Last edit by: WineCountryUA
Types of Upgrades
UA's Upgrades overview
UA has multiple methods for upgrading to a higher cabin. Examples include: Economy to Domestic First, Economy to International Business or Business (ex-p.s. flights) or Economy to Premium Economy ("Premium Plus").
In this regard, seating in Economy Plus is considered Economy.
Not all upgrade methods are available on all flights (see table).
Waitlisting for a premium cabin award and all forms of Economy Plus are not considered upgrades.
Upgrade Priority and Required Inventory
All upgrades other than CPU may clear immediately if the required inventory class is available. If you request an upgrade when there is not inventory to confirm your upgrade immediately, you will be added to the upgrade waitlist. The required inventory classes are as follows:
RN class is required for all upgrades to Premium Economy (United Premium Plus)
PN class is required for Instant Upgrades to Business/First from Y, B, and M fares for Premier 1K members, and for all upgrades to Business/First of any type for Global Services members.
PZ class is required for all other upgrades to Business/First except CPUs.
Note: The display of the upgrade lists is rather complicated at the moment. There seems to be more information available than usual, but its accuracy is disputed. The following is how it has historically functioned in terms of public visibility.
Passengers with unconfirmed upgrade requests will be added to the upgrade waitlist. This is not the same as the upgrade standby list which you can see on the Flight Status page. You cannot see this list by any means. The ordering of the upgrade waitlist is as follows:
Fare Class priority is J, C, D, Z, P, O, A, R, Y, B, M, E, U, H, Q, V, W, S, T, L, K, G, N.
Waitlist priority for all flights
If we haven't confirmed your upgrade by the time you check in for your flight, you will be added to the Upgrades list at check-in, so there's nothing that you need to do after submitting your original request. Our upgrade systems process requests until three hours before flight departure, at which point our gate agents will handle all remaining upgrade requests.
*On flights equipped with United Premium Plus, we will process requests to upgrade to business class for customers ticketed in United Premium Plus (fare classes O, A, R) before processing requests for customers ticketed in economy.
Upgrade priority on United Premium Plus
On aircraft with United Premium Plus, we’ll first process United Polaris business class or United Business waitlists for all members who have purchased United Premium Plus seats, using the same priority order that applies to all upgrades. We’ll then process waitlists for members with United Economy seats.
New waitlist requests for MileagePlus Upgrade Awards can be made until 24 hours before departure. New waitlist requests for PlusPoints upgrades can be made up until the flight check-in cutoff time.
United will periodically run sweeps from this list. The required inventory class for your upgrade does not need to be available in order to be upgraded from the standby list; passengers on the list will be upgraded at the discretion of United's systems. (You can also think of it as space was opened and then you immediately took it.)
For flights with Premium Plus, those with paid Premium Plus fares will be prioritized above those with paid economy fares even if status is lower. However, GS with paid economy are higher on the list than non-GS customers with paid Premium Plus fares. Therefore, GS with paid Prem Plus, then GS with paid economy, then other Prem Plus pax (1Ks, then Plat, then Gold, etc), then Economy (1Ks, then Plat, then Gold, etc).Not clear if this applies to GS in economy -- certainly not pre-gate waitlist (as they are waitlisted for PN) but unclear what happens at the gate merged waitlist.
How does PlusPoints/GPU/ Mileage Upgrade waitlist for business work with PremiumPlus?
Once check-in starts a new waitlist will be generated for use at the gate. The pre-gate list will continue to process until the flight goes to the gate, typically one to three hours prior to departure. This new list is the visible one on the Flight Status page. Generally they will have the same order, but there can be some differences in priority ordering of the two lists -- usually due to the time tiebreaker -- which is time of request for the pre-gate list and time of check-in (sequence number) for gate list. The visible (upgrade standby) list is not used until the flight is under gate control and the gate agent manually processes an upgrade.
The upgrade list sometimes also shows passengers who have been upgraded. Advance-cleared upgrades will not show on the gate list as cleared -- only passengers who clear after they check in will display with a green checkmark. Some paid Premium Plus fares may show as a confirmed upgrade to Premium Plus.
