uapremier

Hi All,

I was reflecting on the upcoming MP changes as the year-end approaches and am just slightly confused about something. I don't really see how even top MP levels (I'm 1K) will get a CPU on flights (I'm especially thinking where it matters like mid-cons and trans-cons).
PLease correct me if I'm wrong, but between GS, full-fare tickets, then those using regionals etc....I don't see how a flight could ever upgrade a 1K on say an H fare. There'd just be too many people before that person to get an upgrade.
The main change I'm referring to is the priority given to instruments (GPU, RPU) which means that even a GM would get priority over a 1K waiting for CPU.
Am I missing something here? Basically, will a 1K not paying full-fare ever get an upgrade on a transcon?
Thanks!

Antipode

I think we'll just have to see how much of a factor the Y/B tickets having priority over status will have on upgrades, but there aren't THAT many GPU/RPU floating around for it to make much of a difference. Besides, the only times that how they'll be processed changes from what happens now with SWU/CR1s is once we get into the UDU (to-be CPU) upgrade windows. I'd be surprised if they make a noticeable difference.

kb1992

I think that 1Ks still get some CPUs.

It's the 1Ps (Gold) that will see drastic decline of CPUs.

They are now behind GS/1K/Plat, and anyone who uses upgrade instruments, plus Y/B/ fares.

uapremier

Right, but its also MILES upgrades too. I mean you have to figure there are at least a handful of people on a transcon that are using miles to upgrade who will now get priority over CPU. In addition to GPU/RPU and add full-fare getting priority, I just don't see a mid-fare (let's say H-fare 1K) getting a CPU...There just aren't that many F seats...

Antipode

I neglected miles, but also remember that lower status elites are lower status because they don't fly as much - which means they won't have as many miles to burn for upgrades (and with 1P bonus going to 50% they'll have even less than they do now). And IME lower tier elites care more about saving their miles for an award than upgrades.

It's going to be very much date/time/route dependent just as it is now. There are some routes and times where a 1K on an H fare already likely won't clear, and there are some routes where a 1K might be squeezed out by instruments, and some routes where currently even 1P/2P easily clear which will still likely continue to be easy upgrades for 1Ks. It'll make a bit of a difference, sure, but I don't expect it to be drastic.

Cantheplanegofaster?

There is another case where people get Y and this is when rebooked due to weather, mc, etc.

Ive received Y fare status because of this and I'm sure it helped my get upgrade.

Add me to the list of mile hoarders to use for vacations, not upgrades. I've only done miles upgrade once and it was for 10k miles.

I suspect like all changes, there will be winners and losers. Is it fare to give a 2p an upgrade over a 1p/plat1k? Obviously can argue it both ways.
My hunch is this is going to be ugly and confusing system.

ONT2Go

Gauge changes may also remove F seats, making upgrades harder on routes where it was too easy to get a UDU/EUA. If it's a route where Premier Silvers get an upgrade more often than not, there are probably too many F seats (which is correlated with too many Y seats) meaning a gauge change is necessary from UA's standpoint.

as219

This is probably right.

I've requalified for 1K in 2012, but I'm going to wait and see what happens before doing so for 2013. I'm a pure liesure flyer, and if my upgrade percentages drop too much, then the game is no logner worth the candle. I'm well aware I'm not SMI/J's best customer, so I'm not complaining per se, but at some point it's just no longer worth putting my eggs all in the UA basket.

Joshua

I hear your pain, but where else is there to go? Redeeming DL miles is difficult. AA partner redemptions have lots of YQ to pay. Foreign *A programmes are even less generous than MP. US DM maybe?

5khours

Hard to say, I wonder how many Y/B tickets are out there. I don't think the universe of dumb consumers is that high. Also fewer miles going out (only 50% or 75% to what used to be 100% for 1K). On balance I'm hoping for better and earlier clearances. I have been totally happy so far. May not be the same for 1P, but I think 1k is ok.

smashr

1. Government YCA fares

2. Corp contracts with steep Y/B discounts.

I believe that PMUA sells far, far more tickets fitting into these category than PMCO.

It kills me that next year a federal employee/contracter flying out of IAD who does not have un-due loyalty to United (flying only the published city pairs and maybe having silver on UA and silver-equivalent on AA or US) will beat this 1K on an H-fare.

Joshua

It remains to be seen if the new upgrade priority will actually include those types of Y/B fares.

dalston

I think that this will be worse in 2012 than thereafter due to the deluge of regional upgrades kicking around in the system after the transitional year where you could earn them 2 ways. I will have 15 regionals for use next year (along with 8 SWUs that will likely be best used domestically given my travel patterns). So it will be a long time before I even need to risk CPU/UDU for long flights. In 2013, the same travel pattern would net me 8 fewer regionals.

One reason why this might not be so bad is that surprising numbers of flyers may not realize they need to apply upgrade instruments to improve chances and let them expire. There are a lot of unsavvy 1Ks out there.

WineCountryUA

seems to be the present plan to include YCA

UA-NYC

Agreed - not worried about upgrades on any of my LGA/JFK PMUA routes, but for anything ex-EWR, will be using regionals on flights over 1,000 miles.