2014 Upsell Offers to Business/First (UFC/PCU) Questions/Discussion (Paid Upgrades)
Sep 16, 2014, 1:25 pm
#331
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: NYC / TYO / Up in the Air
Programs: UA GS 1.7MM, AA 2.1MM, EK, BA, SQ, CX, Marriot LT, Accor P
Posts: 6,300
The change is much more recent than that. Up until a few months ago, R was reliably opened to equal J around T-24.
Note that there are some pretty cheap UP/UPDI fares being offered on ps right now, and that is probably having a seriously negative impact on upgrade availability.
Note that there are some pretty cheap UP/UPDI fares being offered on ps right now, and that is probably having a seriously negative impact on upgrade availability.
Sep 16, 2014, 3:53 pm
#332
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: SYD
Programs: UA GS, BA Gold, Marriott Titanium/LT Plat, IHG Gold, National Exec Elite, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,419
I agree this is a more recent change - I regularly purchase gf/bf to EMEA and economy on the return and use my GPU's to upgrade - I would almost always clear the return at booking - now I sweat it out as UA is much more stingy in opening up space - it's really noticeable. I'm currently on a flight back from FRA that was only upgraded a few days in advance - in spite of lots of availability. I can't blame UA for trying to sell the seats but it's a dramatic difference from how it used to be....
Sep 17, 2014, 5:15 am
#333
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Amsterdam
Programs: MileagePlus GS
Posts: 362
Just was offered a buy-up at check in to Global First for $829.00 on a P Fare AMS-ORD. Declined the offer. That's a lot of money for a bowl of soup.
Sep 17, 2014, 6:52 am
#334
Join Date: Feb 2014
Programs: Amex Plat, Hilton Diamond, SPG Gold, Carlson Gold, CM Presidential / *A Gold, Hertz 5*
Posts: 1,648
Sep 17, 2014, 9:45 am
#335
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: LAX
Programs: UA 1K/MM, Marriott Gold
Posts: 132
SFO-EWR
K fare
$1999 at airport check in (luggage)
Declined d'oh.
K fare
$1999 at airport check in (luggage)
Declined d'oh.
Sep 17, 2014, 11:38 am
#336
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: EWR, PHL
Programs: UA1k 3MM, AA Plt, peasant on everybody else, elite something or other at a bunch of hotels.
Posts: 4,637
ICN-SFO UA 892 Thus, 9/18/14
C (P pr Z) ->F from $5,999
Accepted: Not a chance!
I guess the pricing department didn't get the memo from Rainey that UA's Int'l F is the same as C.
C (P pr Z) ->F from $5,999
Accepted: Not a chance!
I guess the pricing department didn't get the memo from Rainey that UA's Int'l F is the same as C.
Sep 19, 2014, 1:23 am
#337
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 146
EWR TO PHX
258 bucks each way, each passenger for United First (P) i believe. (look at me, looking fare classes and everything..i'm learning)
I did it for two reasons. PHX is a long flight, and in doing so this gets me Silver status with the bonus PQM.
258 bucks each way, each passenger for United First (P) i believe. (look at me, looking fare classes and everything..i'm learning)
I did it for two reasons. PHX is a long flight, and in doing so this gets me Silver status with the bonus PQM.
Sep 24, 2014, 5:33 pm
#338
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: NYC
Programs: CO Platinum/1K, SPG Platinum/Ambassador
Posts: 1,705
Lga to Ord: Offered $59. Accepted. Rebooked to A.
I'm sure this is covered elsewhere, but I get PQMs but not PQDs, correct?
I'm sure this is covered elsewhere, but I get PQMs but not PQDs, correct?
Sep 24, 2014, 7:44 pm
#339
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: New England
Programs: American Gold, Marriott Gold, Hilton Silver
Posts: 5,638
If I'm not mistaken, buy ups don't count for anything for earnings unless they rebook you during IRROPS and happen to rebook you under a full fare F fare code. I've always earned PQM and PQD for my coach fare, not the buy up.
Sep 24, 2014, 7:48 pm
#340
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,448
The whole process is incredibly opaque.
Sep 24, 2014, 8:16 pm
#341
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: PBI / FLL / YUL
Programs: UA 1K, Delta Plat, AA Plat, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Courtesy Card
Posts: 1,983
SFO-JFK
Wednesday 17 September, 2014
Q Fare
$299
Did not accept
Went from 21/28 booked when I checked a few hours after check-in to 28/28 by the time I got ready to board. Nobody cleared from the upgrade list, I ended #1.
RPU didn't clear for the 5th time on a p.s. flight this year, mostly SFO-JFK. No luck this year at all, 2/9 on RPUs (5 missed p.s., LAS-EWR, PHX-EWR). Will likely end the year with unused RPUs for first time ever.
Wednesday 17 September, 2014
Q Fare
$299
Did not accept
Went from 21/28 booked when I checked a few hours after check-in to 28/28 by the time I got ready to board. Nobody cleared from the upgrade list, I ended #1.
RPU didn't clear for the 5th time on a p.s. flight this year, mostly SFO-JFK. No luck this year at all, 2/9 on RPUs (5 missed p.s., LAS-EWR, PHX-EWR). Will likely end the year with unused RPUs for first time ever.
Sep 24, 2014, 8:42 pm
#342
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: San Francisco
Programs: UA 1k, SPG/Marriott Plat, IHG Plat
Posts: 1,020
Same experience here after multiple RTs SFO to JFK trying to use one of my two regionals. As a Plat, upgrades on united now pretty much never occur and I regularly get offered a low price buy up. Space available upgrades are basically no longer a benefit when you use a pricing algorithm calibrated to price at a level that will sell every remaining seat.
Sep 25, 2014, 6:17 am
#343
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: SAN
Programs: UA 1MM/1K, HH Diamond
Posts: 6,831
Same experience here after multiple RTs SFO to JFK trying to use one of my two regionals. As a Plat, upgrades on united now pretty much never occur and I regularly get offered a low price buy up. Space available upgrades are basically no longer a benefit when you use a pricing algorithm calibrated to price at a level that will sell every remaining seat.
Sep 25, 2014, 8:38 am
#344
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: SPI
Programs: AA Gold, UA LT Plat, Mar LTT
Posts: 18,147
Sep 25, 2014, 8:48 am
#345
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: DFW
Programs: UA 1K 1MM
Posts: 166
EWR-DFW
Monday, September 22
W fare
$79
I took it. This was the final leg of a trip DFW-HKG. The upgrade HKG-EWR cleared a few weeks in advance on a GPU, but this leg did not. Most of the day I was #1 on the list, and 4 open seats started disappearing. Two seats were left, I was by this time #5 on the upgrade list - then on the app it showed an upgrade available for $79. I grabbed it. I felt bad for #3, but I also felt I should have cleared earlier on the GPU.
Monday, September 22
W fare
$79
I took it. This was the final leg of a trip DFW-HKG. The upgrade HKG-EWR cleared a few weeks in advance on a GPU, but this leg did not. Most of the day I was #1 on the list, and 4 open seats started disappearing. Two seats were left, I was by this time #5 on the upgrade list - then on the app it showed an upgrade available for $79. I grabbed it. I felt bad for #3, but I also felt I should have cleared earlier on the GPU.