It does not automatically but if doing the change with an agent, they will move it.

Question on using GPUs
 

I have business travel to Europe in September coming up and my wife will likely join me. My firm graciously will fund a business ticket, or two economy seats. I've mentioned this before on the board but have more questions.

If my firm were to pay for the two coach seats, I would likely use miles to upgrade us. Its not that many, only around 100k for two both ways. ITs the copay that really gets you. More than 2k USD. You can buy another ticket for that and THEN some.

How do GPUs work? I don't have any because i'm a lowly silver, but my GS father has some and for some reason wants to waste them on me.

Is there a copay associated with these? Once you use the upgrade is it automatic or is there a waitlist?

They are instruments used to support upgrades from one ticketed cabin to a higher one on United and Lufthansa (the latter with restrictions) flights.

No, but there is a minimum fare class that is required and the difference in cost between the lowest bookable fare and the minimum GPU-allowed fare class could be considered the co-pay. However, there is no co-pay fee for using a GPU.

If there is confirmable space at the time of booking, a GPU-supported upgrade is supposed to clear. Otherwise, it will go to the upgrade waitlist.

Suggest you review the following: http://www.united.com/web/en-US/cont...wupgrades.aspx

what is the fare bucket that tells you how many GPU seats there are available?

R/RN for GPUs coming from 1K and PN for GPUs coming from GS (like your pops).

Similar question to this. If I do SDC and I currently have 1 segment cleared with RPU, the other one waitlisted, will I be able to keep any of my upgrades or is it back into the waitlist for both segments?

Looking in the SDC thread, it looks like I am able to do a change but would like to clarify with everyone. Thanks

MODERATOR NOTE

Where all GPU's and RPU's expire on January 31st and that is fast approaching, some (or many) of you may have expiring GPU's and/or RPU's and do not want them to expire and go to waste but remember that offering them for sale, trade and/or gratis in this forum is not permitted per Flyertalk rules

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...lowed-598.html

Thanks for understanding

goalie
UA Forum Co-Moderator

if you do not change the segment with the cleared upgrade, you should be fine -- but best to do with an agent. If you change the flight -- it is back to the waitlist list.

Well I don't know there is much point in giving them away anyway, I am getting fed up with having a "benefit" that it seems pretty much impossible to use these days as a lowly 1K.

Thanks..

I just checked, most flights don't have any upgrade space available right now. Does that change periodically?

Yes, otherwise waitlisted upgrades would never clear.

duh..thanks..

why do they start at 0?

Thank you. Unfortunately I'll be SDC'ing the whole itinerary +12-16 hours so I will go back into the waitlist. From what I've read on here, I typically need to have my original fare class to do this (V) correct?

Is it best to remove my RPU now and then call when after I SDC at checkin to reapply it?

Using a RPU or GPU on YBM Fares
 

Does anyone have any idea if there is a benefit to using a RPU/GPU on a YBM fare? I have several B and M fares booked over the next few weeks and none of them have instant upgrades available. I'm assuming that my priority is ahead of anyone using a RPU/GPU or miles ? Thanks.

For international travel the published priority list is -- status of instrument-holder; then fare class; then time applied.

If you apply a 1K member's GPU to an international Y/B/M fare, this should have higher priority than a 1K member's GPU on any other fare class (H or lower), and it'll also have higher priority than a non-elite member's mileage upgrade applied to any fare class.

That being said, if you hold a Y or B fare and plan a bunch of international travel, consider a mileage upgrade; the cost in miles can be fairly low and you can save a GPU for a later W fare.

For domestic travel things are a little special; Y/B fares are super high even without an instrument.