Consolidated "Are Upgrades Becoming Easier or Harder on UA?" Thread [2012/13]
#91
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Los Angeles
Programs: UA Plat 2MM. DL Plat, AS MVP
Posts: 12,752
Am I missing something? I am traveling to LHR in June and every single flight is not upgradable. I tried alternate dates, fare classes and even went out into November. No luck.
This is my first international flight since the reservation switch.
Am frustrated. Any help would be great.
This is my first international flight since the reservation switch.
Am frustrated. Any help would be great.
#92
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: IAH / HOU
Programs: UA GS, DL-Plat, Hilton Gold, IHG Platinum, Hyatt Somethingist, Marriott Titanium Lifetime
Posts: 2,853
You may also consider connecting at Glasgow or Dublin or Manchester to get to London.
#93
Moderator: Luxury Hotels and FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Palo Alto, California,USA
Posts: 17,856
#94
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: SJC, SFO, YYC
Programs: AA-EXP, AA-0.41MM, UA-Gold, Ex UA-1K (2006 thru 2015), PMUA-0.95MM, COUA-1.5MM-lite, AF-Silver
Posts: 13,437
Am I missing something? I am traveling to LHR in June and every single flight is not upgradable. I tried alternate dates, fare classes and even went out into November. No luck.
This is my first international flight since the reservation switch.
Am frustrated. Any help would be great.
This is my first international flight since the reservation switch.
Am frustrated. Any help would be great.
For it is worth, before LHR had cancer scanners, I found that flights to LHR often had empty seats in J. But I agree, if you want J, then confirm J.
#96
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Benicia, California, USA
Programs: AA PLT,AS,UA PP,J6,FB,EY,LH,SQ,HH Dmd,Hyatt Glbl,Marriott Plat,IHG Plat,Accor Gold
Posts: 10,820
Welcome to FT! You're unfortunately facing a combination of UA's increasingly restrictive general approach to upgrade availability, the relatively short advance period for seeking it (yes, less than three months can be short for UA), a busy time of year to try bagging an LHR upgrade, and perhaps even the increased traffic driven by the London Olympics.
Of the two options people have offered, I suggest the second in combination with a third that I explain below:
1. Simply wait list to LHR:
+1 Simply hoping for an upgrade if it's not available at time of booking will most likely leave you in economy.
2. Find an alternative routing that at least gets you across the Atlantic in J, and for which you can grab the upgrade at time of ticketing:
Though there is the obvious drag of having to fly switch flights and fly the short intra-Europe legs in coach (or if you're close enough to London, taking a train for that final leg), this is the surer thing.
3. Join expertflyer.com, a good service that costs about $10/month. It enables you to easily check upgrade availability and, more immediately for your needs, has a function that sends you email alerts if upgrades open up.
If I were you, I'd grab the sure thing via #2 (assuming there are upgrades available to other European destinations) but set alerts via expertflyer. Then, if you get an email alert informing you that something has opened up directly to LHR, you'd have to quickly decide whether to jump on it and call UA. You'd need to consider whether the extra cost of the ticket (in terms of the penalty fee for changing and possibly a more expensive fare to LHR - though if you're lucky the LHR ticket could end up costing less) would be worth if for you.
Hope it all works out!
Of the two options people have offered, I suggest the second in combination with a third that I explain below:
1. Simply wait list to LHR:
2. Find an alternative routing that at least gets you across the Atlantic in J, and for which you can grab the upgrade at time of ticketing:
3. Join expertflyer.com, a good service that costs about $10/month. It enables you to easily check upgrade availability and, more immediately for your needs, has a function that sends you email alerts if upgrades open up.
If I were you, I'd grab the sure thing via #2 (assuming there are upgrades available to other European destinations) but set alerts via expertflyer. Then, if you get an email alert informing you that something has opened up directly to LHR, you'd have to quickly decide whether to jump on it and call UA. You'd need to consider whether the extra cost of the ticket (in terms of the penalty fee for changing and possibly a more expensive fare to LHR - though if you're lucky the LHR ticket could end up costing less) would be worth if for you.
