Sep 21, 16, 8:13 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
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
How to upgrade with UA miles on Star Alliance carriers
Jan 6, 13, 12:09 pm
#61
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: LAX/TPE
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Posts: 41,525
Just to confirm what was stated upthread - am I able to buy an E class ticket on NH and use UA miles (via the united.com *A upgrade request process) to upgrade the flight if NH has upgrade space open?
I am seeing a variety of E fares on NH for the routings I would usually take, and they vary widely in price from 1100 e/w to 2000 e/w, but all book with a E fare basis.
I am seeing a variety of E fares on NH for the routings I would usually take, and they vary widely in price from 1100 e/w to 2000 e/w, but all book with a E fare basis.
Jan 6, 13, 12:37 pm
#62
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 4,645
Just to confirm what was stated upthread - am I able to buy an E class ticket on NH and use UA miles (via the united.com *A upgrade request process) to upgrade the flight if NH has upgrade space open?
I am seeing a variety of E fares on NH for the routings I would usually take, and they vary widely in price from 1100 e/w to 2000 e/w, but all book with a E fare basis.
I am seeing a variety of E fares on NH for the routings I would usually take, and they vary widely in price from 1100 e/w to 2000 e/w, but all book with a E fare basis.
http://www.united.com/web/en-US/cont....aspx?Mobile=1
Given how many errors are on the web site and how clueless the agents are, I don't know how you can verify this other than trying.
Jan 6, 13, 12:58 pm
#63
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Join Date: Sep 2002
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Posts: 41,525
It says here that E is eligible on NH:
http://www.united.com/web/en-US/cont....aspx?Mobile=1
Given how many errors are on the web site and how clueless the agents are, I don't know how you can verify this other than trying.
http://www.united.com/web/en-US/cont....aspx?Mobile=1
Given how many errors are on the web site and how clueless the agents are, I don't know how you can verify this other than trying.
On ANA, their E fare is adjacent to Y - a B fare is a step below, so an E fare upgrade should be eligible - and E fares on ANA earn 150% PQM while costing (in many cases) a fraction of what UA charges for B class. ANA B class only earns 100% PQM.
Jan 13, 13, 9:58 am
#64
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Joliet, IL
Programs: HHonors Diamond, UA Plat.
Posts: 147
Just to confirm what was stated upthread - am I able to buy an E class ticket on NH and use UA miles (via the united.com *A upgrade request process) to upgrade the flight if NH has upgrade space open?
I am seeing a variety of E fares on NH for the routings I would usually take, and they vary widely in price from 1100 e/w to 2000 e/w, but all book with a E fare basis.
I am seeing a variety of E fares on NH for the routings I would usually take, and they vary widely in price from 1100 e/w to 2000 e/w, but all book with a E fare basis.
Jan 13, 13, 2:52 pm
#65
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Location: Houston
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Posts: 12,467
Jan 13, 13, 5:26 pm
#66
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: 41,525
Jan 13, 13, 11:31 pm
#67
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Houston
Programs: UA Plat, Marriott Gold
Posts: 12,467
Upgradeable booking classes include Business class (C and D) and Economy class (Y and B), as well as the additional fare classes listed below:
Air China - W class
Air New Zealand - E, U and O class
ANA - J, Z and E class
Asiana Airlines E and L class
Ethiopian Airlines - G and S class
Lufthansa - J class
Scandinavian Airlines - S class
Singapore Airlines - S, Z and J class
Jan 18, 13, 12:40 am
#68
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 18
LAX-NRT then HND-LAX upgradable?
i'm a 1K on UA and want to use miles (on NH) or SWU (on UA) to upgrade. i was going to book on UA, but the HND-LAX leg is codeshare with NH. I don't think i can use UA miles or SWUs to upgrade on NH and don't think i can use NH miles because the flight would be booked through UA. Is there any way to hack a fare so i can effectively upgrade on both legs? any ideas?
