Mar 31, 2014, 3:57 pm
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
Waitlisting for awards
Click for the current rules from United
Waitlisting options
Waitlisting can only be done over the phone, not online.
You can not book a standard award and then waitlist for a saver award.
If waitlisting for a higher cabin, best if done at the time of booking or soon afterward.
If done more than 24 hours after booking you may be charged an award change fee.
Generally, the waitlisted class mileage is deducted at time of request and will be refunded if unsuccessful
When waitlisting for a higher, state you are waitlisting for I (or IN if a plat or higher) -- do not use the word "upgrade", it may confuse the agent
If waitlisting for a segment when the rest of the segments are already in the higher cabin, there is no refund if unsuccessful
Member experiences:
Note: The correct priority term here may, in fact, be a code that is one of WAX, WBX, WCX, or WDX depending on status. The is per GG ONESTANDBY lines 32-55.
Note: PR-1 status is given to those who "paid" the requisite miles for an upgraded seat (i.e. biz) when only the non-upgraded space (i.e. coach) was available. The PR-1* status is to clue the system (and agents) in so that it is clear that you have been "displaced." (NOTE: once you have obtained PR-1 status, should there be any change to your ticket, e.g., an involuntary reroute by UA due to missing a connection, the PR-1 status will most likely get dropped and you must have it reattached (esp. before any UGs are given to others).
Unfortunately at T-24, many GAs do not get this concept. Use the above to plead your case but be prepared to be unsatisfied. One method that can get you to a higher level of understanding is the UC. Their staff seems to not only have a better understanding of the issues, but they can contact the gate and exert some influence on the less informed GAs, AND they seem to have more of an interest in helping PAX. If you can get into the UC, it will be worth your while.
**Note: If you get the UG on the long haul, the higher level of award miles you are using (like with the GPU) are considered used up regardless of the short haul. You will not be charged the lower level # of miles (i.e. refunded the diff between the lower level and the higher level you paid in advance), rather the higher level award miles will be considered spent. That is the risk you take when you do Plan B.
Related thread - Understanding the United Upgrade List Comprehensively
Archive of past posts - Consolidated "Waitlist for Award Seats Questions/Issues [ARCHIVE]
Click for the current rules from United
Waitlisting options
- Waitlist for alternative flights times / routing
- Waitlisting for a different cabin
From the above link on waitlisting for a different cabin: You may redeem miles for travel in United Global First, United First, United Business or United BusinessFirst, even if the space is not available. In these cases, United Economy in the same award type must be confirmed, and the front cabin will be waitlisted. If the courtesy waitlist does not clear, it will expire 24 hours before itinerary departure, and you will automatically be added to the airport upgrade standby list upon check-in. In these cases, you will be confirmed on a space-available basis by a United airport representative at the gate once the flight has closed for check-in. For United BusinessFirst and United Business travel awards, the difference in miles will be refunded when the United BusinessFirst or United Business class segment of the trip could not be confirmed. Waitlist requests may only be made over the phone with your local United Customer Contact Center.
You can not book a standard award and then waitlist for a saver award.
If waitlisting for a higher cabin, best if done at the time of booking or soon afterward.
If done more than 24 hours after booking you may be charged an award change fee.
Generally, the waitlisted class mileage is deducted at time of request and will be refunded if unsuccessful
When waitlisting for a higher, state you are waitlisting for I (or IN if a plat or higher) -- do not use the word "upgrade", it may confuse the agent
If waitlisting for a segment when the rest of the segments are already in the higher cabin, there is no refund if unsuccessful
Member experiences:
- You must have a confirmed segment to waitlist for different cabin and/or a different flight.
- Can only waitlist for UA/UX operated flight, cannot waitlist for partner flights. Can waitlist for UA/UX flights on a mixed itin.
- The maximum number of WL segments in a PNR is 2.
- When confirmed segment is on a partner, you can waitlist for UA operated alternative.
Note: The correct priority term here may, in fact, be a code that is one of WAX, WBX, WCX, or WDX depending on status. The is per GG ONESTANDBY lines 32-55.
