UA: When are your upgrades clearing?
Jan 19, 2013, 5:34 pm
#18
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: ABE
Programs: DL DM, IHG Spire, Mariott Platinum (UA SI) Avis First, National Executive
Posts: 764
First week on January MCO-EWR in a 752. F had a seat open and 3 non-revs upgraded and nobody in the upgrade waitlist.
Similar MCO-IAD and IAD-MCO routes have always had overfull F and 20ish in the waitlist for upgrades...
you know the "location, location, location". As far as upgrades are concerned it is all "route, route, route" and "time, time, time".
I think that if one flies out of pmUA hubs and the first or last flights of a day the probability of upgrades is very low.
Jan 19, 2013, 5:34 pm
#19
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Northern Calif./Eastern Ida.
Programs: Amethyst Premier Plutonium Medallion
Posts: 20,633
My experience has been the following:
There are four windows for clearing upgrades (which coincide with the 4 premier levels) : 96, 72, 48, 24 hrs. The system seems to do a sweep within an hour after these limits passed and grands some upgrades to the ones eligible (and of course it is level specific.) if an upgrade does not clear by T-23 hours or so (for any level) it will have to clear at the gate and then it clears at around T-30 minutes depending on how many of the people assigned to F were checked in and the order in the waitlist
There are four windows for clearing upgrades (which coincide with the 4 premier levels) : 96, 72, 48, 24 hrs. The system seems to do a sweep within an hour after these limits passed and grands some upgrades to the ones eligible (and of course it is level specific.) if an upgrade does not clear by T-23 hours or so (for any level) it will have to clear at the gate and then it clears at around T-30 minutes depending on how many of the people assigned to F were checked in and the order in the waitlist
I have never cleared an upgrade from the time period ~T-23:50 to T-0:30 that I am aware of. Typically as a gold if I am going to clear, it is either T-48:00-47:50 or T-24-23:50. Every so often on the right routes I will clear on the battlefield at <T-0:30 but usually if it goes to the battlefield I end up in E+ even if I am in the top two or three.
It really depends on the route/load...
Jan 19, 2013, 5:35 pm
#20
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 15,016
UA 1181 1/23 LAX-OGG. 1k upgraded 95hrs 45mins out. Why the 15 minute delay 
???? Waiting on IAH-LAX that morning, but looks good.
Update - IAH-LAX cleared +/- 72 hrs
That's a false statement. Just because you might live in a city where there's either fewer seats available or more people trumping you for CPUs, it's pretty inane to make such a statement. Flying out of IAH, LAS, OGG, and LAX last year, I was probably 75-80% on CPUs over at least 48 flights.
???? Waiting on IAH-LAX that morning, but looks good.Update - IAH-LAX cleared +/- 72 hrs
That's a false statement. Just because you might live in a city where there's either fewer seats available or more people trumping you for CPUs, it's pretty inane to make such a statement. Flying out of IAH, LAS, OGG, and LAX last year, I was probably 75-80% on CPUs over at least 48 flights.
Last edited by IAH-OIL-TRASH; Jan 20, 2013 at 11:04 am Reason: merge
Jan 19, 2013, 5:42 pm
#21
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: DEN
Programs: UA Gold-MM, AA Gold-MM, F9-Silver, Hyatt Something, Marriott Gold, IHG Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 6,392
Not true. Was flying EWR-MCO (UA 872) in an A320 last week in 1D. My seatmate in 1F was amazed to be upgraded even-though a silver.
First week on January MCO-EWR in a 752. F had a seat open and 3 non-revs upgraded and nobody in the upgrade waitlist.
Similar MCO-IAD and IAD-MCO routes have always had overfull F and 20ish in the waitlist for upgrades...
you know the "location, location, location". As far as upgrades are concerned it is all "route, route, route" and "time, time, time".
I think that if one flies out of pmUA hubs and the first or last flights of a day the probability of upgrades is very low.
First week on January MCO-EWR in a 752. F had a seat open and 3 non-revs upgraded and nobody in the upgrade waitlist.
