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Old Oct 14, 2013, 10:31 am
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Please visit https://www.diditclear.com/ and include your trip experience with CPU's, RPU's, GPU's and any other means of upgrading available on United.

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Specific GPU and RPU usage questions thread

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Old Mar 31, 2014 | 2:09 pm
  #736  
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Originally Posted by WineCountryUA
"over water segment" is not the actual criteria used.

Actual rule, if any requested segment is BF or GF and no BF/GF clears, then the upgrade instrument (GPU or miles) should be returned, even if non-BF/GF segments cleared. RPUs do not have this exception and neither do itins that have no BF/GF requested segments.

In a large number of cases "over water segment" and BF/GF are the same but not all.
The only situation in which multiple segments have to clear in order for any of them to clear is if they are two segments using the same flight number (such as UA 803 that flies IAD-NRT and then also continues as UA 803 NRT to SIN). I don't think UA 49, BOM-EWR, goes anywhere beyond EWR.

WineCountry is correct about the difference between "over water" and BF/GF segments. If the BF/GF segment fails to clear, the GPU is returned after a few days to the account from which it came (in situations in which the GPU came from the account of a person other than the passenger).

Last edited by WayMaker; Mar 31, 2014 at 2:15 pm
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Old Apr 4, 2014 | 2:22 pm
  #737  
 
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Take back an RPU?

TL;DR: I have a few questions to figure out what's easier. Sorry if some of these have been asked before, but my searches yielded nothing.
1) Can I taked back an RPU for a confirmed upgrade and take my place in the CPU queue? When is my 'deadline' for this to go smoothly?
2) When is the last time I can apply an RPU for a confirmed seat if R>0?
3) If R=0 when is the last time to jump ahead of the CPU list?

Long version:
I have a redeye SMF-IAH in early May. As usual there's a few in F and E+ is almost empty (E- is filling up, so hopefully this won't be down-gauged), so at a month out it's holding at elite-light. While IAH redeyes usually stay elite light the Thursday departure and airbus F/Y ratio have me a little worried about my CPU chances. Lately I've just been watching the seatmap/R-count, but now my xIAH connection is filling up. I'm not 'worried' about upgrading on this flight, but if I'm going to use an RPU I'd rather it clear on both flights.

If I apply an RPU for confirmed upgrade (R7) now could I take it back the week before (I can usually tell if things are looking good for me by then)? As I mentioned I'd slightly prefer this since if I'm going to use it I'll also get my connection upgraded.

If that too messy to deal with, what are my options for throwing the RPU down at the last minute if my odds aren't looking good?
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Old Apr 4, 2014 | 2:37 pm
  #738  
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Originally Posted by wto605
1) Can I taked back an RPU for a confirmed upgrade and take my place in the CPU queue? When is my 'deadline' for this to go smoothly?
2) When is the last time I can apply an RPU for a confirmed seat if R>0?
3) If R=0 when is the last time to jump ahead of the CPU list?
  1. Yes, but you may need space in your original fare bucket depending on when you pull the upgrade.
  2. At any time before departure. Note that if you've already checked in, it may complicate things.
  3. Somewhere around T-25.
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Old Apr 4, 2014 | 2:56 pm
  #739  
 
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Originally Posted by mahasamatman
  1. Yes, but you may need space in your original fare bucket depending on when you pull the upgrade.
  2. At any time before departure. Note that if you've already checked in, it may complicate things.
  3. Somewhere around T-25.
Thanks for the answers, can you elaborate on number 1?
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Old Apr 4, 2014 | 3:30 pm
  #740  
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Originally Posted by wto605
Thanks for the answers, can you elaborate on number 1?
It used to be the case that you could only cancel an upgrade if your original bucket had availabillity up until the flight went to airport control. After that, any seat would do. I don't know the current policy.
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Old Apr 4, 2014 | 4:54 pm
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Originally Posted by mahasamatman
It used to be the case that you could only cancel an upgrade if your original bucket had availabillity up until the flight went to airport control. After that, any seat would do. I don't know the current policy.
Interesting... thanks. Do you (or anyone else) know what pulling a UG while the flight is under airport control does for CPUs? I was kind of assuming it was a riskier option since it's very obvious you're reneging on an RPU.
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Old Apr 6, 2014 | 9:46 am
  #742  
 
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Morning All,

A friend recently sponsored me for a GPU but the GPU expires April 30 2014. I am flying ORD->SIN on 4/30 and wondered if I will get hassled on the second leg of the trip since it is past the expiration date. Has anyone had a similar experience? Will UA only upgrade me the ORD->HKG leg?

