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Some Paid Upgrades Count Towards PQD & mileage bonus and some DON'T!

Old Apr 8, 2015, 3:27 pm
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Last edit by: WineCountryUA
One of the more confusing aspects of cash upgrades is "does this upgrade get premium cabin mileage bonus and is the fee included in PQD?"

The best assumption is no bonus and fee is not included in PQD but there are some cases where there will be a premium cabin bonus and amount will count toward PQD.

There are multiple cash upgrade paths and different ones are offered at different times (and can be quite hard to separate).

The key is what is the new fare basis after the upgrade. Note R, RN, P, PN, ZN, ON, A and others have been reported.
  • Many of the upgrade offers results in R/PN/ZN fare class (and post as Zx) -- so like a regular upgrade the mileage posting is based on the original fare class. The upgrade fee does not earn PQDs.
  • Others bump the fare basis to a -UP fare which reports as a P/Z/A fare class, these are now earning PQMs at the up-fared fare class and the up-fare costs earns PQDs.
  • And others book into a true P/Z/A fare basis and will earn the PQM bonus and the up-fare cost will earn PQDs.

The following are generally not eligible for PQD or bonus:
  • Pop-up upgrade immediately following purchase on united.com
  • Last minute upgrade at check-in
Generally these will be priced as $xx9 (ending in 9 dollars) and reflected on the receipt as
Additional Charges:
Date/CreditCard XXXX was charged xxx USD for the Merchandising / EDD
xxx USD for: Premium Cabin Upgrade
However the offer, in "My Reservations" via the cash method tab "Buy Up to First" under "View {Upgrade} Options" is likely to be eligible for PQDs & PQM bonus.
**** Due to UA changes in May 2018, this statement may not be relieable ****
**** This now appears to be an Upgrade Fee (no PQDs) and may book into Upgrade fare class (no extra PQMs) or into a mileage earning bonus fare class (PQMs earning). Unclear if that is a way to tell which will happen ****

Generally these will be reflected on the receipt as
Add Collect: An additional amount for the difference in fare was charged to {card} on {date}. $yyy USD per ticket for an additional total of $yyy USD was collected.
Notice the words "generally" and "likely" -- those are weasel words to protect the wiki author because of the lack of transparency in this system
For instance, some time of checkin paid upgrades that book into P, will earn PQM bonus but not earn PQDs.
Checking the actual fare basis during booking when you are given access (or using the Saudi site) is key in understanding the outcome.


UA Insider commented on this a while back, but there has been no improvement in the confusion / clarity in the meantime.
Originally Posted by UA Insider
Hi Everyone,

I’ve done a little bit of research on this, and I wanted to share some background on the scenario vandrei shared.

At a high level, and as a some of you have noticed more recently in the thread, the buy-up offer we sometimes present immediately upon booking an economy ticket is indeed distinct from the one presented when viewing a reservation in My Account at some point after the flight has been ticketed and confirmed. For example, the offer at booking enables customers to the flexibility to confirm an upgraded seat on a segment-by-segment basis, whereas the one in My Reservations is based on the line of flight.

Additionally, from a functional perspective, the offer immediately upon booking does not change the underlying fare basis for the original purchased fare (even though the visible fare class is reflective of the buy-up inventory), whereas the one in My Reservations results in a complete re-issue of the existing ticket. It is this aspect of the functionality which drives mileage accrual, which is based on the original purchased fare for the offer immediately after booking, but based on the new fare class for the offer in My Reservations. These policies are disclosed in each offer’s respective (and indeed, different) terms and conditions.

Longer-term, the vision is indeed to align mileage accrual policies between the two types of offers. In the meantime, the tradeoff between the two offers continues to be one of additional miles vs. the flexibility to confirm on a segment-by-segment basis.

Aaron Goldberg
Sr. Manager - Customer Experience Planning
United Airlines
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Some Paid Upgrades Count Towards PQD & mileage bonus and some DON'T!

