Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Miles&Points > Airlines and Mileage Programs > United Airlines | MileagePlus
Reload this Page >

Understanding the United Upgrade List Comprehensively {Archive}

Old Apr 27, 2020, 1:00 am
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
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-SFO/LAX, BOS-SFO and v.v.) 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
    • 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) -- see UA award chart for details 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. For Plats and below these require PZ space. For 1Ks and GS, this can be done on Y, B & M fares and requires PN space. 1K & GS, if not cleared at booking, will be waitlisted.

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:
  • All Global Services members (presumably prioritized similar to other members below), including those awaiting a CPU.
  • For CPU eligible flights, Premier 1K members on eligible Y-, B- and M-class fares that were not cleared at time of booking are prioritized by fare class and then time of request.
  • All travelers on waitlisted instrument-supported upgrades: Prioritized by Premier status of the traveler, then fare class and then time of request. There is no priority difference between types of instruments.
  • For CPU eligible flights all remaining Premier members: Prioritized by Premier status of the traveler and fare class (award tickets are considered the lowest fare class)

Recent announced modification
Effective August 14, 2018, upgrade waitlists are processed in the following priority order:
  1. Premier status of the traveler
  2. Fare class
  3. Chase United MileagePlus Club cardholder
  4. United Corporate Preferred participant
  5. Time of request
Later in 2018: We will include upgrade priority for primary Chase United MileagePlus Cardmembers who have met the $25K annual spend Premier Qualifying Dollar (PQD) waiver on a Chase MileagePlus co-brand card. Priority order for these Cardmembers will fall after United Corporate Preferred participants and before time of request.
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.)

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 has only checked-in passengers and 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 Economy fares may show as a confirmed upgrade to Premium Economy.

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, once checked in, in priority order. But until all have checked in, the visible gate waitlist is incomplete.


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 GPU applied: both are eligible as 1Ks with GPU
1K and three non-status companions, 4x GPU applied: all four are eligible as 1Ks with GPU

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, GPU 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 the upgraded passenger was not checked in. Remember that the upgrade standby list (the visible list) only shows passengers who have checked in.

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)?

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

Understanding the United Upgrade List Comprehensively [Archive]

Print Wikipost

Understanding the United Upgrade List Comprehensively {Archive}

Old Mar 16, 2018, 1:20 pm
  #886  
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: SAN
Posts: 110
Upgrade standby question

I am on the upgrade standby list for a flight tomorrow. I paid dollars and miles, but I don’t have any status. Unfortunately, I can’t check in online, not we’re they able to help me over the phone, this I cannot see where I am on the upgrade list. As of this morning it showed 6 available first class seats on the seat map, now it shows none. What I don’t understand is what it means that the 2 people at the top of the list have a blue check mark and a seat number, but the people below them are numbered 1 through whatever. Is it still possible for someone with a higher priority to come in and bump those top two out, even though there are seat numbers assigned?
maggersmagoo is offline  
Old Mar 16, 2018, 1:24 pm
  #887  
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Tit
Posts: 264
Nope. If they have blue check marks and seats assigned, it's a done deal.
jtet is offline  
Old Mar 16, 2018, 1:25 pm
  #888  
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: BOS<>NYC<>BKK
Programs: UA 4.3MM LT-GS; AA1MM; Amtrak SE; MAR LT TITAN; PC Plat; HIL DIA; HYA GLOB
Posts: 4,375
Good chance one or more high status pax did a same-day change, or else they sold the seats out from under the upgraders.
wxguy is offline  
Old Mar 16, 2018, 1:32 pm
  #889  
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: SAN
Posts: 110
I wonder why they even show them on there. If they are already have a confirmed upgrade they’re not on standby anymore. Ok, thanks for clearing that up, at least I can give up hoping that it will happen.
maggersmagoo is offline  
Old Mar 16, 2018, 1:32 pm
  #890  
Moderator: United Airlines
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.99MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,568
Originally Posted by maggersmagoo
Is it still possible for someone with a higher priority to come in and bump those top two out, even though there are seat numbers assigned? ...
No, they have confirmed seats / upgrades.

There are a number of other things to mention
The list you see is only used at the gate but there is another similar (but some differences - take a bit to explain all the differences -- see the new thread's wiki)

Those with the checkmarks may have been upgraded earlier or more recently. They may be CPU, they may be supported upgrades.

Other seats may have been taken by last-minute purchase / flight changes or by folks do cash upgrades or ....
WineCountryUA is offline  
Old Mar 16, 2018, 1:35 pm
  #891  
Moderator: United Airlines
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.99MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,568
Originally Posted by maggersmagoo
I wonder why they even show them on there. If they are already have a confirmed upgrade they’re not on standby anymore. Ok, thanks for clearing that up, at least I can give up hoping that it will happen.
It is a notification - confirming their upgrade.