The agent should give you “PR-1 status”* which gives you top-priority status and moves you to the very top of the upgrade standby list, ahead of employees and everyone else trying to upgrade with miles+cash. If one agent won’t put you on the list as a displaced Business class passenger with "PR-1 status"* then find another one who will. With this status, the odds of you getting a business class are very high if there are still open seats (or if anybody no-shows).
If the agents in the airport are all clueless you should direct them to look
up “gg onestandby” in their system (they’ll know exactly what this is)
and look around lines 85-89 which spell out the details of the procedure for
this award.
If the agents in the airport are all clueless you should direct them to look
up “gg onestandby” in their system (they’ll know exactly what this is)
and look around lines 85-89 which spell out the details of the procedure for
this award.
* note "PR-1" may not be the correct term, see the Wxx note proceeding this section
Unfortunately at T-24, many GAs do not get this concept. Use the above to plead your case but be prepared to be unsatisfied. One method that can get you to a higher level of understanding is the UC. Their staff seems to not only have a better understanding of the issues, but they can contact the gate and exert some influence on the less informed GAs, AND they seem to have more of an interest in helping PAX. If you can get into the UC, it will be worth your while.
**Note: If you get the UG on the long haul, the higher level of award miles you are using (like with the GPU) are considered used up regardless of the short haul. You will not be charged the lower level # of miles (i.e. refunded the diff between the lower level and the higher level you paid in advance), rather the higher level award miles will be considered spent. That is the risk you take when you do Plan B.
Related thread - Understanding the United Upgrade List Comprehensively
Archive of past posts - Consolidated "Waitlist for Award Seats Questions/Issues [ARCHIVE]
Consolidated "Waitlist for Award Seats Questions/Issues"
Jun 21, 2023, 4:56 pm
#226
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: San Francisco
Programs: UA MM Plat, UA 1MM, Hilton Lifetime Gold, Marriott Gold, Hertz Gold, CLEAR, AS MVP Gold
Posts: 3,618
Ticketed customers may waitlist for travel in a premium cabin for an alternate flight. Reservations where all segments are waitlisted without any confirmed segments are not permitted.
I am a bit confused by the above statement but I thought you could never double book flights at the same time, is this what they mean by "alternative flight". I have tried several times with upgrade requests in play and usually get "caught" within 24 hrs and get one of reservations cancelled stating duplicate or something like impossible booking (similar times). Is this what they are refering to as "alternative"?
Secondly, and again maybe my not understanding what the "all segments" means but I thought you could waitlist all segs on connecting flights, given the stated restrictions? (ie. SFO-ORD-CLE)
I am a bit confused by the above statement but I thought you could never double book flights at the same time, is this what they mean by "alternative flight". I have tried several times with upgrade requests in play and usually get "caught" within 24 hrs and get one of reservations cancelled stating duplicate or something like impossible booking (similar times). Is this what they are refering to as "alternative"?
Secondly, and again maybe my not understanding what the "all segments" means but I thought you could waitlist all segs on connecting flights, given the stated restrictions? (ie. SFO-ORD-CLE)
Jun 21, 2023, 5:08 pm
#227
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 106
Follow up question to the group at large - I think WL to I/IN been a perk that appears to be going away, since the dynamic chart, and poorly trained agents vs expert agents aside - when I book a ticket, and spend miles, the only information I have to go on in terms of rules and policy for that travel is online and what UA publishes. That is the basis of how I would engage the booking, and be bound by those rules and terms. If that is "incorrect" / inconstant from some system that I as a customer have no access to (wingtips), I suspect this violates some laws in places. I am NOT suggesting legal action, or anything related to that so please put down the flame throwers - but I am saying the rules need to be consistent so that I can fairly decide to enter that transaction. Example, (being overly simple) I see a price tag on the shelf for apples at 10c each, but the "computer" rings them up at 12c. If I went to the manger, almost always, I should pay the 10c no matter what the computer "says". Same would go for a policy printed on a purchase receipt, that says I have a 30 day window to return or upgrade the product, but when I try and upgrade the product in 12 days, being told, no you can't because the computer says the rule changed - you can't get away with that in most places I would think.
Using those rules, if I see the only seat right now available in XN, but have the miles and would reasonably redeem them for IN, so I engage the ticket with that in mind - knowing the published rules say this is exactly what I can do, only to be told sorry the computer says we can't do that anymore is definitely an issue that needs fixed just as much as the agent training.
