Apr 8, 2015, 3:27 pm
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.
The following are generally not eligible for PQD or bonus:
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
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.
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
Additional Charges:
Date/CreditCard XXXX was charged xxx USD for the Merchandising / EDD
xxx USD for: Premium Cabin Upgrade
Date/CreditCard XXXX was charged xxx USD for the Merchandising / EDD
xxx USD for: Premium Cabin Upgrade
**** 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.
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.
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’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
Some Paid Upgrades Count Towards PQD & mileage bonus and some DON'T!
Oct 30, 2013, 8:54 am
#196
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Chicago
Posts: 11,513
The upsells at purchase will earn based on original fare class.
Some of the buy-ups AFTER purchase will earn based on the new fare class but you must manually check the rules and restrictions for the upgraded ticket to verify the fare class. Some of the buy ups are V-UP tickets which likely earn the same PQM as S/T/G/L/K/N fare classes. Other buy ups are B/M tickets which earn different PQM.
Some of the buy-ups AFTER purchase will earn based on the new fare class but you must manually check the rules and restrictions for the upgraded ticket to verify the fare class. Some of the buy ups are V-UP tickets which likely earn the same PQM as S/T/G/L/K/N fare classes. Other buy ups are B/M tickets which earn different PQM.
Jan 17, 2014, 4:41 pm
#197
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: San Jose, CA USA
Posts: 1,792
paid for upgrade at kiosk on check-in---no credit for premier qualifying dollars
The title says it. I was going with wife to LHR from SFO for our annual trip to do theatres. Had bought coach tickets and upgraded them with SWU's. After paying all the taxes, we both paid $1300 RT for the tix. Cool. By the way (BTW) the fare value for each ticket was, but $500. The rest was taxes and those rip-off British taxes for leaving LHR on a business fair. Fair enough. I've been putting up with this all my life.
The kiosk invited me to pay $760 for an upgrade to Global First. I was a little full of myself, and my investments had had an incredible year, so I said to self, "what the heck". Tried to show wife a good time.
So after watching the postings, I am certain that none of my $760 went to premier qualifying dollars. None. I remember seeing that if one paid for stuff like pay-up to get into economy plus, such dollars would accrue to premier qualifying doctors. But apparently not this.
I'm not one to get burned twice on a mistake, so, surely, I won't repeat this. But, does this seem to be in the spirit of shelling out bucks for airfare on United Airlines? I would have thought they would have credited this kind of thing. If I'm a dummy, I will strive to do better. Now that I'm Plat for life, I'm going to put my bucks on AA and DL anyway.
The kiosk invited me to pay $760 for an upgrade to Global First. I was a little full of myself, and my investments had had an incredible year, so I said to self, "what the heck". Tried to show wife a good time.
So after watching the postings, I am certain that none of my $760 went to premier qualifying dollars. None. I remember seeing that if one paid for stuff like pay-up to get into economy plus, such dollars would accrue to premier qualifying doctors. But apparently not this.
I'm not one to get burned twice on a mistake, so, surely, I won't repeat this. But, does this seem to be in the spirit of shelling out bucks for airfare on United Airlines? I would have thought they would have credited this kind of thing. If I'm a dummy, I will strive to do better. Now that I'm Plat for life, I'm going to put my bucks on AA and DL anyway.
Jan 17, 2014, 4:45 pm
#198
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Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: GVA (Greater Vancouver Area)
Programs: DREAD Gold; UA 1.035MM; Bonvoy Au-197; PCC Elite+; CCC Elite+; MSC C-12; CWC Au-197; WoH Dis
Posts: 52,140
And doctors are treated just like any other profession.
Jan 17, 2014, 5:29 pm
#199
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Anaheim Hills, CA
Programs: UA 1K, 1.3mm
Posts: 918
If you buy up to first (PN) ahead of time do those dollars count toward PQD?
Jan 17, 2014, 5:33 pm
#200
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: San Jose, CA USA
Posts: 1,792
The policy that was outlined is what it is, so I will not rely on a "spend" for UA in that sector either, and suggest that others consider whether they wish to do the same. But, if they are going to allow credit for a "spend" on premier exec cabin upgrade, I don't know why they wouldn't allow this premier dollars credit (payment for a"cabin upgrade"---they could have specified the details of the thing at the kiosk, IMHO). Another of the incongruities of life that I continue to contemplate.
FWIW, the upgrade payment was not worth it. Service was questionable, as was the food. Heck, the Y cabin was wide open and I might have been better off there. I even sat another area code away from my wife. I got way too full of myself because of my stock market gains, and won't let this happen again.
Usual regards
Jan 17, 2014, 5:44 pm
#201
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Ah 2014, where we have to keep an eye on a whole new item on our UAL.com accounts 
Jan 17, 2014, 5:47 pm
#202
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: NYC, YYZ
Programs: AC SE100K, SPG Gold, UA MP
Posts: 1,002
Jan 17, 2014, 8:39 pm
#203
Join Date: Jun 2013
Programs: UA 1/MM SPG gold, CEO: Grandmother of 4
Posts: 557
What is the lenght of time to make it..........."ahead of time" to get pqd? I bought an upgrade 24 hours in advance , cdg to ord and did not get a change in fare class, nor pqd miles. thanks
Jan 17, 2014, 8:52 pm
#204
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Denver, CO, USA
Programs: Former 1KMM now free as UA Gold MM, former HH D, Marriott Lifetime Plat
Posts: 1,121
Still odd that an upgrade to E+ counts while an upfare to a higher cabin does not.
Jan 17, 2014, 9:27 pm
#206
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Jan 17, 2014, 9:30 pm
#207
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I suspect UA can code customer spend however it wishes.
The real answer is that elites don't, with very limited exceptions, pay for E+ - they get it for free. So it doesn't matter if those purchases count for PQDs.
The real answer is that elites don't, with very limited exceptions, pay for E+ - they get it for free. So it doesn't matter if those purchases count for PQDs.
Jan 18, 2014, 2:52 pm
#208
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: LAX and LHR. UA lifetime Gold 1.9MM 1K , DL Gold Medallion, HHonors Gold, Marriott Gold, Avis President's Club
Posts: 3,592
And that's the problem I have with all this. Paid upgrades for cash are different from upgrades paid for with miles. UA now states that co-pay, which is clearly a carrier-imposed surcharge on an upgrade already paid for with miles, is not eligible for PQD.
Jan 18, 2014, 3:59 pm
#210
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