tods27

I did some searching, but didn't find any concrete information. I have an ORD-FRA flight on Sunday that I decided to pay the copay and try to use miles to UG Y->C. I'm wondering if these behave the same way as RPU/GPU in that if you haven't cleared at T-24, does it drop you from the waitlist? I do plan to check right around T-24 to see if R opens up, then try and call. Right now the flight shows F2 FN2 J9 JN9 C8 D8 Z5 ZN5 R0 RN0 so I'm not holding my breath.

SEA1K4EVR

Yes, probably you'll drop off.. but if R opens up within the 24 hour window..call and demand to be confirmed.

Singapore_Schwing

I'm dealing with this prospect right now and asked someone this morning. My understanding is that like a GPU, the list expires at T-24. When you check in you are added to the gate standby list.

The moral of the story is check in as early as possible, as somewhere in the priorities (I believe after status and fare class) is time added to WL. Technically you can check in >24 hours out if you have a connection prior to the overseas flight

What I can't say is what happens if at T<24 seats in R open up- Can you have them reapply the upgrade and immediately confirm, similar to people applying a second GPU, then (fighting to) get the old one back later? Anyone know?

SEA1K4EVR

Within 24 hours of the flight it's not possible for them to apply any instruments...this is one of the big IT issues UA is working to fix. So, you can't apply a 2nd GPU or do another mileage upgrade. My recent direct experience with this... I used a GPU for SEA-EWR-HKG. EWR-HKG cleared at booking.. SEA-EWR was waitlisted and did not clear by 24 hours out. However, the SEA-EWR flight had R space available inside 24 hours. I called and an agent manually confirmed the upgrade.. I had to argue a bit..they initially told me I'd go on the list at the airport. I said I'm not competing with other people at the airport and I'm entitled to the upgrade now with my previously applied GPU. Took a couple minutes, but they got it done. No additional instruments were taken.

tods27

The expiration is what I was trying to confirm. Anyone have actual data points on this?

I will, of course, check if R opens up at T-24 and call to try and confirm, then check in.

UA-NYC

Not entirely correct - you CAN apply an upgrade inside T-24, be it RPU or GPU, IF there is R space available (it will clear) - so presumably you could do cash + miles as well. You just can't waitlist an upgrade inside T-24 (i.e., if R=0).

exerda

I thought they would still take miles + copay requests even inside T-24--it is just GPU and RPUs which have to be applied outside that window.

SEA1K4EVR

From what UA Insider posted on here.. I didn't think any upgrade requests could be made within 24 hours at all... but at minimum there are no waitlist requests allowed, including for Mileage upgrades.

UA-NYC

No, there can be...that's the "trick" you use once T-24 hits and your waitlist inevitably expires. By calling in and "forcing" the upgrade, they're actually just taking another RPU/GPU. So then you have to call in to get the original one back, as it's in Expiry Limbo after T-24.

SEA1K4EVR

As I said in my other post above about my experience.. no additional upgrade was taken from me when I had them force my SEA-EWR upgrade a few weeks ago. Nothing in limbo..nothing to get credited later.

UA-NYC

That's nice, but I think you're in the minority case unfortunately.

Just wanted to emphasize the point that it is possible to make a new request inside T-24.

jackk

I just had them do a miles & money within T-24 today. It was requested prior to T-24. At T-24 the wait list dropped. At about T-20, R availability opened up. Called in and they forced the upgrade.

drewguy

Am I missing something? If the upgrade doesn't clear before T-24, then you're added to the waitlist at the airport and the upgrade will clear based on status and fare class. If it doesn't clear, you get your miles and money back.

exerda

Fixed that for you, taking into account the current IT snafu at UA.

tods27

The waitlist expires and there are reports of R inventory opening up right around T-24. In that case, you can call and confirm the UG. I was really just checking on the expiration.

Edited to add - worked exactly as I expected. Agent took a while, but confirmed the UG for me! Now to print out my reservation and the credit card statement (for copay proof).