It is not usual for Full flights to have seats open up at the gate -- irrops, misconnects, change of plans, ..
WineCountryUA is offline  
Old Mar 16, 2018, 5:16 pm
  #892  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 14,924
Originally Posted by maggersmagoo
...Is it still possible for someone with a higher priority to come in and bump those top two out, even though there are seat numbers assigned?...
The list you can see is those who have already been upgraded and those waiting who have checked in and have not been upgraded. Since you have not checked in, your name doesn't show, although it is still on the "invisible" waitlist used for upgrades before the gate agent takes over the process using the list you can see. Depending on the flight, your lack of status means you might be well down on the waitlist.
IAH-OIL-TRASH is offline  
Old Mar 18, 2018, 8:18 am
  #893  
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Houston TX
Programs: UN 1K MM, Marriott-LT TitanElite, Hyatt Glob; HH-Gold
Posts: 74
Question

I just experienced a mile award clearing before my GPUs. My mother, husband and I are flying to PEK and returning HKG. I only had 4 GPUs left. To give my non-status mother, the best chance of upgrading, I put her on my reservation and used my GPUs for her and I. I then had my mother use her miles to upgrade my husband's ticket. Due to my million mile status, my husband has my 1K status, so, there are essentially 3, 1Ks waiting for an upgrade. My husband has cleared the upgrade list on the miles upgrade HKG to SFO and my mom and I are still in coach. All 3 of us have V fares on that leg of the flight. I booked our tickets first, so "technically" we would be waitlisted first. We still have plenty of time before our November flight, yet I'm left wondering how many more times will mile awards clear over the GPUs? And, would it have been better to book all 3 tickets separately to give all of us the best chance to upgrade?

Last edited by WineCountryUA; Mar 18, 2018 at 11:38 am Reason: merged into master thread
Babymule is offline  
Old Mar 18, 2018, 8:39 am
  #894  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BOS/EAP
Programs: UA 1K, MR LTT, HH Dia, Amex Plat
Posts: 31,837
Originally Posted by Babymule
I realize this thread is very old, however, I just experienced a mile award clearing before my GPUs. My mother, husband and I are flying to PEK and returning HKG. I only had 4 GPUs left. To give my non-status mother, the best chance of upgrading, I put her on my reservation and used my GPUs for her and I. I then had my mother use her miles to upgrade my husband's ticket. Due to my million mile status, my husband has my 1K status, so, there are essentially 3, 1Ks waiting for an upgrade. My husband has cleared the upgrade list on the miles upgrade HKG to SFO and my mom and I are still in coach. All 3 of us have V fares on that leg of the flight. I booked our tickets first, so "technically" we would be waitlisted first. We still have plenty of time before our November flight, yet I'm left wondering how many more times will mile awards clear over the GPUs? And, would it have been better to book all 3 tickets separately to give all of us the best chance to upgrade?
The system worked correctly. If 2 pax are on the same PNR and you are waiting for an upgrade (complimentary or miles or GPU or whatever) then you need R2 to clear because it will only clear when 2 seats are available. The system will skip every R1 that becomes available and goes to the next pax down the list. You increase the chance of clearing by splitting the PNR.
cfischer is offline  
Old Mar 18, 2018, 10:15 am
  #895  
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Houston TX
Programs: UN 1K MM, Marriott-LT TitanElite, Hyatt Glob; HH-Gold
Posts: 74
Thank you so very much! I just called and had our record split. I sincerely appreciate the fast feedback!
Babymule is offline  
Old Mar 18, 2018, 2:24 pm
  #896  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 14,924
Originally Posted by Babymule
Thank you so very much! I just called and had our record split. I sincerely appreciate the fast feedback!
I believe your mother is now waitlisted on her own (no) status with the GPU.
IAH-OIL-TRASH is offline  
Old Mar 20, 2018, 12:28 pm
  #897  
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Gold, SPG Gold
Posts: 1,496
I read through the wiki a couple times and still aren't sure of the answer. Going to Hawaii. Have 4 passengers on 3 itineraries:
1K + GM, RPU cleared upgrade
GM, waitlisted by 1K's RPU
GM, waitlisted by 1K's RPU

I interpret the wiki as saying that the GMs would be ahead of all status holding passengers that are NOT using an instrument/MUA/instant upgrade fare, but behind other passengers using instruments/MUA. Is this correct and does this hold true all the way to departure time?
iceman77_7 is offline  
Old Mar 20, 2018, 12:55 pm
  #898  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 14,924
Originally Posted by iceman77_7
I read through the wiki a couple times and still aren't sure of the answer. Going to Hawaii. Have 4 passengers on 3 itineraries:
1K + GM, RPU cleared upgrade
GM, waitlisted by 1K's RPU
GM, waitlisted by 1K's RPU

I interpret the wiki as saying that the GMs would be ahead of all status holding passengers that are NOT using an instrument/MUA/instant upgrade fare, but behind other passengers using instruments/MUA. Is this correct and does this hold true all the way to departure time?
Ahead of all CPUs, behind everyone else - except any GMers with lower fare classes looking for instrument/mileage upgrades (or GMers w/ same fare class who purchased later)
IAH-OIL-TRASH is offline  
Old Mar 20, 2018, 1:00 pm
  #899  
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Gold, SPG Gold
Posts: 1,496
Originally Posted by IAH-OIL-TRASH
Ahead of all CPUs, behind everyone else - except any GMers with lower fare classes looking for instrument/mileage upgrades (or GMers w/ same fare class who purchased later)
Great, thanks!
iceman77_7 is offline  
Old Mar 20, 2018, 2:57 pm
  #900  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 11,351
Originally Posted by iceman77_7
I read through the wiki a couple times and still aren't sure of the answer. Going to Hawaii. Have 4 passengers on 3 itineraries:
1K + GM, RPU cleared upgrade
GM, waitlisted by 1K's RPU
GM, waitlisted by 1K's RPU

I interpret the wiki as saying that the GMs would be ahead of all status holding passengers that are NOT using an instrument/MUA/instant upgrade fare, but behind other passengers using instruments/MUA. Is this correct and does this hold true all the way to departure time?
Originally Posted by IAH-OIL-TRASH
Ahead of all CPUs, behind everyone else - except any GMers with lower fare classes looking for instrument/mileage upgrades (or GMers w/ same fare class who purchased later)
* behind GS upgrade including CPU, ahead of all other CPU.
fumje is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.