Specific GPU and RPU usage questions thread
 

I have an itin ($1,050; 25,436 miles) I booked today which is YYZ-IAH-HNL-GUM-HKG-SIN and vice versa (booked in K class, so all segments except HNL-GUM and vice versa should be upgradable with RPUs, and by extension, GPUs)

But when I look at upgrading online using instruments, it's breaking up my itin into 2 upgradeable segments each way: YYZ-IAH-HNL-GUM-HKG and HKG-SIN. ie. it wants 4 instruments to upgrade the entire eligible portion of the itin, instead of 2 GPUs.
Granted there is a 23 hour stopover (not layover) in HKG (12 hours on way back), but I wouldn't expect that to matter.

I called UA 1K line once and got a clueless agent.

Questions:
1: Shouldn't a single GPU allow upgrades for one direction, i.e. YYZ-IAH-HNL and GUM-HKG-SIN (since HNL-GUM isn't eligible due to class)?
2: On the online upgrade screen, when I click on the upgrade-using-RPU-or-GPU button, it shows YYZ-IAH-HNL and GUM-HKG are eligible for RPU (looks like 1 RPU but from past experience that would take 2 RPU) but the GPU would only cover YYZ-IAH and GUM-HKG. How is that possible? Just a glitch? On the outbound, it shows seats available for ugprade (not waitlist)
3: Does it matter if I do the upgrade online (with 2 GPUs) and then call to make sure all segments (except HNL-GUM, GUM-HNL) are upgraded/waitlisted, or should I only do it over the phone?

Thanks in advance

http://bit.ly/O7PzWe
http://bit.ly/Qzewao

K fare is not an eligible fare for GPU's for international travel. Shorter/domestic flights can be upgraded but normally there is a limit of three segments IIRC. Not sure if Guam is eligible, but perhaps not.

The computer is confused because you have a long layover in HKG before going to SIN. Although technically less than 24 hours I believe you will have to get a very experienced agent who understands the new rules to apply the RPU.

Good luck and expect a small headache in the process.

-RM

Thanks, though according to https://www.united.com/web/en-US/con...e/default.aspx GPUs are good for intra-asia (except HNL-GUM, NRT-SIN and NRT-BKK) without a fare restriction.
In fact those same intra-asia flights are eligible for RPUs as well, though that would require 2 RPUs in each direction (one in the north america region, and one in the asia region) -- found that one out a few months ago on a similar itin.

Haven't heard of a 3 segment limit, but who knows. Although another page on GPUs does contain the disclaimer "other restriction may apply." Nice :(

The image you posted says Redeem 1 GPU or 1 RPU. where does it say 2? It appears to be showing you what segments are upgrade eligible for GPU and which for RPU.

Question does IAH-HNL not allow GPU on K fare but RPU does? if so might want to use RPU instead.

I'm similarly confused. This seems like a mistake that the GPU can't be used for this segment as well.

In any case, I would use an RPU anyways (since it's not a W or above fare, a GPU won't help on the HNL-GUM segment).

It's showing 1 CR1 for YYZ-HKG. There's no option to use it for the HKG-SIN segment thereby necessitating (potentially) a second cert for that flight.

Well I was hoping that one GPU would cover YYZ all the way to SIN (except for HNL-GUM due to K fare) as opposed to 2 RPUs, each way.

The way I read the cahrts, IAH-HNL should be upgradeable with either GPU or RPU, independent of fare class.

The HNL-GUM segment is NOT eligible to be upgraded with either a GPU or RPU because it is a K-fare. That route requires a W-fare or higher. (as is clearly posted in the "upgrades overview" section of the website)

Therefore, the segments BEFORE that segment need one upgrade instrument and the segments AFTER that segment need a separate upgrade instrument.

(It doesn't have anything to do with the 3-segment limit that I speculated about earlier)

I've never seen ual.com show military times for flights...do you have it set to another country? Does the Canada setting switch it to military time?

www.united.com > My Account > Profile > Regional and Language Preferences

Isn't there a rule that any layover longer than 12 hours breaks the validity of a single GPU to be used to upgrade the entire OW direction? I believe that the similar rule for RPUs is for any layover over 4 hours. That may be the reason for OPs inability to use the single GPU to upgrade all the way to SIN.

Update - couldn't do it with just 2 upgrades
 

Talked to a good agent who tried lots of variations, but in the end we weren't able to do it with 1 upgrade in each direction.

I ended up using 3 RPUs to upgrade YYZ-IAH-HNL, GUM-HKG-SIN (waitlisted) and HNL-IAH-YYZ; I'll take my chance for CPUs on SIN-HKG-GUM since I had some RPUs to use up.

Couldn't get a 100% definitive answer on the reasons, but it seems to boil down to it being so many flights/regions.

aside: at the time I booked, the W fare was $1800 vs my $1000 K fare.

that was true PMUA (12/4 hour rules) -- additional the 12 hour rules was only on "international" itins. So both SIN flights would have been disallowed from the other segements.

As for post merger, have not seen any posted rules or heard of flyer expereinces.

$1000 K fare for 25000 EQM. Good deal. ^

I would use RPU on SIN-HKG because it's 744 vs HKG-SIN crappy 737.

Still, tough life! I would spend $$ to get W fare and use GPU to sit in C.