Using those rules, if I see the only seat right now available in XN, but have the miles and would reasonably redeem them for IN, so I engage the ticket with that in mind - knowing the published rules say this is exactly what I can do, only to be told sorry the computer says we can't do that anymore is definitely an issue that needs fixed just as much as the agent training.
A better analogy will be a store saying you can buy 1 apple for $1 dollar and 2 apples for $1.5 then you go up to the cashier and they say they don't know how to charge 2 apples for $1.5, figure it out or change the policy!
Jun 21, 2023, 5:11 pm
#228
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,401
Ticketed customers may waitlist for travel in a premium cabin for an alternate flight. Reservations where all segments are waitlisted without any confirmed segments are not permitted.
I am a bit confused by the above statement but I thought you could never double book flights at the same time,
I am a bit confused by the above statement but I thought you could never double book flights at the same time,
is this what they mean by "alternative flight". I have tried several times with upgrade requests in play and usually get "caught" within 24 hrs and get one of reservations cancelled stating duplicate or something like impossible booking (similar times). Is this what they are refering to as "alternative"?
All of this is referring to waitlisting for business class awards. None of it is applicable to using PlusPoints.
Jun 21, 2023, 5:17 pm
#229
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 106
It is definitely not a computer problem, it is a training problem or a change in policy that hasn't been updated to the public, why? We don't know. We should demand United either stick to its public policy or update it, it is simple... we are not asking for a favor or something we made up, we are following THEIR policy!
A better analogy will be a store saying you can buy 1 apple for $1 dollar and 2 apples for $1.5 then you go up to the cashier and they say they don't know how to charge 2 apples for $1.5, figure it out or change the policy!
A better analogy will be a store saying you can buy 1 apple for $1 dollar and 2 apples for $1.5 then you go up to the cashier and they say they don't know how to charge 2 apples for $1.5, figure it out or change the policy!
Jun 21, 2023, 5:40 pm
#230
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: San Francisco
Programs: UA MM Plat, UA 1MM, Hilton Lifetime Gold, Marriott Gold, Hertz Gold, CLEAR, AS MVP Gold
Posts: 3,618
Correct.
You’re not allowed to have two reservations that conflict. In theory, you are allowed to waitlist for an alternative flight as part of a confirmed reservation. The difference is that in this scenario, you’re not affecting inventory on two flights at once.
When making an award reservation, you would not be allowed to waitlist SFO-ORD-CLE with none of the legs cleared in any class. That’s done to keep you from getting in a position where you have one confirmed leg and one waitlisted leg.
All of this is referring to waitlisting for business class awards. None of it is applicable to using PlusPoints.
You’re not allowed to have two reservations that conflict. In theory, you are allowed to waitlist for an alternative flight as part of a confirmed reservation. The difference is that in this scenario, you’re not affecting inventory on two flights at once.
When making an award reservation, you would not be allowed to waitlist SFO-ORD-CLE with none of the legs cleared in any class. That’s done to keep you from getting in a position where you have one confirmed leg and one waitlisted leg.
All of this is referring to waitlisting for business class awards. None of it is applicable to using PlusPoints.
Jun 24, 2023, 3:44 pm
#231
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: NJ
Posts: 99
Would calling United desk help (HUACA)?
Just adding another data point below for what is worth.
I had an ECONOMY award flight booked for ATH-EWR under YN using 70K miles. I reached out to United on twitter to be waitlisted for saver Business class award and this is the response I received:
Thank you for verifying. We've looked into this, and we are unable to waitlist for Saver Business class on your flight from ATH to EWR on August 21. We'd like to let you know that we can no longer process waitlist requests for Saver Business Award in "I or "IN" booking class. We have shifted to dynamic pricing where at any given time, the mileage requirement may change, unlike before when every travel region has a fixed mileage requirement.
Upgrade waitlist request for award bookings is only applicable if originally booked in Business class (mixed cabin), where miles have been deducted accordingly, but the appropriate "I" booking class is not available when the reservation got ticketed. ^DO
Just adding another data point below for what is worth.
