Post 3-Mar-2012:How to find upgrade inventory [+how to see fare bucket availability]
Feb 14, 2013, 2:29 pm
#286
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Jun 25, 2013, 5:55 pm
#287
Join Date: Sep 2010
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Hey all,
This seemed like the most logical place to ask, but if it isn't please by all means move it. I'm looking for a Saver First (Or C I guess) award SIN-anywhere in the U.S. on 7/7. Preferably TPAC, and preferably the bank that departs early morning (6ish AM). I've scoured EF, ANA, UA.com, etc., but the combination of routings and gateways makes it a huge undertaking.
I'm guessing my best bet is connection wherever and final destination ORD, EWR, or IAD, but even that is proving tricky. Any suggestions?
This seemed like the most logical place to ask, but if it isn't please by all means move it. I'm looking for a Saver First (Or C I guess) award SIN-anywhere in the U.S. on 7/7. Preferably TPAC, and preferably the bank that departs early morning (6ish AM). I've scoured EF, ANA, UA.com, etc., but the combination of routings and gateways makes it a huge undertaking.
I'm guessing my best bet is connection wherever and final destination ORD, EWR, or IAD, but even that is proving tricky. Any suggestions?
Jun 25, 2013, 6:50 pm
#288
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Jun 25, 2013, 6:53 pm
#289
Join Date: Sep 2010
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Haha, that bodes well. Thanks. I was able to stay on too of segment by segment availability to jump on LH O JFK-SIN as soon as it opened. Hopefully I'll have the same luck on the return.
Jun 25, 2013, 8:51 pm
#290
Join Date: Jan 2007
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Hey all,
This seemed like the most logical place to ask, but if it isn't please by all means move it. I'm looking for a Saver First (Or C I guess) award SIN-anywhere in the U.S. on 7/7. Preferably TPAC, and preferably the bank that departs early morning (6ish AM). I've scoured EF, ANA, UA.com, etc., but the combination of routings and gateways makes it a huge undertaking.
I'm guessing my best bet is connection wherever and final destination ORD, EWR, or IAD, but even that is proving tricky. Any suggestions?
This seemed like the most logical place to ask, but if it isn't please by all means move it. I'm looking for a Saver First (Or C I guess) award SIN-anywhere in the U.S. on 7/7. Preferably TPAC, and preferably the bank that departs early morning (6ish AM). I've scoured EF, ANA, UA.com, etc., but the combination of routings and gateways makes it a huge undertaking.
I'm guessing my best bet is connection wherever and final destination ORD, EWR, or IAD, but even that is proving tricky. Any suggestions?
Jan 6, 2014, 10:57 pm
#291
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: DEN
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Just found Expert Mode again!
Sometime last year, my searches stopped showing the inventory of all the fare classes. I figured that .bomb had just removed another feature. Today I learned that what they did was disable Expert Mode in my profile, and I never knew how to find that setting on the UACO website until reading this thread. Thanks!
Jan 9, 2014, 4:58 am
#292
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 13
Guaranteed Upgrades
Suppose one had considerable flexibility on a trip - it would be possible to choose one of many possible sets of dates, or just not go at all.
Is there a way to purchase an economy ticket, and know for sure than an upgrade, using GPUs, would go through? Either by knowing there is availability in advance, or by cancelling the ticket once purchased (without fee) within some limited period, if the upgrade does not clear? (I think there is a 24-hour free refund period, or something like that?)
Ideally, the trip would originate in SIN, and go to the US. If upgraded, don't care that much whether it is through HKG and NRT. The US end would most likely require an intra-US flight.
Is there a way to purchase an economy ticket, and know for sure than an upgrade, using GPUs, would go through? Either by knowing there is availability in advance, or by cancelling the ticket once purchased (without fee) within some limited period, if the upgrade does not clear? (I think there is a 24-hour free refund period, or something like that?)
Ideally, the trip would originate in SIN, and go to the US. If upgraded, don't care that much whether it is through HKG and NRT. The US end would most likely require an intra-US flight.
Jan 9, 2014, 5:12 am
#293
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: NYC
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Posts: 5,683
Suppose one had considerable flexibility on a trip - it would be possible to choose one of many possible sets of dates, or just not go at all.
Is there a way to purchase an economy ticket, and know for sure than an upgrade, using GPUs, would go through? Either by knowing there is availability in advance, or by cancelling the ticket once purchased (without fee) within some limited period, if the upgrade does not clear? (I think there is a 24-hour free refund period, or something like that?)
Ideally, the trip would originate in SIN, and go to the US. If upgraded, don't care that much whether it is through HKG and NRT. The US end would most likely require an intra-US flight.
