tarheelnj

A couple years ago, I arrived DFW and was returning from there the next afternoon on a flight departing 25 hours later. The GA was able to print my BP then. Unfortunately this took me off the upgrade list, and I was unable to get back on it until I got to the airport the next day (by which time FC was full). So be careful what you wish for.....

100countrygoal

I agree it seems a bit over the top if you're in Boston, but perhaps not if you're somewhat in the middle of NY and Boston. I'm sure some people view mileage runs as insanity as well! (flying more just so you can fly better in the future)

Mike Jacoubowsky

For some, flying is just part of the job, and they have better things to do than spend a lot of time trying to figure out how to get to the next-higher elite level. For others, we see extra segments as opportunities to get more 500 mile minimums and maybe avoid heroic end-of-year efforts to hit our mileage target. Back in the day (hard to believe it was just a year ago?) there were enough things going wrong that another advantage to adding segments was the opportunity to collect quite a few e-certs.

What doesn't make sense, at least not until we see how things play out, is for a 2P to add segments so they have a couple hours head start at those last E+ seats on the plane. If they exist at all. It could be that those extra couple hours might give you a choice between middle seat row 7 and middle seat row 13 in E+. Or maybe a better seat in the back of the bus if someone else got upgraded. Or nothing at all.

The OP has to consider whether heroic efforts to make the best of 2P might not be worthwhile in the long run. The airlines aren't doing much for the 25k flyer to keep them happy; in the long run, Kayaking might be the best way to go. The good old days for the lowly2P, complete with e500s, are quite assuredly and very sadly gone. Time spent trying to game the system to optimize at the 2P level might be better spent elsewhere.

My daughter, as of March 3rd a former 2P, understands this but hasn't really come to terms with it. She still sees United as "her" airline but United doesn't really see her as a customer worth keeping. It's business, I get that, but if you're anything less than *G material, it's sad. And, I think, short-sighted.

bpe

Cathay Pacific (ex-USA included) lets you check in 48 hours in advance. However, they don't let you check in for all sectors at once, only those that are within 48 hours.

skj

As I understand it, the CO web site allows you to choose to automatically check-in 24 hours before your return flight when you check-in for the outbound. You're not actually checked-in until T-24.

alanstar

Actually, there are fewer and fewer non-stop transcon options nowadays (and they can be pricier, which my clients won't always pay for).

I was mostly thinking that it would make more sense to look for connections in JFK/LGA/EWR instead of the standard ORD/DEN/etc, so you have a chance to spend the majority of the trip in E+.

Dr Jabadski

Thought I would resurrect this thread. I'm flying tomorrow from SLC (28 hrs from right now) connecting in IAH (33 hrs from right now). I cannot check-in on-line yet. 4 people are already checked in for the SLC flight and 2 for the IAH flight. I've never seen a United option to check-in for return flights at the time of check-in for outbound flights and I wouldn't think SLC is a common connecting city on UA. Understand that the IAH chech-ins might be connecting (with a 30 hr connection time) but curious how the SLC pax have been able to check in. Thank you.

kenn0223

What is your source for the number of people checked in? Are you talking about first and using the website? If so, it doesn't look like anyone is checked in for the 10:45am or 12:45 flights in first.

Dr Jabadski

Hi kenn0223, thanks. United mobile site, flight status page, indicated 4 people checked in and upgraded to first and the notation: "This list only includes upgrade-eligible customers who have checked in for this flight". Perhaps those 4 had their CPUs clear prior to 24 hrs and had NOT actually checked in yet? Now, 21 hrs from flight time, the same page shows 7 checked in and upgraded to first and 12 on the upgrade wait list.

goalie

The "checked in before T-24hrs" of one's own flight as noted above, is for those on in-bound connecting flights but the mobile app will show those who have cleared the upgrade list but have not checked-in as I am upgraded for my flights on Friday night and Saturday and I show on the cleared list but check-in isn't until 22:30 tonight. Now as to the showing names on the waitlist on the app at greater than t-24hrs, I can only guess that they are also connecting pax who have checked-in for their inbound flight (but then again, we're talking about COdbaUA's I/T here so it's anyone's guess )

Dr Jabadski

Correct, my bad, my apologies. The list to the left of the page is for those upgraded to United First, regardless of check-in status. The list to the right is those who have checked-in who are on the upgrade wait list. The asterisk and the notation I quoted above applies only to the list on the left. I'm traveling and using my iPad vice a PC and I didn't read things carefully enough. Thanks again to kenn0233 and thank you to goalie.

ZZYZXROAD

SO if I understand correctly, some folks would take EWR-BOS-LAX or BOS-IAD-SFO as examples just to get a shot at a better E+ seat? Now I do this the segment guy and MR guy doing this because they need a few more miles/segs to make it to the next worthless status but to jump ahead in the queue to select a seat for E+? Wow. The airlines really got us. We have all been fooled for years and the master plan is now working.

As seats get narrower, less recline and harder, these E+ seats will be a premium compared to peasants in the back.

I need to figure out if someone will pay $30 cash for my E+ aisle weekly seat when not UPG. I will make a sign after I board first with my 2 pieces of luggage that will state that my E+ seat is for sale for $30. Are E+ seats really that high of a demand for the people back in steerage?

AppleApe

Isn't OLCI only open at T-24? why do I frequently see people checked-in
online 48 to 72 hours before flight time? (as shown in the upgrade list
under flight status) I've seen names on the upgrade standby list 48 to
72 hours before the flight actually takes off.... usually just 3 or 4 names,
but I thought names only show up for people who have already checked
in online. (not the people whose upgrade had already cleared)

oblisk

Well I don't know for sure but it can be common with long international itineraries. Especially with Dateline changes.

E.g. On wednesday I'm flying EWR-FRA-BKK-CMB, My BKK-CMB flight departs >40 hours after my first flight.

windhund

These people probably have multiple flights for a given leg in their itinerary.

So if you are going from AAA -> BBB on flight 1 and BBB -> CCC on flight 2 (and there isn't a stopover), when you check in for flight 1, you'll be checked in for flight 2. You can have a very long layover between flights (even an overnight stay, but < 24 hours between flights), which is why you may see people checked in T-48 on a flight. I don't think I've seen people at T-72, but I guess it's possible to have several segments with very long layovers in between.

You may see some people on the upgrade list earlier if they requested upgrades with instruments (which can be done before OLCI).