For both cases, display cleared upgrades will appear in alphabetic order and regardless if checked-in (as long as a seat has been assigned). Uncleared, waitlisted requests will appear in priority order.
Upgrades and Companions
Main article: Comprehensive Companion Upgrade Questions
The following applies ONLY to the invisible upgrade list.
Up to one companion on the same PNR as you is entitled to a CPU based on your status. However, because PNRs must consist only of passengers with the same itinerary, you will only be eligible for an upgrade if all passengers on your PNR have the same upgrade eligibility. For CPUs, you may extend your CPU status to one companion, and then the system will take the status of the lowest passenger on the reservation.
This is a little complicated. Here are some example PNRs:
1K and non-status companion: both are eligible to CPU as 1Ks
1K and two non-status companions: no one is eligible to CPU
1K, Gold, and non-status companion: the companion gets "1K CPU status" but the Gold cannot, so all three pax have Gold priority
The situation for instrument supported upgrades is slightly different. Waitlisting an instrument is also all-or-nothing on the PNR. Either all pax must have a waitlisted upgrade, or none may. If you have a waitlisted upgrade for a multiple passenger PNR, it will have the priority of the highest Premier status on the reservation. Thus:
1K and non-status companion, 2x PlusPoints applied: both are eligible as 1Ks with PlusPoints
1K and three non-status companions, 4x PlusPointsapplied: all four are eligible as 1Ks with PlusPoints
Multi-pax PNR upgrades are all or nothing - you may (or may not) be skipped over if there are fewer available seats than members in your party. If you do not like the treatment of your PNR, you may split it into smaller pieces at any time and be treated as smaller groups or individuals.
Now, what happens if you haven't cleared by check-in?
Multiple pax PNRs are not eligible for the (visible) upgrade standby list. If you wish to be added to the list, you must split the PNR at check-in. This often happens even if you didn't intend to. Note, however, that the hidden list is active until 3 hours before departure and splitting your PNR changes it. Therefore, you may wish to delay check-in until the airport. On the other hand, the tiebreak for the gate list is time of check-in, so you may wish to do so immediately. It depends on your situation.
Companions may be eligible for the upgrade standby list even after splitting the PNR, if it is split at check-in. The behavior of your companion(s) depends on whether the reservation had instruments applied. You may have one CPU companion, who will be waitlisted with your Premier priority but with an effective fare class below X (namely, last). If your companion was on a different PNR originally, or you want to designate a different companion, an airport agent can do that for you. Therefore, the list of 1Ks might be:
1) 1K on an S fare (you)
2) 1K on a K fare
3) Your no-status companion
4) Plat on a B fare
If your reservation had instruments applied, however, this process is different. In this case, if the reservation is auto-split at check-in, all travelers will have your Premier priority with their fare class. Say you are a 1K with three non-status companions, all with GPUs applied. Then you have
1) 1K on a V fare,PlusPoints applied
2..5) you (1K) and your three companions on W fares, ordered by sequence number
6) Plat on a Q fare, miles+cash applied
Frequently Asked Questions
I was #1 on the upgrade list, but someone else got the upgrade instead. What happened?
The most likely answer is that a higher status passenger or fare moved to your flight.
I'm #1 on the upgrade list but seats in the forward cabin keep disappearing. No one is being upgraded. What's going on?
There are two major sources of this. First, once your flight is within 24 hours of departure, it is eligible for SDC. Passengers with paid premium tickets can change to your flight and take seats. Many experienced flyers, especially FT members, underestimate the volatility of flight loads on the day of departure. Additionally, United usually makes a time-of-departure upsell offer available at check-in. Purchasers of this upgrade may often appear similar to last-minute revenue bookings.
I was waitlisted for I (or IN) class and did not clear. Am I now eligible for an upgrade?
"Upgrade" is the wrong terminology. You should be automatically placed on the standy list for business or first (whichever applies). Historically there have been problems with this occurring automatically, but that seems to have mostly been fixed. The exact priority compared to passengers who are waitlisted for an upgrade is unclear and a matter of some dispute. See discussion of GG ONESTANDBY lines 32-55.
