Jul 1, 13, 10:03 am
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
Oct 2018 - Significant fare class changes with the introduction of new premium economy fares ("Premium Plus") and the elimination of 3-class F.
Revenue buckets
J - Full Fare Business
C - Discount Business
D - Discount Business
Z - Deep Discount Business
P - Deep Discount Business
O - Full Fare PremiumPlus (Premium Economy)
A - Discount PremiumPlus (Premium Economy)
R - Deep Discount PremiumPlus (Premium Economy)
Y - Full Fare Coach
B - Full Fare Coach
M - Discount Coach
E - Discount Coach
U - Discount Coach
H - Discount Coach
Q - Discount Coach
V - Discount Coach
W - Deep Discount Coach
S - Deep Discount Coach
T - Deep Discount Coach
L - Deep Discount Coach
K - Deep Discount Coach
G - Deep Discount Coach
N - Basic Economy
Saver Award Inventory
IN - Elite (Plat/1K/GS) Saver Business or 2-cabin First Award
I - Non-Elite and Low Elite Saver Business or 2-cabin First Award
XN - Elite Saver Coach Award. Also available to Chase Gateway, Explorer, Quest, and United Club Visa cardholders as an undocumented benefit
X - Non-Elite Saver Coach Award
"Everyday" Award Inventory
JN - Elite/CC Everyday Business or 2-cabin First Award (may be open to all MP members )
ZN - Non-Elite Everyday Business or 2-cabin First Award (tracks to the Z bucket) (not clear if still used for award travel). Also used for buy-up upgrade offered at check-in. May be a factor in Skip-the-Waitliist availability
ON - Everyday PremiumPlus (Premium Economy) Award
YN - Elite/CC Everyday Coach Award (may be open to all MP members)
HN - Non-Elite Everyday Coach Award (tracks to the H bucket) (not clear this is still used)
Upgrade Inventory
PN - Y/B/M 1K Instant Upgrades (CPU eligible routes only); All GS sponsored upgrades Y->J (CPU, PlusPoints, miles)
PZ - Upgrades to Polaris Business, United Business, or United First (excepting GS sponsored upgrades and 1K Instant Upgrades)
RN - Upgrades to Premium Plus
Points earning for all upgrades is based on the originally purchased fare. Also see below.
Upgrades Note that upgraded flights will post to your MileagePlus statement as Z(X) where the second letter (X) is the original booking class. The parenthetical letter defines the earning rate for the flight as points are earned based on the original booking class.
How to read inventory numbers:
Why does J8C5D3Z0P0 mean?
The zero inventory is easy to explain, UA is presently unwilling to sell tickets using inventory in that fare class.
Does J8C5D3 mean there are 16 seats for sale? No -- there are just 8 available seats.
Inventory in a fare class is not additive but the lower fare classes are subsets of the higher fare classes
If UA sells / upgrades 1 seat in the premium fare class, the Inventory will like change to J7C4D2.
The J inventory is the total number of seats for sale in business/first. While C,D,Z, P ... are the number of seats UA is willing to sell in those lower fare classes
Going back to J8C5D3Z0P0, if you want 4 seats on a single PNR, you will have to purchase C fare, as there isn't enough inventory for D fare for everyone on the PNR and everyone on a common PNR must have the same fare class / fare basis.
In some cases, if a lower cabin is oversold, UA will then block, remove from inventory in the higher cabin to protect against the oversale.
Note the largest number for a UA fare class in public displays is 9 (some airlines limit to just 4), this prevents revealing too much information to the competitors or the public.