Is there a way to purchase an economy ticket, and know for sure than an upgrade, using GPUs, would go through? Either by knowing there is availability in advance, or by cancelling the ticket once purchased (without fee) within some limited period, if the upgrade does not clear? (I think there is a 24-hour free refund period, or something like that?)
Ideally, the trip would originate in SIN, and go to the US. If upgraded, don't care that much whether it is through HKG and NRT. The US end would most likely require an intra-US flight.
What you are looking for is availability of the R bucket, which means that a GPU applied will clear. You can see these buckets by turning on "Expert mode" on the UA website, after logging in.
Once that is turned on, the 'fare class' text becomes an active link which will open a box with the fare bucket info.
In FT lingo, you will see people write "R=2" which means you can book and apply a GPU or miles upgrade and get it confirmed right away.
Jan 9, 2014, 5:41 am
#294
Join Date: Dec 2004
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Welcome ostrotech.
What you are looking for is availability of the R bucket, which means that a GPU applied will clear. You can see these buckets by turning on "Expert mode" on the UA website, after logging in.
Once that is turned on, the 'fare class' text becomes an active link which will open a box with the fare bucket info.
In FT lingo, you will see people write "R=2" which means you can book and apply a GPU or miles upgrade and get it confirmed right away.
What you are looking for is availability of the R bucket, which means that a GPU applied will clear. You can see these buckets by turning on "Expert mode" on the UA website, after logging in.
Once that is turned on, the 'fare class' text becomes an active link which will open a box with the fare bucket info.
In FT lingo, you will see people write "R=2" which means you can book and apply a GPU or miles upgrade and get it confirmed right away.
Jan 9, 2014, 6:14 am
#295
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Portland, Maine
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Posts: 1,179
Welcome ostrotech.
What you are looking for is availability of the R bucket, which means that a GPU applied will clear. You can see these buckets by turning on "Expert mode" on the UA website, after logging in.
Once that is turned on, the 'fare class' text becomes an active link which will open a box with the fare bucket info.
In FT lingo, you will see people write "R=2" which means you can book and apply a GPU or miles upgrade and get it confirmed right away.
What you are looking for is availability of the R bucket, which means that a GPU applied will clear. You can see these buckets by turning on "Expert mode" on the UA website, after logging in.
Once that is turned on, the 'fare class' text becomes an active link which will open a box with the fare bucket info.
In FT lingo, you will see people write "R=2" which means you can book and apply a GPU or miles upgrade and get it confirmed right away.
Please clarify your steps; I'd tried exactly as you listed and I get an error basically saying i.e. no such thing as an "R" bucket...I tried EWR-LAX on several Tuesdays in the future after Feb....
Jan 9, 2014, 6:30 am
#296
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 13
OK, many thanks for the tips, although unfortunately, there seems to be zero availability over quite a wide range of dates for the flights I'm interested in …
Are you perhaps entering "R" in the box where it asks for specific classes of fares? That doesn't work for me either. You have to click on the link for "fare class" next to the flights that show up after you do the search. Then it will show how many seats are in each fare class.
I guess the idea is you're not buying an "R" class fare, you're buying some other class - "R" is the class of the upgrade which occurs (or not).
I guess the idea is you're not buying an "R" class fare, you're buying some other class - "R" is the class of the upgrade which occurs (or not).
Jan 9, 2014, 6:36 am
#297
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This is the way I used to do it. I'd call reservations early in the morning midweek (when there were no weather or other IROPS going on) and tell the CSR that I was looking for 2 round trip tickets to my destination sometime on or about a desired departure date, and that I was flexible on that. Once he/she found 2 outbound seats, we looked for 2 returns, again being flexible on dates. I did that twice a year from 2004-2011 for our TATL vacations, and it always worked out fine.
Jan 9, 2014, 6:41 am
#298
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: NYC
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Posts: 311
Check out this "how to" thread by smb12 and download his Greasemonkey script for additional functionality.
I'd also recommend the script Darlox created and mentions in this thread.
I'd also recommend the script Darlox created and mentions in this thread.
Jan 9, 2014, 7:28 am
#299
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 923
Originally Posted by LeftsideWindow:22117178
Check out this "how to" thread by smb12 and download his Greasemonkey script for additional functionality.
I'd also recommend the script Darlox created and mentions in this thread.
I'd also recommend the script Darlox created and mentions in this thread.
Jan 9, 2014, 8:52 am
#300
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You can also try this ex-HKG, but NRT is generally a much easier upgrade than HKG.