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Understanding the United Upgrade List Comprehensively

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Old Feb 7, 2017, 11:28 am
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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).
  • 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
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  • 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.
Plus Points and MUA (also called "miles+cash upgrades") are collectively referred to as instrument-supported upgrades, as they are considered with equal priority once applied. They may also be used on Copa (CM), Lufthansa (LH), and ANA (NH) flights.
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). 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)?
Originally Posted by leftysauce
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.
Deadheading Pilots Will Have Upgrade Priority Over Elites
Can 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

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Old Mar 6, 2023, 7:14 am
  #106  
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Originally Posted by jsloan
For a situation like the one you showed, first on the upgrade list with available seats on an RJ, where the check-in window closes before boarding begins, I'd just ask the agent, sometime between T-30 and the start of preboarding, if she was planning to process the upgrades before boarding or if I should go ahead and board first.
There's absolutely nothing wrong with letting the GA know you're #1 on the list and waiting for them to process the upgrade ("Hi, I'm #1 on the list - when will you be processing upgrades?"). I would not leave the desk area until they do it.

If I don't get upgraded in this situation, I'd consider it my own fault. There's no way I just board without saying anything.
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Old Mar 6, 2023, 10:24 am
  #107  
 
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Originally Posted by DELee
Yah - from a smaller station, you'd probably need to basically have to get them to stop what they're doing and pay attention. Also, given that it was a CR7, assume it was SkyWest as the operator and the ground staff accordingly.

David
I've seen this happen many times watching from both sides of the curtain (already upgraded/waiting to be upgraded). To me it seems to happen disproportionally on the regional carriers, both at hubs and outstations.
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Old Mar 6, 2023, 2:14 pm
  #108  
 
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I thought only non-revs can be on multiple standy lists?

If so, how can the non-revs be sitting #1 and #2 on the upgrade list?

This is UA 29 on Mar 6, SFO-SIN. Non-revs also #4 and #5 on standy?
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Old Mar 6, 2023, 2:20 pm
  #109  
 
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Originally Posted by spartacusmcfly
I thought only non-revs can be on multiple standy lists?

If so, how can the non-revs be sitting #1 and #2 on the upgrade list?

This is UA 29 on Mar 6, SFO-SIN. Non-revs also #4 and #5 on standy?
Because that entire upgrade list is non-revs. They don't show up on the standby list until they check in, but are shown on the upgrade list as soon as they list for the flight.

(also 7Mar not 6Mar as that flight already departed)
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Last edited by Lux Flyer; Mar 6, 2023 at 2:58 pm
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Old Mar 6, 2023, 3:26 pm
  #110  
 
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Originally Posted by Lux Flyer
Because that entire upgrade list is non-revs. They don't show up on the standby list until they check in, but are shown on the upgrade list as soon as they list for the flight.

(also 7Mar not 6Mar as that flight already departed)
Ahh, makes sense. Thx!

​​​​​Surprising, but good!
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Old Mar 6, 2023, 3:58 pm
  #111  
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A friend who is 1K can't see upgrade list for his flight to Shanghai at T-48.

In fact, UA has intentionally masked upgrade lists for UA 857/858 since January.

Will 1K agent tell him where he is on the waitlist if he calls?
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Old Mar 6, 2023, 7:33 pm
  #112  
 
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Originally Posted by kb1992
A friend who is 1K can't see upgrade list for his flight to Shanghai at T-48.

In fact, UA has intentionally masked upgrade lists for UA 857/858 since January.

Will 1K agent tell him where he is on the waitlist if he calls?
Masking is intentional as they're dealing with some upgrade (and fare resale) gamesmanship on that route.

Details here: Status of UA's SFO-PVG operations, back to non-stop -- 30 Jan 2023
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Old Mar 7, 2023, 7:29 am
  #113  
 
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Hi everyone,
In a couple of weeks I'm flying LHR-IAH-GUA-LAX-LHR. This was originally booked as basic economy, so as I understood, there'd be no upgrades possible, even though I'm a UA Platinum. However, due to some schedule changes and two free rebookings, the return portion of this itinerary is now showing as regular economy (H-class), and as such I can choose my seats for free. However, when I click on 'Upgrade' under MMB, it says none of my flights is eligible for an upgrade.
I do of course realise that the only complimentary upgrade I could hope for would be for the GUA-LAX segment in this case, but even that would be nice!
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Old Mar 8, 2023, 7:27 am
  #114  
 
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Gifted GS is ahead of me on the upgrade list?

Kinda funny... gifted my fiance GS status as a perk of me being a MM. We are on separate PNR's on the same flights. Points and upgrades (plus points) are all out of my account, so same exact fare classes. I just looked and she is #1 and I am #2 on the upgrade list. More funny than anything but how does that happen?
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Old Mar 8, 2023, 7:31 am
  #115  
 
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Originally Posted by avi8tir
Kinda funny... gifted my fiance GS status as a perk of me being a MM. We are on separate PNR's on the same flights. Points and upgrades (plus points) are all out of my account, so same exact fare classes. I just looked and she is #1 and I am #2 on the upgrade list. More funny than anything but how does that happen?
Who did you apply the PP to first? This happens all the time for us as a couple as well...
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Old Mar 8, 2023, 8:05 am
  #116  
 
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Originally Posted by bmwe92fan
Who did you apply the PP to first? This happens all the time for us as a couple as well...
It better have been his spouse otherwise I can explain to him what happens if it isn't....
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Old Mar 8, 2023, 8:19 am
  #117  
 
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I've got a million more lifetime miles than my wife but she has earned her 1K for the last 10 years, and I've often wondered how she ends up ahead of me on the WL. It's probably just chronological because I mostly do her UGs and tickets first. Although I've seen instances where she is #1 and I am #5, so how do you explain that?
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Old Mar 8, 2023, 8:26 am
  #118  
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Originally Posted by avi8tir
Kinda funny... gifted my fiance GS status as a perk of me being a MM. We are on separate PNR's on the same flights. Points and upgrades (plus points) are all out of my account, so same exact fare classes. I just looked and she is #1 and I am #2 on the upgrade list. More funny than anything but how does that happen?
Originally Posted by zombietooth
I've got a million more lifetime miles than my wife but she has earned her 1K for the last 10 years, and I've often wondered how she ends up ahead of me on the WL. It's probably just chronological because I mostly do her UGs and tickets first. Although I've seen instances where she is #1 and I am #5, so how do you explain that?
There are about five different tiebreakers that UA uses for passengers at the same status level. However, there are numerous reports that the order is actually nondeterministic if you match every tiebreaker -- people can appear in any order, and sometimes even the opposite order on two legs of a connecting flight. It's probably not worth trying to puzzle out a 'why' for this sort of thing.
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Old Mar 8, 2023, 8:26 am
  #119  
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Sometimes the order of upgrade list is one of the biggest mysteries in life to many of us Flyertalkers.

I will never undersand why my non-status family member (#1 and using my PPs) is ahead of me while I am three behind (#4), and then before boarding the person behind me (#5) cleared. During boarding, I cleared while my family member cleared just before the door closed.

Last edited by UA_Flyer; Mar 8, 2023 at 9:42 am
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Old Mar 8, 2023, 8:45 am
  #120  
 
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Originally Posted by UA_Flyer
Sometimes the order of upgrade list is one of the biggest mysterious in life to many of us Flyertalkers.
It's third right after, "what is the meaning of life?", and, "why does my dog have a post-dump energy boost?".
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