!!!

Cleared at T-56 hr