"Wasting" an SWU on a TATL flight when only domestic leg clears
Mar 14, 2012, 10:58 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Left Coast
Programs: UA 1K & 1MM, HH Diamond, Marriott/SPG Gold (UA comp)
Posts: 1,352
"Wasting" an SWU on a TATL flight when only domestic leg clears
Hi, wondering if the new SHARES system is an different than PMUA's system was with regard to SWUs on a non nonstop. It used to be that if your SWU does not clear at booking but later the domestic leg clears and the TATL does not, you get upgraded on the domestic leg and effectively "waste" your SWU, which was really intended to be for the TATL flight. The workaround was to waitlist only the TATL leg and hope for UDU on the domestic flight.
Is this still the same strategy or has the system changed?
Is this still the same strategy or has the system changed?
Mar 14, 2012, 11:32 pm
#2
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: LHR (sometimes CLE, SFO, BOS, LAX, SEA)
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 5,892
A couple of months before the systems integration, UA adopted the policy that CO had also had, which is if that the intl segment doesn't clear, you get the SWU back.
This is also the policy going forward. If for example you fly SFO-EWR-CDG and use a GPU, and only SFO-EWR clears and you fly in coach EWR-CDG, you are supposed to get your GPU back at some point after travel.
This is also the policy going forward. If for example you fly SFO-EWR-CDG and use a GPU, and only SFO-EWR clears and you fly in coach EWR-CDG, you are supposed to get your GPU back at some point after travel.
Mar 14, 2012, 11:37 pm
#3
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: HNL
Programs: United Gold
Posts: 1,581
I've heard this too. I'm wondering though, do you still get upgraded on all the domestic segments? Let's say I'm doing HNL-DEN-IAD-GVA and IAD-GVA is W. I apply the GPU to the itinernary and HNL-DEN-IAD all clear but IAD-GVA does not, does that mean I get upgraded in HNL-DEN-IAD, sit in coach for IAD-GVA and get my SWU back?
Mar 14, 2012, 11:50 pm
#4
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Honolulu, HI
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, AA Exec Plat
Posts: 1,240
I've heard this too. I'm wondering though, do you still get upgraded on all the domestic segments? Let's say I'm doing HNL-DEN-IAD-GVA and IAD-GVA is W. I apply the GPU to the itinernary and HNL-DEN-IAD all clear but IAD-GVA does not, does that mean I get upgraded in HNL-DEN-IAD, sit in coach for IAD-GVA and get my SWU back?
No. You don't get the upgrade back if at least one segment of your itinerary in BusinessFirst clears. In that case HNL-DEN is BF, so you won't get it back.
The website clearly spells that:
"In most cases, the Global Premier Upgrade will be considered used if any segment of an itinerary is upgraded or flown. However, for travel which includes segments in United BusinessFirst or United Global First, the Global Premier Upgrade will be re-deposited if the United BusinessFirst or United Global First segment(s) could not be upgraded."
http://pss.united.com/web/en-us/cont...wupgrades.aspx
Mar 15, 2012, 2:41 am
#6
Join Date: Jul 2011
Programs: UA 1K, Hertz President's Circle, Hilton Platinum,
Posts: 661
It would probably depend on which segments got upgraded. If SFO-IAD, then redeposit. But if the HNL-SFO or IAD-GVA, then probably not. However, they might consider the transcon leg to be BF.
You could always try to do a regional vice a SWU.
You could always try to do a regional vice a SWU.
Mar 15, 2012, 5:33 am
#7
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: EWR
Programs: UA Gold, UA MM, Marriott Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,329
No. You don't get the upgrade back if at least one segment of your itinerary in BusinessFirst clears. In that case HNL-DEN is BF, so you won't get it back.
The website clearly spells that:
"In most cases, the Global Premier Upgrade will be considered used if any segment of an itinerary is upgraded or flown. However, for travel which includes segments in United BusinessFirst or United Global First, the Global Premier Upgrade will be re-deposited if the United BusinessFirst or United Global First segment(s) could not be upgraded."
http://pss.united.com/web/en-us/cont...wupgrades.aspx
The website clearly spells that:
"In most cases, the Global Premier Upgrade will be considered used if any segment of an itinerary is upgraded or flown. However, for travel which includes segments in United BusinessFirst or United Global First, the Global Premier Upgrade will be re-deposited if the United BusinessFirst or United Global First segment(s) could not be upgraded."
http://pss.united.com/web/en-us/cont...wupgrades.aspx
Mar 15, 2012, 1:32 pm
#8
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Houston, TX, USA
Programs: UA 1K, AA Lifetime Platinum, DL Platinum, Honors Diamond, Bonvoy Titanium, Hertz Platinum
Posts: 7,969
It's either BF, or it's not. For the special-case domestic situations, the way to tell is if the segment would otherwise be eligible for complimentary Premier upgrades. If so, then it's not a BF segment, and if any such segments clear but the BF segment doesn't, then you get your upgrade payment back (systemwide, or miles+copay) and you still get to keep your domestic upgrades. This is true whether or not you were Premier and therefore eligible to get them for free anyway.