Old Jul 6, 2013, 9:36 pm
  #151  
 
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Originally Posted by UA Insider
Hi Everyone,

I’ve done a little bit of research on this, and I wanted to share some background on the scenario vandrei shared.

At a high level, and as a some of you have noticed more recently in the thread, the buy-up offer we sometimes present immediately upon booking an economy ticket is indeed distinct from the one presented when viewing a reservation in My Account at some point after the flight has been ticketed and confirmed. For example, the offer at booking enables customers to the flexibility to confirm an upgraded seat on a segment-by-segment basis, whereas the one in My Reservations is based on the line of flight.

Additionally, from a functional perspective, the offer immediately upon booking does not change the underlying fare basis for the original purchased fare (even though the visible fare class is reflective of the buy-up inventory), whereas the one in My Reservations results in a complete re-issue of the existing ticket. It is this aspect of the functionality which drives mileage accrual, which is based on the original purchased fare for the offer immediately after booking, but based on the new fare class for the offer in My Reservations. These policies are disclosed in each offer’s respective (and indeed, different) terms and conditions.

Longer-term, the vision is indeed to align mileage accrual policies between the two types of offers. In the meantime, the tradeoff between the two offers continues to be one of additional miles vs. the flexibility to confirm on a segment-by-segment basis.

Aaron Goldberg
Sr. Manager - Customer Experience Planning
United Airlines
I am looking for some clarification here. Are buys ups from My Reservations supposed to book to a high miles earning class? I recently did a buy up from My Reservations and assumed it would go into P and I would get additional award and PQM. Instead my fare went to an M which was an instant upgrade fare for 1K and thus booked into PN. I feel cheated because while doing the buy up the system didn't tell me I wouldn't be getting my bonus miles.
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Old Jul 17, 2013, 7:02 am
  #152  
 
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Upgrade and earned PQMs

Have a simple question: in which cases an upgrade changes PQMs earned for the flight?
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Old Jul 17, 2013, 7:31 am
  #153  
 
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Originally Posted by invisible
Have a simple question: in which cases an upgrade changes PQMs earned for the flight?
I would assume if you pay cash and are booked into a higher fare class (i.e. C). I know that mileage upgrades get into upgrade classes that don't get higher PQMs
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Old Jul 17, 2013, 7:36 am
  #154  
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Originally Posted by bosbjg
I would assume if you pay cash and are booked into a higher fare class (i.e. C). I know that mileage upgrades get into upgrade classes that don't get higher PQMs
What I bolded is key! TODs upgrades, even though you pay cash, do not earn higher PQMs.
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Old Jul 17, 2013, 8:31 am
  #155  
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Generally speaking cash upgrades in advance of the OLCI window also change the fare class. Not always, but often. For 1K/GS that could be just into M which then books to PN and doesn't actually change the earn rate from the lower fare so that's another example of a paid upgrade which won't earn any differently.
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Old Jul 17, 2013, 10:57 am
  #156  
 
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I bought a B fare IAH-LHR-IAH and used miles to upgrade (no fee). The fare class on the ticket says "R." Just R. Is that correct? I've done this before and think the fare class was something else, but don't recall what...
I should earn 14502 PQMs, correct?
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Old Jul 17, 2013, 11:07 am
  #157  
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Originally Posted by lindaiah
I bought a B fare IAH-LHR-IAH and used miles to upgrade (no fee). The fare class on the ticket says "R." Just R. Is that correct? I've done this before and think the fare class was something else, but don't recall what...
I should earn 14502 PQMs, correct?
You will earn based n your paid fair class of B, which gives 150% PQM. The number you cite looks correct.
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Old Jul 17, 2013, 11:10 am
  #158  
 
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Originally Posted by lindaiah
I bought a B fare IAH-LHR-IAH and used miles to upgrade (no fee). The fare class on the ticket says "R." Just R.
When the miles actually hit your account the fare class will be something like BZ (rather than B it would have otherwise). As has already been said, you'll get B rate miles, which will be 150%.
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Old Jul 17, 2013, 11:16 am
  #159  
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Long thread on this and the basic issue is it is not clear at time of purchased which type of cash upgrade one is receiving and therefore if or if not there will be a class of service bonus. See http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...h-buy-ups.html and UA Insider's comment (post #120) acknowledging the issue.

