jjmoore

One thing I don't like about Y/B/M is that when PN does open up, it doesn't just clear instantly. If you're not watching, the itinerary could sit there for days with open PN inventory without clearing the upgrade. Another lower status Y/B could swoop in and take it, or a GS with an instrument could book in after the fact and take it....

I wish UA would simply push those upgrades through without having to babysit the itinerary.

This is based on a couple experiences I had last year.

RobOnLI

Had exactly the same problem on an itinerary I booked last week and flew this week. "M" fare for 1K gets me PN immediately. The connecting flight had PN open but the originating flight did not. However, the screen showed the green "upgrade available" after I clicked purchase on both flights. I knew it was an error. Note: i didn't bother calling the 1K line because the web site is wrong many times so they're not going to push through an upgrade into a bucket that is zeroed out. I imagine you won't get very far calling either.

About 8 hours later the first flight opened PN but the upgrade wouldn't push through even through the mobile app. Had to call the 1K line and he put me on hold for 25 minutes. He said he tried 3 times to get it through and it failed every time. He had to call the rate desk (or maybe web support desk, I don't know) to have them re-issue the ticket in PN. I'm waiting for the flights to post to see how they pulled that off. I imagine they preserved the "M" class for the outbound flights but if they didn't then the flights may not post as "PN" isn't an earning class.

-RM

FlytheTail

Thanks for sharing. I did try web support and first had to educate the agent what an instant upgrade was for 1K/GS members. He then confirmed that PN=0. I'll check it occasionally, but am not optimistic it will clear in advance considering the route.

NYTA

1K Newbie here - my wife just got 1k late last year (I am still a lowly Gold) - she just booked TLV-EWR roundtrip in B thinking it would be upgraded automatically and it was not. Called UA and they told me that it doesn't upgrade for international flights, although in the "benefit" chart for Mileage Plus it doesn't explicitly say anything excepting international flights. Her corporate travel policy allows premium economy on LY on the same route which is much more comfortable than coach on UA (and more expensive than UA B class) so wondering if it's not just best to status match to LY and ditch UA completely for the 8-10 trips a year she takes on this route. Is it true that international doesn't upgrade? For the price of the B fare, you'd think it would. Also betting that LY PL/TPL would upgrade frequently from Premium Economy as LY is like that. Thoughts from the group?

narvik

It's for "CPU eligible flights" only. The reason they're not explicitly excluding international flights is because "some" are included (see attached picture).
But your wife would possibly have some GPUs she could apply to the flight, although there would have to be PZ open for it to clear. (The minimum fare class for applying a GPU to TLV-EWR is 'W').
If the policy allows premium E on LY maybe that really is the best option?

Added:
from: https://www.united.com/web/en-us/con...POS=US#regions

swiftaw

So, just to clarify. If I have a couple of domestic flights with B fares that were not instantly upgraded if I see PZ space open up (as I'm a Plat, if I were 1K it would be PN space) I can call and get upgraded?

A separate but related question, is PZ space what I should be looking for if I wanted to do a mileage+copay upgrade on a Polaris flight?

jsloan

Yes to both, provided the domestic flights are CPU-eligible (i.e., not p.s. service or Hawaii service beyond California)

nomad420

TLV-EWR is very tough to get an upgrade on no matter how try (i.e. instruments) and as narvik pointed out not CPU eligible for sure.
Interesting to note your wifes corp policy allows PE. My wife's company is now pushing that instead of full J (Biz) even though contractually that length of flight previously was purchased at J (Biz) fare, There has been some FT boards discussing this issue, I personally believe UA developed this product (PE) to appease there corporate clients who pushed for this (JMHO).

'

NYTA

Apparently UA is starting premium Economy from TLV-EWR in a few weeks (they need to compete with LY on this route and most Israeli corporates will allow PE but not Business Class) so I guess that's where she will end up.

nomad420

She she prefers (as well as myself) the lie-flats on the long flights. FWIW, she is pushing back with her company as contractually she has "Business Class or better" on any flights over 3 hours I believe. Obviously when this was negotiated PE "class" didn't even exist. Admittedly she got a good deal but a deal is a deal in my book so still waiting to see how things fall out.

jjmoore

PN is always attached to a fare class.... doubt the rate desk would have had to change it to allow PN to work, especially since you were already in a qualifying fare bucket. Probably something they had to force to allow it to work.

RobOnLI

Yes, but given the issues the agent(s) had with getting me into PN I wasn't sure how they forced it. Flights posted as "ZM" so they preserved the "M" class.

Of course, I had a misconnect last week where I was rebooked in "Y" for the connection. Still posted as my original "W" fare class.

-RM

jjmoore

I think you only get credited for Y if the reroute results in different # of segments.

findark

The last time I had a ticket reissued (not revalidated) directly into PN, it posted as "ZP" class and earned 200% PQM

hokiebuy

EWR-SFO, PN2, bought M class fare. per my understanding, upgrade should have cleared instantly. do I need to call?