They don't want to sell (relatively) cheap tickets from NRT-SIN, they want to sell the full freight TPAC tickets (feeding in not just from EWR, but all the other hubs as well).

I thought married segments only apply to direct flights with stops. For example, UA896 with SIN-HKG-ORD, or UA804 SIN-NRT-IAD. I was searching SIN-NRT-EWR, so UA804 and on to UA98. Married segments, still?

direct flight is just one case

Seth's blog on The “joys” of married segments and airfare pricing

I see. Thank you. I got most of the post NRT flights cleared all the way to EWR. It's now just the SIN-NRT and HNL-LAX that are not cleared yet. I already learned married segments on direct flights a very hard way, so I was trying to avoid them. The SIN-NRT had the first two rows of E+ completely taken out, so I bet that would be the toughest upgrade ever in my PNR.

I'm planing to buy the following ticket with Q fare, and use my friends GPUs to upgrade.

July 26th ORD-PEK UA851
Aug 13th PEK-ORD UA850

I have spent some time researching and found I need to look for the seats in R class. Unfortunately, they both have R0.

Can any expert analyze what is the chance that UA will release R fares on the two flights, based on the current seats and the history of releasing R in summer for those flights?
I saw Z9/F7, so I guess the chance is good. But I'm a newbie to UA upgrade, so I'm not sure..

Outbound July 26th ORD-PEK UA851
Available Cabins: F7, FN7, A7, ON1, O0, J9, JN9, C9, D9, Z9, ZN9, P9, PN0, R0, RN0, IN0, I0, Y9, YN9, B9, M9, E9, U9, H9, HN9, Q9, V9, W0, S0, T0, L0, K0, G0, N0, XN0, X0

Aug 13th PEK-ORD UA850
Available Cabins: F7, FN7, A7, ON4, O0, J9, JN9, C9, D9, Z9, ZN9, P9, PN9, R0, RN0, IN0, I0, Y9, YN9, B9, M9, E9, U9, H9, HN9, Q9, V0, W0, S0, T0, L0, K0, G0, N0, XN0, X0

Thank you very much for looking and replying!

I'm trying to upgrade SYD-LAX/SFO-JFK-LAX/SFO-SYD. There's no R space on the p.s. transcon segments, but I'm not worried about that (and in my experience they always clear fairly easily), and I've found SYD-LAX R space. However I can't find anything on the return, either SFO-SYD or LAX-SYD. Travel dates are early to mid August; happy to fly midweek if that helps.

Any anecdotal evidence on my likelihood of clearing the upgrade list? Or should I make some other plan?

This tip was a lifesaver. Thanks!

Right now I have EWR-TXL-BRU-TXL with Y to BF confirmed for the TATL legs when I booked in January.
If I see TXL-EWR show some R space in the next month before the flight can I call in and have the agent switch me to the direct flight home instead of stopping in Brussels?

Subject to change fee and any fare differential, yes.

It's 18 hours until my EWR OSL flight, and GPU didn't confirm yet. Currently united.com shows R space available, but 1K line said they can't do anything. Is this correct? anything else I can do?

HUACA until they clear it.

HUCA. With some agents you might have them remove and reapply it but this is higher risk within 24 hrs.

Does 1K have to pay a change fee? I figured there may be a small fare difference. I forgot why I had booked through BRU until I went in and looked back at the ex-TXL flights which go back to the 752 in August instead of the 763s they've put on for the summer.

You can try and make that argument... switching because of "inferior" equipment. I have had some luck with that in the past when it was old vs. new/upgraded planes.

But, I think the new UA is getting more strict.

Are you serious?

UA probably collected $2k+ in change fees from me last year.

I've only changed a flight once and it was IAD-LGA instead of DCA-EWR and it cost me nothing.
Maybe I was confusing same day changes and award changes…those are $0, no?