Is requesting a special meal a deterrant to clearing a waitlisted GPU? I mean they cannot guarantee a special meal in Business class at the last minute, if waitlist is cleared at that time.

I'm trying to figure out if it may be worth it to remove the meal request if it is going to play a negative role in the GPU clearing. Thanks!

@ UA a special meal request has no bearing on upgrades but of course the special meal would be casualty of the process. There have been reports that meals can be an issue for LH last minute upgrades.

When RPU clears for one leg, priority given on other legs?
 

I'm flying MSY-IAH-SFO, and requested an upgrade using an RPU. The MSY-IAH leg has cleared. Would I get priority on the IAH-SFO leg since the instrument has now been "spent"?

FWIW, I was expecting to have an easier time on IAH-SFO since it's a 787 (with 36 BF seats - a lot for a domestic flight) but I guess not.

I doubt it. My son had his RPU'ed upgrade ripped from his hands as he was boarding SFO-IAH yesterday. Someone had allegedly bought a first class ticket. (I wonder whether it was a TOD upgrade. The person taking his seat was a young woman. Now she could be a techie, and have lots of money, but I don't know.

Did your son already request his $250 electronic travel credit under United's internal policy GG OVS DOWNGRADE for flights of distance 1001–2000 miles? The policy is quite clear (any downgrade triggers compensation, including "we upgraded you with an instrument and just had an extra paying pax show up") and UA is generally forthcoming for passengers who know to ask.

Yes, he got it. Didn't have to ask.

make sure he gets his RPU back as well (unless it was "spent" on a preceding segment...i'd still email a request for it anyways, worst they can say is no)

OP, i dont think that downline segments are prioritized differently when one segment clears. if you are not optimistic about clearing IAH-SFO, you can request a redeposit of your RPU - provided that your original coach fare class is available on the MSY-IAH flight.

i'm not sure how C/Y ratio is on the 787 but that is the number that matters, not the total number of C seats. if the flight has 100 C seats, but 1M Y seats, the upgrade chances still arent that great. extreme example but you see what i mean. this is why upgrades on A320 are tricky especially V2/V3. terrible F/Y ratio IMO.

That is a very popular flight. Lots of paid F connecting traffic - IAH arrivals from latin america and SFO departures to Asia.

It depends on what you mean by priority. Nothing changes from the regular order, but RPUs do have a higher position than CPUs on that list.

Prior to T-24 the process is completely opaque, but supposedly based on request time alone. CPUs are thus unlikely to come into play.

For the battlefield list (starting at T-24) the priority is as follows:
Paid F on Irops
GS member upgrades (all types, prioritized similarly to this list)
Instant upgrades (Y/B/M) for premiers (M instant-upgrades are only for 1k)
Instrument Upgrades
CPUs
NRSAs

The Instant, Instrument, and CPU upgrades are prioritized by the following (I haven't seen a specific policy on irrops, but I would guess it's similar to this too):
-Status of passenger (sponsor in the case of instrument upgrades)
-Fare class
-Check-in time

The so-called "battlefield" list becomes visible at T-24, but it does not "come into play" until check-in has closed, i.e., somewhere within T-1. Until that time, upgrades continue to process pursuant to the invisible EUA list.

No one can say definitively what the prioritization is once the list goes to the gate.

The segment upgrades are independent events. One has nothing to do with other.

Contrary to your belief re upgrades being easier on a 787, they might actually be harder:
1) connects to int'l flights
2) seats and AVOD attract F-paying passengers who will opt for it vs other options during the day.
3) even if you miss upgrade, you're in a much better coach situation (AVOD)
4) people will use instruments for that flight vs other options

Your chances for upgrade might actually be better on the 757 options. I've seen the 787 waitlist on the Denver flights at departure far longer than waitlist a on other a/c.

whim of the gate agent seems to prevail! :p

Is it possible to use a single RPU for a one-way booking of IAH-EWR-PTY?
 

Is it possible to use a single RPU for a one-way booking of IAH-EWR-PTY? This is a semi-MR, hence going north and then south.

yes, 1 RPU is enough

Yes, plenty of people on MRs have taken advantage of that.