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!
Jul 29, 2018, 2:43 am
#496
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,405
Couldn't agree more with that! I had been 100% for receiving the double PQM's before this incident. And that is a pretty significant pool of upgrades, probably 100/100 in 2016/2017/2018. I hadn't had any reason to question the methodology until this, although I was vaguely aware of some change when I stopped receiving the extra PQD. The PQD didn't concern me as I wias still over the requirement, with PQMs being the final piece to drag me across the finish line. I do remember when I first started buying these upgrades there was a "whats the difference" thing you could click on the miles vs purchase screen in the upgrade process that stated the purchase got the double creidt or something to that effect, but that has since been removed as they obviously changed the official policy.
You now need to call to get that behavior. The "Manage Reservation" section is now basically a check-in type upgrade performed in advance. If you fly on connecting flights, you would have noticed that the flights were now being sold separately; under the older system, you would have gotten one single price to upgrade the entire trip. If you fly only on nonstop (or direct) flights, though, you likely wouldn't have noticed any difference.
The only thing different on this flight where I didn't get the PQM was I had two flight changes due to weather. I was never not in first after buying the upgrade, but I ended up credited for Q class. The entire time up until this flight was finally credited at normal PQM rather than double, my "future flights" was showing me at 75,006 at end of year.
She did mention that I could do the fare difference buy-up and even noted that it was cheaper on some legs than my originally paid price, however given that I needed every single upgrade and some may be more expensive at this time (the flight this monday was $1,679), I preferred the $2,000 back in my pocket. I'll get upgraded for free on one of the two weekly legs more often than not anyway. The other leg rarely gets upgraded, has 15 Global Services people every week. I also find interesting that the leg with all the global service flyers normally has less available first seats as the flight approaches, a higher upgrade fee, until just before TOD, BUT A LOWER miles upgrade price. In the end every week I've been able to get that upgrade for $129 or $139, occasionally some odd lower amount.
Honestly, if you're getting upgraded half the time anyway, I don't see $2000 worth of value in UA Platinum status. I'd say UA may have done you a favor here.
Jul 29, 2018, 9:49 am
#497
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 110
I take it that you had been buying up from the web at a time between the original purchase and check-in. Until about a month ago, that would consistently perform a buy-up to the lowest available business / first class fare, leading to the extra PQMs (and should have provided PQDs also).
You now need to call to get that behavior. The "Manage Reservation" section is now basically a check-in type upgrade performed in advance. If you fly on connecting flights, you would have noticed that the flights were now being sold separately; under the older system, you would have gotten one single price to upgrade the entire trip. If you fly only on nonstop (or direct) flights, though, you likely wouldn't have noticed any difference.
When you got re-accommodated, you must have been put into an upgrade-type fare bucket (R, PN, ZN, JN). That might have happened anyway; I wouldn't trust the "future flights" display. Did you buy these upgrades within the last month or so, since this change?
The miles upgrade price is based upon the fare class of your economy fare. The sticker-type upgrades aren't; they appear to be based upon first / business class inventory.
Honestly, if you're getting upgraded half the time anyway, I don't see $2000 worth of value in UA Platinum status. I'd say UA may have done you a favor here.
You now need to call to get that behavior. The "Manage Reservation" section is now basically a check-in type upgrade performed in advance. If you fly on connecting flights, you would have noticed that the flights were now being sold separately; under the older system, you would have gotten one single price to upgrade the entire trip. If you fly only on nonstop (or direct) flights, though, you likely wouldn't have noticed any difference.
When you got re-accommodated, you must have been put into an upgrade-type fare bucket (R, PN, ZN, JN). That might have happened anyway; I wouldn't trust the "future flights" display. Did you buy these upgrades within the last month or so, since this change?
The miles upgrade price is based upon the fare class of your economy fare. The sticker-type upgrades aren't; they appear to be based upon first / business class inventory.
Honestly, if you're getting upgraded half the time anyway, I don't see $2000 worth of value in UA Platinum status. I'd say UA may have done you a favor here.
I bought a bunch of them in the past week, however the one that gave me an issue I had purchased in mid-June.
Two years ago I made Gold with a few paid upgrades, then in 2017 I upgraded almost everything and did some personal travel to get over 100K. I got some cheaper fluke buy-ups, like $93/etc, and it was worth it to me to get 1st (which would never get free as Gold), and to make 1K which allowed me some useful flexibility in award travel and a bunch of instruments and free upgrades. My plan this year had been to drop back down to Platinum to keep group 1. I had zero chance of 1K again because I was getting so many free upgrades. I guess at $129 each it didn't seem like so much money, but when I had the chance to get the $2,000 back all at once I realized it wasn't worth that at all to be platinum over gold, and I didn't really have the option anyway.
Aug 18, 2018, 9:42 am
#498
Join Date: Jan 2013
Programs: UA 1K | MR Platinum
Posts: 492
Weird. All of the options to upgrade under an upcoming reservation were priced in an even number ending with 1 cent. The price to upgrade IAD-SFO had been $309 since I booked, then it moved to $310.01. I pulled the trigger and it booked me into P.
Aug 19, 2018, 1:40 pm
#499
Join Date: Jul 2018
Programs: United, BA
Posts: 7
Mileage runs
I'm thinking of doing a mileage run from SFO to TPE. Some cheap deals around - $600-ish, return - which will earn me 12k PQM. However, does anyone know how this works if I then _upgraded_ the flight to a business class one using miles? Do I still earn 12k PQM?
