[Archived] Have a Simple Question About United Airlines/MileagePlus? Ask Here...
Mar 27, 2012, 5:49 pm
#1876
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Menlo Park, CA, USA
Programs: UA: 1K, HH: Diamond
Posts: 1,330
More on-topic,
I am seeing posts about a lot of reservation issues having to be dealt with "at the gate". I am not sure if this is accurate, but it has me questioning the value of a United Club renewal.
Are UC agents really referring people to "the gate" for help with issues (upgrades, seats, re-routes, etc)?
I am seeing posts about a lot of reservation issues having to be dealt with "at the gate". I am not sure if this is accurate, but it has me questioning the value of a United Club renewal.
Are UC agents really referring people to "the gate" for help with issues (upgrades, seats, re-routes, etc)?
Mar 27, 2012, 8:03 pm
#1877
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Bethesda, MD
Programs: UA Million Miler, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Gold
Posts: 814
Applying an upgrade to a flight already purchased
Should be a very simple thing to do, how do I apply an upgrade, in this case a SWU (or whatever they call them now) for a flight. Even the rep on the phone was clueless to this. What a waste of resources that I had to call United and waste five minutes rather then do this in 30 seconds.
Mar 27, 2012, 8:24 pm
#1878
Senior Moderator
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: UA Plat/2MM [23-yr. 1K, now emeritus] clawing way back to WN-A List; MR LT Titanium; HY Whateverist.
Posts: 12,396
dlwalt, in the United website, select "Change/View Existing Reservations" Then select the detail of the reservation you want to upgrade. At the bottom of the itinerary there should be three buttons. Select the one one the right, marked "Redeem Upgrade". Hopefully you'll be able to select the choice to redeem a GPU (the new acronym for SWUs.)
UA Insider has cautioned that in some cases, the Upgrade button may not be visible for some reservations. In that case, you'll have to call 1K reservations. But the above procedure has worked for me to redeem a soon-to-expire RPU (the old CR1).
UA Insider has cautioned that in some cases, the Upgrade button may not be visible for some reservations. In that case, you'll have to call 1K reservations. But the above procedure has worked for me to redeem a soon-to-expire RPU (the old CR1).
Mar 27, 2012, 8:26 pm
#1879
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Near SEA
Programs: UA MM, AS MVPG75K, Marriott Lifetime Gold
Posts: 7,969
dlwalt, in the United website, select "Change/View Existing Reservations" Then select the detail of the reservation you want to upgrade. At the bottom of the itinerary there should be three buttons. Select the one one the right, marked "Redeem Upgrade". Hopefully you'll be able to select the choice to redeem a GPU (the new acronym for SWUs.)
UA Insider has cautioned that in some cases, the Upgrade button may not be visible for some reservations. In that case, you'll have to call 1K reservations. But the above procedure has worked for me to redeem a soon-to-expire RPU (the old CR1.)
UA Insider has cautioned that in some cases, the Upgrade button may not be visible for some reservations. In that case, you'll have to call 1K reservations. But the above procedure has worked for me to redeem a soon-to-expire RPU (the old CR1.)
Mar 27, 2012, 9:52 pm
#1880
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: ORD
Programs: AA EXP & million miler
Posts: 3,992
E+ pricing: does it change closer to departure?
How firmly fixed is UA's E+ pricing? Wondering if it's adjusted at all as departure approaches and/or at check-in. Thanks!
Mar 28, 2012, 1:08 am
#1881
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PSM
Posts: 69,232
Should be a very simple thing to do, how do I apply an upgrade, in this case a SWU (or whatever they call them now) for a flight. Even the rep on the phone was clueless to this. What a waste of resources that I had to call United and waste five minutes rather then do this in 30 seconds.
Works pretty much the same, but you just find your itinerary rather than importing another one.
It is relatively fixed in terms of what they charge per segment. I wouldn't bet on it becoming cheap closer to departure. If E- fills up and you don't have a seat assignment you might end up getting E+ for free, but you also might end up in a middle seat in the back, too.
Mar 28, 2012, 1:40 pm
#1882
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Everywhere you wanna be
Programs: AA EP | UA 1K
Posts: 1,657
turns out my upgrade cleared basically 30 min before boarding. no announcement either, i had to manually check on the united app. Went up to the desk 5 min before boarding to ask for my BP, which oddly enough still had zone 4 boarding on it haha.
Mar 28, 2012, 3:40 pm
#1883
Join Date: Mar 2012
Programs: UA/MM/1K
Posts: 181
Question about Companion Policy for Upgrades
As stated on the united hub
"Companion policy
As of March 3, a companion traveling on the same reservation as any Premier member — including Premier Silver — is eligible for Complimentary Premier Upgrades, on select United-operated flights. The companion may be confirmed as early as the Premier member’s confirmation window, and will maintain the same priority as the Premier member, even on the day of departure.
Note: If the companion’s Complimentary Premier Upgrade confirms before check-in, the Premier member and the companion will remain on the same reservation. If the companion’s upgrade has not been confirmed by time of check-in, the reservation will need to be split in order to process the upgrade. However, the companion will remain on the upgrade list throughout the remaining flights on the itinerary."
maybe I'm not getting it - but does this really mean that companion's have the same status as the premier member only till before checkin, ie after checking in - sorry companion - ur on your own.
