So my understanding from reading all of the threads on GPU is that the newer "better" changes that I'll like at United, the new GPU process is...

1. Try to find flight w/ RN space, but if none available, book flight with RN0, apply GPU and get put on waitlist. (Book w/ GPU eligible fare.)
2. Check daily to see if RN space opens up (check specific segments as RN space shows differently if there are connections).
3. If/when space opens up and the upgrade does not automatically clear, either...
   a) apply another GPU to get the upgrade to clear immediately and hope United will refund the "waitlisted" GPU when I call.
   b) call United immediately and get them to push through the waitlisted upgrade hoping that someone doesn't book it prior to getting it pushed through.

Is this correct? Does this strategy change when under T-24?

If I paid for a EF account is there an e-mail alert I can set for if RN space opens up on specific flights? Does a basic account work or do I need a premium account for this?

Is there a better way to go about this?

Thank you in advance!

you forgot 1 thing; you must purcahse at least a 'W' fare, which may be alot more then the other ElCheapos. Now if you do this keep in mind your WL may not clear which will mean you just paid more $$ to sit in the exact same coach seat then you could have

personally I dont play COs game and never did, if I cant get the GPU confirmed at the time of putchase and if the difference in fare is >$100 then I will simply purchase the cheapest fare basis I can and enjoy E+. I do know folks who rolled the dice lost and ended up spending > $700 and sat in the exact same coach seat , letting CO be all the way to the bank

That is about right, plus the W fare OP mentioned.

Yes, with EF you can set alert for R>0 on specific flight.

To the best of my knowledge, if you don't clear before T-24, then you're screwed. That seat is going to be sold for pennies on the dollar to someone with no status. They'll probably end up sitting in front for a fraction of what you would have paid.

It's gotten so bad that I'm studying strategies for booking multiple flights. Cancel and paying change fee might end up being worth it in some circumstances rather than paying W fare to sit in the back of the plane for > 10 hours.

I would do (b) not (a) b/c if you apply GPU using (a) method and it doesn't clear then you're screwed three times - two for the 2 GPUs you lost plus a 3rd one when you end up calling and asking for help. Better to call right away and get screwed twice only.

You should budget 1-2 hours of phone time for each segment. It seems like the only way to get anything done.

My strategy since 3/3 has been to book only into R. It means I have had to fly into cities I don't want or need to fly into or from and sometimes I've spent 2-3 extra days at destination to get the R seat home. I can work from anywhere, so location doesn't matter that much, but ironically, I'm now spending as much on hotel/food/land costs or air to/from city I don't need to be in as I would have spent to pay for UG to C at a W-Z differential. Yet another perverse consequence of these CO policies that I just can't understand.

I thought I had read somewhere where someone saw RN space open up at T-23 and they called and had an agent force the upgrade, but perhaps I was mistaken.

Doesn't GPU on a non-domestic ticket stay applied with less than T-24?

Sounds to me like you have it pretty much right. The only tweaks I'd add are:

1. If you have any flexibility re dates or routes, try to find a routing that has upgrade space available at time of ticketing even if it might be less convenient. You'll save the time and angst of checking up and trying to secure the upgrade later, not to mention the distinct possibility (probability?) that the waitlisted upgrade won't clear, regardless.
2. Re your "a" option: When calling UA, you can ask that your waitlisted upgrade be applied, thus saving you the hassle of using a second one and then trying to get them to restore that second one to your account later.
Having said that, I did ask and was assured that my waitlisted upgrade was being applied rather than a second one, only to find that in fact a second one was being used.
3. If you do end up having a second GPU applied, don't try to switch it out for the waitlisted one until after you finish your trip. In theory, of course, UA should be able to do this easily even before you travel. But in today's UA, you're playing with the fire of risking losing your upgraded seat.
4. EF is in fact an excellent option for getting automatically notified rather than having to keep checking yourself. It worked well for me in securing a GPU upgrade when I received an email 38 hours before my flight notifying me of R2 availability. I checked my emails at 36 hours to get this news, and promptly called to bag the upgrade. I highly doubt that UA would have automatically given me the upgrade if it does daily sweeps, particularly since anyone else could have grabbed it in the interim. I think that even the basic EF gets you email alerts, but am not really sure.
5. As for what happens at T24, there have been lots of helpful posts here in FT but UA remains far from transparent and consistent in the advice its personnel hand out, perhaps because some of them don't know or can't be bothered to deal with the newly complicated machinations involved. My impression is that you should definitely check for R availability at T24 just in case it opens up then, and grab it. But if there is not availability, what I've gathered is that you need to keep calling UA reservations to get yourself on the new airport standby list, which personnel at the airport can't put you on. If you reach a phone CSR who can't or wont' do it or who tells you it's up to the airport to deal with, keep calling until you reach a helpful, competent one. Again, though, this is just my impression so perhaps someone who's more certain can help you out.
6. For any phone interaction with UA, be prepared for the possibility that you could be on hold for some time before you reach a CSR or that even a competent one will put you on hold for some time while trying to help out. I.e., try to be in a position where you can work/read/whatever for an hour while waiting to deal with your upgrade.
7. No matter what else you do, you have to keep checking your reservations regularly (at least every few days) these days with UA to make sure your flight, seats, times, connections, upgrades, waitlist, whatever haven't changed.