Jan 18, 13, 1:04 am
#70
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: BOS
Posts: 3,534
For the ANA flights you could use a Y, B or E class ticket to allow a star alliance upgrade award but it cannot be a codeshare booking.
Edit: OK maybe someone with better ITA-fu can do better but I can find LAX-NRT on UA32 followed by HND-LAX on NH1006 with UA32 forced into W class and NH1006 forced into B class (could not get E class) for $3,218.50 a/i.
Now finding an OTA that will book this for you is a different matter. I tried Hipmunk but didn't get very far. United will book a B roundtrip but that's even more costly plus it will book the ANA flight as a UA codeshare which will disallow the *A upgrade.
OTOH the ANA website prices out this open jaw at $3,662.70 in business (P class) so go figure..
Edit: OK maybe someone with better ITA-fu can do better but I can find LAX-NRT on UA32 followed by HND-LAX on NH1006 with UA32 forced into W class and NH1006 forced into B class (could not get E class) for $3,218.50 a/i.
Now finding an OTA that will book this for you is a different matter. I tried Hipmunk but didn't get very far. United will book a B roundtrip but that's even more costly plus it will book the ANA flight as a UA codeshare which will disallow the *A upgrade.
OTOH the ANA website prices out this open jaw at $3,662.70 in business (P class) so go figure..
Code:
Fare 1: Carrier UA WLX0ZUJA LAX to TYO (rules) Passenger type ADT, round trip fare, booking code W Covers LAX-NRT (Economy) $482.00 Fare 2: Carrier NH B1RJA TYO to LAX (rules) Passenger type ADT, one-way fare, booking code B Covers HND-LAX (Economy) $1,998.00 (YQ) $327.00 US International Departure Tax (US) $17.20 US September 11th Security Fee (AY) $2.50 US Passenger Facility Charge (XF) $4.50 USDA APHIS Fee (XA) $5.00 US Immigration Fee (XY) $7.00 US Customs Fee (YC) $5.50 Japan International Passenger Facility Charge (SW) $22.40 NH YQ surcharge (YQ) $327.00 NH YQ surcharge (YQ) $3.20 US International Arrival Tax (US) $17.20 Subtotal per passenger $3,218.50 Number of passengers x1 TOTAL AIRFARE & TAXES $3,218.50
Last edited by Lurker1999; Jan 18, 13 at 1:27 am
Jan 29, 13, 6:46 pm
#73
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 423
Upgrading on TK with UA miles
I asked this question on the TK forum and was directed to this forum instead. I want to buy economy LAX-IST tickets on TK for later this year and upgrade to business with UA miles. EF shows plenty of upgrade availability around my dates. I'm just having a hard time interpreting the Star Alliance UG chart since TK only has Econ/Comfort/Bus instead of Econ/Bus/First. The Star Alliance chart makes it look like it would be 25K one way, but that seems to be on the low side, especially considering TK website shows 45K for Econ->Bus with TK miles.
I figured I'll try here before giving UA a call since the question is purely hypothetical as I don't yet have my dates, tix or even the miles. The answer will determine if I want to move my UR points into UA or somewhere else. Thanks in advance.
I figured I'll try here before giving UA a call since the question is purely hypothetical as I don't yet have my dates, tix or even the miles. The answer will determine if I want to move my UR points into UA or somewhere else. Thanks in advance.
Jan 29, 13, 7:00 pm
#75
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 257
You can definitely upgrade your TK flight with 25K miles from UA. But upgrade using Star Alliance Upgrade Award requires you book your flight in Y or B full fare economy class to be able to upgrade, so always keep that in mind. Also, upgrade can only be upgraded into I for business, which is the same inventory for business class award seats. Don't book an expansive Y ticket, but soon found yourself not being able to upgrade due to the lack of open space in I. Confirm your flight has I available, then quickly purchase the ticket and apply the upgrade, it will be confirmed immediately.