Who are these people who are on standby lists for both Business and First?
These are non-revs (i.e., UA employees and family members) - either NRPS (non-rev positive space) or NRSA (non-rev standby). Non-revs can list for any cabin. NRPS are traveling on company business (e.g., deadheading pilots) and will clear into open space ahead of upgraders. NRSA travel standby and will be last in priority after all paid passengers. Why would someone be listed on both standby & upgrade list(s)?
Deadheading Pilots Will Have Upgrade Priority Over ElitesCan you have one companion on a different PNR?
Yes, but only at the airport/gate and some agents are not familiar with the process. They are at the bottom of your status group.
Related threads
Ever see (+X blocked) in booked column on upgrade list?
Consolidated "Waitlist for Award Seats Questions/Issues"
[Consolidated] Chance of upgrade clearing on my flight
Decoding the alphabet soup - fare buckets for UA
Archive
Understanding the United Upgrade List Comprehensively [Archive]
UA's Upgrades overview
UA has multiple methods for upgrading to a higher cabin. Examples include: Economy to Domestic First, Economy to International Business or Business (ex-p.s. flights) or Economy to Premium Economy ("Premium Plus").
In this regard, seating in Economy Plus is considered Economy.
Not all upgrade methods are available on all flights (see table).
- Complimentary Premier Upgrades (CPU) are available for most North American flights, Central America flights, and some select Oceania flights. "ex-PS" flights (EWR/JFK-SFO/LAX) and Hawaii-EWR, IAD, ORD, IAH, DEN, GUM, MAJ and v.v. are not CPU eligible. CPUs are available for all paid fares and in some cases on award tickets with certain credit cards. A CPU is requested automatically for all elites as long as there is a maximum of one non-Premier as only one companion on the same PNR is also eligible for CPU. CPUs cannot be confirmed until inside the particular window:
Global Services: 120 hours
Premier 1K: 96 hours
Premier Platinum: 72 hours
Premier Gold: 48 hours
Premier Silver: 24 hours
white text to force line
Premier 1K: 96 hours
Premier Platinum: 72 hours
Premier Gold: 48 hours
Premier Silver: 24 hours
white text to force line
- Plus Points (provided to Plats and above) are the upgrade currency of United elites. This wiki of this thread has more details about pricing of various Plus Points upgrades.
- Mileage Upgrade Awards (MUA) can be requested for all UA flights with a higher cabin on all paid fares. This a varying amount of miles and a $ copay (elites are exempt from the co-pay for CPU eligible flights) -- mileage+copay calculator
Note the miles and copay are due at time of the request and will be returned if unsuccessful. - Instant Upgrades are space available for all elites on Y & B fares for CPU-eligible flights at booking or thereafter. For Platinum and below these require PZ space. For 1Ks and GS, this can be done on Y, B & M fares and requires PN space. These Instant Upgrades, if not cleared at booking, cannot be waitlisted and one must keep checking to see if the instant upgrade space opens up. However, CPUs will process, as discussed above.
- Paid/cash upgrades are a different mechanism and are only available if confirmable -- no waitlisting. Depending on methods, paid upgrades can clear into almost any fare class. If the class would otherwise be used for upgrades, the cash upsell can show up on the cleared upgrade list.
Waitlisting for a premium cabin award and all forms of Economy Plus are not considered upgrades.
Upgrade Priority and Required Inventory
All upgrades other than CPU may clear immediately if the required inventory class is available. If you request an upgrade when there is not inventory to confirm your upgrade immediately, you will be added to the upgrade waitlist. The required inventory classes are as follows:
RN class is required for all upgrades to Premium Economy (United Premium Plus)
PN class is required for Instant Upgrades to Business/First from Y, B, and M fares for Premier 1K members, and for all upgrades to Business/First of any type for Global Services members.
PZ class is required for all other upgrades to Business/First except CPUs.
Note: The display of the upgrade lists is rather complicated at the moment. There seems to be more information available than usual, but its accuracy is disputed. The following is how it has historically functioned in terms of public visibility.