Award and upgrade inventory are also subsets on their respective cabin inventory
Management of inventory and maximizing revenue is the role of Revenue Management (RM), a highly secretive, proprietary operation of the airlines -- So inventory changes (within the physical limitations of the aircraft) will be dynamic and can change without notice as determine by RM
E - Discount Coach
U - Discount Coach
H - Discount Coach
Q - Discount Coach
V - Discount Coach
W - Deep Discount Coach
S - Deep Discount Coach
T - Deep Discount Coach
L - Deep Discount Coach
K - Deep Discount Coach
G - Deep Discount Coach
N - Basic Economy
Saver Award Inventory
IN - Elite (Plat/1K/GS) Saver Business or 2-cabin First Award
I - Non-Elite and Low Elite Saver Business or 2-cabin First Award
XN - Elite Saver Coach Award. Also available to Chase Gateway, Explorer, Quest, and United Club Visa cardholders as an undocumented benefit
X - Non-Elite Saver Coach Award
"Everyday" Award Inventory
JN - Elite/CC Everyday Business or 2-cabin First Award (may be open to all MP members )
ZN - Non-Elite Everyday Business or 2-cabin First Award (tracks to the Z bucket) (not clear if still used for award travel). Also used for buy-up upgrade offered at check-in. May be a factor in Skip-the-Waitliist availability
ON - Everyday PremiumPlus (Premium Economy) Award
YN - Elite/CC Everyday Coach Award (may be open to all MP members)
HN - Non-Elite Everyday Coach Award (tracks to the H bucket) (not clear this is still used)
Upgrade Inventory
PN - Y/B/M 1K Instant Upgrades (CPU eligible routes only); All GS sponsored upgrades Y->J (CPU, PlusPoints, miles)
PZ - Upgrades to Polaris Business, United Business, or United First (excepting GS sponsored upgrades and 1K Instant Upgrades)
RN - Upgrades to Premium Plus
Points earning for all upgrades is based on the originally purchased fare. Also see below.
Upgrades Note that upgraded flights will post to your MileagePlus statement as Z(X) where the second letter (X) is the original booking class. The parenthetical letter defines the earning rate for the flight as points are earned based on the original booking class.
How to read inventory numbers:
Why does J8C5D3Z0P0 mean?
The zero inventory is easy to explain, UA is presently unwilling to sell tickets using inventory in that fare class.
Does J8C5D3 mean there are 16 seats for sale? No -- there are just 8 available seats.
Inventory in a fare class is not additive but the lower fare classes are subsets of the higher fare classes
If UA sells / upgrades 1 seat in the premium fare class, the Inventory will like change to J7C4D2.
The J inventory is the total number of seats for sale in business/first. While C,D,Z, P ... are the number of seats UA is willing to sell in those lower fare classes
Going back to J8C5D3Z0P0, if you want 4 seats on a single PNR, you will have to purchase C fare, as there isn't enough inventory for D fare for everyone on the PNR and everyone on a common PNR must have the same fare class / fare basis.
In some cases, if a lower cabin is oversold, UA will then block, remove from inventory in the higher cabin to protect against the oversale.
Note the largest number for a UA fare class in public displays is 9 (some airlines limit to just 4), this prevents revealing too much information to the competitors or the public.
Award and upgrade inventory are also subsets on their respective cabin inventory
Management of inventory and maximizing revenue is the role of Revenue Management (RM), a highly secretive, proprietary operation of the airlines -- So inventory changes (within the physical limitations of the aircraft) will be dynamic and can change without notice as determine by RM
Decoding the alphabet soup - fare buckets for UA
Oct 18, 11, 6:32 pm
#1
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PSM
Posts: 69,232
Decoding the alphabet soup - fare buckets for UA
This data will eventually be included in the new FAQ but while waiting for that to be guilt I figured I'd share the details. These are all the fares in the new scheme:
Revenue buckets (RDM/PQM earnings)
