Jan 22, 2016, 2:52 pm
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
Instant Upgrades (economy to next cabin) are available at booking for elites selecting Y/B fares on CPU Eligible flights. There also needs to be PZ space if Plat / Gold / Silver or PN if GS / 1K. GS/1Ks are also eligible for M fares.
If not available at booking, GS/1Ks will be waitlisted for the upgrade and will be prioritized above 1Ks and lower elites on supported upgrades (PlusPoints, Miles+copay) and CPUs. If PN/PZ become available after booking, you will need to check if the upgrade button is visible or call -- upgrades are not automatic and require a manual step.
TL;DR
(status: space required / eligible fare classes / availability)
Do not apply PlusPoints or mileage upgrades to a waitlisted Instant Upgrade (GS & 1Ks) -- Instant Upgrades are a higher priority and applying the instruments will downgrade the request to solely an instrument upgrade.
PremPlus tickets show "B" fare (but underlying fare may be lower) for non-PremPlus flights and there are reports this may not always be recognized for Instant Upgrades.
For more on waitlisting, see Understanding the United Upgrade List Comprehensively .
Feb 2016, Waitlisting was restricted to 1Ks/GSs. Plat / Gold / Silver can still Instant Upgrade but only if available at the time of booking. For lower elites, even if PZ later becomes available, it is not intended for them to be eligible -- however, occasionally someone can have success. YMMV
Changes (2016Q2) to required fare class to clear
RN has been repurposed to Premium Plus / Premium Economy upgrade
PZ is the right fare class for Plat/Gold/Silver
Related, more general but older thread -- Y/B/M Premier Instant Upgrade - How does it work? {Archive}
Add: When the instant upgrade link is broken (DIY does not work on App/web), you need to call. You can say something like that: "Hi, I bought an instant upgrade fare and it looks like the upgrade is now confirmable, can you please help me with that." See post #1384.
If not available at booking, GS/1Ks will be waitlisted for the upgrade and will be prioritized above 1Ks and lower elites on supported upgrades (PlusPoints, Miles+copay) and CPUs. If PN/PZ become available after booking, you will need to check if the upgrade button is visible or call -- upgrades are not automatic and require a manual step.
TL;DR
(status: space required / eligible fare classes / availability)
- 1K & GS: PN / YBM / at booking & able to waitlist (priority over instrument upgrades)
- Silver, Gold & Plat: PZ / YB / at booking only (waitlist YMMV)
Do not apply PlusPoints or mileage upgrades to a waitlisted Instant Upgrade (GS & 1Ks) -- Instant Upgrades are a higher priority and applying the instruments will downgrade the request to solely an instrument upgrade.
PremPlus tickets show "B" fare (but underlying fare may be lower) for non-PremPlus flights and there are reports this may not always be recognized for Instant Upgrades.
For more on waitlisting, see Understanding the United Upgrade List Comprehensively .
Feb 2016, Waitlisting was restricted to 1Ks/GSs. Plat / Gold / Silver can still Instant Upgrade but only if available at the time of booking. For lower elites, even if PZ later becomes available, it is not intended for them to be eligible -- however, occasionally someone can have success. YMMV
For flights departing on or after February 1, 2016, the following is the order of priority for upgrades, within five days of departure, on flights that are eligible for Complimentary Premier Upgrades:
Premier 1K members on eligible Y-, B- and M-class fares: Premier 1K Instant upgrades that weren't confirmed in advance are prioritized by fare class on the upgrade waitlist and are ahead of:
Premier 1K members on eligible Y-, B- and M-class fares: Premier 1K Instant upgrades that weren't confirmed in advance are prioritized by fare class on the upgrade waitlist and are ahead of:
Travelers on waitlisted PlusPoints Global Premier Upgrades, Regional Premier Upgrades and MileagePlus Upgrade Awards: Prioritized by Premier status of the traveler, then fare class and then the time of request
All remaining Premier members: Prioritized by Premier status of the traveler, then fare class and then award travel
UA has introduced some additional waitlist tie-breaks -- "preferred customers / certain credit cards, .... See the earlier thread link on upgrade priority
All remaining Premier members: Prioritized by Premier status of the traveler, then fare class and then award travel
UA has introduced some additional waitlist tie-breaks -- "preferred customers / certain credit cards, .... See the earlier thread link on upgrade priority
PZ is the right fare class for Plat/Gold/Silver
Related, more general but older thread -- Y/B/M Premier Instant Upgrade - How does it work? {Archive}
Add: When the instant upgrade link is broken (DIY does not work on App/web), you need to call. You can say something like that: "Hi, I bought an instant upgrade fare and it looks like the upgrade is now confirmable, can you please help me with that." See post #1384.
Y/B/M Premier Instant Upgrade - How does it work? **?Broken?
Apr 1, 2024, 1:58 am
#406
Join Date: Dec 2019
Location: Chicago
Programs: AA Gold
Posts: 562
it's purely a display issue (the link on the website has been broken for a while)
Apr 2, 2024, 10:08 am
#407
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Chicago, IL
Programs: UA 1K MM, HHonors Diamond,PC, Marriott Rewards Gold
Posts: 1,117
Kept showing upgrade availability. Kept trying. Finally got it
GSP>EWR B fare showed availability but for 48 hours would not work. Called, chatted, no result.
today, tried again and it worked.
this was part of a paired routing GSP>EWR>DEL on 4/27.
return on 5/3 worked for the domestic leg upgrade at booking.
im guessing PZ finally opened up.
today, tried again and it worked.
this was part of a paired routing GSP>EWR>DEL on 4/27.
return on 5/3 worked for the domestic leg upgrade at booking.
im guessing PZ finally opened up.
Apr 2, 2024, 3:41 pm
#409
Join Date: May 2007
Programs: UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 5,447
Apr 2, 2024, 4:09 pm
#410
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: 66,821
Apr 11, 2024, 2:41 pm
#411
formerly wunderpit
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: ONT-SNA-LAX
Programs: UA1K-HHDiamond
Posts: 1,339
I (1K) have a weird glitch where the app claims the instant upgrade is available and can be confirmed, but going to the submenu and "confirming" the upgrade does exactly nothing and returns me to the menu. The website claims PN=0 so this probably shouldn't be offered to start with.
When I tried logic "why is it worded like this...literally says space is available...confirm now" , agent launched into a dopey diatribe about how "everyone wants upgrades and they are hard to get now...especially since covid". I politely hung up.