Passengers with unconfirmed upgrade requests will be added to the upgrade waitlist. This is not the same as the upgrade standby list which you can see on the Flight Status page. You cannot see this list by any means. The ordering of the upgrade waitlist is as follows:
Fare Class priority is J, C, D, Z, P, O, A, R, Y, B, M, E, U, H, Q, V, W, S, T, L, K, G, N.
Waitlist priority for all flights
- United Global Services® requests
- PlusPoints upgrades and MileagePlus Upgrade Awards
- Premier status of the traveler*
- Fare class
- Chase United MileagePlus Club cardholders and Presidential Plus cardholders
- United Corporate Preferred participants
- United Chase Cardmembers with $25,000 in annual spending
- Date and time of request
If we haven't confirmed your upgrade by the time you check in for your flight, you will be added to the Upgrades list at check-in, so there's nothing that you need to do after submitting your original request. Our upgrade systems process requests until three hours before flight departure, at which point our gate agents will handle all remaining upgrade requests.
*On flights equipped with United Premium Plus, we will process requests to upgrade to business class for customers ticketed in United Premium Plus (fare classes O, A, R) before processing requests for customers ticketed in economy.
Upgrade priority on United Premium Plus
On aircraft with United Premium Plus, we’ll first process United Polaris business class or United Business waitlists for all members who have purchased United Premium Plus seats, using the same priority order that applies to all upgrades. We’ll then process waitlists for members with United Economy seats.
New waitlist requests for MileagePlus Upgrade Awards can be made until 24 hours before departure. New waitlist requests for PlusPoints upgrades can be made up until the flight check-in cutoff time.
United will periodically run sweeps from this list. The required inventory class for your upgrade does not need to be available in order to be upgraded from the standby list; passengers on the list will be upgraded at the discretion of United's systems. (You can also think of it as space was opened and then you immediately took it.)
For flights with Premium Plus, those with paid Premium Plus fares will be prioritized above those with paid economy fares even if status is lower. However, GS with paid economy are higher on the list than non-GS customers with paid Premium Plus fares. Therefore, GS with paid Prem Plus, then GS with paid economy, then other Prem Plus pax (1Ks, then Plat, then Gold, etc), then Economy (1Ks, then Plat, then Gold, etc).
How does PlusPoints/GPU/ Mileage Upgrade waitlist for business work with PremiumPlus?
Once check-in starts a new waitlist will be generated for use at the gate. The pre-gate list will continue to process until the flight goes to the gate, typically one to three hours prior to departure. This new list is the visible one on the Flight Status page. Generally they will have the same order, but there can be some differences in priority ordering of the two lists -- usually due to the time tiebreaker -- which is time of request for the pre-gate list and time of check-in (sequence number) for gate list. The visible (upgrade standby) list is not used until the flight is under gate control and the gate agent manually processes an upgrade.
The upgrade list sometimes also shows passengers who have been upgraded. Advance-cleared upgrades will not show on the gate list as cleared -- only passengers who clear after they check in will display with a green checkmark. Some paid Premium Plus fares may show as a confirmed upgrade to Premium Plus.
For both cases, display cleared upgrades will appear in alphabetic order and regardless if checked-in (as long as a seat has been assigned). Uncleared, waitlisted requests will appear in priority order.
Upgrades and Companions
Main article: Comprehensive Companion Upgrade Questions
The following applies ONLY to the invisible upgrade list.
Up to one companion on the same PNR as you is entitled to a CPU based on your status. However, because PNRs must consist only of passengers with the same itinerary, you will only be eligible for an upgrade if all passengers on your PNR have the same upgrade eligibility. For CPUs, you may extend your CPU status to one companion, and then the system will take the status of the lowest passenger on the reservation.
