jsloan

As stated, the answer is yes, but don't read too much into that. You'll find there are a lot of people who will put in PlusPoints upgrades on a flight like that. So, yes, you're ahead of CPUs, but you might easily be 20th on the list for three open seats.

Soccerjoshj07

When you do the cash+miles copay, that means you can no longer see the cash/instant upgrade prices anymore?

WineCountryUA

Sometime no, sometimes yes. Generally on Polaris flights, offers are no visible if a pending upgrade. Generally on CPU flights, there are still visible. However, there seem to be unexplained exceptions to both.

ajharrison

I have a question about how the Miles + $ upgrade option actually plays out, especially in relation to the first flight (domestic First Class). GRU is an international flight (Brazil).

On an upcoming itinerary, I have a CLT-IAD (domestic) flight and an IAD-GRU (Brazil) flight - both waitlisted, and underneath showing the upgrade option "25k miles + $500. My question is: If ONLY my domestic First Class upgrade clears, what do I get charged? Do I get charged (only) the 25K? Or charged nothing? And if ONLY the international Polaris upgrade clears, am I charged ONLY the $500 or both the 25K and the $500? I could not find a clear answer to this anywhere.
Same question applies to the last option (column on the far right). The explanatory note that opens when you click on the ? is very clear and helpful, but again, does not address how a cleared upgrade to the first leg (CLT-IAD) affects the formula for charges.
The reason I'm asking is this - While I might be willing to pay 25K for a Premium Plus upgrade, or 25K + $500 for a 1st Class upgrade (as clearly stated when you open the ? note), I don't consider a domestic 1st Class upgrade worth 25K, especially for the shorter flights. Thanks for any light you all can shed on this for me! (I am GOLD status and fly a lot, but have yet to upgrade this way due to the lack of clarity on what I'm committing to).

jsloan

If only the domestic upgrade clears, you'll get a full refund of the miles and the co-pay. If only the Polaris upgrade clears, you'll be charged the full amount; miles and copay.

From context, sounds like you're talking about a Premium Plus upgrade? Same deal -- if only the domestic portion clears, there's no charge. If only the long-haul portion clears, you'll be refunded the difference between the Polaris upgrade and the Premium Plus upgrade price.

TL/DR: For MileagePlus Upgrade Awards (MUA) that include a Polaris-marketed flight, if only the short-haul portion clears, you get a full refund and the short-haul upgrade is free This is not true for MUAs that do not include a Polaris-marketed flight -- in those cases, if any segment is upgraded, the full amount is charged.

ajharrison

Thanks so much for this clear response. Just what I wanted to hear! And yes, I was talking about a Premium Plus upgrade. Appreciate it!

ihpj

I find this as one of the fairest UA policies. I have strategically deployed using this policy for domestic upgrades with international upgrade not clearing. Quite useful!

ajharrison

I would agree. Which is why it is so baffling that UNITED doesn't make this information more accessible. Seems like the note that opens up when you click on the ? (which only appear on the far right option) should include an explanation of what happens when only the short-haul flight clears, etc.


Why not have a ? note on the first option as well, and include the key info about how the short-haul upgrades work? Judging by the dozens of people asking the same question in this forum, I can imagine there is a lot of confusion out there on this point.

WineCountryUA

Balanced by the unfair policies of not allowing domestic only mileage upgrades to be selected for just the longer segment.
Have a transcon connecting to a sub500 miles segment and there is no protection if the short segment clears. And you can not request the waitlist for just the long segment. .

caseminole

Premier Gold
I paid $375 and 25K miles to get on upgrade wait list

What if LAX-IAH clears but IAH-EZE (the real desired segment) doesn't?
​

LAX

jsloan

UA Miles + $ CoPay Upgrade (refunded if no Polaris segments are upgraded)

The answer is in the title of the board thread that this question will get merged into.

(FWIW, I wouldn’t give a Gold a great chance of clearing an instrument upgrade on LAX-IAH — although admittedly, it’s better than SFO-IAH, where it’d be zero).

ASaidi

I have gold status and used miles+money to get wait listed for an upgrade to either PP or Polaris. The domestic leg cleared and i'm being offered at checkin an option to upgrade with cash ($499) for the PP International segment. If i take that will by miles be refunded? If i then clear into Polaris will i be charged the miles+money+$499?

RustyNLM

I have a flight with a miles + copay international Polaris upgrade that is confirmed. Now I need to cancel the flight and need to know if the miles and cash will be refunded. I texted with an agent who said that I would have to request a refund for the refund but could not confirm if it would be denied. Does anyone have experience with this situation?

WineCountryUA

Miles are generally fast and if not, call and ask the MileagePlus Service Center for help. The co-pay will take long . It will be a refund to the card use to purchase, can take multiple days, week is not uncommon and occasionally 2 -- dependent on UA and the card.

Note: This should all be standard and automatic.

Sie625

I've tried to find a similar situation in this thread, and didn't quite find it. I think I know most of the answer, but looking for some confirmation. Here's my situation:

Booked ORD-IAH-SCL. ORD-IAH in B, IAH-SCL in R. Same fare classes in reverse home. Haven't applied any miles or PP for upgrades (and I'm only plat, so will not have enough PP for 2 people). My miles upgrade options are then what seems to be a pretty standard 25k+$375. First question is since I am booked into B on the domestic legs, I can presumably instant upgrade into first if PN>0, even if I have to call (I know this is also being discussed on a recent YBM thread but thought this was more appropriate here). Right now PN0, and presume it will stay this way for ORD-IAH, but lets say it did open up and I was able to instant upgrade to first on the domestics, would my miles upgrade offer still look the same, at 25k+$375? I'd be ok with that to upgrade to Polaris from PE, but I'm genuinely curious.