Well, if you want that nice upgrade, you have to be flexible, or pay $8000 biz class ticket. ;)

From east coast, I don't do SFO-FRA. Here is what I would do in your situation:

Book far in advance and try to secure NC on nonstop SFO-FRA. I see very few NC>0 in 12/2012 if you can avoid weekends. UA doesn't release them!

If nonstop SFO-FRA is impossible, then I would try SFO-ORD/IAD/EWR-FRA if I can find NC there.

Domestic F+ int'l C beats Y, any Y. Extra stop or not.

You might even find wide body 767/777 for SFO-IAD/ORD with int'l configuration to connect to FRA. That would be an added bonus.

Revenue/Buy-Up or Awards, one would have to assume, right?

I feel your pain.

Mr. VAU/B should just resign to economy. No way you'll get an upgrade. Find an ELR seat (row 33 is still available for this flight).

It appears that "Assorted fresh menu items and packaged snacks available for purchase". ;)

No direct TV though.

I'll stick with 21C for the time being ;)

Valid approaches indeed! ^

Probably what it is. Add to that Y, B, M instant upgrades come 3/3: Not pretty.

Tomorrows UA291 (MCO-IAD) is still showing as a 757 with 10 booked up front and 14 unassigned yet F0. It's been F0 for days which means they're expecting an equip swap to an A320. However, the seat map and unitedcargo still say 757. I guess a whole bunch of us will get upgrades at the gate tomorrow unless UA opens up F inventory and then subsequently releases NF.

-RM

That was 900 & 926 - the outbound.

For 1Ks, the party is over
 

Sad to say, but I really think the advantage of 1K is about gone.

I flew four United transcons in the last two weeks -- and got zero upgrades, even when trying to apply regional upgrades, weeks out.

The upgrade lists are crazy, and disspiriting. On many long-haul domestic flights, especially out of near-monopoly hubs like SFO, the upgrade list can top 75 people, with 1K members nowhere near the top. Apparently it's world of GS members at all of United's hubs.

And the international situation is only marginally better, if you use SWUs. The upgrades may clear, but it often will not be until hours before departure, and only after you've paid the much-higher-than-lowest fare to be eligible for an upgrade that you may not get.

AA is far better to its Executive Platinums. Never this sort of hassle. Much more willing to give upgrades, and confirm them, in exchange for loyalty. On international routes, allows upgrades on virtually any fare.

I think most people are trying to use the SWUs and Regionals before they expire at the end of Feb. I know we cashed some in on a flight from IAH-DEN, that we haven't ever missed the upgrade for, just for the purpose of not letting them expire.

We tried to use one on a flight from IAH-EWR, and my husband was 10th on the list with a SWU as a Presidential Plat (on CO metal). That never happens, but then again, there weren't a bunch of people trying to redeem them before they expired.

I think flyersfo in post 38 above is conflating several separate issues here.

First and foremost, when UA had excessive capacity (ie when there was a recession on and they had not reduced the schedule) there were plenty of upgrades and very low fares, and we 1Ks benefited accordingly. Those days are gone.

Second, UDUs have meant it is far more difficult to get upgraded domestically when we really want it - ie we have been stripped of our competitive advantage.

Third, UA's focus on improving its international premium offering, and reducing the amount of it, should, if it works, increase the numbers of GS customers - thus pushing 1Ks slightly further down the pecking order.

Fourth, and this is where I agree with the flyersfo's contention although this point was never mentioned, is the question of handling when things go wrong. I feel here that 1Ks no longer get the special attention they did. It's always hard to put your finger on the crux of the change, but I have not been feeling the love recently with several itineraries where recovery from problems simply did not happen.

This was a response to flyersfo's post in the consolidated thread, it got merged with this one, so it doesn't really fit this thread. Sorry.

I'm not sure how I'm "conflating" issues here.

The point is that for 1Ks, the days of easy upgrades and priority service are coming (or perhaps, have come) to an end.

Unless you are GS, you are going to be, in all likelihood, in the back of the plane.

And again, my experience with AA is that life is still good for Executive Platinum members -- its version of 1K.

Agree - with business class selling out on popular days/routes, the days of 1K SWU upgrades are fading away.

I'm hosed anyway. I book 1-2 weeks in advance and fly Sun to Fri internationally.

There are always nice surprises though. I flew SFO to PEK last Sunday and the flight was oversold in business (they would not even sell you a seat). At checkin the gate agent told me my upgrade cleared. Having low expectations helps a lot. :-)

I fiddle around with dates to find NC availability. Good to start looking 10-11 months in advance. Since W fare went up on SYD flights, this year I cashed in miles for F saver award. Not worth $2500 for 14,000 EQM. One can do 8-10 transcons for that price and about 40,000 EQM and UDU.

Agreed - I am 20+ on wait-lists for U/G now...

But even GSs on Y fares are having a tough time http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...chances-5.html

Perhaps because of this ? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...k-upgrade.html