I'm new to the RPU game as an AC member, so this may be a bit basic. If you have a 2-segment itinerary where the upgrade is important on the longer segment, but not the shorter segment, are you able to request the upgrade on the longer segment, and then request the RPU on the shorter segment if the RPU clears on the longer segment?

Traveling YYC-SFO-HNL in January. I don't want to spend an RPU on just the YYC-SFO segment as it's a short segment on UA Express, so was hoping to request the SFO-HNL segment and then add the shorter segment if it clears or the chances look good. Is this possible with RPU's?

Yes, that is exactly the right strategy for your itinerary.

If you get an agent who doesn't know how to do it, or claims it can't be done, hang up (politely) and call again.

Extending RPU into Next Year
 

Anyone ever been able to get RPUs extended? Wife and I are planning a trip to Hawaii in early Feb and I would like to use my last 2 RPUs for the year on that instead of just burning/losing them on a short domestic flight.

TIA

LHR-SFO-LHR leaving LHR on a Saturday, leaving SFO on a Friday/Saturday, ten trips this year, at no time that I have looked has R been >0. No upgrades have cleared, my only upgrade was an op-up. C'est la vie.

Once I do this, I will check inventory every day, and once I see R>0, I will call back in and have the GPU/RPU applied across the additional segment(s).

No RPUs Clearing - Typical?
 

I have MP Platinum. Moved to TK in February, and I want to use my RPUs before they expire.

How long does it normally take before flights clear?

I have a simple LAX-ORD-RSW-IAH-LAX ticket. UA confirmed upgrades on just one segment in each direction.

Should I just cancel the RPU request and try to use it on a PS flight to EWR?

Seems wasteful to wait until the last minute with an RPU if only half the trip gets upgraded.

You only have three months left to use them.

RPUs (and GPUs) are most useful when you can clear into open R at booking. Waitlisting is often a low odds game.

Earning GPU's / RPU's
 

Didn't find anything when i searched. So I have about 160,000 PQM's this year, which means that I have earned 8 GPU's and 10 RPU's. However, I am also close to crossing over 30 extra segments since hitting 75,000 PQM's. Does that mean I will also earn another 2 RPU's?

no, unless you had enough segments (210) to outpace the 175,000 PQM mark.

any limitations as to when I can redeposit a cleared GPU?
 

My situation is that I have already cleared Y-C using a GPU on ORD-HKG. The flight looks so lightly booked that I suspect that I may be able to snag a row in economy plus coach to myself. If that were the case, I'd redeposit the GPU and use it another time. If I'm one hour out from the flight and see that this is the situation, can I just call the 1K line and redeposit the GPU? Thanks!

JNelson113,

I recall that you can do this ONLY if your original fare bucket is still open.

You're free to do what you want, but I can't think of a better route to use it on that the 15+ hour ORD-HKG flight. Sorry, but IMHO, a whole row in Y, IF THAT EVEN HOLDS*, is not equal to a J seat. I guess if it's your last GPU and you have other plans for it, then maybe...But I personally wouldn't think twice about keeping the upgrade, even if Y is empty. But to each their own!

* = A previous day's flight or another hub's flight to HKG is canceled, and suddenly Y is full. There's a bunch of Silvers on the flight, and suddenly they move into Y+ at check in. A bunch of non-revs see the light load, and they stand by (I've seen 30-40 non-revs and other stand-bys on HKG flights before).

Okay, so if I have a nightmare tonight, I'll know who to blame! :-)

I totally get what you're saying. I'm a little emboldened because I just flew US-SIN through NRT all the way in economy with my own row on both segments and it was just fine (I'm a small woman, height about 5'6" so I can scrunch into a row pretty easily), and certainly not worth burning an upgrade. I've also flown ORD-HKG a few times in coach (in a bulkhead seat, so I could put my legs up on the wall, admittedly) and it is unpleasant but not intolerable. I'm hoping to go to Asia with my husband and daughter in January/February and hope to upgrade at least them all the way. Would be nice to conserve GPUs as much as possible. But your point is well taken! And thanks for answering my question. :-)

You are a better person than myself. Last year I flew ORD-HKG-SIN in E+ and the first thing I did when I arrived at my hotel in SIN was to logon to UA and check for available R space on my return trip. Found it and upgraded:D

I totally understand that! Had I not had my own row . . . . I shudder to think. :-)