vandrei

Go on a mileage run. Or fly IAD-SFO/LAX a few times, if you are based out of Northern Virginia.

Done one this year (long weekend in SEA at 3.6 cpm), with a two scheduled in the summer (two separate weeks in PDX at 3.1 cpm) but that sort of strategy can become detrimental if you don't have a lot of vacation time or...are just straight up busy.

If you're busy (like me), just fly weekend transcons between IAD-SFO/LAX (or EWR-SFO/LAX, but I only have experience out of IAD). Depending on the time of year, IAD-SFO is usually $338-$358, while IAD-LAX gets as low as $298. Fly out on Friday evening, fly back on the Sunday night red-eye. Rent a car in SFO or LAX and visit a national park. Or hang out with friends in the area. Also, I have not had any issues obtaining E+ at OLCI on IAD-SFO/LAX. (In some cases, I got E+ aisle with an empty middle seat...which is just as good as F.)

Instead of paying 3 cpm, one will probably pay 6-7 cpm (higher in the summer) but one can do these sort of runs with far greater frequency and zero loss of vacation time at work.

I expect to clear Gold during the summer with my existing personal travel and a few mileage runs. Add some weekend transcons and I will probably get to Platinum before Labor Day. Then, it's an easy fall cruise to 1K.

Just my $0.02.

deftone86

This is my first time being a Premier Silver member and I have a question about the free upgrade to the Economy Plus Seating. My wife and I will be traveling to Jamaica in two weeks for vacation and currently about 95% of the Economy Plus seats are available and with the Premier Silver I know we can get a free upgrade to them if they are still available at check in. That is where my question comes from how do I get the upgrade at check in? Do I have to check-in at the airport or will online or the mobile app work check-ins work? I am just looking for any information on how the process works and how we can pick our seats (assuming they are still available).

Thanks for the help and let me now if you have any questions.

Devyan1

You can select E+ seating for free at the open of Online Check In...24 hours prior to departure of your first flight (if connecting)...UA will also consider you for a First Class upgrade at this time and if not available will add you to the waiting list

As a fellow silver, I recommend checking in right at the 24 hour mark to give you the largest selection of available E+ seating

mgcsinc

First, there is no need at all to check in (though you can, of course). Simply go to the website or app and use the change seat link within T-24.

Second, if you check back frequently enough, you'll be able to snatch up the seats vacated by high-level elites as they get upgraded. If you do this, you'll be able to get a great seat on almost every flight.

deftone86

In the past when I have tried to change seats within 24 hours of my flight it would tell me that it is not allowed but I will give it a try.

lindaiah

You can change seats within 24 hours of the flight if you do it in the course of checking in. Even if you're already checked in, just check in again and change seats as you do it.
I'm pretty sure I've done it that way in the past, but not terribly recently so I don't know if it still works...

wcj1

Fixing my previously incorrect post:
* If you have not already checked in (which also means auto check-in too), Silvers can change to E+ on the reservations screen.
* An exception to this are blocked seats (e.g. 3DF on the E70). Those are still blocked via reservations and you can only grab those via check-in.

Apologies for my previous error.

mgcsinc

I could have sworn that when I was a Silver, that worked, but I guess I'm wrong. In any case, you can use the change seats link in OLCI or the app check-in and then just not follow through and check in.

lindaiah

If you are changing seats as part of the check in process, I believe you have to follow through with the check in for the seat selections to stick. It shouldn't be a problem. If you want to change seats again, just check in again.

mgcsinc

I don't think this is right, but I've already been wrong once today.

lindaiah

It has been a while since I've done this, so I could very well be wrong about having to follow through. I just checked in for a flight a few hours ago, and I'd try out my theory on that one, but I'm in F and there are no empty seats to change to.

mgcsinc

IIRC, the system immediately releases the other seat for selection, which is why I think I know. But, as I said, I've already been wrong once today

Kmxu

If United wants to please Premier Silver travelers, the current E+ benefit should be reversed for domestic segments of any itinerary. That is, one can select the E+ seat at booking. Other than the hub-to-hub routes (e.g., SFO-IAD), travelers with Premier Gold and above are not abundant. If UA wants to, those hub-to-hub routes can have the same restriction as international segments. Will UA adopt this reversal if FTers do not feel that their entitlements are reduced? Happy travel.

paule123

Probably an oversimplification without knowing the internal numbers, and sounds difficult to implement.

I'd be happy if they offered Silvers a 50% discount on E+ at time of booking, or let silvers choose E+ for free at T-48.

WineCountryUA

It is suspected the reason for the change in Silver benefits was the inability of late booking higher elites not being able to booking E+ or only middles. Additionally it limited the attractiveness of upsells to E+. UA had the choice of continuing to disappoint higher elites and limit E+ upsells or disappointing Silvers. Don't see the situation has changed.
If the routes you travel are really higher elite light than you should have no trouble getting E+ on day of travel.