This is a little complicated. Here are some example PNRs:
1K and non-status companion: both are eligible to CPU as 1Ks
1K and two non-status companions: no one is eligible to CPU
1K, Gold, and non-status companion: the companion gets "1K CPU status" but the Gold cannot, so all three pax have Gold priority
The situation for instrument supported upgrades is slightly different. Waitlisting an instrument is also all-or-nothing on the PNR. Either all pax must have a waitlisted upgrade, or none may. If you have a waitlisted upgrade for a multiple passenger PNR, it will have the priority of the highest Premier status on the reservation. Thus:
1K and non-status companion, 2x PlusPoints applied: both are eligible as 1Ks with PlusPoints
1K and three non-status companions, 4x PlusPointsapplied: all four are eligible as 1Ks with PlusPoints
Multi-pax PNR upgrades are all or nothing - you may (or may not) be skipped over if there are fewer available seats than members in your party. If you do not like the treatment of your PNR, you may split it into smaller pieces at any time and be treated as smaller groups or individuals.
Now, what happens if you haven't cleared by check-in?
Multiple pax PNRs are not eligible for the (visible) upgrade standby list. If you wish to be added to the list, you must split the PNR at check-in. This often happens even if you didn't intend to. Note, however, that the hidden list is active until 3 hours before departure and splitting your PNR changes it. Therefore, you may wish to delay check-in until the airport. On the other hand, the tiebreak for the gate list is time of check-in, so you may wish to do so immediately. It depends on your situation.
Companions may be eligible for the upgrade standby list even after splitting the PNR, if it is split at check-in. The behavior of your companion(s) depends on whether the reservation had instruments applied. You may have one CPU companion, who will be waitlisted with your Premier priority but with an effective fare class below X (namely, last). If your companion was on a different PNR originally, or you want to designate a different companion, an airport agent can do that for you. Therefore, the list of 1Ks might be:
1) 1K on an S fare (you)
2) 1K on a K fare
3) Your no-status companion
4) Plat on a B fare
If your reservation had instruments applied, however, this process is different. In this case, if the reservation is auto-split at check-in, all travelers will have your Premier priority with their fare class. Say you are a 1K with three non-status companions, all with GPUs applied. Then you have
1) 1K on a V fare,PlusPoints applied
2..5) you (1K) and your three companions on W fares, ordered by sequence number
6) Plat on a Q fare, miles+cash applied
Frequently Asked Questions
I was #1 on the upgrade list, but someone else got the upgrade instead. What happened?
The most likely answer is that a higher status passenger or fare moved to your flight.
I'm #1 on the upgrade list but seats in the forward cabin keep disappearing. No one is being upgraded. What's going on?
There are two major sources of this. First, once your flight is within 24 hours of departure, it is eligible for SDC. Passengers with paid premium tickets can change to your flight and take seats. Many experienced flyers, especially FT members, underestimate the volatility of flight loads on the day of departure. Additionally, United usually makes a time-of-departure upsell offer available at check-in. Purchasers of this upgrade may often appear similar to last-minute revenue bookings.
I was waitlisted for I (or IN) class and did not clear. Am I now eligible for an upgrade?
"Upgrade" is the wrong terminology. You should be automatically placed on the standy list for business or first (whichever applies). Historically there have been problems with this occurring automatically, but that seems to have mostly been fixed. The exact priority compared to passengers who are waitlisted for an upgrade is unclear and a matter of some dispute. See discussion of GG ONESTANDBY lines 32-55.
Who are these people who are on standby lists for both Business and First?
These are non-revs (i.e., UA employees and family members) - either NRPS (non-rev positive space) or NRSA (non-rev standby). Non-revs can list for any cabin. NRPS are traveling on company business (e.g., deadheading pilots) and will clear into open space ahead of upgraders. NRSA travel standby and will be last in priority after all paid passengers. Why would someone be listed on both standby & upgrade list(s)?
I want to note the distinction that this only applies to NRPS that book the specific cabin directly (eg. if NRPS are eligible for J, they will clear into J immediately if any J seat is available). Otherwise, if NRPS book a lower cabin, they will be waitlisted after all paid (cash+award) pax but before NRSA for upgrades to higher cabins.
Yes, but only at the airport/gate and some agents are not familiar with the process. They are at the bottom of your status group.
Related threads
Ever see (+X blocked) in booked column on upgrade list?
