Sep 21, 2016, 7:13 pm
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
How to upgrade a partner flight using UA MileagePlus miles:
See UA's Star Alliance Upgrade Awards Page
Key points:
See this thread for the no-longer-available award chart (disappeared from united.com as of October 2018): https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unit...d-website.html
Error codes
For UA operated flights see Using Miles to Upgrade on United
Archive; How to upgrade with UA miles on Star Alliance carriers {Archive}
See UA's Star Alliance Upgrade Awards Page
Key points:
- Only a few fare classes (and expensive) are eligible -- depends on the carrier (see the UA page)
- Needs to be native flight numbers, codeshares are not eligible
- Generally no waitlisting but ANA allows waitlisting
- Most can be requested after ticketing (NH/ANA & ET cannot be requested earlier than 8 weeks to departure -- still true??) and must be done at least 24 hours prior to departure
- Max of 4 passengers can be upgraded
- Generally the available of award space is a good indicator of upgrade space (but not guaranteed) - typically requires (I) inventory
- Upgrade request can only be made electronically
- Upgrade requests are per segment
- It may increase your chance of success to request only one segment at a time on the upgrade page, even though it allows you to enter two (YMMV).
- For mileage requirements, see Interactive travel destinations awards chart
See this thread for the no-longer-available award chart (disappeared from united.com as of October 2018): https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unit...d-website.html
Error codes
- "We were unable to complete your request due to a technical problem. In the U.S. and Canada call 1-800-UNITED-1 (1-800-864-8331) within the U.S. or Canada, elsewhere use the local phone number. (Error code: 110).
- "We were unable to complete your request due to a technical problem. In the U.S. and Canada call 1-800-UNITED-1 (1-800-864-8331) within the U.S. or Canada, elsewhere use the local phone number. (Error code: 118)"
- "The traveler has the same name as an existing traveler on this flight. Please contact the operating airline for the required information and try again. (Error code: 384)"
- "Upgrade not available (Error code: 511)."
- "The number of travelers indicated does not match the number of passengers in the reservation. Please correct your information and try again. (Error code: 528)"
- "insufficient MileagePlus Balance (Error code: 2001)"
For UA operated flights see Using Miles to Upgrade on United
Archive; How to upgrade with UA miles on Star Alliance carriers {Archive}
How to upgrade with UA miles on Star Alliance carriers
Oct 6, 2023, 7:33 pm
#301
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Saipan, MP 96950 USA (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands = the CNMI)
Programs: UA Silver, Hilton Silver. Life: UA .57 MM, United & Admirals Clubs (spousal), Marriott Platinum
Posts: 15,077
Oct 9, 2023, 12:09 pm
#303
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 58
Using United miles for AI Upgrade
I plan to fly Air India from SFO to BOM with my aged mom and am looking to use my miles for a business class ticket since she wont be able to sit thru the 16 hour flight. I am unable to locate anything on united.com's search (I also have the United Chase credit card). What are my options? Book on Air India economy and then upgrade using United miles? I dont even see that option for advance reservations and tryinfg to upgrade at the airport is going to be risky. I also poked around on expertflyer but find it pretty complicated to use. Thanks in advance.
Oct 9, 2023, 12:19 pm
#304
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BOS/EAP
Programs: UA 1K, MR LTT, HH Dia, Amex Plat
Posts: 32,119
https://www.united.com/en/us/fly/mil...de-awards.html
Only Y and B class are upgradable. Best to purchase business outright.
Only Y and B class are upgradable. Best to purchase business outright.
Oct 9, 2023, 2:45 pm
#305
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: SFO
Posts: 3,942
I plan to fly Air India from SFO to BOM with my aged mom and am looking to use my miles for a business class ticket since she wont be able to sit thru the 16 hour flight. I am unable to locate anything on united.com's search (I also have the United Chase credit card). What are my options? Book on Air India economy and then upgrade using United miles? I dont even see that option for advance reservations and tryinfg to upgrade at the airport is going to be risky. I also poked around on expertflyer but find it pretty complicated to use. Thanks in advance.
Oct 13, 2023, 8:46 pm
#306
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 3,905
Got the error message today and tried again using MP to upgrade S class on ET from EWR-LFW-EWR.
It worked and confirmed for both flights.
Checked UA system and ET system. Looks fine and was able to get seat assignments.
35,000 miles each way.
It worked and confirmed for both flights.
Checked UA system and ET system. Looks fine and was able to get seat assignments.
35,000 miles each way.
Oct 26, 2023, 11:30 am
#307
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 3,905
I tried again for ET.
It stays available and asks if I want to confirm 35,000 miles.
I click yes and then I get system error please try again later.
You try again a minute or two later and then it says not available.
It stays available and asks if I want to confirm 35,000 miles.
I click yes and then I get system error please try again later.
You try again a minute or two later and then it says not available.
Last edited by chuck1; Oct 26, 2023 at 11:44 am
Oct 27, 2023, 1:48 pm
#308
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: PIT
Programs: OZ Diamond, UA Gold
Posts: 9,936
Got rebooked onto a UA codeshare operated by OS into A. I assume that translates to E on OS, which is upgrade eligible. Is the processes for getting rid of the codeshare similar to doing it for LH for PlusPoints? Call in and ask?
Oct 27, 2023, 3:39 pm
#309
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BOS/EAP
Programs: UA 1K, MR LTT, HH Dia, Amex Plat
Posts: 32,119
yep, same process. Just tell them you want to UG with miles and you need a conversion to the native OS flight #.
Nov 5, 2023, 7:51 pm
#311
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.997MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,875
Many *A carrier will allow the middle prem econ fares but not AC to my recent discovery.
Nov 6, 2023, 12:34 am
#312
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: LAX/TPE
Programs: United 1K, JAL Sapphire, SPG Lifetime Platinum, National Executive Elite, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 42,252
Unless something changed recently, Air Canada removed its SAUA portal and is no longer offering these upgrades. This was correct as of September, but I haven't checked since then.
Nov 9, 2023, 11:09 am
#313
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: PIT
Programs: OZ Diamond, UA Gold
Posts: 9,936
They keep on contacting the rates desk...is there someone else I should try to get them to contact? I know web help desk was mentioned once in the LH thread, but I don't know how that would help.
Nov 9, 2023, 1:31 pm
#314
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BOS/EAP
Programs: UA 1K, MR LTT, HH Dia, Amex Plat
Posts: 32,119
Well keep on running into a brick wall. I've tried three times, one agents said impossible, one agent said 700 more bucks, and one agent was disconnected. I realized this is even more urgent because OZ has trouble crediting codeshare flights, as I learned when I had an NH codeshare of a UA flight in N and was awarded UA N miles instead of R. I'm in an A fare which should correlate to E but OZ just takes the fare code at face value, not sure what they'd do when OS A doesn't even exist! Now I'm hitting myself for not saying anything about the codeshare when I was rebooked onto this flight.
They keep on contacting the rates desk...is there someone else I should try to get them to contact? I know web help desk was mentioned once in the LH thread, but I don't know how that would help.
They keep on contacting the rates desk...is there someone else I should try to get them to contact? I know web help desk was mentioned once in the LH thread, but I don't know how that would help.
On a 016 ticket there is no issue w/ codeshares since everything credits base don $$$ anyway
Nov 9, 2023, 1:34 pm
#315
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: PIT
Programs: OZ Diamond, UA Gold
Posts: 9,936
I'll push harder next time they ask about the rate desk, I specifically said "change the flight number from UA codeshare to OS native," but I'll try flight number conversion instead. Ever since getting Gold I've been going back and forth between outstanding agents and terrible agents.