Y/B/M Premier Instant Upgrade - How does it work? {Archive}
#781
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: LBB
Programs: UA 1K 1MM ★G | Marriott LTT | Hilton ♦ | Hertz PC | Global Entry TSA Pre ✓
Posts: 2,820
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.
#782
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Floating around
Programs: UA 1K (1MM), DL Gold (1MM), Marriott LTT
Posts: 10,337
I just purchased a B fare and this shows on one of the segments, both right before purchase and in the immediate E-mail after purchase (the ticket is processing). However, PN=0. Is this just a glitch? I don't see anywhere on the website or app to request an upgrade other than with cash.
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
#783
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Anywhere but home
Programs: UA 1K/MM, DL GM/MM, AA Gold, HH Dia, PC Plat, ALL Sil, MR Gold
Posts: 4,550
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.
#784
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: TLV
Programs: UA Platinum, Avis Chairman, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold, GA Pilot
Posts: 3,225
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?
#785
Join Date: May 2010
Location: AVP & PEK
Programs: UA 1K 1.8MM
Posts: 6,335
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?
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
Last edited by narvik; Mar 7, 2019 at 3:12 am Reason: added pic
#786
Join Date: Aug 2004
Programs: Continental OnePass
Posts: 856
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?
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?
#787
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,364
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?
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?
#788
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: San Francisco
Programs: UA MM Plat, UA 1MM, Hilton Lifetime Gold, Marriott Gold, Hertz Gold, CLEAR, AS MVP Gold
Posts: 3,614
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?
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).
'
#789
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: TLV
Programs: UA Platinum, Avis Chairman, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold, GA Pilot
Posts: 3,225
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.
#790
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: San Francisco
Programs: UA MM Plat, UA 1MM, Hilton Lifetime Gold, Marriott Gold, Hertz Gold, CLEAR, AS MVP Gold
Posts: 3,614
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.
#791
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: LBB
Programs: UA 1K 1MM ★G | Marriott LTT | Hilton ♦ | Hertz PC | Global Entry TSA Pre ✓
Posts: 2,820
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
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
#792
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Floating around
Programs: UA 1K (1MM), DL Gold (1MM), Marriott LTT
Posts: 10,337
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
#793
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: LBB
Programs: UA 1K 1MM ★G | Marriott LTT | Hilton ♦ | Hertz PC | Global Entry TSA Pre ✓
Posts: 2,820
#794
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,393
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
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
#795
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: IAD, DEL, IXC, BWI, DCA, YYZ
Programs: UA 1K, Amex Plat, UA Club Card, National EE, Global Entry, TSA Pre✓
Posts: 275
EWR-SFO, PN2, bought M class fare. per my understanding, upgrade should have cleared instantly. do I need to call?