The rules for non-cash upgrades are clear, original purchased fare determines bonus but the cash upgrades are a bit of a lotto at the moment (although UA Insider's comments provides some guidance) and it is unclear where UA intents to go with this in the long run.
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Old Jul 17, 2013, 12:10 pm
  #160  
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Originally Posted by lindaiah
I bought a B fare IAH-LHR-IAH and used miles to upgrade (no fee). The fare class on the ticket says "R." Just R. Is that correct? I've done this before and think the fare class was something else, but don't recall what...
R is correct for a miles upgrade into business class. On a domestic flight, the B fare instant upgrade would clear into a different class (PN, I believe).
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Old Jul 18, 2013, 1:38 am
  #161  
 
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Originally Posted by WineCountryUA
The rules for non-cash upgrades are clear, original purchased fare determines bonus but the cash upgrades are a bit of a lotto at the moment (although UA Insider's comments provides some guidance) and it is unclear where UA intents to go with this in the long run.
My by-up offered at time of purchase on my flight this weekend did NOT post at the P fare class. And I checked when I booked back in May that the terms & conditions seemed to imply, if not outright say, that I would get PQM based on the first class P fare.

So while UA Insider's comments seem to imply that I should not be getting any bonus at the moment (although still waiting confirmation), the Web site is still very misleading or outright lying, or at least it was when I booked two months ago.

Submitted a request to MileagePlus CS, crossing fingers. I booked two flights at the same time, and did the buy-up on both to keep my Platinum status for 2014 (and make two transcons more bearable). If it doesn't work, I won't be a happy camper.
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Old Jul 19, 2013, 2:18 pm
  #162  
 
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so i'm still confused about all this.

I have a DXB trip booked on UA for later this year (booked ticket earlier this year). When i go to My Reservation, a buyup to J is like $3.5k. If I were to purchase that and my new booking class is J, will I or not get the class of service bonus?
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Old Jul 19, 2013, 8:53 pm
  #163  
 
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Some clarifications on buy-ups

Originally Posted by magemarq
I am looking for some clarification here. Are buys ups from My Reservations supposed to book to a high miles earning class? I recently did a buy up from My Reservations and assumed it would go into P and I would get additional award and PQM. Instead my fare went to an M which was an instant upgrade fare for 1K and thus booked into PN. I feel cheated because while doing the buy up the system didn't tell me I wouldn't be getting my bonus miles.
They book into whatever class your new ticket is issued in. Unfortunately, this is NOT obvious during the Buy-Up process. You have to refer to the "terms and conditions" link or the "non-refundable" link to get the new Fare BASIS. In the case of a Buy-Up to M, it'll start with M, and then have some numbers and letters following it.
After you purchase it, you WILL get a new ticket issued. I've had to logout/login again to have it update on my online receipt, but it did indeed update.
The confusion is that on an Instant Upgrade (for instance, 1K on M fare), the new "Fare Class" on "View Current Reservation" link will say "PN".
PN is just a fare class/bucket that allows Instant Upgrades to occur.
United could do a better job being transparent here, but you can find the information before purchase.
For 1Ks, M is a legit buy-up that will get up seated in FC on a PN fare class/bucket, but you still only get 100% PQM/PQS like all other folks on M-fare basis.


Originally Posted by invisible
Have a simple question: in which cases an upgrade changes PQMs earned for the flight?
If you are issued a new ticket, you just did a Buy-Up. You'll earn PQM based on the Fare Basis for that ticket. You can see that from "terms and conditions" link just before you buy.

