Disappearing upgrades
Mar 25, 2014, 7:22 am
#46
Join Date: Jul 2011
Programs: AA Plat, UA 1K>Plat>moving to Silver
Posts: 2,075
It is a shame we have to babysit our reservations, but one of the reasons I do it for UA now is to monitor the upgrades for TODs or HODs, which I will usually take if offered, and I usually sign up to waitlist for upgrades with miles at booking (it seems like I almost always have about 40k miles just cycling out of my account and back in again since I either don't get it or I upgrade for cash). Upgrading is not as critical to me for domestic, unless coast to coast, but the uncertainty of upgrades in international has me more frequently paying for transatlantic business, and when I do that, UA is usually not at the top of the list.
Mar 25, 2014, 7:46 am
#47
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: LGA/JFK/EWR
Programs: UA 1K1.75MM, Hyatt Globalist, abandoned Marriott LTT (RIP SPG), Hertz PC
Posts: 21,166
UA is free to sell upgrades at whatever cost they want to whomever they want. However, this current approach is certainly part of why the only time I fly UA these days is when I can buy a very cheap ticket and upgrade at purchase with a cert or when they are the only choice for the trip for schedule reasons. And it is therefore part of why folks like AS and DL have gotten the vast majority of my purchased first class tickets over the past year or more. At least in my case it has cost UA substantial revenue to opt to always screw 1Ks for small revenue bumps. But, hey, in the global scheme of things they are probably actually optimizing their profits - after all, look how well they are doing financially versus their competition. Oh wait . . .
Mar 25, 2014, 9:07 am
#48
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: NJ
Programs: UA Gold, Hilton Gold, Marriott Plat,
Posts: 284
Maybe I'll turn the tables...
I have an upcoming trip EWR-SFO-HKG booked on K as part of a deep discount sale. There was a schedule change so UA agreed to waive change fee if I were to buy up to a W fare. This sounded great, until agent informed me that buy up was well over $1,000 and no R space was available.
Anyway I'm monitoring inventory, and hoping to get a buy up offer at OLCI. in past I've seen these for around $700...if they offer, I'll bite and will have saved a GPU, and UA gets less $$ from me. :-)
Either way, AA has gotten most of my business, and I have found great value in their EXP challenge offered last August. Can't beat unrestricted SWUs. ^
Anyway I'm monitoring inventory, and hoping to get a buy up offer at OLCI. in past I've seen these for around $700...if they offer, I'll bite and will have saved a GPU, and UA gets less $$ from me. :-)
Either way, AA has gotten most of my business, and I have found great value in their EXP challenge offered last August. Can't beat unrestricted SWUs. ^
Mar 25, 2014, 9:26 am
#49
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: DEN
Programs: UA 1K (MM), DL, AA, AS, HHonors, SPG, Kimpton, Hyatt, IC PC, Marriott Titanium (LT PLT), Hertz PC
Posts: 7,231
Mar 25, 2014, 9:30 am
#50
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,413
At 24 hours from departure, waitlists will expire and automatic processing of upgrades, per the priority listed above, will continue. As customers check in, they will be placed on an airport upgrade standby list. This standby list will clear after check-in is closed, and is based on Premier status and fare class.
Mar 25, 2014, 11:10 am
#51
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: DEN
Programs: UA 1K (MM), DL, AA, AS, HHonors, SPG, Kimpton, Hyatt, IC PC, Marriott Titanium (LT PLT), Hertz PC
Posts: 7,231
This is an interesting question. The published rule, while somewhat vague, supports mahasamatman's position:
At 24 hours from departure, waitlists will expire and automatic processing of upgrades, per the priority listed above, will continue. As customers check in, they will be placed on an airport upgrade standby list. This standby list will clear after check-in is closed, and is based on Premier status and fare class.
At 24 hours from departure, waitlists will expire and automatic processing of upgrades, per the priority listed above, will continue. As customers check in, they will be placed on an airport upgrade standby list. This standby list will clear after check-in is closed, and is based on Premier status and fare class.
Mar 25, 2014, 11:19 am
#52
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,413
Right, so that begs the question that someone else brought up -- let's say I was wait listed for an upgrade using an instrument (on a CPU-eligible route), and that upgrade does not clear until after check in is closed. At that point, based on this description, this should be a CPU and not an instrument supported upgrade. Can I then ask for my RPU/GPU back?
The answer should be yes, but I'm sure it doesn't work that way. Heads UA wins, tails you lose.
Mar 25, 2014, 11:25 am
#53
Suspended
Join Date: May 2011
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 1,961
Right, so that begs the question that someone else brought up -- let's say I was wait listed for an upgrade using an instrument (on a CPU-eligible route), and that upgrade does not clear until after check in is closed. At that point, based on this description, this should be a CPU and not an instrument supported upgrade. Can I then ask for my RPU/GPU back?
Mar 25, 2014, 12:00 pm
#54
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: 66,761
Mar 25, 2014, 12:39 pm
#55
In memoriam
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: NYC
Programs: UA, AA, SPG - Gold, LM
Posts: 589
I had (at least once before) a RPU returned, even after clearing the wait-listed upgrade. I had no idea until I saw the returned RPU. This could be due to the fact that the upgrade cleared as CPU at the gate and not as RPU supported upgrade.
Mar 25, 2014, 2:17 pm
#56
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Munich, Germany
Programs: UA*S, TK*G, BA G
Posts: 361
