Posted this on the UA board but no response, thought I would try here since it is * related. Grateful if anybody here has any experience they can share.

I will be flying UA LHR/IAD/SJC this coming Sunday and back SJC/LAX/LHR on Tuesday. I am booked in Economy (I don't know the booking class as it doesn't say on my email confirmation but I was told I'd be seated in the "premium" economy area, I assume from that and from the fare I paid I am in one of the YMBH booking classes).

I am * gold with SAS and consequently can't use miles to upgrade. However, I have a number of the complimentary * worldwide standby u/g certs (S*PMO/VG-UK), I was hoping to use one on each of the transatlantic segments of this trip to get into business. The booking agent told me that there was seat availability in business both ways but that there was no way I could waitlist for a standby u/g (makes sense I suppose) so I would have to take my chances at check-in. Don't know how this works on UA (are there quotas for different classes of upgrades, what is the pecking order etc.) and just what the typical load factors are like.

Any views on what my chances are? I read over on the SAS board that standby u/gs transatlantic ex-LHR are virtually unheard of, is this true? What about LAX/LHR? Are there any smarts I could use to improve my chances - apart from the good old "show up early"?

Thanks in advance!