Y/B/M Premier Instant Upgrade - How does it work? {Archive}
#751
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 9
So Plat/ B Class but no PZ means upgrade is unlikely, right?
Cheers
#752
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,412
Upgrades on IAD-SFO are tough to get for anyone. When you're searching for PZ space, though, make sure to search IAD-SFO, not IAD-TPE. That said, it's extremely rare to see PZ on a hub-to-hub flight, especially in advance. (They may open some up at the last minute when they have flights that don't sell).
#753
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,418
As jsloan noted, hub-hub travel will almost never see PZ space in advance, especially on peak days. All of my TCON flights so far this year have been D0 at booking. I did happen to see a Tuesday morning BWI-SFO that had PZ though.
#754
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 9
Thanks guys. At first, I didn't realize a Y/B has no affect on flights from the US to Asia, and thought if I bought a Y/B ticket, I'd get automatically upgraded to business class fro the SFO to TPE route. Since the contract pays for coach but not business on this trip, I spent alot of time looking for a good Y/B flight under $3,500. What a waste of time, didn't realize it was useless. Thanks for your time guys
#755
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,412
If you have MileagePlus miles to spare, you can use them to upgrade SFO-TPE with no copay. That upgrade might not clear either, but it's worth considering. Mileage upgrades aren't usually a great deal because discount fares have a copay attached. The cost for a B-class ticket is 30K miles each way, with no out of pocket cost.
#756
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: NBO/ORD
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 188
Not sure how this is supposed to look or work: have a Lufthansa (220-) ticket booked in E (PE) with two US domestic segments on UA metal booked in M. Should this be eligible for a Y/B/M instant upgrade as a 1K?
PN is not available at the moment on either flight. The reservation says "Complimentary Premier Upgrade Requested" and it will allow me to waitlist an RPU/MUA. That feels wrong to me since the M fare should already be waitlisted as higher priority than either, right? A curt 1K agent told me it's "automatically" waitlisted. Should these segments be eligible for a Y/B/M upgrade and, if so, what do I need to ask an agent to do?
PN is not available at the moment on either flight. The reservation says "Complimentary Premier Upgrade Requested" and it will allow me to waitlist an RPU/MUA. That feels wrong to me since the M fare should already be waitlisted as higher priority than either, right? A curt 1K agent told me it's "automatically" waitlisted. Should these segments be eligible for a Y/B/M upgrade and, if so, what do I need to ask an agent to do?
#757
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: CLE, DCA, and 30k feet
Programs: Honors LT Diamond; United 1K; Hertz PC
Posts: 4,165
Not sure how this is supposed to look or work: have a Lufthansa (220-) ticket booked in E (PE) with two US domestic segments on UA metal booked in M. Should this be eligible for a Y/B/M instant upgrade as a 1K?
PN is not available at the moment on either flight. The reservation says "Complimentary Premier Upgrade Requested" and it will allow me to waitlist an RPU/MUA. That feels wrong to me since the M fare should already be waitlisted as higher priority than either, right? A curt 1K agent told me it's "automatically" waitlisted. Should these segments be eligible for a Y/B/M upgrade and, if so, what do I need to ask an agent to do?
PN is not available at the moment on either flight. The reservation says "Complimentary Premier Upgrade Requested" and it will allow me to waitlist an RPU/MUA. That feels wrong to me since the M fare should already be waitlisted as higher priority than either, right? A curt 1K agent told me it's "automatically" waitlisted. Should these segments be eligible for a Y/B/M upgrade and, if so, what do I need to ask an agent to do?
Though it's not explicitly stated, I'm not sure that a YBM is a higher priority than an instrument-supported (GPU/RPU/MUA) upgrade -- in fact I would expect that if you had two 1Ks on the same fare (including Y, B, or M) where PN wasn't available at time of ticketing the instrument applied would be the tie-breaker. IMO, it's a terrible way to burn an instrument, but others may disagree.
#758
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: BOS<>NYC<>BKK
Programs: UA 4.3MM LT-GS; AA1MM; Amtrak SE; MAR LT TITAN; PC Plat; HIL DIA; HYA GLOB
Posts: 4,392
I bought an M fare BOS-EWR-FLL a few weeks ago. PN=0, so no instant clear. I've been watching daily. This morning (still a week out), I saw that PN=0 on BOS-EWR, but PN=2 on EWR-FLL, yet, no automatic clearance. I logged into the reservation on the app, and for the BOS-EWR it still said, "CPU Eligible." But for EWR-FLL, it said something to the effect that upgrade space was now available, and to "click here" if I wanted to confirm an upgrade. It went through right away, and PN decremented to 1.
