UA or CO SWU Availability
 

It seems like CO SWUs are not valid for G class but United Region 1 SWUs are. Could anyone validate for me if 1) These flights could be upgraded by a UA or CO SWU and 2), if there is availability for that date and time? It would be helpful.

Best regards,

Beofotch

My understanding is that the minimum fare requirement for the SWUs is only effective on BusinessFirst itineraries. For regular domestic travel (like your proposed itinerary) there should be no minimum fare requirements.
http://www.continental.com/web/en-US...wupgrades.aspx
The CR1s should also work, and I'd redeem those if you have them for that itinerary, but either should work on a domestic trip.

I hadn't thought that CR1s would be valid too. Would someone with an ExpertFlyer account let me know if CR1 SWU inventory would be available for that specific date and time?

Beofotch

You do not need EF. Just go to CO.com and search that particular flight. Then click on the "Fare Rules" link in the right column (or get the GreaseMonkey script here which does the clicking for you) and look for the R bucket. If it is anything other than 0 then you can confirm the upgrade with a CR1, SWU or miles.

Right now the flight has tons of R inventory available so it should clear immediately. The noon flight MSY-IAH is R0 so you would have to waitlist that one if you want the shorter layover.

No need for an EF account -- info is available on co.com (since these are CO operated flights)
Info for upgrade for UA operated flights is available on united.com

Thanks for the insights. I realized last night that you could also see this via united.com's "expert mode" or by searching use "Confirmed Regional Upgrade". So i searched the flight but the cheapest fare that was in the OP, $139... doesn't show it is upgradable. Are y'all certain (as long as the upgrade inventory is there), that the "G" class fare would be upgradable with a Continental or United Instrument? A CR1 or SWU?

Yes. If you don't believe us you can confirm it yourself here

Do they above rules apply when trying to use UA SWUs on Region 2 flights operated with CO metal?

I can't get a straight answer on what CO fare codes are or aren't upgrade-able on TATL CO metal flights using UA SWUs

Thanks very much in advance for clarification!

That is the same question I have as well.

When you are transferring a UA SWU, you are effectively getting a CO SWU w/ the after Jan 1st 2011 rules. I my experience, the following applies:

ie. Buy the W or higher.

Makes sense -- I was told differently by a UA phone rep -- but I knew it sounded too good to be true.

Good thing I knew better than to take UA's word for it, and double checked here before I bought a CO S ticket and found myself SWU out of luck.

Thanks FTers!

When using a SWU on CO (Transferred from my UA account), what fare code on CO is the same as "NC" and/or "NF" (whichever applies for Y to BF upgrades)?

I know the "R" fare bucket is for domestic flight upgrades, but can't seem to find the answer for BF config flights.

Thanks!

You're looking for either R or RN. Both are upgrade buckets, with the RN for elites and R not. It is not clear that the R/RN has fully been implemented so I'd look at both.

Thanks!

Two buckets means double the chances! ;)

Well, R is supposed to be a subset of RN, but whatever works for you. :D