Ohh. And what about RPUs? Would they work?

Is this new?

Checked in today DEN-LAS. Booked 2 months ago, H fare DEN-LAS, M fare LAS-DEN. On the M fare, no "instant-upgrade" either, still 9 seats available in F on the return (M-fare).

CPU never cleared, went to check in today, and offered a buy-up for $89 to F. There was one seat left, so I went ahead and took it as I lost my original E+ seat (looks like they did a plane change) and shuffled back to an E- seat. Never had an offer to buy up before, is this new?

Have been GS for the past 3 years, made GS again for this year, says GS on the BP. Not a glitch, as they printed my $89 upgrade fee on the BP as well ("Special Service Receipt").

I'm curious if this is a new change for this year or if I've always had my CPU clear before it got down to offering the cash buy-up? Did they also do away with the M instant upgrade for GS/1K?

Welcome to the world of TODs.

This may be legit as a fare diff, but still feels sleazy I bet given your $50k+ annual UA spend, right?

Penny wise, pound foolish (UA, not you)

True - but if OP had called in on that M-fare, he/she may have gotten the UG for free.

Yes.

True - if PN was available (i think that's the bucket)

Of course, if UA had a more advanced (or even just with-the-times system) it would be dynamic and no calling would be necessary

Regardless, it's more nickling and diming, and I'm sure the HVFs really appreciate it. Can't wait for Q4 PRASM figures.

Initially offered $179; later offered $89.

I was on a W fare and was offered $89 at booking (declined), then somewhere in the $300 range a few days ago (I assume I passed inside some AP window for whatever the -UP fare ahead of me was, and they were offering M), and cleared the CPU @ ~72 hours (so I had no way to see what my check-in offer was).

My wife was on a saver award on my miles and was offered $179 at check-in @ T-24, then when I had her FF # put on the res (to try to improve her PreCheck chances) at T-3 or so, she was offered $89.


5-10 I expect in most cases, even on leisure routes, particularly given a plane of that size, though on a Sunday I don't expect many business travelers, either. It was the fact they'd oversold F which really struck me as annoying (fortunately I wasn't downgraded--but two other pax were, apparently).


Agreed, though 8ABC was full from the time of booking through to day-of-travel, so several others had that same idea. :)

Don't think it's the fare difference, as this is to CES and the flight is basically sold out. I don't care too much one way or the other, as upgrades almost always clear, and UA has a business to run and I understand. Yeah, I spent ~$75K with them last year, but they take care of me pretty well.

I've never had this happen before, was curious if it was new or not. Sounds like it's not new. Couldn't use RPU, there were no seats available for that...

Usually I would be shocked but the big show is in Vegas this week so I'm guessing lot's of paid F today. Usually even as a lowly silver or gold, that route is easy for an upgrade. The show probably took some paid business.

Thanks for circling back - so as I understand it with your wife, when her ticket reflected your status (1K), she got a $179 offer. When she put in her own status (lower/no status?), the offer declined 50%.

Another great example of higher status being penalized with these offers. Unreal.

Yep.

To be fair, it could also have been that the offer fell closer to time of departure--I've seen that happen for both myself and for my wife previously (e.g. a C to F offer which fell nearly $1000 between T-24 and T-3 or so).

As I waited to swap her FF # in until the last minute, I don't know which it was: lower-status pax with a lower offer, or closer to departure resulting in a lower offer.

Agreed - I don't know which one is worse. Both make the company look bad. Brilliant.

Bought tickets last Wednesday for flights last Friday CLE-ORD-MSY, returning yesterday MSY-IAH-CLE.

All upgrades cleared not long after ticketing.

I was late to my MSY-IAH flight and did a same-day-change to the next bank. I didn't make the cut but was #1 on the list for both. IAH-CLE was an F8 A319 so I wasn't surprised.

United offered to confirm upgrades after I did the SDC for $109. I declined.

I expect things to get even easier in February.

Finally getting insight ...
 

Well, as I become more familiar with the craptinental systems, I'm finally developing a clearer insight into how upgrades don't work.

I have a CPU eligible flight coming up in about two weeks. Purchased tickets about 3 months ago. Even though I should get a free upgrade as a 1K, I applied a GPU to the route, since I can't use those anyway, and they expire at the end of the month. I've been sitting on the waitlist for 3 months, GPUs have not cleared.

Meanwhile, I keep checking the upgrade tab. The price to pay for an "upgrade" has consistently been around $1,200 or so. There have been around 9 seats available. This hasn't changed much for the last 3 months.

Now, a few weeks out, available seats have dropped to 3, and the price to upgrade has dropped to $327.

Meanwhile, in my last few weeks as a 1K, trying to "pay" for the upgrade with a GPU that, before $mi$ek, could have taken me all the way to Singapore, I just sit and languish on the thing they call a waitlist.

They really should start calling it an "instrument expiration list" since that is the true purpose of this function.

If this goes how my other flights have gone, they will hold the GPU until T-24 to try to keep selling the seats. Then, at T-24, the GPU might be returned to my account, or it might not. And, then, I enter the CPU game. But, since I am with a companion, and I don't want us to be split and separated, I'll have to call UA and ask to be put on the "do not upgrade" list so that we are sure to be sitting in the back, together.

This is how it's gone on every sCO metal flight I've taken.

You know very well that the GPU will transfer over without a phone call, putting you at the top of the upgrade list. Why come here and lie?

Indeed, there is far too much MISINFORMATION and people COMPLAINING about things on an emotional level when they actually have no accurate representation of how things work today.

New members of FlyerTalk should tread lightly when reading posts from people who seem to have a lot of passion behind their words.