Thanks
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Old Apr 6, 2014 | 12:23 pm
  #743  
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Originally Posted by danhunterpost
Morning All,

A friend recently sponsored me for a GPU but the GPU expires April 30 2014. I am flying ORD->SIN on 4/30 and wondered if I will get hassled on the second leg of the trip since it is past the expiration date. Has anyone had a similar experience? Will UA only upgrade me the ORD->HKG leg?

Thanks
Not sure there is a lot of post merger experience on this but for PMUA, if the first segment was pre-expiration, the second segment for the same GPU could be post-expiration. Assuming you meet all the standard rules for multi-segment GPU usage. If the second segment shows confirmed / waitlisted, you should be fine.
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Old Apr 6, 2014 | 1:36 pm
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+1 Thanks! Interestingly enough I pulled the GPU because only the first segment was upgraded and the second segment was still listed as UA Economy B class. I called and UA CS and since it was sponsored they wouldn't even discuss with me, had to have the sponsor call in and it became more of a hassle than anything else.

I should hit UA Gold for the year on the return TPAC segment, will they offer me a E+ seat for the return trip or is that only after I hit UA Gold? I understand a lot of this is subjective, just trying to understand if I should consider a buy-up to J or E+ because there are only middle seats available in economy on the return segment and don't want to spend 15+ hours in a middle seat in E-.
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Old Apr 6, 2014 | 1:43 pm
  #745  
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Originally Posted by danhunterpost
..... I called and UA CS and since it was sponsored they wouldn't even discuss with me, had to have the sponsor call in and it became more of a hassle than anything else. ....
if the first segment has been sponsored there is no reason the sponsor needs to call to apply to the second (valid) segment. My guess you got a rookie agent.

Originally Posted by danhunterpost
.....I should hit UA Gold for the year on the return TPAC segment, will they offer me a E+ seat for the return trip or is that only after I hit UA Gold? .....
strictly speaking it will not be until status has posted, a chance an agent would feel generous if asked. As a Silver you will have access at checkin.
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Old Apr 6, 2014 | 1:47 pm
  #746  
 
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Upgrades

First of all the fare type needs to be minimum W class or higher to upgrade any international journey
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Old Apr 6, 2014 | 1:55 pm
  #747  
 
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Last time I checked B class was well above W unless something has changed. In my experience it is the second highest fare class in economy to Y. Could be wrong.
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Old Apr 6, 2014 | 1:56 pm
  #748  
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Welcome to FT!, Dipenmshah
Originally Posted by Dipenmshah
First of all the fare type needs to be minimum W class or higher to upgrade any international journey
To be more precise --- non-CPU eligble segments need to be W or higher fares to apply GPUs (mile upgrades can be done on any fare). There are CPU eligible international flights where GPUs can be used on any fare.
And in the posters case appears the fare is B, very much meeting the W or higher fare requirement.
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Old Apr 6, 2014 | 1:58 pm
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Originally Posted by WineCountryUA
Welcome to FT!, Dipenmshah
Thanks for catching the welcome! I missed that...
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Old Apr 6, 2014 | 2:55 pm
  #750  
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Originally Posted by goalie
goalie-sis will be flying DCA/IAD-SFO-SIN with a 4-5 day stopover at SFO and I'm wondering if applying a GPU to her flights is the same as if she was traveling all on the same day and if the same applies that if she clears the domestic portion but not the international portion, does the GPU get refunded on the stopover scenario as it would if all on same day travel?
The answer to this question was that a single GPU could not cover the routing across a 4-day stopover. But what is the current rule for duration of a stop/connection that would require the use of a second instrument? I seem to remember (once upon a time) that any stop longer than 12 hours would trigger the need for a second instrument, but I can't find that documented anywhere on united.com.

Does anyone know how long I can stop on an itinerary while having a GPU continue across the stop? Thanks!
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