Knowing that R space often opens up around T-24 I sometime checkin and see where I am on the upgrade list before calling in to apply the RPU. I've done that a couple of times LGA-DEN on a Friday night for a weekend's skiing.

yeap --- a segment is enough to consume the RPU.

Your choice is to downgrade yourself if the needed conditions can be met or continue to hope on clearing IAD-DEN -- you will be ahead of all non-GS CPU.

Probably right, unfortunately, since you're behind the gov't Y and B fares for the upgrade.

+1
This is your best hope, that R opens at T-24 and no one sweeps in.

This is why if I have both a long haul and short haul flight I dont apply my RPU to the short haul segment until my long haul 1st clears. Worse comes to worse I ride in Y on the short haul = no real damage. If the LH doesnt clear then I blew the RPU for a short haul

Once the LH clears I call up and have them apply that same RPU to the short haul as well, if it doesnt clear the SH no big deal

RPU Question:
I seldom use an RPU (mostly give them to companion travelers), but I wanted to ensure, as much as possible, an upgrade tomorrow on 1064 (EWR-BOS). I am 1K, on a G fare. Equipment is a 737-800 which I purchased in December, and applied the RPU about a month ago. I am number two on the upgrade list. Seems unusual. Thoughts?

United First� Upgrade Standby List:
United First�: 16 | Booked: Full | Checked In: 4
Customers Upgraded to United First�: United First� Upgrade Standby List *

NAME SEAT
JAC, N. 2F
JAC, T. 2E
LAW, C. 1F
MCK, M. 1A
MCK, W. 1B

NAME
1. KAU, P.
2. DON, J.
3. LHU, L.
4. GOI, N.
5. BHI, F.
6. YID, P.
7. GOI, H.
8. BRU, E.
9. BRI, A.
10. MCA, J.
11. HIN, M.

United First� Upgrade Standby List FAQ * This list only includes upgrade-eligible customers that have checked in for this flight.

why unusual?

As a 1K I occasionally have RPU fail, especially on elite heavy routes at peak travel times.

All GSs are above you plus any 1K on a higher fare on using GPU/RPU/miles is ahead of you. The 1K could be connect from an international flight in EWR and used a GPU.

Given it is a very short flight, not sure I would care much.

Elite Y/B/M's are also ahead of you. Still, I would also have expected the upgrade to clear. Blessing if it doesn't. EWR-BOS is a waste of an RPU.

Family of three traveling together on a two-segment itinerary. Husband & wife got M-ups on leg 2 and used RPU to upgrade the 15-year-old also. Leg 1 is F0; the kid is of course waitlisted but they don't want him to clear, as it is highly unlikely that three seats will open up and they want to sit together.

Can the RPU on leg 1 be neutralized while keeping the RPU on leg 2?

Easiest way to deal with this is if leg 1 clears offer the kid's F seat to the person sat next to the parents in coach. That said if the parents are on M ups they'll clear before the kid anyway.

Simple, if it has not cleared, just call and ask for it to be removed from the Leg 1.

M-ups may not be automatic (they weren't on leg 2...had to be done proactively). That said, offering the upgrade to some unsuspecting single traveler is a good fallback strategy.

I wonder if anyone has experience doing this. I certainly think that's the right answer in theory, but the fear of course is that the system can't handle that and would boot the kid to Y on leg 2.

I regularly apply RPUs to the longer legs only and then later add shorter legs or not. There is no issue with applying RPUs to just 1 segment when there could be multiple segments -- this is not a theoretical suggestion, many of do this regularly.
unless that person is resistant to changing -- rare I suspect but I have seen this.

But have you ever retracted a waitlisted RPU after the other leg has cleared? I'm worried that the system isn't set up to do that, despite what a well-meaning agent might say (or try ).

Specially no but I have pulled waitlisted RPU on 1 segment that originally was on two segments - no issues. While I understand caution, I personally would have no concerns doing what you describe.

I had have on several occasion retracted a waitlisted RPU after the other leg has cleared. After the call, I would double check it online just to make sure everything is fine. And for the segments that is eligible for CPU, the icon will appear online. I have never had any problem.