Similar MCO-IAD and IAD-MCO routes have always had overfull F and 20ish in the waitlist for upgrades...
you know the "location, location, location". As far as upgrades are concerned it is all "route, route, route" and "time, time, time".
I think that if one flies out of pmUA hubs and the first or last flights of a day the probability of upgrades is very low.
But PMUA? Really? I think that PMCO hubs are worse. My percentages through EWR are much worse than IAD. I'm also not sure why your first or last flights of the day comment is really applicable. Sure, first on Monday is a problem. But last on Monday? Think about it.
Jan 19, 2013, 6:18 pm
#22
Join Date: May 2011
Programs: UA GS, UA 2MM, HH LT Diamond, Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 1,801
That's a false statement. Just because you might live in a city where there's either fewer seats available or more people trumping you for CPUs, it's pretty inane to make such a statement. Flying out of IAH, LAS, OGG, and LAX last year, I was probably 75-80% on CPUs over at least 48 flights.
Jan 19, 2013, 6:43 pm
#23
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 15,016
Well, yours is a case where I say good for UA and too bad for you. If UA can get someone to pay that kind of money for a 500 mile ride up front with no meal, good on 'em. UA's trying to make money. Airlines are not supposed to be non-profits. Part of the reason they were non-profits is because such an upgrade was previously a "no-brainer". I know there were several instances where I probably lost seats to TODs or HODs, but it's just UA making money. It's their right and purpose (as long as the extra money is not totally insignificant).
Last edited by IAH-OIL-TRASH; Jan 19, 2013 at 6:54 pm
Jan 19, 2013, 6:53 pm
#24
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Illinois-downstate
Programs: UA 1K, UA MM, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 955
CPUs cleared at 96 hours for both ORD-LAS and the return, LAS-ORD. Both upgrades really surprised me. I was not expecting them, and to see them at 96 hours out was delightful, to say the least! We are 1K... two of us on same PNR.
^^
^^
Jan 19, 2013, 7:41 pm
#25
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: 12 stops from ORD
Programs: UA, AA, DL
Posts: 992
This route is an easy upgrade unless maybe you travel the day before one of the monster conventions is about to start.
Jan 19, 2013, 8:52 pm
#26
Join Date: Jan 2011
Programs: UA 1P
Posts: 5
I'm Gold, and usually clear at t-24 at the earliest. Flew PVR-DEN on exCO 737 and cleared at t-24, but there were 2 empty F seats on the flight (obviously a low premier load), but I was surprised it was not sooner given that they didn't even fill F.
Jan 20, 2013, 12:38 am
#27
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: IAH / HOU
Programs: UA GS, DL-Plat, Hilton Gold, IHG Platinum, Hyatt Somethingist, Marriott Titanium Lifetime
Posts: 2,853
In 2013 as a GS, four CPU upgrades cleared at 5 days out, one CPU upgrade cleared at 4 days out. In all, 5 of 5 for the year.
I have also cleared 4 flights booked into B that I haven't flown yet.
In 2012 as a 1K about 85% of my eligible domestic flights cleared. A few were 4 days out, a few two days out, a few one day out, and a LOT (more than half of non YBM fares) cleared at the gate.
I have also cleared 4 flights booked into B that I haven't flown yet.
In 2012 as a 1K about 85% of my eligible domestic flights cleared. A few were 4 days out, a few two days out, a few one day out, and a LOT (more than half of non YBM fares) cleared at the gate.
Jan 20, 2013, 12:54 am
#28
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: SZX/HKG/BWI
Programs: UA 1K 1.1MM, CX Diam 1.0MM, Bonvoy LT Titanium, Hertz PC, MGM Pearl
Posts: 2,637
Jan 20, 2013, 6:10 am
#30
Join Date: Jun 2012
Programs: UA
Posts: 56
in December 2012, a number of rescheduled flights due to weather and extra flights in service allowed me to get s few CPU as UA Gold at the T-48r mark. IND-IAD cleared at T-48 while IAD-IAH cleared at <T-24. The following week, IAH-IAD cleared at T-48.
I have had a few others clear at T-48 as well. Although the routes I had were not always full planes.
I have had a few others clear at T-48 as well. Although the routes I had were not always full planes.