I had an ECONOMY award flight booked for ATH-EWR under YN using 70K miles. I reached out to United on twitter to be waitlisted for saver Business class award and this is the response I received:
Thank you for verifying. We've looked into this, and we are unable to waitlist for Saver Business class on your flight from ATH to EWR on August 21. We'd like to let you know that we can no longer process waitlist requests for Saver Business Award in "I or "IN" booking class. We have shifted to dynamic pricing where at any given time, the mileage requirement may change, unlike before when every travel region has a fixed mileage requirement.
Upgrade waitlist request for award bookings is only applicable if originally booked in Business class (mixed cabin), where miles have been deducted accordingly, but the appropriate "I" booking class is not available when the reservation got ticketed. ^DO
Last edited by alexiou; Jun 24, 2023 at 4:32 pm
Jun 24, 2023, 9:25 pm
#232
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,401
Would calling United desk help (HUACA)?
Just adding another data point below for what is worth.
I had an ECONOMY award flight booked for ATH-EWR under YN using 70K miles. I reached out to United on twitter to be waitlisted for saver Business class award and this is the response I received:
Just adding another data point below for what is worth.
I had an ECONOMY award flight booked for ATH-EWR under YN using 70K miles. I reached out to United on twitter to be waitlisted for saver Business class award and this is the response I received:
Jul 2, 2023, 4:01 pm
#233
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: UA
Posts: 12
Another data point -
I tried to do the waitlist for premium award and was rebuffed 2x (phone and chat)
It is a 3 leg international business saver award with 1 international partner leg in X, a second international partner leg in I, and a United-operated domestic leg in X. Should be eligible for a waitlisted premium award for the third leg.
Both agents said that because it was a mixed cabin business award, I would have to pay way more miles to be confirmed into business (from 88k- 440k). Me pointing out that is was already a business class ticket got nowhere.
Conflicts with the info from Twitter above, but seems to be in line with the new training to deny now that they have moved 100% to dynamic awards.
I tried to do the waitlist for premium award and was rebuffed 2x (phone and chat)
It is a 3 leg international business saver award with 1 international partner leg in X, a second international partner leg in I, and a United-operated domestic leg in X. Should be eligible for a waitlisted premium award for the third leg.
Both agents said that because it was a mixed cabin business award, I would have to pay way more miles to be confirmed into business (from 88k- 440k). Me pointing out that is was already a business class ticket got nowhere.
Conflicts with the info from Twitter above, but seems to be in line with the new training to deny now that they have moved 100% to dynamic awards.
Jul 4, 2023, 8:32 pm
#234
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: MDW/ORD and the late lamented Meigs Field...
Programs: UA 1MM Premier 1K, Hilton Gold, Marriott Titanium/ LT
Posts: 1,229
Another data point -
I tried to do the waitlist for premium award and was rebuffed 2x (phone and chat)
It is a 3 leg international business saver award with 1 international partner leg in X, a second international partner leg in I, and a United-operated domestic leg in X. Should be eligible for a waitlisted premium award for the third leg.
Both agents said that because it was a mixed cabin business award, I would have to pay way more miles to be confirmed into business (from 88k- 440k). Me pointing out that is was already a business class ticket got nowhere.
Conflicts with the info from Twitter above, but seems to be in line with the new training to deny now that they have moved 100% to dynamic awards.
I tried to do the waitlist for premium award and was rebuffed 2x (phone and chat)
It is a 3 leg international business saver award with 1 international partner leg in X, a second international partner leg in I, and a United-operated domestic leg in X. Should be eligible for a waitlisted premium award for the third leg.
Both agents said that because it was a mixed cabin business award, I would have to pay way more miles to be confirmed into business (from 88k- 440k). Me pointing out that is was already a business class ticket got nowhere.
Conflicts with the info from Twitter above, but seems to be in line with the new training to deny now that they have moved 100% to dynamic awards.
