Beerman92

I am guessing that on the new UA YBM-Ups are considered coach fares. This seems reasonable since when I do a search for a first class fare it won't return a YBM-UP fare. But just confirming.

As a follow up to that does CO have fares that book into A that end in UP that agents try to claim are not first class fares?

I had issues with both old UA and DL with this because if I selected first class fares it would give me options for fares that ended in UP but booked into A and not an UG bucket. Then when there was a plane change the agents wanted to argue that I was on a coach ticket with a free upgrade. That was super annoying. Especially when I was flying MSN-LGA on one of these and there was a plane change to a one class RJ. The check in agent was a real piece of work. I explained that I understood sometimes plane changes happen but I bought a first class ticket so could he please make sure my BP said zone 1 or whatever it is on DL (I had no status). He said no. Luckily the GA was much better and apologized for both the plane swap and the other agent's misinformation. She wrote Board First on my BP, said I could board whenever I wanted and handed me a handful of Have One On Us drink chits.

RobOnLI

I'm not aware that UA (also pmCO) have a DL-like program with the UP fares. The only way to get upgraded immediately on a Y/B/M fare is to have the appropriate premier level. 1K/Plat/Gold/Silver for Y/B and 1K on M fares.

If you search and purchase a first class ticket on UA you are buying into the bucket directly and not going through Y/B/M first.

However, like the DL system, if you do use the immediate upgrade on the Y/B/M fare based on your premier status and later on there are flight issues (plane changes, etc. etc.) you are only entitled to a coach seat but you'll have very high priority for the upgrade at the gate.

-RM

sbm12

There are two types of UP fares on UA and the rules are quite different between.

• For the Y/B/M-Ups they are available on any CPU-eligible route but only for elites and are subject to the JN or PN inventory bucket being available. If the upgrade isn't available at booking the segment can be upgraded if the inventory opens up after ticketing. Searching for first class fares will NOT include these in the results.
• For the "other" UPs, similar to how DL, US and AA sell them, the option is available to anyone and they generally book into A or P. If they don't confirm into F at the time of booking you're stuck in coach. Searching for first class fares will include these in the results.

If you want a list of the *UP fares from various carriers I've got a resource here that offers such.

Often1

And note that in the new UG order, those under "option 1" Y/B (M only for 1K) who do not get the instan UG at booking due to capacity, are #2 on the UG priority, just after GS and just before, CPU. So, a 2P on a B-UP who doesn't get the instant UG at booking is UG ahead of the 1K in any non-UP bucket.

Many of these UP's can be a great deal, particularly given the lack of UG avail on key routes such as TCON.

Beerman92

Thanks! If you book one of these into A or P and have an F seat and then there are IROPs and you get put on a different flight do agents know to book you in A or P if its available? Or do they default to putting you in Y no matter what?

sbm12

Depends on the agent, unfortunately. The official policy is that you're on a paid forward cabin ticket and entitled to the downgrade compensation if you're hit with such but not all agents seem to believe that so much. I've had it go both ways in the past.