Upgrade with Miles Availability
Nov 22, 2013 | 11:47 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Chicago IL
Programs: UA, AA, DL, SPG, BA, UR
Posts: 10
Upgrade with Miles Availability
Is it possible to search availability for upgrades with miles + copay, prior to booking the flight?
All legs from AAA-BBB-CCC-DDD is on UA (W class).
I have enough miles to upgrade and willing to pay the co-pay, but how do I know prior to booking, there is availability in J for those legs for the upgrade? Is this searchable online or do I have to call in?
I don't want to be in a situation where I booked and paid for (W) and wanted to use my miles to upgrade but there is no availability (J)?
Please help.
All legs from AAA-BBB-CCC-DDD is on UA (W class).
I have enough miles to upgrade and willing to pay the co-pay, but how do I know prior to booking, there is availability in J for those legs for the upgrade? Is this searchable online or do I have to call in?
I don't want to be in a situation where I booked and paid for (W) and wanted to use my miles to upgrade but there is no availability (J)?
Please help.
Nov 22, 2013 | 11:53 am
#2
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: WAS/ BOM
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Gold, HHonors Gold
Posts: 1,571
When you click on make reservations, click on "Advanced Mode". At the very bottom, you will see a check box called " Mileage Plus Upgrade Award", Click that and do your search, you will see the flights that have seats available for upgrade with miles+ coppay
Additionally remember, the higher the fare class, the lower the mileage and copay requirement. With W, you are looking at 20K miles Internationally and 550$ co pay and I believe 20K miles and 75$ copay domestically
Additionally remember, the higher the fare class, the lower the mileage and copay requirement. With W, you are looking at 20K miles Internationally and 550$ co pay and I believe 20K miles and 75$ copay domestically
Nov 22, 2013 | 12:04 pm
#3
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: ORD, MKE
Programs: Bonvoy LT Gold, Hilton Silver, Hyatt Discoverist, Hertz PC, National EE
Posts: 710
Upgrade with Miles Availability
On UA.com use advanced search and select the Mileage Plus Upgrade Award button just above the search button. It will then ask which legs you want to upgrade. It sometimes seems to only want to search two legs at a time.
Nov 22, 2013 | 12:33 pm
#4
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 269
When you click on make reservations, click on "Advanced Mode". At the very bottom, you will see a check box called " Mileage Plus Upgrade Award", Click that and do your search, you will see the flights that have seats available for upgrade with miles+ coppay
Additionally remember, the higher the fare class, the lower the mileage and copay requirement. With W, you are looking at 20K miles Internationally and 550$ co pay and I believe 20K miles and 75$ copay domestically
Additionally remember, the higher the fare class, the lower the mileage and copay requirement. With W, you are looking at 20K miles Internationally and 550$ co pay and I believe 20K miles and 75$ copay domestically
also side note do gpus and rpus need copay?
a friend mentioned a changes coming in February about needing copay for gpus but couldn't google it.
Nov 22, 2013 | 12:36 pm
#5
Join Date: Oct 2009
Programs: UA LT 1K/DL Plat/Hilton LT ♦/Hyatt Carbonado/Wyndham ♦/Marriott PE .
Posts: 5,748
But with Mr. $mi$ek, this would be "enhancement" that he would like.
Nov 22, 2013 | 12:40 pm
#6
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: NorCal
Programs: MP Ag, former 1K
Posts: 479
I've not heard of co-pay for GPU except for the case of flights out of LHR.
Nov 22, 2013 | 12:46 pm
#7
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: DEN
Programs: United Premier 1K, Marriott Platinum, Frontier, Delta, Hertz Gold, National Emerald Club
Posts: 927
No copay on gpus as of right now. Use the above link to and interactive chart link there to figure out the cost in terms of miles and $$$
Nov 22, 2013 | 2:04 pm
#8
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: WAS/ BOM
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Gold, HHonors Gold
Posts: 1,571
Check https://www.united.com/web/en-US/app...ardTravel.aspx for amount of miles+copay as mentioned above
Nov 22, 2013 | 2:19 pm
#9
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AA EXP; UA 1MM & PP; Marriott AMB; Hyatt Globalist; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 62,380
Is it possible to search availability for upgrades with miles + copay, prior to booking the flight?
All legs from AAA-BBB-CCC-DDD is on UA (W class).
I have enough miles to upgrade and willing to pay the co-pay, but how do I know prior to booking, there is availability in J for those legs for the upgrade? Is this searchable online or do I have to call in?
