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
Nov 23, 2023 | 3:21 pm
#316
Join Date: Jul 2020
Posts: 28
Is there any way to find out Star Alliance Upgrade Award availability in United (for a Star Alliance partner) without having the required amount of points and without having the ticket booked?
Interested in booking an economy ticket with Asiana and upgrading via United -- however, I haven't booked the ticket and haven't transferred the 30k points to United.
Interested in booking an economy ticket with Asiana and upgrading via United -- however, I haven't booked the ticket and haven't transferred the 30k points to United.
Nov 23, 2023 | 7:28 pm
#317
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA LT Plat 2MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 68,421
However for OZ, only Y or B economy fares are upgradable via the *A upgrade program. Very expensive faes and dscount business may be cheaper.
Dec 13, 2023 | 11:16 am
#319
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2007
Programs: UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 6,377
What class did you book and have you tried doing the actual upgrade?
Dec 13, 2023 | 11:19 am
#320
Join Date: Dec 2022
Posts: 48
I believe it was an H class (have since cancelled the tickets). I called in because it was giving me an error with an incorrect paid booking class. I specifically quoted the website and the agent was like "where do you see that?" That's when I realized the Turkish Airlines line had been removed.
Last edited by mang0; Dec 13, 2023 at 2:44 pm
Feb 13, 2024 | 4:21 pm
#322
Join Date: May 2015
Location: DFW
Programs: UA Platinum, Bonvoy Platinum
Posts: 320
I have a LH flight in J from EWR->FRA->LHR (was way cheaper than the UA direct at $2k, and I wanted to ride the 747-800). It's on 016, and codeshare listed. If I want to try to upgrade to F with miles (or PP, of which I currently have none and shouldn't work on J anyway per that thread?), I understand that I would need to change it to a non-codeshare booking? And if so, would I lose my PQFs for the flight (assume PQPs would be the same and the RDMs would net out a bit less)? No upgrades are listed as available either on the LH or UA site.
Feb 13, 2024 | 5:19 pm
#323
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 22,613
I have a LH flight in J from EWR->FRA->LHR (was way cheaper than the UA direct at $2k, and I wanted to ride the 747-800). It's on 016, and codeshare listed. If I want to try to upgrade to F with miles (or PP, of which I currently have none and shouldn't work on J anyway per that thread?),
Correct..
PQFs, PQPs, and RDMs would all be exactly the same. Why would you think otherwise? On a 016 ticket, PQPs and RDMs are determined by fare, and PQFs by not being BE.
Feb 13, 2024 | 6:54 pm
#324
Join Date: May 2015
Location: DFW
Programs: UA Platinum, Bonvoy Platinum
Posts: 320
PQFs, PQPs, and RDMs would all be exactly the same. Why would you think otherwise? On a 016 ticket, PQPs and RDMs are determined by fare, and PQFs by not being BE.
Feb 13, 2024 | 7:35 pm
#325
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: CLE, DCA, and 30k feet
Programs: Honors LT Diamond; United 1K; Hertz PC
Posts: 4,402
Via SNN implies EI operated. EI isn't a *A member and the rules differ for PQF/PQD for MP partners vs *A members. Specifically EI flying doesn't award PQF or PQD whether it's an EI code or UA code (but I think the codeshares are ending/have ended, IIRC, so you'll likely only see EI prime flights offered)
Feb 13, 2024 | 7:47 pm
#326
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 22,613
For MileagePlus, it's always the operating carrier and ticket stock that matter -- never the flight number. As lincolnjkc said, that's because EI is not a PQP-earning partner (and likely won't be an earning partner at all for much longer).
Feb 14, 2024 | 8:59 am
#327
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Between AUS, EWR, and YTO In a little twisty maze of airline seats, all alike.. but I wanna go home with the armadillo
Programs: CO, NW, & UA forum moderator emeritus
Posts: 35,935
n NH a Z fare can be upgraded using UA PP. I don't think that is the case with LH tix, though.
Feb 14, 2024 | 9:29 pm
#329
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA LT Plat 2MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 68,421
ANA Business (Z or higher fares, not P) can be upgrade to F (O space) with UA miles, you have to go to a special website (see wiki) to request. You can waitlist on ANA (only *A carrier allowing waitlist by this method).
Mar 3, 2024 | 6:10 pm
#330
Join Date: Feb 2023
Posts: 13
On the EVA SAUA Post, someone and I had the issue with BR trans-pacific B class, getting this error when using United miles:
"Your paid booking class is not eligible for upgrades."
Obviously B class should be eligible to upgrade. And some other routes with BR can still be upgraded, without the error.
Has anyone seen the same? I don't really have other airline miles (NH or AV) so cannot test whether it is BR-side issue or UA-side issue.
"Your paid booking class is not eligible for upgrades."
Obviously B class should be eligible to upgrade. And some other routes with BR can still be upgraded, without the error.
Has anyone seen the same? I don't really have other airline miles (NH or AV) so cannot test whether it is BR-side issue or UA-side issue.