Hope it all works out!
#97
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Menlo Park, CA, USA
Programs: UA 1MM 0P, AA, DL, *wood, Lifetime FPC Plat., IHG, HHD
Posts: 6,912
Sadly, it has been this way for quite a while..
#98
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Jersey Shore/YYZ
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Plat, Hilton Diamond, Hertz PC
Posts: 12,521
#99
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Somewhere over the rainbow.
Programs: BA Gold!/OWE
Posts: 177
Am I missing something? I am traveling to LHR in June and every single flight is not upgradable. I tried alternate dates, fare classes and even went out into November. No luck.
This is my first international flight since the reservation switch.
Am frustrated. Any help would be great.
This is my first international flight since the reservation switch.
Am frustrated. Any help would be great.
#100
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Durham, NC (RDU/GSO/CLT)
Programs: AA EXP/MM, DL GM, UA Platinum, HH DIA, Hyatt Explorist, IHG Platinum, Marriott Titanium, Hertz PC
Posts: 33,857
I'm now 0/3 on UA flights this year (1/4 if I include a February CO flight). On today's 2:15 PM 319 RDU-IAD I was #6 out of 10 for an upgrade. I spent all last year as a Premier with an abysmal upgrade percentage struggling to make it back to 1P (or whatever I am now) and I still feel like a Premier
#101
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 2
I mean I can't even see any flights, anywhere with available upgrades
I get the olympics, but the site also says the domestic legs are not upgradable. I am trying to go LAX to LHR, but Paris, Dub, FRA are fine as well.
Zippo. Nada. Pre Merger they used to be challenging but with the CA site, I literally get zip.
I guess upgrades are worthless? I even tried other fare classes. Zippo.
Zippo. Nada. Pre Merger they used to be challenging but with the CA site, I literally get zip.
I guess upgrades are worthless? I even tried other fare classes. Zippo.
#102
Join Date: Apr 2009
Programs: UAGLD AA_MM_GLD CO F9 HHGLD
Posts: 80
COdbaUA sure messed with the world....
I've had two flights in the past week with Mrs. DenverDean, same PNR, the upgrade rules on the website look like Mrs. DenverDean's should clear at the same priority as mine, but both times the COdbaUA agent insisted that the upgrades clear individually based on both members status..... She's just a GM...
What am I missing? Granted I work with guys who would welcome a few hours away from their spouse, I tend to get frustrated when COdbaUA mgmt assume that people traveling together should be split up.....
Anyone else having the same thing happen? (Sorry if I missed some other thread on this topic).
Best Regards,
DenverDean
What am I missing? Granted I work with guys who would welcome a few hours away from their spouse, I tend to get frustrated when COdbaUA mgmt assume that people traveling together should be split up.....
Anyone else having the same thing happen? (Sorry if I missed some other thread on this topic).
Best Regards,
DenverDean
#103
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 5,814
I've had two flights in the past week with Mrs. DenverDean, same PNR, the upgrade rules on the website look like Mrs. DenverDean's should clear at the same priority as mine, but both times the COdbaUA agent insisted that the upgrades clear individually based on both members status..... She's just a GM...
What am I missing? Granted I work with guys who would welcome a few hours away from their spouse, I tend to get frustrated when COdbaUA mgmt assume that people traveling together should be split up.....
Anyone else having the same thing happen? (Sorry if I missed some other thread on this topic).
Best Regards,
DenverDean
What am I missing? Granted I work with guys who would welcome a few hours away from their spouse, I tend to get frustrated when COdbaUA mgmt assume that people traveling together should be split up.....
Anyone else having the same thing happen? (Sorry if I missed some other thread on this topic).
Best Regards,
DenverDean
Sounds like they are still following the old PMCO rules. It is also unclear if the above rules are actually working (upgrade lists seems to have other more serious issues at the moment).
#105
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: somewhere
Programs: their are many of them
Posts: 1,614
Yes after march 3rd i have noticed a drastic change in upgrades it is rough and no fun any more