Last edit by: WineCountryUA
This is an archive thread, the active thread is "Upgrade certificates (GPUs & RPUs) are useless nowadays"
Archive thread "Upgrade certificates (GPUs & RPUs) are useless nowadays" {Archive}
Archive thread "Upgrade certificates (GPUs & RPUs) are useless nowadays" {Archive}
"Upgrade certificates (GPUs & RPUs) are useless nowadays" {Archive}
#2641
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: SBA
Programs: UA Gold 1MM, Marriott Gold, IHG Plat, Hertz PC
Posts: 939
Came across EWR - LAX flight for Friday, August 30 5pm, with PN=6, PZ=1. Surprised for a Friday late afternoon route!
Last edited by tstauck; Aug 5, 2019 at 5:51 pm Reason: add photo
#2642
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: BOS
Programs: AA Gld; DL Plat; UA Gld;Bonvoy Titanium4Life; Hyatt Silver;
Posts: 162
Interesting find, but not a surprise. Friday evening of Labor Day Weekend, nobody with any RPUs or GPUs is on that plane. I'm not sure anybody with status is on that plane! I'm only Gold, and even I don't fly Friday of long weekends. I'm either already there or already home!
#2643
Join Date: Jul 2018
Programs: United Premier 1K, Air India Maharaja Club, Lufthansa FT, Jet Airways Platinum, Hilton Gold
Posts: 32
Been pretty lucky with clearing lately! Had PZ=4 at booking for LAX - EWR on Aug 21. Used 2 RPUs for 2 pax instantly. Used all my RPUs and GPUs for 2020.
Used all my RPUs expiring in 2021 too already since I re-qualified for 1K in June.
Used all my RPUs expiring in 2021 too already since I re-qualified for 1K in June.
#2644
Join Date: Jan 2018
Programs: UA LT GS | UA LT Club | Marriott LT Titanium
Posts: 1,250
We're going to see a lot more of this in 2020 with UA hard capping RPUs at 4 per 1K/GS, I feel the RPU will become a very coveted instrument in 2020.
No longer will a GS's third cousin and their entire junior soccer team be clogging up the upgrade waitlists in 2020!
The days of, "RPUs are useless" will be replaced with, "I wish I had more RPUs!"
No longer will a GS's third cousin and their entire junior soccer team be clogging up the upgrade waitlists in 2020!
The days of, "RPUs are useless" will be replaced with, "I wish I had more RPUs!"
#2645
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,108
Instead of having 20 instruments that will generally only clear on flights where a CPU would have cleared also, people will have 4. It won't create new upgrade opportunities, because the first class seats aren't going to GS members' third cousins on upgrades. They're going to paid tickets and TODs -- mostly the former.
Last edited by jsloan; Aug 6, 2019 at 3:32 pm
#2646
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,227
Instead of having 20 instruments that will generally only clear on flights where a CPU would have cleared also, people will have 4. It won't create new upgrade opportunities, because the first class seats aren't going to GS members' third cousins on upgrades. They're going to paid tickets and TODs -- mostly the former.
Five years ago, GS were using RPUs to upgrade the entire family to Hawaii. Now they're either paying for F or sitting in the back.
#2647
Join Date: Jan 2018
Programs: UA LT GS | UA LT Club | Marriott LT Titanium
Posts: 1,250
No, we're really not, but I don't think there's anything I can say to convince you of this.
Instead of having 20 instruments that will generally only clear on flights where a CPU would have cleared also, people will have 4. It won't create new upgrade opportunities, because the first class seats aren't going to GS members' third cousins on upgrades. They're going to paid tickets and TODs -- mostly the former.
Instead of having 20 instruments that will generally only clear on flights where a CPU would have cleared also, people will have 4. It won't create new upgrade opportunities, because the first class seats aren't going to GS members' third cousins on upgrades. They're going to paid tickets and TODs -- mostly the former.
#2648
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,108
You're saying day-of-departure upgrades will go to TODs vs RPUs. Maybe. I'm saying PN slots that are available, months in advance, and are consumed by GS RPUs today, will likely slide into PZ in 2020 and open to all the folks who've been frustrated at RPUs not clearing.
And, anyway, it doesn't matter, because that same GS member can just use the increasingly worthless MileagePlus miles to sponsor people into PN space, if they run out of RPUs and don't want to use (uncapped) GPUs.
As long as the economy continues to expand, and as long as UA continues to be able to monetize the front cabin, they're not going to give large numbers of upgrades away. To anybody.
#2649
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: San Francisco
Programs: UA MM Plat, UA 1MM, Hilton Lifetime Gold, Marriott Gold, Hertz Gold, CLEAR, AS MVP Gold
Posts: 3,604
To the above I am sitting on several GPU/RPU requests with flights going out this weekend, next week, and later in the month. NONE have cleared and IF they clear my experience has been it has been at the gate or more recently even after boarding. Having said that, I have had better luck with instruments clearing this year as a GS but it was ridiculously bad over the several years as 1K. I think I burned 10 instruments at the end of last year.
#2650
Join Date: Jan 2018
Programs: UA LT GS | UA LT Club | Marriott LT Titanium
Posts: 1,250
Simply not true. There are hundreds if not thousands of these in the system today -- even in and out of major hubs. I happen to be waiting on two itineraries myself:
- LAX-EWR on 8/13 = PN2/PZ0
- BOS-SFO on 11/25 = PN3/PZ0
The reality is there will be significantly fewer RPUs chasing roughly the same number of upgradable seats in 2020. We'll know for sure starting Feb 1!
- LAX-EWR on 8/13 = PN2/PZ0
- BOS-SFO on 11/25 = PN3/PZ0
The reality is there will be significantly fewer RPUs chasing roughly the same number of upgradable seats in 2020. We'll know for sure starting Feb 1!
#2651
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,227
My bet is it will be an equally positive improvement; i.e., no material change at all.
#2652
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Hiding under the trees in Denver, CO
Programs: UA 1K 2.5MM, Marriott Lifetime Titanium Elite, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 4,303
Sadly, I agree. After the so-called rank-thinning this year, I've had only one RPU clear after being waitlisted. It cleared at the gate for my husband, who then whined about losing his window seat in Y.
#2653
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: D/FW
Programs: DL MM/Silver; UA 1K ; Hilton Gold; Marriott Titanium; Avis Pref+,Hertz PC
Posts: 585
So I was able to apply a GPU on HKG-ORD flight at time of booking, however, on my same-day connection ORD-DFW was in Economy and it does not show I'm on waitlist for F. Is this normal?
#2654
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,108
You should see "Upgrade requested" when you view your reservation. If you don't, you should call in and have UA take a look at it. You wouldn't appear on a waitlist (in the flight status) until you check in.
#2655
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: San Francisco
Programs: UA MM Plat, UA 1MM, Hilton Lifetime Gold, Marriott Gold, Hertz Gold, CLEAR, AS MVP Gold
Posts: 3,604
This seems to be more the norm now. IF you get upgraded with an instrument it is literally at the last minute. UA wants to sell that last F seat right down to the wire. The days are gone of clearing at, what is it 96 hrs for GS and 72 hours for 1K, are gone. Those times are basically meaningless. As I said above my last two upgrades were after boarding. Can't really complain too much as an upgrade is an upgrade but it is very apparent as to what is happening now. Can't really really "blame" them for what they are doing as they are in business to make $$$.