Aug 19, 2018, 1:46 pm
#500
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,405
Aug 27, 2018, 7:07 am
#501
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: New Jersey
Programs: UA MM 1K, AA MM Gold, Marriott LT Platinum
Posts: 3,236
Wish I read this before a recent EWR-ATL trip. Took a $141 each way upgrade offer in Manage My Reservations after booking but before OLCI. Here's what the fare classes looked like on my receipt:
The text at the bottom of the receipt referred to both upgrades as Premium Class Upgrade. On the other hand, the charged amount didn't end in "9" as usual for discounted upgrades. I got the double PQM for the outbound but not the return. I called MPSC and got the the "you never should have gotten the additional PQM on the first flight" response (so I won't make that call again). Not sure how I got into F class on the return, and no I'm not looking for 300% PQM, just the double PQM I thought I was getting when I made the purchase. Sounds like pushing the matter and calling again may backfire (this MPSC agent didn't adjust future flights, but another one might). Or would you try again? Can the 1K line make adjustments or just the MPSC?
The text at the bottom of the receipt referred to both upgrades as Premium Class Upgrade. On the other hand, the charged amount didn't end in "9" as usual for discounted upgrades. I got the double PQM for the outbound but not the return. I called MPSC and got the the "you never should have gotten the additional PQM on the first flight" response (so I won't make that call again). Not sure how I got into F class on the return, and no I'm not looking for 300% PQM, just the double PQM I thought I was getting when I made the purchase. Sounds like pushing the matter and calling again may backfire (this MPSC agent didn't adjust future flights, but another one might). Or would you try again? Can the 1K line make adjustments or just the MPSC?
Aug 27, 2018, 8:24 am
#502
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,405
The agent was correct; the terms and conditions of the offer clearly indicate that it's not eligible for bonus PQMs: "MileagePlus® miles will be credited based on original purchased class of service." Consider the fact that they were credited on the outbound as a bonus.
Aug 28, 2018, 9:29 am
#503
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: New Jersey
Programs: UA MM 1K, AA MM Gold, Marriott LT Platinum
Posts: 3,236
She was very clear in saying that eventually no online/OLCI upgrade offers will earn additional PQM's,etc. The lesson? Stop depending on a wonky UA system+luck. Always call sometime after ticketing, find out the phone offer, compare it to the online offer, and if different, make a decision whether the additional $$ for the phone upgrade is worth the additional credits. If they're the same, have the phone rep handle it at no charge. (As always, YMMV for the foreseeable future).
Aug 28, 2018, 9:30 am
#504
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,405
Aug 28, 2018, 12:54 pm
#505
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,413
She was very clear in saying that eventually no online/OLCI upgrade offers will earn additional PQM's,etc. The lesson? Stop depending on a wonky UA system+luck. Always call sometime after ticketing, find out the phone offer, compare it to the online offer, and if different, make a decision whether the additional $$ for the phone upgrade is worth the additional credits. If they're the same, have the phone rep handle it at no charge. (As always, YMMV for the foreseeable future).
Aug 28, 2018, 4:40 pm
#506
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: New Jersey
Programs: UA MM 1K, AA MM Gold, Marriott LT Platinum
Posts: 3,236
If the reason someone is upgrading is anything other than the additional PQM's, etc, then don't call, just take the online offer if it's at or below your target. In this case I was going for the PQM's, so seeing a P fare on my receipt in both directions after accepting the offer, I expected to get them. I admit to not wanting to accept the first "no" I got and now finally understand what's going on. Up until this year, even OLCI $xx9 upgrades booked into a bonus PQM fare just about 100% of the time for me.
By the way, I didn't include this other detail from the call referenced above. The MPSC supervisor also said they're going to stop the practice of an upgraded fare SDC'ing to another flight in the upgraded cabin. She said if you SDC, you go back to the originally booked cabin and have to upgrade through the usual CPU/instrument/OLCI upgrade process. I have never heard this before, so until someone else confirms this I wouldn't act on this comment. So far, if I'm in a premium cabin and SDC through the UA app, it always shows me available premium cabin seats on earlier flights. In that scenario, though, expected PQM's may not go with you to the SDC'd flight and presumably the upgrade fee you paid becomes non-refundable/non-transferable. Again, please treat this as a "rumor" until someone else confirms it - unless I just missed it above.
Aug 28, 2018, 4:53 pm
#507
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,405
This is consistent with the T&C of the upgrade offers and it wouldn't surprise me at all. They're clearly moving to make purchased upgrades look and act like instrument upgrades.
Aug 28, 2018, 5:25 pm
#508
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,413
All consistent with the T&C, I think the challenge is just on the IT end. I think they would solve this by confirming everything into R, but they want to sell fee upgrades more often than R space being available and probably haven't figured out how to work around this. Just my guess.
Aug 28, 2018, 5:41 pm
#509
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Colorado
Programs: UA Gold (.85 MM), HH Diamond, SPG Platinum (LT Gold), Hertz PC, National EE
Posts: 5,656
I'm 100% with paid upgrades going into P, but if this changes I will have to rethink things. Yet another crap move by UA if true.
Aug 28, 2018, 10:59 pm
#510
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: New to DEN
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 46
All consistent with the T&C, I think the challenge is just on the IT end. I think they would solve this by confirming everything into R, but they want to sell fee upgrades more often than R space being available and probably haven't figured out how to work around this. Just my guess.
Does anyone know if paid upgrades post check-in time act differently?
Further, has anyone experienced issues using these upgraded fees to hit a status challenge goal? A PQM is a PQM, right? :-)