cesco.g

indeed - unless it's on a p.s. flight.

Jimmie Jet

LAni1 - Just out of curiosity how did you do with your GPU? I throw the RPU at every flight I have and for friends , co-workers , everyone . I managed to use them all but probably at a 15% success rate

I use the GPU without problem TPAC for myself

jjmoore

Yep... and now R space on those flights is nunca jamás.

onthesam

After 20-25 flights without adequite upgrade eligible inventory, I managed to successfully redeem 2 RPU in November, 2017 ORD-YVR. Great value as entitled lounge acccess in addition to the upgrade (though *G would have as well).

In other news, hit 1k on 12/30. As of this posting, 2018 status shows as 1K but I'm still waiting for GPUs to credit...

JaneshP

4 years in a row 1K member; Long story short, these certificates are pretty worthless, I tried using them for me and family 20-25 times throughout 2017 with no success, only 2 attempts cleared.

On International flights, I use to give to my parents in 2015/2016 a global certificate and purchasing W or higher fare (8-12 months in advance) with plenty of business seats since they were prioritized with my 1K and always got upgraded. United changed the rule sometime in 2016 so other priority members clear regardless of type of upgrade (certs, miles+fee). So lets say your family members purchase w or higher class fare at double the price of a regular discounted coach and use a GPU certificate with 49 out of 50 business seats left. If 49+ others on the waiting list have silver and above status closer to departure date; buying any fare class and paying the fee + miles or certs; they will clear before your family member who paid double the price and has no status. If no upgrade, your family members get no refund on w class fare vs an economy fare and sit in economy class (not even economy plus) at double the fare. If they used miles and fee; those miles and fee's are refundable.

I advise everyone not to tell family members to buy W fares unless you can confirm at booking; otherwise use miles and fee.

My only desire is if United extends the expiration date on the certificates if we tried using it with no success several times; in 2018, I'll use the certificates for family on confirmed bookings or use it for me so I have a higher probability of getting the upgrade and usage of Global or regional certs..

goodeats21

Welcome to FlyerTalk, JaneshP !!!

You are not alone in complaining about the RPU/GPUs being worthless. There is a whole, dedicated thread on FlyerTalk with everyone pretty much saying the same thing. As you have noted, about the only way I will use them is when there is "R" space available and they clear at booking. If you have some flexibility and time to search, the GPUs can be used. RPUs are pretty much worthless for any meaningful flight, regardless of flexibility and searching.

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unit...wadays-40.html

If you have re-qualified for 1K or Global Services for 2018, United will extend the expiration date of 2 GPUs until April 30. But that is the limit. Only 2 GPUs, and no RPUs.

[CONFIRMED] GPU's expiring Jan, 31 2018 can be extended (re-qual GS/1Ks max 2 GPU'S)

Good luck.

nomad420

+1
My brother ( Silver with UA) had only one clear last year, LAX-ORD, and I gift him a cert on every flight he takes. No other family member had a single one clear last year. I tried both for myself and a family member earlier in the year buying up to a W fare (posted it here) and they never cleared. Waste of cash for sure! I think between my wife and myself we will have something like 15 expire at the end of the month. Did save 2 until 4/30 with difficulty and already have probably close to 20 "upgrade instruments" for 2018... what a joke. I actually made the mistake of "saving" the last couple of years for long domestic flights or TATLs and TPACs I now just throw them at EVERYTHING I book.

alibedard

UA doesn't fly PS out of JFK and not to SFO or LAX?

lightbulbs

Artpen100

If I had the slightest inclination to waitlist for R on an international flight, I'd do it with miles and copay, so I would at least get the additional cash back if it did not go through. But for international, I am not so inclined. I look for heavily discounted business or R available at booking. I've used two GPUs so far this year that way, buying business on one leg and finding R on the way back. Based on buying business both ways, each GPU was roughly worth $500. So $1000 of freebies there. I used the 2 RPUs just applying them to my and family members' domestic flights. They go through about half the time, and I don't really care if they don't. But they've both been used now. So those are probably worth about $100 apiece. The other 4 GPUs I will wait until about mid-year when I need to book the last of my fall/winter international trips, and see if I can use them then. If not, I will just start applying them to my domestic flights for the second half of the year. Based on experience, that will probably use them up. So these are not worthless, and maybe worth $1500-$2000 total, but probably a fraction of what a lot of new 1Ks think 6 GPUs and 2 RPUs will be worth. Does this make me loyal to UA to try to keep 1K? Not really. Even if I was not 1K, I could have done the same thing with miles from credit cards. On the other hand, if I find R at booking, the price difference is usually enough I will book UA even though I'd prefer another airline. So if anything, it is price (and lots of the routes I need) that keeps me flying UA more than the others. (And a more flexible change policy than non-US airlines on nonrefundable tickets. I rarely hear that mentioned, but it is often a factor if I think there is a chance an overseas meeting will change. It can be the difference between throwing away a $3000 ticket or absorbing a $300 change fee. But that is not an elite benefit.)

StuckinITH

I have already used 4 GPUs out of the 6 I got on 12/1/17 and 2 RPUs out of the 4 I got on the same day. Now, my plan for the last 2 GPUs is to use them for my wife when she joins me on one of my trips. The only downside that she will see if I use them this way is that there will be zero chances that she gets to Platinum (the level she reached in 2017). Maybe Gold will be good enough but she seems to value boarding in Group 1.

FreFly

The W or higher fare requirement was introduced in the old days when upgrade probability was much higher than it is today. Now, unless R space is available for immediate clearing, wait-listing for an upgrade is like gambling with the odds heavily in favor of the house. United should make all fares GPU-eligible.

nomad420

+1
I have even "experimented" with upgrading long domestic flights (TCON) to higher class ticket with the hope of clearing a RPU. Did it twice and posted outcomes here. It never helped, RPUs never cleared. It was a waste of money. The thought was if you bought better than W you would trump international fliers using GPUs with W class tickets potentially giving you a better chance at the upgrade..... it was laughable.

david_oz

ThomasBrown

LAX-LHR-ATH GPU success for me + 3 family in December. I was able to book on united.com and was happy that I guaranteed business seat for the LAX-LHR portion at least.

A week later, United agent called telling me there had been a computer error which allowed me to book. She said they would honor the error, but I had to confirm verbally that I really wanted to go ahead with the purchase. It was bizarre.