I don't want to be in a situation where I booked and paid for (W) and wanted to use my miles to upgrade but there is no availability (J)?
Please help.
All legs from AAA-BBB-CCC-DDD is on UA (W class).
I have enough miles to upgrade and willing to pay the co-pay, but how do I know prior to booking, there is availability in J for those legs for the upgrade? Is this searchable online or do I have to call in?
I don't want to be in a situation where I booked and paid for (W) and wanted to use my miles to upgrade but there is no availability (J)?
Please help.
2. I'm not sure why you're referring to W fare class. There is no requirement you book a W fare for a miles + co-pay upgrade. That is only a requirement for using a GPU on an international flight.
Nov 22, 2013 | 2:22 pm
#10
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: DEN
Programs: United Premier 1K, Marriott Platinum, Frontier, Delta, Hertz Gold, National Emerald Club
Posts: 927
1. Search using "expert mode" on united.com. "R" space is the upgrade fare class. If R>0 you can upgrade at booking. You should search segment by segment for the most accurate results. R may be available on some segments, but not others. If so, it will clear on those that are open and waitlist on those that are not.
2. I'm not sure why you're referring to W fare class. There is no requirement you book a W fare for a miles + co-pay upgrade. That is only a requirement for using a GPU on an international flight.
2. I'm not sure why you're referring to W fare class. There is no requirement you book a W fare for a miles + co-pay upgrade. That is only a requirement for using a GPU on an international flight.
Nov 22, 2013 | 2:22 pm
#11
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 72,312
When you click on make reservations, click on "Advanced Mode". At the very bottom, you will see a check box called " Mileage Plus Upgrade Award", Click that and do your search, you will see the flights that have seats available for upgrade with miles+ coppay
Additionally remember, the higher the fare class, the lower the mileage and copay requirement. With W, you are looking at 20K miles Internationally and 550$ co pay and I believe 20K miles and 75$ copay domestically
Additionally remember, the higher the fare class, the lower the mileage and copay requirement. With W, you are looking at 20K miles Internationally and 550$ co pay and I believe 20K miles and 75$ copay domestically
Nov 23, 2013 | 8:08 am
#13
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 269
https://www.united.com/web/en-US/con...2012-03-03.pdf
I've not heard of co-pay for GPU except for the case of flights out of LHR.
I've not heard of co-pay for GPU except for the case of flights out of LHR.
https://www.united.com/web/en-US/con...e-pricing.aspx
No copay on gpus as of right now. Use the above link to and interactive chart link there to figure out the cost in terms of miles and $$$
No copay on gpus as of right now. Use the above link to and interactive chart link there to figure out the cost in terms of miles and $$$
Check https://www.united.com/web/en-US/app...ardTravel.aspx for amount of miles+copay as mentioned above
Nov 24, 2013 | 9:05 pm
#14
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: ATX (Austin, USA)
Programs: United, AA Gold, InsideFlyer subscriber
Posts: 187
I must be missing it -- but can you please tell me how to enable the 'Expert Search' function on United.com so I can search for R (GPU) upgrade space?
I am guessing I start on this page:
http://www.united.com/web/en-us/apps.../searchRT.aspx
Thanks!
Hmm... I used this link (http://www.united.com/web/en-us/apps.../searchRT.aspx) and found that I can click a box to 'enable Expert Mode'. But the search page afterwards looked the same.
I am putting 'R' in to the 'Enter the Class of Service' box -- but then it errors out saying that 'R' is an 'invalid class of service'.
Any tips?
I think I figured this out. After I do a regular flight search, I can click on 'Fare Class' and it shows a dialog box with a variety of codes. I am looking R to be greater than 'R0'. So far everything I have clicked on is 'R0'.
I am guessing I start on this page:
http://www.united.com/web/en-us/apps.../searchRT.aspx
Thanks!
Hmm... I used this link (http://www.united.com/web/en-us/apps.../searchRT.aspx) and found that I can click a box to 'enable Expert Mode'. But the search page afterwards looked the same.
I am putting 'R' in to the 'Enter the Class of Service' box -- but then it errors out saying that 'R' is an 'invalid class of service'.
Any tips?
I think I figured this out. After I do a regular flight search, I can click on 'Fare Class' and it shows a dialog box with a variety of codes. I am looking R to be greater than 'R0'. So far everything I have clicked on is 'R0'.
Last edited by iluv2fly; Nov 25, 2013 at 12:13 am Reason: merge