Consolidated "Waitlist for Award Seats Questions/Issues"
[Consolidated] Chance of upgrade clearing on my flight
Decoding the alphabet soup - fare buckets for UA
Archive
Understanding the United Upgrade List Comprehensively [Archive]
Understanding the United Upgrade List Comprehensively
#526
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,386
Well, yes and no. The explanation is that the cleared list is meaningless. You can clear an upgrade without being on it, and you can be on it without being upgraded. I’m sure that doesn’t give you a lot of clarity, but it’s the unfortunate truth.
#527
Join Date: Aug 2011
Programs: UA 1K | Marriott LT Platinum
Posts: 459
I had an unusual upgrade experience this week while flying from IAD to DFW. I was second on the upgrade list for an M fare, with one passenger ahead of me. However, 12 hours before departure, I received a notification that I had been upgraded to FC, while the passenger who was originally ranked first remained in that position. The only difference was that I had already checked in, whereas the passenger at number one had not. Does anyone know why the upgrade algo skipped me the passenger at number one? Do you need to be checked-in to clear the upgrade list at T-24?
Again, this is very niche so may not have applied here but is a situation where I've seen this exact behavior.
#528
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: BOS, PVG
Programs: United 1K and 1MM, Marriott Ambassador
Posts: 10,000
Something weird is going on.
Applied PP to waitlist a good friend's flight to Europe, booked in K class. Later he said that it's OK to sit in Y since there are lot of empty Y seats and he might get a row for himself.
Upgrade request is withdrawn. The PNR does not show "upgrade requested".
But somehow he is still on the upgrade list (flight is tomorrow). How could this happen?
Would UA give him a free upgrade? J is wide open with 25/50 booked and only 10 people are waitlisted for upgrades.
Applied PP to waitlist a good friend's flight to Europe, booked in K class. Later he said that it's OK to sit in Y since there are lot of empty Y seats and he might get a row for himself.
Upgrade request is withdrawn. The PNR does not show "upgrade requested".
But somehow he is still on the upgrade list (flight is tomorrow). How could this happen?
Would UA give him a free upgrade? J is wide open with 25/50 booked and only 10 people are waitlisted for upgrades.
#529
Join Date: May 2012
Location: ORF, RIC
Programs: UA LT 1K, 3 MM; Marriott Titanium; IHG Platinum
Posts: 6,952
Something weird is going on.
Applied PP to waitlist a good friend's flight to Europe, booked in K class. Later he said that it's OK to sit in Y since there are lot of empty Y seats and he might get a row for himself.
Upgrade request is withdrawn. The PNR does not show "upgrade requested".
But somehow he is still on the upgrade list (flight is tomorrow). How could this happen?
Would UA give him a free upgrade? J is wide open with 25/50 booked and only 10 people are waitlisted for upgrades.
Applied PP to waitlist a good friend's flight to Europe, booked in K class. Later he said that it's OK to sit in Y since there are lot of empty Y seats and he might get a row for himself.
Upgrade request is withdrawn. The PNR does not show "upgrade requested".
But somehow he is still on the upgrade list (flight is tomorrow). How could this happen?
Would UA give him a free upgrade? J is wide open with 25/50 booked and only 10 people are waitlisted for upgrades.
#530
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 100
Would love people's thoughts here on upgrade situation.
Flying to EZE. I'm GS and paid money for my polaris, and then I booked my wife (who is my GS companion) and my 2 kids in coach for Dec flights hoping to upgrade them using PP. I don't have enough miles to book all 3 in polaris each way. (and before I get blasted for doing it this way, I have a horrible back, my wife and kids are short, they are fine flying coach, and I leave for another international trip right after we get back from EZE and need to be fresh and rested for that)
The questions: there are currently ~15 seats available each way. Would they clear 1 at a time, or would they get stuck till all 3 clear? I know I can only pull 1 up to polaris with me, I'm waiting to see how flights shake out to see which way gets lower. Given 15 seats, when do you think PZ/PN would open? Would they be top of the list (assuming no other GS put in for upgrades)?
thanks!