Originally Posted by controller1
What I bolded is key! TODs upgrades, even though you pay cash, do not earn higher PQMs.
True. Those will NOT result in a new ticket issued. I've only seen TODs (aka Paid Upgrades NOT Buy-Ups) via Pop-Up prior to ticket purchase, on my mobile device at OLCI, and online at OLCI.

Originally Posted by sbm12
Generally speaking cash upgrades in advance of the OLCI window also change the fare class. Not always, but often. For 1K/GS that could be just into M which then books to PN and doesn't actually change the earn rate from the lower fare so that's another example of a paid upgrade which won't earn any differently.
Well Stated!

Originally Posted by lindaiah
I bought a B fare IAH-LHR-IAH and used miles to upgrade (no fee). The fare class on the ticket says "R." Just R. Is that correct? I've done this before and think the fare class was something else, but don't recall what...
I should earn 14502 PQMs, correct?
You'll earn B fare class, even though it says "R". When you actually take the flight and the miles post, in "View Account --> Details" under "Description", you'll see "United XXXX-ZB class" The R fare bucket allowed you to upgrade. Your fare basis is still B, but the "ZB" means that you used the R bucket to sit in FC on your B fare. I know . . . really straightforward!

Originally Posted by Kacee
R is correct for a miles upgrade into business class. On a domestic flight, the B fare instant upgrade would clear into a different class (PN, I believe).
Yes. PN is the fare bucket for Instant Upgrades. But for IAH-LHR-IAH, there is no "Instant Upgrade", because it is an international flight. For that reason, lindaiah had to use miles. And because there was "R" space available, it was allowed.

Originally Posted by boilerla
My by-up offered at time of purchase on my flight this weekend did NOT post at the P fare class. And I checked when I booked back in May that the terms & conditions seemed to imply, if not outright say, that I would get PQM based on the first class P fare.

So while UA Insider's comments seem to imply that I should not be getting any bonus at the moment (although still waiting confirmation), the Web site is still very misleading or outright lying, or at least it was when I booked two months ago.

Submitted a request to MileagePlus CS, crossing fingers. I booked two flights at the same time, and did the buy-up on both to keep my Platinum status for 2014 (and make two transcons more bearable). If it doesn't work, I won't be a happy camper.
If you had a new ticket issued, you should be getting the PQM/PQS of the NEW ticket's fare basis. If you didn't have a new ticket issue, you did a TOD/Paid-Upgrade, and the original fare basis would apply.
Again, a 1K who bought up to M would only earn 100%,
The Fare Class on "View Current Reservation" would have shown "PN" if you bought up to M/B/Y and were instant upgraded. It would show P if you bought up to something else.

Originally Posted by atcanobbio
so i'm still confused about all this.

I have a DXB trip booked on UA for later this year (booked ticket earlier this year). When i go to My Reservation, a buyup to J is like $3.5k. If I were to purchase that and my new booking class is J, will I or not get the class of service bonus?
You are confused because it is confusing!
Yes, you would! Just make sure before you agree to buy, that you click the link to see what the new fare basis is. I would think it would start with J if you were actually booking into J. If it is something else, then just ask.
If you get a new ticket issued, you did do a buy up. (Still worth repeating). It is better to check before you buy, but even after you buy, you can do a check based on the NEW ticket number.

xxx

If you are in doubt about it, you can just PM me. This was a long post . . . but there is method to the madness. And yes, that's me pretty much stating there is some madness in this process.
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Old Aug 13, 2013, 9:43 am
  #164  
 
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Question on Mileage Credit (PQMs) on Buy-Up Offer to First

I recently flew round trip SFO - ORD, and at time of ticketing was offered a buy-up to First (A) which I bought. The fights were recently completed, and even though the reciept indicates the leg was an "A" fare, it credited as a "W" and only 1x miles for PQM purposes.

Does anyone have experience in sorting this out? Or did I miss the fine print somewhere?

Thanks for your insight -
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Old Aug 13, 2013, 10:40 am
  #165  
 
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The upgrade does not change the underlying booked fare, which is what determines mileage accrual.
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