F - Full Fare First (250%/150% or 175%/150% for 3/2 cabin)
A - Discount First (250%/150% or 175%/150% for 3/2 cabin)
J - Full Fare Business (175%/150%)
C - Full Fare Business (175%/150%)
D - Full Fare Business (175%/150%)
Z - Deep Discount Business (150%/150%)
P - Deep Discount Business (150%/150%)
Y - Full Fare Coach (125%/150%)
B - Full Fare Coach (125%/150%)
M - Discount Coach (100%/100%)
E - Discount Coach (100%/100%)
U - Discount Coach (100%/100%)
H - Discount Coach (100%/100%)
Q - Discount Coach (100%/100%)
V - Discount Coach (100%/100%)
W - Deep Discount Coach (100%/100%)
S - Deep Discount Coach (100%/100%)
T - Deep Discount Coach (100%/100%)
L - Deep Discount Coach (100%/100%)
K - Deep Discount Coach (100%/100%)
G - Deep Discount Coach (100%/100%)
N - Deep Discount Coach (100%/100%)
Saver Award Seats
O - Saver 3-cabin First Award
IN - Elite (Plat/1K/GS) Saver Business or 2-cabin First Award
I - Non-Elite and Low Elite Saver Business or 2-cabin First Award
XN - Elite Saver Coach Award
X - Non-Elite Saver Coach Award
Standard Award Seats
FN - Standard 3-cabin First Award
JN - Elite/CC Standard Business or 2-cabin First Award
ZN - Non-Elite Standard Business or 2-cabin First Award (tracks to the Z bucket)
YN - Elite/CC Standard Coach Award
HN - Non-Elite Standard Coach Award (tracks to the H bucket)
Upgrade Awards
ON - C->F on 3-cabin aircraft
JN - Y-Up for Elites (tracks to the J bucket, i.e. last seat availability)
PN - B/M-Up for Elites (tracks to the P bucket); All GS upgrades Y->C (CPU, RPU, GPU, miles)
R - Upgrade to Business/Domestic F (except GS)
RN - Had not been used but appears now to be the Instant Upgrade (Y/B fares) inventory for Silver, Gold and maybe Plats
Revenue buckets (RDM/PQM earnings)
F - Full Fare First (250%/150% or 175%/150% for 3/2 cabin)
A - Discount First (250%/150% or 175%/150% for 3/2 cabin)
J - Full Fare Business (175%/150%)
C - Full Fare Business (175%/150%)
D - Full Fare Business (175%/150%)
Z - Deep Discount Business (150%/150%)
P - Deep Discount Business (150%/150%)
Y - Full Fare Coach (125%/150%)
B - Full Fare Coach (125%/150%)
M - Discount Coach (100%/100%)
E - Discount Coach (100%/100%)
U - Discount Coach (100%/100%)
H - Discount Coach (100%/100%)
Q - Discount Coach (100%/100%)
V - Discount Coach (100%/100%)
W - Deep Discount Coach (100%/100%)
S - Deep Discount Coach (100%/100%)
T - Deep Discount Coach (100%/100%)
L - Deep Discount Coach (100%/100%)
K - Deep Discount Coach (100%/100%)
G - Deep Discount Coach (100%/100%)
N - Deep Discount Coach (100%/100%)
Saver Award Seats
O - Saver 3-cabin First Award
IN - Elite (Plat/1K/GS) Saver Business or 2-cabin First Award
I - Non-Elite and Low Elite Saver Business or 2-cabin First Award
XN - Elite Saver Coach Award
X - Non-Elite Saver Coach Award
Standard Award Seats
FN - Standard 3-cabin First Award
JN - Elite/CC Standard Business or 2-cabin First Award
ZN - Non-Elite Standard Business or 2-cabin First Award (tracks to the Z bucket)
YN - Elite/CC Standard Coach Award
HN - Non-Elite Standard Coach Award (tracks to the H bucket)
Upgrade Awards
ON - C->F on 3-cabin aircraft
JN - Y-Up for Elites (tracks to the J bucket, i.e. last seat availability)
PN - B/M-Up for Elites (tracks to the P bucket); All GS upgrades Y->C (CPU, RPU, GPU, miles)
R - Upgrade to Business/Domestic F (except GS)
RN - Had not been used but appears now to be the Instant Upgrade (Y/B fares) inventory for Silver, Gold and maybe Plats
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Jun 21, 16 at 1:39 pm
Oct 18, 11, 8:26 pm
#2
Join Date: Jan 2000
Programs: UA 1k, AA EXPLT, NZ GE, VA PLT Hyatt Diam, Marr Plat, HH Diam
Posts: 3,420
As always, many thanks sbm12.
I looked at a few (actually, many) CO flights during 2011~2012 and couldn't any difference in the number of seats allocated to the non-elite vs elite buckets for prem class travel, either free or award. i.e.,
ON = O avail
IN = I avail
RN = R avail
Hope that they actually do allocate more seats to the xN buckets. (Am assuming that the xN buckets are actually sub-buckets (ie, if a 1k pax books into an xN bucket, then both the xN and the x bucket decreases by one).
