Dec 30, 2014, 12:26 pm
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
Until 18 Oct 2018, upgrade space for RPU/GPUs was "R" ("PN" for GS), starting 19 Oct 2018 "R" has been replaced by "PZ"
Changes to UA's Fare Classes (19-20 October 2018)
"R" upgrade / fare class is missing! (replaced by PZ)
Changes to UA's Fare Classes (19-20 October 2018)
"R" upgrade / fare class is missing! (replaced by PZ)
Or you search AAA-DDD-BBB-CCC and R>0 but not the same number as BBB-CCC shows?
Why does AAA-BBB-CCC shows R=0 but the other routes R>0 (but not always the same amount)???
This is related to how fare class availability to created for multi-segment trips.
The fare class availability is displayed as the minimum of each same fare class inventory of all the segments. So if looking for a T fare, all the segments need to have T fare inventory. If any one is T=0, then the multi-segment results is 0 or whatever the minimum inventory is.
This is true for R --- but the good news is upgrades will clear based on individual segments (except in the case of Direct flights).
So in the above case, regardless of routing the BBB-CCC segment can clear on application of certs or miles.
The general recommendation is to search for the critical upgradeable segments individually -- note the R availability. Then book the desired multi-segment trip and apply the upgrade.
In the slim chance the R space disappears in the meantime, you can make use of the 24 hour free cancellation window to start-over.
R / PZ Avail changes depending on how you search flights
Jan 4, 2020, 10:25 am
#421
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,417
There have been occasional, extremely sporadic, reports of this. However, the specific scenario presented is almost impossible, and I suspect that there is a mistake somewhere. OP -- can you provide the travel dates, and the exact searches you were doing? (The reason it's almost impossible is that the PZ bucket wouldn't appear on MNL-TPE, so it should just be using the PZ inventory from TPE-SFO).
Fares and inventory are entirely uncorrelated. It is entirely possibly to have P inventory on TPE-SFO without having a P fare filed to take advantage of it. It happens all the time.
Fares and inventory are entirely uncorrelated. It is entirely possibly to have P inventory on TPE-SFO without having a P fare filed to take advantage of it. It happens all the time.
Jan 4, 2020, 11:55 am
#422
Join Date: Nov 2010
Programs: United 1K
Posts: 6
There have been occasional, extremely sporadic, reports of this. However, the specific scenario presented is almost impossible, and I suspect that there is a mistake somewhere. OP -- can you provide the travel dates, and the exact searches you were doing? (The reason it's almost impossible is that the PZ bucket wouldn't appear on MNL-TPE, so it should just be using the PZ inventory from TPE-SFO).
Fares and inventory are entirely uncorrelated. It is entirely possibly to have P inventory on TPE-SFO without having a P fare filed to take advantage of it. It happens all the time.
Fares and inventory are entirely uncorrelated. It is entirely possibly to have P inventory on TPE-SFO without having a P fare filed to take advantage of it. It happens all the time.
Jan 4, 2020, 1:21 pm
#423
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,417
My initial hypothesis, BTW, is that you were probably looking at a flight with an overnight layover at TPE, so that if you searched TPE-SFO on June 26, you'd have seen PZ9.
Jan 4, 2020, 2:11 pm
#424
Join Date: Nov 2010
Programs: United 1K
Posts: 6
Jan 4, 2020, 4:54 pm
#425
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Silicon wasteland
Programs: UA 1KMM
Posts: 1,381
There have been occasional, extremely sporadic, reports of this. However, the specific scenario presented is almost impossible, and I suspect that there is a mistake somewhere. OP -- can you provide the travel dates, and the exact searches you were doing? (The reason it's almost impossible is that the PZ bucket wouldn't appear on MNL-TPE, so it should just be using the PZ inventory from TPE-SFO).
Fares and inventory are entirely uncorrelated. It is entirely possibly to have P inventory on TPE-SFO without having a P fare filed to take advantage of it. It happens all the time.