The lesson is that outside of the CPU window, one must monitor and grab the upgrade when PN (or PZ) becomes available.
The lesson is that outside of the CPU window, one must monitor and grab the upgrade when PN (or PZ) becomes available.
#759
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 11,462
I bought an M fare BOS-EWR-FLL a few weeks ago. PN=0, so no instant clear. I've been watching daily. This morning (still a week out), I saw that PN=0 on BOS-EWR, but PN=2 on EWR-FLL, yet, no automatic clearance. I logged into the reservation on the app, and for the BOS-EWR it still said, "CPU Eligible." But for EWR-FLL, it said something to the effect that upgrade space was now available, and to "click here" if I wanted to confirm an upgrade. It went through right away, and PN decremented to 1.
The lesson is that outside of the CPU window, one must monitor and grab the upgrade when PN (or PZ) becomes available.
The lesson is that outside of the CPU window, one must monitor and grab the upgrade when PN (or PZ) becomes available.
#760
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: BOS<>NYC<>BKK
Programs: UA 4.3MM LT-GS; AA1MM; Amtrak SE; MAR LT TITAN; PC Plat; HIL DIA; HYA GLOB
Posts: 4,392
#762
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,461
Yes, that's correct. There is no waitlisting for Y/B/M upgrades. If an uncleared Y/B/M upgrade appeared to automatically process into PN post-purchase, it was either a GS/1K CPU inside the window or manual intervention by a GS agent.
#763
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: 66,856
.... Though it's not explicitly stated, I'm not sure that a YBM is a higher priority than an instrument-supported (GPU/RPU/MUA) upgrade -- in fact I would expect that if you had two 1Ks on the same fare (including Y, B, or M) where PN wasn't available at time of ticketing the instrument applied would be the tie-breaker. IMO, it's a terrible way to burn an instrument, but others may disagree.
The following is the order of priority for upgrades, within four 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
- All travelers on waitlisted Global Premier Upgrades, Regional Premier Upgrades and MileagePlus Upgrade Awards: Sorted in waitlist priority order
- All remaining Premier members: Sorted in waitlist priority order
PN will be clear before PZ upgrades and at the gate, YBM are listed higher than supported upgraders.
#764
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: BWI
Programs: UA 1MM & 1K, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 255
It's been 2-3 years since I've been on an instant upgrade eligible YBM fare.
If PN space opens up, will I be able to upgrade via the app?
And, visually on the app and the webpage, when no PN space is available, does it look exactly the same as if I was on a lower fare? Showing "CPU Eligible" on the app, "Complimentary Premier Upgrade Requested" on the web? I vaguely recall some text, like 1K Instant Upgrade Eligible, but perhaps that was only when there was inventory available? It's been too long...
If PN space opens up, will I be able to upgrade via the app?
And, visually on the app and the webpage, when no PN space is available, does it look exactly the same as if I was on a lower fare? Showing "CPU Eligible" on the app, "Complimentary Premier Upgrade Requested" on the web? I vaguely recall some text, like 1K Instant Upgrade Eligible, but perhaps that was only when there was inventory available? It's been too long...
#765
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: San Francisco, CA (SFO)
Programs: UA 1K, UA .53 MM, Marriott Gold, Nexus, GE, TSA Pre, Hertz PC
Posts: 581
The instant part of the upgrade process is nebulous. But yes, if PZ space opens up, you can call and have them push the upgrade through. There will not be an option to do it through the app.
It's been 2-3 years since I've been on an instant upgrade eligible YBM fare.
If PN space opens up, will I be able to upgrade via the app?
And, visually on the app and the webpage, when no PN space is available, does it look exactly the same as if I was on a lower fare? Showing "CPU Eligible" on the app, "Complimentary Premier Upgrade Requested" on the web? I vaguely recall some text, like 1K Instant Upgrade Eligible, but perhaps that was only when there was inventory available? It's been too long...
If PN space opens up, will I be able to upgrade via the app?
And, visually on the app and the webpage, when no PN space is available, does it look exactly the same as if I was on a lower fare? Showing "CPU Eligible" on the app, "Complimentary Premier Upgrade Requested" on the web? I vaguely recall some text, like 1K Instant Upgrade Eligible, but perhaps that was only when there was inventory available? It's been too long...