I looked at a few (actually, many) CO flights during 2011~2012 and couldn't any difference in the number of seats allocated to the non-elite vs elite buckets for prem class travel, either free or award. i.e.,
ON = O avail
IN = I avail
RN = R avail
Hope that they actually do allocate more seats to the xN buckets. (Am assuming that the xN buckets are actually sub-buckets (ie, if a 1k pax books into an xN bucket, then both the xN and the x bucket decreases by one).
Oct 18, 11, 8:47 pm
#3
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1K, AA Plat Pro, VS Gold, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 833
Great to know, thank you!
One thing I found interesting is the fact that there is now RN (for elite upgrades) in addition to R for upgrade availability. Does this mean that instead of zeroing out R inventory at the EUA run, CO will simply allocate EUA space in RN?
It is interesting because non-elites could potentially mileage upgrade while elites were waiting for EUAs at their respective windows.
One thing I found interesting is the fact that there is now RN (for elite upgrades) in addition to R for upgrade availability. Does this mean that instead of zeroing out R inventory at the EUA run, CO will simply allocate EUA space in RN?
It is interesting because non-elites could potentially mileage upgrade while elites were waiting for EUAs at their respective windows.
Oct 18, 11, 8:53 pm
#4
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PSM
Posts: 69,232
Sortof...O is a subset of ON, for example, not the other way around, if they're doing it right.
They already give folks using miles or other instruments priority over EUA on the CO side and the new program will have that same policy for the CPU process. I'm not so sure that this is a real issue to worry about.
Oct 18, 11, 9:02 pm
#5
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: IAH
Programs: UA/CO-GS/PPlat,AA-Gold,SPG-Plat,Hilton-Diamond,Marriott-Plat,Hertz-Pres_Circe
Posts: 824
Not exactly the same. Currently instruments trump the EUA for a PP while in the future a GS will trump. Otherwise correct though.
Oct 18, 11, 9:55 pm
#6
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Somewhere I've Driven To
Programs: HiltonHonors, IHG Hotels, DL Skymiles
Posts: 2,070
Other than the Revenue Buckets, I see all the award seats are coded differently than UA Codes (NF, NY, XF, XY). Since we will be using CO SHARES by March 2012, we will have to re-learn the codes.
Oct 19, 11, 2:38 pm
#9
Used to be 'g_leyser'
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Brandon Johnson International Airport (expect delays)
Programs: AA PlatPro, HH Gold, Bonvoy Gold, IHG Plat, Reno Air MEGA Platinum
Posts: 9,969
Thanks sbm12! A couple points of clarification.
Isn't "D" actually discounted business class? Or did that change recently?
Also, so "ON" is SaverPass F award AND C --> F upgrade space? So there is no distinction between the two?
Isn't "D" actually discounted business class? Or did that change recently?
Also, so "ON" is SaverPass F award AND C --> F upgrade space? So there is no distinction between the two?
Oct 22, 11, 2:13 pm
#10
Join Date: Jan 2000
Programs: UA 1k, AA EXPLT, NZ GE, VA PLT Hyatt Diam, Marr Plat, HH Diam
Posts: 3,420
Any idea why CO has a PN bucket on int'l long-haul (ie, not eligible for comp elite upgrade) flights? Thought this was used solely for comp elite UPGs in eligible markets?
Oct 22, 11, 3:29 pm
#11
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: United Premier 1K 1MM; AA Plat Pro; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott Platinum; Avis President's Club
Posts: 2,515
Outstanding chart! Thanks a million. This really helps a lot.
Will be interesting to see how the fare buckets pan out on the routes in 2012.
Will be interesting to see how the fare buckets pan out on the routes in 2012.
Oct 22, 11, 10:39 pm
#14
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PSM
Posts: 69,232
In the new scheme, yes.
Oct 23, 11, 10:52 am
#15
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Canada
Programs: UA*1K, BA Silver, AC35k
Posts: 23,121
For purpose of awards from other FFPs, will domestic first be designated I like PMCO or O like PMUA?
Right now, you cannot book AC/BD awards on UA for business mileage, because they book into O, wheras CO domestic books into I
Right now, you cannot book AC/BD awards on UA for business mileage, because they book into O, wheras CO domestic books into I
