First time using RPUs here. From what I've read a lot of people have had success in applying to just longer segment first to see if clears, and then call back to extend to the shorter segment.

Flying LGA-DEN-LAX, leaving LGA Friday late afternoon in mid December. Waitlist option for the long seg, available clear for short seg.

I've called a couple times to try this out. First person told me this is not possible and I would need 2 coupons used for this strategy. Second person attempted this manually, but while on phone she told me it automatically applied RPU to both. So I was then waitlisted on long seg, RPU cleared on short seg. I requested for the RPU to be redeposited...how long does this take to appear back in my account?

May make it to 1K before this flight. Anyone have an idea what my chances of clearing CPU (Q tix) would be? Should I be calling during the daytime for better chances of this working?

Question about CR1 {RPU} usage vs complimentary upgrades
 

Greetings!

Apologies if this is not a new subject and has been answered before (in which case I would like to be directed to the thread). Here's my scenario/situation.

-I book a flight 12 days out and request an upgrade for a CR1. I am placed on waitlist and the CR1 is pulled.

-If the upgrade does not clear (I am currently #1 on the WL and that is never a good omen... ;) ) the CR1 is returned to my account.

-We go to the complimentary upgrade window. If my upgrade clears, my CR1 is gone.

If I had never requested an upgrade I would still be on the WL and if it clears I am good without the CR1. To me, the sole purpose of using the CR1 is to avail myself of something that is only available for currency and not for something that is available for free. Why is the CR1 not returned as soon as the complimentary period is entered?

And, since that does not seem to be the case, is there a strategy to avoid this?

Can you explain what a CR1 is? Do you mean you used miles to UG to 1st? I've got 15 years of history with UA and CO before it, butI'm not quite sure if that is what you mean.

My assumption is by CR1 you mean an upgrade instrument (either a GPU or RPU?)

If so you are mostly correct.... if the upgrade doesnt clear the instrument will be returned to your account.

In theory you are correct that you would be on the upgrade wait list without the instrument and when the upgrade clears you the instrument will be consumed. However using the instrument places you above all other CPUS (regardless of flyer status) so a Platinums RPU will clear before a 1K CPU no matter your fare class. Often using the instrument is the only way you will clear the wait list.

If you feel like there are enough open seats that you would clear a CPU you can always call and have them pull the instrument out before it clears and take your chances with the CPU.

Instrument upgrades are not seen the same as cash upgrades - this is a subject of contention but for the sake of this thread lets just accept the reality for now. Generally speaking Instruments are good for increasing your upgrade chances on high elite flights where your status or fare puts you too far down to have any shot of clearing a CPU.

CR1 is the old UA terminology for the current RPU.

OP - What the RPU will do for you is put you above all the CPU's (except GS) if it doesn't clear beforehand. You have the option of pulling your RPU and going with the CPU but you will probably drop down in the list

you were unlucky and go two incompetent agents -- if you get this issue in the future, ask for a supervisor and make this a training moment.

if done right should take no more than a day or two


Generally Friday afternoon is a poor opportunity for CPU but the R availability suggests the flight might be a CPU opportunity.

Never, ever had an issue with this, very puzzling -- as said earlier, if you get this issue in the future, ask for a supervisor and make this a training moment.

I just used 2 RPU's on a HKG-HNL RT K fare to upgrade to F/BF on all 4 segments. Is this something new on this route.

I thought there were no more rpu's inter Asia and certainly not on Gum-HNL.

Trying to upgrade a couple friends on a HNL-DEN flight in December, and things are not looking good. A bunch of seats just disappeared, and now inventory in F is only 6 vs. about 13 a week or two ago.

One thing that is a bit surprising to me is the fare difference between refundable economy (M class) and first class (A class)... only $100. $1,250 vs. $1,150 ... with that little disparity in price between instant upgrade and first class... more people are probably buying straight up... this is something I have seen more of in the last couple years... cheaper tickets in the F cabin = more purchased seats, less PN/R inventory. Not good for instrument use.

I have had a few instances this year where the price difference between my purchased fare (usually in E or M) is only $100 difference between A or Z in first, and I will pay out of pocket for it after booking if the flight is 3+ hours. Many times that I have done this, space in PN/R has never opened up, and I would likely have failed on an upgrade bid with an instrument.

Are many people out there ending up in situations where they have expiring instruments?

yup.

Not clearing
 

So far that seems to be the trend...applied 4 RPUs for 2 transcon R/T's one next week and one the following booked over 3 months out with all flights showing F9 A9 JN9 C9 D9 Z9 etc. and nothing has cleared with all flights showing F sold out or only F1 available.

No, My last remaining GPU cleared a couple of weeks ago and my RPUs were gone months ago..

Yes. Not had any GPU/RPU clear this year. Have two more flights where it can possibly clear (LHR-SFO-LHR) but that route is notorious - I think R=0 and RN=0 is hard coded.

The only way I have been getting rid of my instruments during the last 2 years is to give them away to friends, family, colleagues... otherwise, they would expire. I have a lot of DEN-EWR, DEN-SFO .... very tough routes to upgrade in any way on, whether it be instant upgrade fares or RPU/GPU. The only luck I have had is to get a good deal to buy up to F.

The only instrument upgrade that has cleared for me this year was AUS-DEN ... the only reason I would even waste one on a route like this is because my better half had an award ticket booked up there.

Considering I fly mostly on Monday and Friday, with some Sunday travel too... and on high business travel routes... I am out of luck for inventory in R, especially in the last minute booking scenarios.

I applied an RPU to EWR to SFO. I was waitlisted and it never cleared. First is now full. I just SDC to an earlier flight. What happened to my RPU? Does it transfer to my new flight? (First is also full on that flight). Or do I need to call in and try to get the RPU redeposited in my account?

In my experience RPU's when they do not clear will be redeposited back to your accouunt in a few days. Be alert and check that they are redeposited as sometime they are not and you will need MP to assist manually.

If you change flights as you did with SDC, the RPU does not follow your new itineary. You will need to apply a new one. If you only had 1 left from the flight that you changed from calling maybe able to assist. But SOP says to apply a new one and wait for the unused to be redeposited..