Booked a regular MP award in Economy on UA nonstop TATL 6 months out (no regular PE awards, Polaris at 265K a bit rich for my blood, esp when I have my favorite economy seat for a daytime flight). Applying the "Never Hurts To Ask" (NHTA) principle, I called and asked to be waitlisted for a Business Saver award. Agent had to check with someone, came back and said I couldn't be waitlisted for an upgrade because I had a MP award, but when I explained that I wanted to be waitlisted for a separate award ticket and not an upgrade, she immediately understood the difference! She consulted again. Apologized after 10 minutes "None of us has done that since COVID and we're trying to remember how to do it!" She also apologized that they would have to deduct the difference in MP miles now, to be restored if the award never came through. The difference between my regular Economy award and Biz saver to Europe? 10K. The record now shows the deduction from my account and the waitlist for the Polaris business (IN). NHTA
Last edited by lskohn; Jul 4, 2023 at 8:33 pm Reason: adding fare code
Jul 4, 2023, 10:04 pm
#235
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,401
Your ticket was not eligible for waitlisting. The fact that you bamboozled an agent into doing it for you does not change that fact (but the agent may face discipline for breaking policy). Award waitlists must be the same type of ticket — in other words, you must have an X/XN “saver” ticket to waitlsit for I/IN “saver” business. That’s why the fare difference was only 10K — because you shouldn’t have been able to waitlist at all.
To everyone else reading this post: Please do not expect the same treatment on your ineligible-for-waitlist awards.
Last edited by jsloan; Jul 4, 2023 at 10:23 pm Reason: Clarity
Jul 4, 2023, 10:14 pm
#236
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: None - previously UA
Posts: 4,864
Jul 4, 2023, 10:22 pm
#237
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,401
But Plan B requires an X/XN booking (f.k.a. “Saver’). It always has. YN tickets have never been eligible for Plan B, although there are occasional reports, like this one, of someone confusing an agent into it.
I’m not saying that these examples caused UA to make Plan B virtually inaccessible — I think it’s mostly a natural outcome from fully dynamic awards. But it certainly hasn’t helped, and each call for an ineligible itinerary likely hastens the day when UA will go ahead and remove Plan B from the rules posted to the website.
After re-reading my original message, I realized I worked so hard to avoid the “saver” term that it was unclear. Hopefully my edits helped.
Jul 6, 2023, 5:50 pm
#238
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: San Francisco/Sydney
Programs: UA 1K/MM, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Something, IHG Gold, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 8,156
Just completed SYD-LAX-SFO, first leg in IN, second leg in XN. About a week ago I called and waitlisted the second leg in IN (yes, should have done it earlier but forgot), which was done in 30 seconds without any issues.
Previously when I've done this, and it didn't clear before 24 hours, I was listed towards the top of the "upgrade" list - from memory based on there actually being 2 lists behind the scenes, one for passengers who were waitlisted into a class they had already "paid" for, and one for upgraders.
However today I was dead last on the upgrade list - 19th out of 19th (after upgrades were cleared). Have the rules here changed, or did the agent do something wrong with the waitlist? Obviously only a short flight so not a real issue, but there were 5 people upgraded at the gate, so odds are I would have been if I had been nearer the top.
Previously when I've done this, and it didn't clear before 24 hours, I was listed towards the top of the "upgrade" list - from memory based on there actually being 2 lists behind the scenes, one for passengers who were waitlisted into a class they had already "paid" for, and one for upgraders.
However today I was dead last on the upgrade list - 19th out of 19th (after upgrades were cleared). Have the rules here changed, or did the agent do something wrong with the waitlist? Obviously only a short flight so not a real issue, but there were 5 people upgraded at the gate, so odds are I would have been if I had been nearer the top.
Jul 6, 2023, 6:55 pm
#239
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,401
Previously when I've done this, and it didn't clear before 24 hours, I was listed towards the top of the "upgrade" list - from memory based on there actually being 2 lists behind the scenes, one for passengers who were waitlisted into a class they had already "paid" for, and one for upgraders.
However today I was dead last on the upgrade list - 19th out of 19th (after upgrades were cleared). Have the rules here changed, or did the agent do something wrong with the waitlist? Obviously only a short flight so not a real issue, but there were 5 people upgraded at the gate, so odds are I would have been if I had been nearer the top.
Jul 6, 2023, 9:13 pm
#240
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: None - previously UA
Posts: 4,864
However today I was dead last on the upgrade list - 19th out of 19th (after upgrades were cleared). Have the rules here changed, or did the agent do something wrong with the waitlist? Obviously only a short flight so not a real issue, but there were 5 people upgraded at the gate, so odds are I would have been if I had been nearer the top.