Fares and inventory are entirely uncorrelated. It is entirely possibly to have P inventory on TPE-SFO without having a P fare filed to take advantage of it. It happens all the time.
Jan 5, 2020, 11:45 pm
#427
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,417
That's not a mystery -- that's the expected behavior, as documented in this thread. If you buy the DEN to TPE flight and apply an upgrade, you will confirm SFO-TPE and waitlist DEN-SFO. It's basically showing the lowest common value between the legs.
Mar 8, 2020, 11:18 pm
#428
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Washington
Programs: AA Exec Plat, UA 1K
Posts: 512
PZ Fareclass Availability Question
Looking for a flight from WAS to DEL and was a little confused by the PZ class availability.
When I did the search using (W class for PP upgrades) there are quite a few flights from DC to EWR, and only 1 from EWR to DEL (UA82). Half of the flights show available PZ for the EWR - DEL sector and about half show it as waitlist. Anyone know why that might happen? This applies even between airports (IAD/DCA)
When I did the search using (W class for PP upgrades) there are quite a few flights from DC to EWR, and only 1 from EWR to DEL (UA82). Half of the flights show available PZ for the EWR - DEL sector and about half show it as waitlist. Anyone know why that might happen? This applies even between airports (IAD/DCA)
Mar 8, 2020, 11:41 pm
#429
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,417
Looking for a flight from WAS to DEL and was a little confused by the PZ class availability.
When I did the search using (W class for PP upgrades) there are quite a few flights from DC to EWR, and only 1 from EWR to DEL (UA82). Half of the flights show available PZ for the EWR - DEL sector and about half show it as waitlist. Anyone know why that might happen? This applies even between airports (IAD/DCA)
When I did the search using (W class for PP upgrades) there are quite a few flights from DC to EWR, and only 1 from EWR to DEL (UA82). Half of the flights show available PZ for the EWR - DEL sector and about half show it as waitlist. Anyone know why that might happen? This applies even between airports (IAD/DCA)
Note that you no longer need to buy a W fare if you don't want to. You can upgrade from a lower fare, but it takes 80 PlusPoints instead of 40. Depending upon how many PlusPoints you have and how many long-haul trips you plan to take, this may work out better. Also, don't forget to check for PE space; the R fares are often about the same price as W, and those only take 30 PlusPoints to upgrade instead of 40.
Mar 9, 2020, 5:43 am
#430
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Washington
Programs: AA Exec Plat, UA 1K
Posts: 512
UA will show you the lowest value for the PZ bucket across all segments. So, on the flights where PZ appears to be zero, that means that your WAS-EWR flight would waitlist, but EWR-DEL would still clear immediately. That's why you should always search from the international gateway when trying to judge PZ space, as I presume you don't really care about the WAS-EWR upgrade.
Note that you no longer need to buy a W fare if you don't want to. You can upgrade from a lower fare, but it takes 80 PlusPoints instead of 40. Depending upon how many PlusPoints you have and how many long-haul trips you plan to take, this may work out better. Also, don't forget to check for PE space; the R fares are often about the same price as W, and those only take 30 PlusPoints to upgrade instead of 40.
Note that you no longer need to buy a W fare if you don't want to. You can upgrade from a lower fare, but it takes 80 PlusPoints instead of 40. Depending upon how many PlusPoints you have and how many long-haul trips you plan to take, this may work out better. Also, don't forget to check for PE space; the R fares are often about the same price as W, and those only take 30 PlusPoints to upgrade instead of 40.
Correct, don't care about the WAS-EWR sector. The fare diff between 80 and 40 PPs is only $200 so decided to book in W, instead of the lower class.
Thanks jsloan.
Mar 9, 2020, 8:41 am
#431
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,417
TL/DR: Always search for the longhaul by itself; that gives you a look into the inventory numbers that will actually be used for clearing the upgrade.