Mar 15, 2012, 1:39 pm
#9
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: SEA
Programs: UA Plat, AS MVP, HH Gold, MR Gold
Posts: 1,848
What about on the return GVA-IAD-SFO, when the failure of the BF/GF upgrade is known before the domestic segment? If GVA-IAD doesn't clear, after being confirmed IAD-SFO, am I obligated to downgrade IAD-SFO to hang onto my GPU?
Dec 1, 2012, 8:34 pm
#10
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: U.S. (sometimes)
Programs: UA 1k 1MM, AA Exec Plat, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Plat, Marriott Plat, Hilton Gold, IHG Plat, Accor ?????
Posts: 1,398
Has anyone had any experience with this lately. That is, have people been getting their SWU back when only a short domestic segment clears?
Dec 1, 2012, 10:27 pm
#11
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: IAH / HOU
Programs: UA GS, DL-Plat, Hilton Gold, IHG Platinum, Hyatt Somethingist, Marriott Titanium Lifetime
Posts: 2,853
If it doesn't reappear within a week or so call and they will redeposit it for you. I find calling works much better than emailing to get these types of issues corrected.
Dec 1, 2012, 11:14 pm
#12
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: NYC and SFO
Programs: UA 1MM (former 1K, Delta Platinum))
Posts: 1,244
Mid-November, BCN EWR didn't clear, but EWR SFO had already cleared. I already had all my boarding passes in hand, before boarding in BCN, but I see no reason they would have tried to downgrade me for the second leg. This is a nice feature of the program, one of the few breaks our way. Enjoy it.
Given that the EWR SFO leg was a lay flat bed (never guaranteed domestically, and lay flat 757-200s do get swapped for 757-300s) and the flight was exactly during the Spanish night, this was my preferred upgrade to get if I could only get one leg. I ate at EWR and slept the entire flight to SFO.
I got my GPU back a few days later, and ended up using it on another domestic flight (it was about to expire).
Given that the EWR SFO leg was a lay flat bed (never guaranteed domestically, and lay flat 757-200s do get swapped for 757-300s) and the flight was exactly during the Spanish night, this was my preferred upgrade to get if I could only get one leg. I ate at EWR and slept the entire flight to SFO.
I got my GPU back a few days later, and ended up using it on another domestic flight (it was about to expire).
Dec 2, 2012, 4:10 pm
#13
Join Date: Oct 2000
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Posts: 2,432
Dec 3, 2012, 10:19 am
#14
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: U.S. (sometimes)
Programs: UA 1k 1MM, AA Exec Plat, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Plat, Marriott Plat, Hilton Gold, IHG Plat, Accor ?????
Posts: 1,398
This is very good to hear. UA CS also verified that this is the policy. It's a nice consolation for not clearing the international segment for which you probably paid a few hundred dollars extra to get W or above. Thanks to everyone who replied.
Dec 3, 2012, 10:52 am
#15
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: EAU
Programs: UA 1K, CO Plat, NW Plat, Marriott Premiere Plat, SPG Plat, Priority Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 4,712
Here's the way to think about this.
You use a GPU to upgrade to BusinessFirst. By definition, there is no CPU for business first.
As a BONUS, when you use a GPU to upgrade to BF, you are also given instrument-priority on any CPU flight, basically moving you up the CPU queue you were already on.
Your GPU is used if you make it into BF on any segment of your itinerary. It is NOT used if you only upgrade on segments where you were already eligible for CPU.
This should all process automagically at this point.
You use a GPU to upgrade to BusinessFirst. By definition, there is no CPU for business first.
As a BONUS, when you use a GPU to upgrade to BF, you are also given instrument-priority on any CPU flight, basically moving you up the CPU queue you were already on.
Your GPU is used if you make it into BF on any segment of your itinerary. It is NOT used if you only upgrade on segments where you were already eligible for CPU.
This should all process automagically at this point.
