Feb 22, 2017, 12:57 pm
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
Active thread Consolidated "Waitlist for Award Seats Questions/Issues"
Waitilisting for awards
Click for the current rules from United
Member experiences:
At the airport if you have not yet cleared:
Note: The correct priority term here may in fact be a code that is one of WAI, WBI, WCI, or WDI 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 seem 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.
Waitilisting for awards
Click for the current rules from United
From the above link: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 must have a confirmed segment to wait list 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.
- Maximum number of WL segments in a PNR is 2.
- When confirmed segment is on a partner, you can waitlist for UA operated alternative.A report of being refused waitlisting for Economy{mixed reports - need further confirmation/clarification}.
At the airport if you have not yet cleared:
Note: The correct priority term here may in fact be a code that is one of WAI, WBI, WCI, or WDI 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.
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 seem 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.
Consolidated "Waitlist for Award Seats Questions/Issues [ARCHIVE]
Feb 12, 2018, 11:48 am
#2236
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.995MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,832
Feb 12, 2018, 12:19 pm
#2237
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Programs: UA Premier Gold, Starwood Gold, Plat AE, CO PP MC, Marriott Rewards Plat, Virgin Elevate Gold
Posts: 1,416
Feb 12, 2018, 12:55 pm
#2238
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,448
It is never automatic, nor is it supposed to be. Waitlisting an award is purely on a request basis.
Feb 13, 2018, 12:14 am
#2239
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,406
Data point: I note that policy wording regarding waitlisted Economy awards has slowly been disappearing and there have been reports of failure - today I was able to get an XN award waitlisted for a better routing (one-stop to nonstop). Just used the words "add a waitlist segment" and got it on the first agent 
Now to outlast Gemini in a game of chicken.. 24 days out with the seatmap booked 18/64 in Y, but the flight is Y9 E9 H0. Either there are a huge number of already-sold BE fares or this inventory is dumb.
Now to outlast Gemini in a game of chicken.. 24 days out with the seatmap booked 18/64 in Y, but the flight is Y9 E9 H0. Either there are a huge number of already-sold BE fares or this inventory is dumb.
Feb 13, 2018, 8:01 am
#2240
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,448
Data point: I note that policy wording regarding waitlisted Economy awards has slowly been disappearing and there have been reports of failure - today I was able to get an XN award waitlisted for a better routing (one-stop to nonstop). Just used the words "add a waitlist segment" and got it on the first agent
Feb 14, 2018, 2:00 am
#2241
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: NYC
Programs: DL DM
Posts: 360
I'm flying tomorrow, just checked in and still waitlisted for I class on SFO-SEA. I don't see my name on the upgrade list and the agent on the phone claims it's because I'm not waitlisting for a CPU and my priority is correct and I should clear above anyone waitlisting for a CPU.
Reading this thread it seems to me like I should be on the upgrade list regardles...I'm confused...
Reading this thread it seems to me like I should be on the upgrade list regardles...I'm confused...
Feb 14, 2018, 8:11 am
#2242
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,448
I'm flying tomorrow, just checked in and still waitlisted for I class on SFO-SEA. I don't see my name on the upgrade list and the agent on the phone claims it's because I'm not waitlisting for a CPU and my priority is correct and I should clear above anyone waitlisting for a CPU.
Reading this thread it seems to me like I should be on the upgrade list regardles...I'm confused...
Reading this thread it seems to me like I should be on the upgrade list regardles...I'm confused...
It's only a 2 hour flight . . . is this part of a larger itinerary?
Feb 14, 2018, 12:10 pm
#2243
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: NYC
Programs: DL DM
Posts: 360
I'm in J (new seats) on the TATL so that's good !
Feb 14, 2018, 1:04 pm
#2244
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,406
Did you get an email about an uncleared waitlist or upgrade request? You should get one just before T-24.
As noted, though, your priority is "correct" until the gate (practically speaking you will probably get jumped by CPUs unfortunately, but you can't help that) - you should get added to the gate list (if applicable) before it is run with the priority WBI. That will place you ahead of any CPUs for what remains at the gate.
As noted, though, your priority is "correct" until the gate (practically speaking you will probably get jumped by CPUs unfortunately, but you can't help that) - you should get added to the gate list (if applicable) before it is run with the priority WBI. That will place you ahead of any CPUs for what remains at the gate.
Feb 14, 2018, 5:49 pm
#2245
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Programs: UA Premier Gold, Starwood Gold, Plat AE, CO PP MC, Marriott Rewards Plat, Virgin Elevate Gold
Posts: 1,416
If you book an award in F, and only one of the legs is confirmed in F, it would seem to be logical the airline would automatically put you on the wait list for the higher service in case it clears.
