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"
Jan 5, 2023, 12:33 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 218
Consolidated "Waitlist for Award Seats Questions/Issues"
hi, wondering if anyone has been able to waitlist for United biz class saver in 2023 or should i call back for a different agent ? This agent consulted with her supervisor and said that with the new dynamic pricing model for mile usage, no more waitlisting in I class .... thoughts ? We are both Million Milers flyer, looking for a simple SFO-TYO roundtrip. thanks in advance.
Jan 5, 2023, 12:58 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BOS/EAP
Programs: UA 1K, MR LTT, HH Dia, Amex Plat
Posts: 32,038
hi, wondering if anyone has been able to waitlist for United biz class saver in 2023 or should i call back for a different agent ? This agent consulted with her supervisor and said that with the new dynamic pricing model for mile usage, no more waitlisting in I class .... thoughts ? We are both Million Milers flyer, looking for a simple SFO-TYO roundtrip. thanks in advance.
Jan 5, 2023, 12:59 pm
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,400
hi, wondering if anyone has been able to waitlist for United biz class saver in 2023 or should i call back for a different agent ? This agent consulted with her supervisor and said that with the new dynamic pricing model for mile usage, no more waitlisting in I class .... thoughts ? We are both Million Milers flyer, looking for a simple SFO-TYO roundtrip. thanks in advance.
And since there's a "Starting on January 1, 2023" rule about PQF/PQP earning immediately above it, it's clear that the people running MileagePlus haven't forgotten about this page.
I fully expect waitlisting to disappear eventually, but I don't see any sign that it's disappeared just yet.
Jan 8, 2023, 5:04 pm
#5
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat
Posts: 88
True rule or a HUCA situation?
I have an award ticket with SFO-LAX (XN): LAX-LHR (I): LHR-CPH (X). I asked an agent to waitlist me for SFO-LHR (IN). After talking with a supervisor, the agent said I needed both SFO-LAX and LAX-LHR to be in business in order for me to waitlist SFO-LHR (IN). The agent did waitlist me for IN for the SFO-LAX segment. Is this a HUCA situation-- i.e. the right agent might waitlist me for SFO-LHR in IN? Or is this truly a rule, and I should I not expect to get what I want with repeated HUCA? Thanks for reading.
Jan 8, 2023, 5:19 pm
#6
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Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,400
I have an award ticket with SFO-LAX (XN): LAX-LHR (I): LHR-CPH (X). I asked an agent to waitlist me for SFO-LHR (IN). After talking with a supervisor, the agent said I needed both SFO-LAX and LAX-LHR to be in business in order for me to waitlist SFO-LHR (IN). The agent did waitlist me for IN for the SFO-LAX segment. Is this a HUCA situation-- i.e. the right agent might waitlist me for SFO-LHR in IN? Or is this truly a rule, and I should I not expect to get what I want with repeated HUCA? Thanks for reading.
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.
Jan 8, 2023, 9:32 pm
#7
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat
Posts: 88
You're playing with fire here. As nearly as I can tell, it should be allowed by the rules — but if you do get someone to waitlist you for SFO-LHR, and it clears, your ticket will need to be reissued. That could potentially cause you to lose your reservation on LHR-CPH. (It's not supposed to, but problems with reissued award tickets pop up frequently enough that UA changed its entire workflow for making award changes to try to prevent them). There's no specific rule covering it, but this seems pretty close:
It doesn't say anything about needing to be in I all the way on the other flight. (It doesn't say that you don't need to be in I, either).
It doesn't say anything about needing to be in I all the way on the other flight. (It doesn't say that you don't need to be in I, either).
Jan 9, 2023, 10:33 am
#8
formerly 1984SW
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Merida, Yucatan, Mexico
Programs: UA
Posts: 1,058
I have an award booking with BKK-TPE-IAH on BR booked in I, and IAH-MID on UA in XN for 110k miles. Any ideas how much the "price" would increase if I were able to waitlist for IN on the IAH-MID segment?
I find available routings with BKK-TPE on BR in I, and TPE-IAH-MID on UA in JN for 190k, but that's not a relevant comparison, or is it?
[edited to add:]
I originally posted this in the wrong section and a mod kindly moved it here, But, oh, no! I just read jsloan 's warning about "playing with fire":
If the waitlist would clear for IN on my IAH-MID flight, would the acceptance of the waitlist clearance and the ticket reissueance be automatic, or is it intercepted and handled by a human? If the latter, would they let me know in advance before reissuing the ticket if I were going to lose the BR segments?
I find available routings with BKK-TPE on BR in I, and TPE-IAH-MID on UA in JN for 190k, but that's not a relevant comparison, or is it?
[edited to add:]
I originally posted this in the wrong section and a mod kindly moved it here, But, oh, no! I just read jsloan 's warning about "playing with fire":
You're playing with fire here. As nearly as I can tell, it should be allowed by the rules — but if you do get someone to waitlist you for SFO-LHR, and it clears, your ticket will need to be reissued. That could potentially cause you to lose your reservation on LHR-CPH. (It's not supposed to, but problems with reissued award tickets pop up frequently enough that UA changed its entire workflow for making award changes to try to prevent them).
Last edited by wpcoe; Jan 9, 2023 at 11:14 am
Jan 9, 2023, 11:25 am
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,400
If the waitlist would clear for IN on my IAH-MID flight, would the acceptance of the waitlist clearance and the ticket reissueance be automatic, or is it intercepted and handled by a human? If the latter, would they let me know in advance before reissuing the ticket if I were going to lose the BR segments?
To answer your question, assuming you booked this via a single search from BKK to MID, there should be no charge for waitlisting IN, once you find someone you can do it.
Jan 9, 2023, 11:51 am
#10
formerly 1984SW
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Merida, Yucatan, Mexico
Programs: UA
Posts: 1,058
This is a different situation, because you're waitlisting for a different cabin on the same routing, vs. trying to waitlist on a different routing. When you keep the same routing, UA can (and does) revalidate the ticket rather than reissuing it. While that seems like a minor, technical distinction, the difference is crucial: a revalidated ticket keeps the same ticket number, and therefore will not cause the problems with other carriers' reservations that a reissued ticket can. Basically, you can think of revalidation as UA putting a sticker on your ticket and saying "you're good to go," whereas reissuance involves UA turning your old ticket into credit, ripping it up, and giving you a new one. So what you're talking about is safe, whereas what the other poster was talking about incurs some risk.
Jan 9, 2023, 2:07 pm
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
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For now, I/IN class is still chart-based even if they don't publish the chart.
Jan 10, 2023, 1:20 pm
#12
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 258
Booked on LHR to EWR in IN and EWR to LAX in XN.Total price was 60k miles and about $200. If I want to waitlist for the direct LHR to LAX flight, how many miles should I expect the agent to ask for so that I know if the agent is on the right track.
Jan 10, 2023, 1:58 pm
#13
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Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,400
None. The I/IN rates are the same, connections or not, when you book (as you did) in a single search from origin to destination.
Jan 10, 2023, 2:29 pm
#14
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 258
Jan 10, 2023, 3:19 pm
#15
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Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,400