Flying to EZE. I'm GS and paid money for my polaris, and then I booked my wife (who is my GS companion) and my 2 kids in coach for Dec flights hoping to upgrade them using PP. I don't have enough miles to book all 3 in polaris each way. (and before I get blasted for doing it this way, I have a horrible back, my wife and kids are short, they are fine flying coach, and I leave for another international trip right after we get back from EZE and need to be fresh and rested for that)
The questions: there are currently ~15 seats available each way. Would they clear 1 at a time, or would they get stuck till all 3 clear? I know I can only pull 1 up to polaris with me, I'm waiting to see how flights shake out to see which way gets lower. Given 15 seats, when do you think PZ/PN would open? Would they be top of the list (assuming no other GS put in for upgrades)?
thanks!
#531
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: BOS, PVG
Programs: United 1K and 1MM, Marriott Ambassador
Posts: 10,000
Would love people's thoughts here on upgrade situation.
Flying to EZE. I'm GS and paid money for my polaris, and then I booked my wife (who is my GS companion) and my 2 kids in coach for Dec flights hoping to upgrade them using PP. I don't have enough miles to book all 3 in polaris each way. (and before I get blasted for doing it this way, I have a horrible back, my wife and kids are short, they are fine flying coach, and I leave for another international trip right after we get back from EZE and need to be fresh and rested for that)
The questions: there are currently ~15 seats available each way. Would they clear 1 at a time, or would they get stuck till all 3 clear? I know I can only pull 1 up to polaris with me, I'm waiting to see how flights shake out to see which way gets lower. Given 15 seats, when do you think PZ/PN would open? Would they be top of the list (assuming no other GS put in for upgrades)?
thanks!
Flying to EZE. I'm GS and paid money for my polaris, and then I booked my wife (who is my GS companion) and my 2 kids in coach for Dec flights hoping to upgrade them using PP. I don't have enough miles to book all 3 in polaris each way. (and before I get blasted for doing it this way, I have a horrible back, my wife and kids are short, they are fine flying coach, and I leave for another international trip right after we get back from EZE and need to be fresh and rested for that)
The questions: there are currently ~15 seats available each way. Would they clear 1 at a time, or would they get stuck till all 3 clear? I know I can only pull 1 up to polaris with me, I'm waiting to see how flights shake out to see which way gets lower. Given 15 seats, when do you think PZ/PN would open? Would they be top of the list (assuming no other GS put in for upgrades)?
thanks!
OTOH, they will be very high on the WL. I will be surprised if they don't clear the upgrade on the day of departure.
#532
Join Date: May 2012
Location: ORF, RIC
Programs: UA LT 1K, 3 MM; Marriott Titanium; IHG Platinum
Posts: 6,952
Check the GS thread!
Would love people's thoughts here on upgrade situation.
Flying to EZE. I'm GS and paid money for my polaris, and then I booked my wife (who is my GS companion) and my 2 kids in coach for Dec flights hoping to upgrade them using PP. I don't have enough miles to book all 3 in polaris each way. (and before I get blasted for doing it this way, I have a horrible back, my wife and kids are short, they are fine flying coach, and I leave for another international trip right after we get back from EZE and need to be fresh and rested for that)
The questions: there are currently ~15 seats available each way. Would they clear 1 at a time, or would they get stuck till all 3 clear? I know I can only pull 1 up to polaris with me, I'm waiting to see how flights shake out to see which way gets lower. Given 15 seats, when do you think PZ/PN would open? Would they be top of the list (assuming no other GS put in for upgrades)?
thanks!
Flying to EZE. I'm GS and paid money for my polaris, and then I booked my wife (who is my GS companion) and my 2 kids in coach for Dec flights hoping to upgrade them using PP. I don't have enough miles to book all 3 in polaris each way. (and before I get blasted for doing it this way, I have a horrible back, my wife and kids are short, they are fine flying coach, and I leave for another international trip right after we get back from EZE and need to be fresh and rested for that)
The questions: there are currently ~15 seats available each way. Would they clear 1 at a time, or would they get stuck till all 3 clear? I know I can only pull 1 up to polaris with me, I'm waiting to see how flights shake out to see which way gets lower. Given 15 seats, when do you think PZ/PN would open? Would they be top of the list (assuming no other GS put in for upgrades)?
thanks!