Feb 18, 2018, 1:55 pm
#2246
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 4
Hello,
thanks to the information here, I've been put on the wait list for I class on a mixed saver award business ticket.
DUS-MUC and MUC-DEN with LH are in business class, DEN-EUG with UA in X.
When I looked at the plane for the DEN-EUG leg (Boeing 737-800, Flight UA565), it doesn't show a business class at all.
Does that mean I might be put in F, or do I have no chance at all for a better seat?
Should I get any miles reimbursed, if I don't get upgraded?
And what are the rules for lounges, if I book business, but my boarding pass for the last leg is in economy?
I have a 4 hour wait in Denver.
Thanks in advance!
thanks to the information here, I've been put on the wait list for I class on a mixed saver award business ticket.
DUS-MUC and MUC-DEN with LH are in business class, DEN-EUG with UA in X.
When I looked at the plane for the DEN-EUG leg (Boeing 737-800, Flight UA565), it doesn't show a business class at all.
Does that mean I might be put in F, or do I have no chance at all for a better seat?
Should I get any miles reimbursed, if I don't get upgraded?
And what are the rules for lounges, if I book business, but my boarding pass for the last leg is in economy?
I have a 4 hour wait in Denver.
Thanks in advance!
Last edited by siskiou; Feb 18, 2018 at 5:00 pm Reason: correct spelling
Feb 18, 2018, 2:53 pm
#2247
Moderator: Smoking Lounge; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: SFO
Programs: Lifetime (for now) Gold MM, HH Gold, Giving Tootsie Pops to UA employees, & a retired hockey goalie
Posts: 28,878
If I book a Standard/EveryDay economy award on one or both of the segments, I cannot waitlist for a saver economy award to open up on one or both of those segments? And if not, if saver awards do open up for one or both of the segments, it would be re-depost fees and booking a new award ticket at the saver rate?
Feb 18, 2018, 2:55 pm
#2248
Join Date: May 2010
Programs: AA PLT UA GLD
Posts: 21
Automatic Waitlist Transfer to Standby List
On my early February travel that included Flight: UA917 Aircraft: Boeing 777-300ER Fare Class: United Economy (HN) - (I class requested), no I class came available prior to T-24, but at check-in (~T-10; could not check-in online due to having to show proof of onward travel at airport for one way ticket) I was placed at #2 , ahead of about 10 that were on the upgrade standby list by this time. So the automatic transfer worked as advertised and it appears that I was placed ahead of most if not all "paid economy requesting upgrade" passengers. I moved slightly up and down the list in the last hour before boarding, but eventually was cleared to biz!
Feb 18, 2018, 3:39 pm
#2249
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,390
Hello,
thanks to the information here, I've been put on the wait list for I class on a mixed saver award business ticket.
DUS-MUC and MUC-DEN with LH are in business class, DEN-EUG with UA in X.
When I looked at the plane for the DEN-EUG leg (Boeing 737-800, Flight UA565), it doesn't show a business class at all.
Does that mean I might be put in F, or do I have no chance at all for a better seat?
Should I get any miles reimbursed, if I don't get updraded?
And what are the rules for lounges, if I book business, but my boarding pass for the last leg is in economy?
I have a 4 hour wait in Denver.
Thanks in advance!
thanks to the information here, I've been put on the wait list for I class on a mixed saver award business ticket.
DUS-MUC and MUC-DEN with LH are in business class, DEN-EUG with UA in X.
When I looked at the plane for the DEN-EUG leg (Boeing 737-800, Flight UA565), it doesn't show a business class at all.
Does that mean I might be put in F, or do I have no chance at all for a better seat?
Should I get any miles reimbursed, if I don't get updraded?
And what are the rules for lounges, if I book business, but my boarding pass for the last leg is in economy?
I have a 4 hour wait in Denver.
Thanks in advance!
So in my case, wanting to fly SFO-LAS-SFO...
If I book a Standard/EveryDay economy award on one or both of the segments, I cannot waitlist for a saver economy award to open up on one or both of those segments? And if not, if saver awards do open up for one or both of the segments, it would be re-depost fees and booking a new award ticket at the saver rate?
If I book a Standard/EveryDay economy award on one or both of the segments, I cannot waitlist for a saver economy award to open up on one or both of those segments? And if not, if saver awards do open up for one or both of the segments, it would be re-depost fees and booking a new award ticket at the saver rate?
Feb 18, 2018, 4:41 pm
#2250
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 4
Can I ask to be placed in premium economy without a fee (there seem to be plenty of available seats), while hoping to clear for F? There are still months to go before my flight.
Your lounge options are unaffected, but not for the reason you'd hope. You only have lounge access in DEN for your EUG connection if you are a Star Alliance Gold (*G) customer (MileagePlus Gold or higher)