I'm asking since when I travel with my family - will they have the same priority as me if our upgrades don't clear before checkin.
oh and while I was looking - this benefit seems pretty good...CPU's for award tickets as well...nice.
***Complimentary Premier Upgrades on award tickets will be prioritized after the lowest paid fare class.
"Companion policy
As of March 3, a companion traveling on the same reservation as any Premier member — including Premier Silver — is eligible for Complimentary Premier Upgrades, on select United-operated flights. The companion may be confirmed as early as the Premier member’s confirmation window, and will maintain the same priority as the Premier member, even on the day of departure.
Note: If the companion’s Complimentary Premier Upgrade confirms before check-in, the Premier member and the companion will remain on the same reservation. If the companion’s upgrade has not been confirmed by time of check-in, the reservation will need to be split in order to process the upgrade. However, the companion will remain on the upgrade list throughout the remaining flights on the itinerary."
maybe I'm not getting it - but does this really mean that companion's have the same status as the premier member only till before checkin, ie after checking in - sorry companion - ur on your own.
I'm asking since when I travel with my family - will they have the same priority as me if our upgrades don't clear before checkin.
oh and while I was looking - this benefit seems pretty good...CPU's for award tickets as well...nice.
***Complimentary Premier Upgrades on award tickets will be prioritized after the lowest paid fare class.
Last edited by acesflyerSFO; Mar 28, 2012 at 4:04 pm
Mar 28, 2012, 5:05 pm
#1884
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.997MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,861
According to this post: the post check-in companion benefit may not be working and but can be added at the airport with the elite's status.
You need to have the appropriate credit card (PresPlat, OnePlus, Explorer, New Club Card) to get this benefit (not for all elites) and ONLY for the primary card holder -- no companions.
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Mar 28, 2012 at 7:30 pm Reason: update on post check-in companion process
Mar 28, 2012, 6:50 pm
#1885
Join Date: Mar 2012
Programs: UA/MM/1K
Posts: 181
"If the companion’s upgrade has not been confirmed by time of check-in, the reservation will need to be split in order to process the upgrade."
I think I'll use my CPU's for my kids and take chance for me and my wife based on my status.
Mar 28, 2012, 7:15 pm
#1886
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Houston
Programs: United 1K
Posts: 47
[QUOTE=WineCountryUA;18292113]That was the old UA policy, the new policy states "and will maintain the same priority as the Premier member, even on the day of departure. I believe this clearly means after CheckIn. This is an improvement over PMUA or PMCO policy.
In practice, what happened to my companion, monday on flight from LGA to IAH, was that our pnr was split upon checkin (without any input from me) and she (a silver) was downgraded to her status on the upgrade waitlist. Had her added at UC to companion upgrade where she bumped from #3 on list to #1 on list. She was subsequently upgraded. The UC agent couldn't explain it.
Since the pnr had been split at check in, when I considered doing a SDC change the 1K line wanted to charge her a change fee.
Kind of strange.
In practice, what happened to my companion, monday on flight from LGA to IAH, was that our pnr was split upon checkin (without any input from me) and she (a silver) was downgraded to her status on the upgrade waitlist. Had her added at UC to companion upgrade where she bumped from #3 on list to #1 on list. She was subsequently upgraded. The UC agent couldn't explain it.
Since the pnr had been split at check in, when I considered doing a SDC change the 1K line wanted to charge her a change fee.
Kind of strange.
Mar 28, 2012, 7:22 pm
#1887
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.997MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,861
... In practice, what happened to my companion, monday on flight from LGA to IAH, was that our pnr was split upon checkin (without any input from me) and she (a silver) was downgraded to her status on the upgrade waitlist. Had her added at UC to companion upgrade where she bumped from #3 on list to #1 on list. She was subsequently upgraded. The UC agent couldn't explain it. ....
Mar 28, 2012, 7:24 pm
#1888
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.997MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,861
Mar 29, 2012, 6:28 am
#1889
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: 30 minutes south of EWR
Programs: UA 1k MM;*A Lifetime Gold; Marriott Lifetime Platinum; HiltonHonors Gold. Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 7,816
Flying today EWR to SAN. I am 1k. I was #1 on the upgrade list. I added my daughter as a companion at the airport. She has no status. Oddly, she jumped to #1 and I dropped to #2.
She was happy!
In the end we both got the battlefield upgrades, but surely she should not have jumped ahead of me on the list?
I actually gave my seat to my husband! So, i am in the back, nd they are both up front!
Method in my madness ....... Payback will be due ......hahahahahahaha
She was happy!
In the end we both got the battlefield upgrades, but surely she should not have jumped ahead of me on the list?
I actually gave my seat to my husband! So, i am in the back, nd they are both up front!
Method in my madness ....... Payback will be due ......hahahahahahaha
Mar 29, 2012, 6:31 am
#1890
Ambassador: Alaska Airlines
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: BWI
Posts: 7,390
Flying today EWR to SAN. I am 1k. I was #1 on the upgrade list. I added my daughter as a companion at the airport. She has no status. Oddly, she jumped to #1 and I dropped to #2.
She was happy!
In the end we both got the battlefield upgrades, but surely she should not have jumped ahead of me on the list?
She was happy!
In the end we both got the battlefield upgrades, but surely she should not have jumped ahead of me on the list?
The only logical possibility is that she is on a higher fare than you and received your priority thus putting her ahead of you. I doubt that is the case here and it is a system issue...
Can't wait to hear your game plan for the payback