Please refer this section of the wiki: Additional Known Award and Upgrade Benefits (many unpublished) of the following thread: Consolidated Global Services Thread: Benefits, Questions, Experiences [2023]
Good luck.
#533
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 100
Yes, single ticket (the kids are minors). Should I remove the upgrade request for all 3 and do it 1 at a time do you think?
#534
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: BOS, PVG
Programs: United 1K and 1MM, Marriott Ambassador
Posts: 10,000
#535
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: CLE
Programs: UA:1K 0.81M
Posts: 135
Why didn't both get upgraded to PremPlus - where to complain?
I put in a plus points upgrade for two friends flying IAD-CDG rountrip. Outbound they both cleared to premium plus. Today's UA914 left with only one of them getting upgraded to premium plus. The PP seat next to her was empty and was still purple on the seat map. He at least had hobo first class in regular economy.
The closed upgrade list (below) shows there were seats available in PP.
I still have ample pluspoints available.
Is there a (legitimate) reason that only one of them cleared? Is this a question for 1KVoice or MPSC?
This is the second time I've had this happen.
Thanks,
The closed upgrade list (below) shows there were seats available in PP.
I still have ample pluspoints available.
Is there a (legitimate) reason that only one of them cleared? Is this a question for 1KVoice or MPSC?
This is the second time I've had this happen.
Thanks,
Last edited by 50Kthehardway; Nov 14, 2023 at 2:36 pm
#537
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: BOS, PVG
Programs: United 1K and 1MM, Marriott Ambassador
Posts: 10,000
I put in a plus points upgrade for two friends flying IAD-CDG rountrip. Outbound they both cleared to premium plus. Today's UA914 left with only one of them getting upgraded to premium plus. The PP seat next to her was empty and was still purple on the seat map. He at least had hobo first class in regular economy.
The closed upgrade list (below) shows there were seats available in PP.
I still have ample pluspoints available.
Is there a (legitimate) reason that only one of them cleared? Is this a question for 1KVoice or MPSC?
This is the second time I've had this happen.
Thanks,
The closed upgrade list (below) shows there were seats available in PP.
I still have ample pluspoints available.
Is there a (legitimate) reason that only one of them cleared? Is this a question for 1KVoice or MPSC?
This is the second time I've had this happen.
Thanks,
I have seen this happening more and more frequently. Plane takes off with 49/50 booked in J with people still on the WL.
I can't explain the reason. Maybe a federal marshal?
Sometimes the seat map shows ONE empty seat, sometimes the seat map is full.
#538
Join Date: May 2022
Posts: 91
4 days before our LHR-ORD flight…. My party of three is 1-3 on the upgrade list but it seems like we keep getting skipped over. Available Polaris seats have dwindled from 18 to 5 in the last 24 hours. I now wonder if I should have called in to split the PNR. Anyways, was curious about the following: the upgrade list says Booked Seats 41 out of 46 total, but the flight is showing J7 JN7 C6 D5 Z5 ZN5 P4. If there are only five J seats remaining, why J7? Are they overselling J?
#539
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: BOS, PVG
Programs: United 1K and 1MM, Marriott Ambassador
Posts: 10,000
4 days before our LHR-ORD flight…. My party of three is 1-3 on the upgrade list but it seems like we keep getting skipped over. Available Polaris seats have dwindled from 18 to 5 in the last 24 hours. I now wonder if I should have called in to split the PNR. Anyways, was curious about the following: the upgrade list says Booked Seats 41 out of 46 total, but the flight is showing J7 JN7 C6 D5 Z5 ZN5 P4. If there are only five J seats remaining, why J7? Are they overselling J?
Blocked J seats usually are good news for upgrades.
#540
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Floating around
Programs: UA 1K (1MM), DL Gold (1MM), Marriott LTT
Posts: 10,341
But unfortunately your reply isn't answering the OP's question. They had a waitlisted friend for PremPlus which was showing multiple seats open and yet they went out empty. Now *that* I can't explain.
-RM