If this list sounds exhausting and ridiculous...yes, it is. But welcome to the new (UA) world order.

AFAIK, there is no greater RN availability than R. Hope I'm wrong. Don't know about forcing the upgrade or any domestic/international ticket differences for this.

Had similar issue when RN space was available but GPU still waitlisted.
I called the 1K line, it took them a few minutes to push it through.
The waitlisted GPU was used. Was told by the agent that the system it "supposed" do it automatically but they are still working on it however, they should all be familiar with the procedure and should be able to do it quite easily and use the waitlisted GPU. I'd suggest if the agent tells you he/she cannot use the waitlisted GPU, call back and speak with another agent.

Only need W fare for most international flights. Most of the domestic routes are GPU eligible on any Economy fare.

Have been successful twice since 3/3 with the phone a 1K friend at T-24 method LHR-IAH and FRA-IAH. Experience says needs to be a true 1K rep to get it done.

I wouldn't count on this working. Earlier this week I tried this with RPU that had not cleared at T24. Noticed R2/RN2 23 hours prior to flight. Dialed old 1k line and agent was unable to force upgrade despite getting help from colleague and tech support.

Correct and I assumed (maybe wrongly) that the OP was talking about an Intl flight. Otherwise most folks say eg ' thinking about using a GPU for a domestic flight....' rather then simply psot about using a GPU

on 6/13 @ T-23.5 I called and was cleared with R=2 using a RPU that I was now #1 and was #1 on the WL at that time

How many times did you call back and speak to a different agent before you gave up? If you didn't call back after speaking with one agent, you probably lost out. Some people have reported calling back a few times before they got an agent who knew how to work this.

The consensus is book only if you see RN availability.

I got lucky this time as the cheapest fare available for my schedule was only $50 less then W fare. I am comfortable with a $50 gamble.

Going to go to Munich for Oktoberfest. Hope I can get there in business class on a new config. Flying to Frankfurt as there are two flights a day instead of one in to Munich. Thanks for all the responses.

Hopefully this thread helps someone when they are waitlisted in the future. Stinks that the new system doesn't monitor waitlisted and automatically do it for you.

This is my last year flying regularly with United. Going to lose status next year and it sounds like I picked the right time to come off the work travel team.

Assume you are talking international. If not why use GPUs? My comments refer to international.

1. Immediate post 3/3, there were some problems.

2. Since then all my GPUs have cleared automatically when R/RN opened up.

3. The 24 hour wait list is rather kludgy but works as advertised.

4. There are no TOD upgrades....only fare differentials. Wish they would bring back the UFCs.

5. The W fare lottery is no different than it was pre 3/3. Wish upgrades were certain, but for me I clear well over 95% of the time so I'm not complaining.

This has largely been my experience, too. Since 3/3 I've cleared 5/5 and 2/2 for sponsored GPUs Y>R which I've given to family members. In all but one case they've been waitlisted at booking, and then cleared (with email confirmation and no intervention by me) between booking and T-48. Today was the first day a sponsored GPU for family cleared at the gate... but, it cleared.

For award travel it has been similar - booked two tix SFO-LAX-SYD in GF; waitlisted the direct SFO-SYD, both of which cleared two weeks later. EF was set for this, and I did not receive any alerts with inventory opening up - waitlist just automatically cleared with no intervention from me. ON remained at 0.

With odds like this, for me I'll continue the waitlist gamble for now.