Dec 14, 2014, 1:08 pm
Last edit by: MattR23
UPDATE 4/11/16: Expert Mode is back for revenue flight searches. You may need to log out and back in again to see it appear. Expert mode currently does not appear in award flight searches.
As of at least 3/20/16, Expert mode either does not display in searches or displays information which may not be accurate. United IT is aware of the issue but no timeline for a fix has been released.
As a workaround to see if there's available upgrade space, use the Advanced Search feature and select the upgrade type. On the flight search results page, you'll see green up arrows when upgrade space is available. Otherwise, a yellow up arrow will indicate that the segment is waitlist only.
***
How to enable Expert Mode:
What is Expert Mode ? -- see Expert Mode Update: better upgrade visibility and opt-in to see fare bucket data
As of at least 3/20/16, Expert mode either does not display in searches or displays information which may not be accurate. United IT is aware of the issue but no timeline for a fix has been released.
As a workaround to see if there's available upgrade space, use the Advanced Search feature and select the upgrade type. On the flight search results page, you'll see green up arrows when upgrade space is available. Otherwise, a yellow up arrow will indicate that the segment is waitlist only.
***
How to enable Expert Mode:
- Go to 'My Account” on United.com
- Scroll down to 'Profile', select 'Manage Profile'
- 'View All Flight Search Preferences', where one has to check the box:
- [X] I acknowledge these considerations and choose to enable Expert Mode.
Used to work but now does not:- Scroll down to 'Profile', select 'Manage Profile'
- 'View All Flight Search Preferences', where one has to check the box:
- [X] I acknowledge these considerations and choose to enable Expert Mode.
- Make sure you are fully logged on
- Make sure you really are registered for expert mode (some find it gets disabled / unchecked)
- Clear UA cookies
- Try another browser / computer
If you had been using a browser extension to auto display fare buckets, check to make sure it is still installed. Browser updates sometimes disable browser extensions.United.com has a soft login and a full login mode. When you come back after a previous visit to the home page, it may remember you and display your account info. This is the soft login mode and occurs because you select “Remember Me.” Soft login is not sufficient for Expert Mode, so some do not use the “Remember Me” function due to the confusion it creates.
For access to Expert Mode and most account details, you need first to do a formal login. You can force this by attempting to access your profile or itinerary details or accessing your mileage posting history or …
You will lose the full logged-in status by closing the browser window or after some period of time or ….
- Only works in flight search modeFor access to Expert Mode and most account details, you need first to do a formal login. You can force this by attempting to access your profile or itinerary details or accessing your mileage posting history or …
You will lose the full logged-in status by closing the browser window or after some period of time or ….
- Make sure you really are registered for expert mode (some find it gets disabled / unchecked)
- Clear UA cookies
- Try another browser / computer
What is Expert Mode ? -- see Expert Mode Update: better upgrade visibility and opt-in to see fare bucket data
Expert Mode fare information not visible or working [REPAIRED for rev. searches].
Apr 7, 2016, 9:09 am
#361
Join Date: May 2010
Location: AVP & PEK
Programs: UA 1K 1.8MM
Posts: 6,349
Apr 8, 2016, 1:39 am
#362
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Lahaina, HI & Los Angeles, CA
Programs: UA GS
Posts: 2,403
Another fail.
Apr 8, 2016, 7:27 am
#363
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: where lions are led by donkeys...
Programs: Lifetime Gold, Global Entry, Hertz PC, and my wallet
Posts: 20,340
Apr 8, 2016, 7:33 am
#364
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: 6,310
Honestly - this is an abomination. Been trying for days and have just given up - will give my next few months of travel - and $20k - to an airline that wants it...
Apr 8, 2016, 7:35 am
#365
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: USA
Programs: All major programs
Posts: 1,403
Just call the 1 K/GS line and they should be able to book whatever you need. The wait times for the 1 K line was minimal yesterday.
Apr 8, 2016, 7:42 am
#366
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: 6,310
I spent 40 minutes on phone yesterday trying to do just that - and after feeding segments to agents that don't know what they are doing and not getting anywhere I gave up... If they don't know what ON space is, or how to find it - how can they be a GS agent? Oh wait I forgot - they just answer the phone now as "GS" - but they did offer me all sorts of deals for Hertz or hotels for my trip should I want it...
Apr 8, 2016, 7:44 am
#367
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: United Premier 1K 1MM; AA Plat Pro; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott Platinum; Avis President's Club
Posts: 2,529
If the FAA bill ever does come up in the House there should be a push to require ALL airlines to provide transparency on fares per flight - it could be as simple as requiring DOT to develop regs to this effect.
Apr 8, 2016, 7:58 am
#368
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,450
Apr 8, 2016, 8:11 am
#369
Join Date: Mar 2014
Programs: Mileage Plus Global Services 2MM
Posts: 1,200
Trust me, they do. I had one agent confide that it made her feel like a "telemarketer"! Told her that I felt badly for her as I politely declined the offers.
Apr 8, 2016, 9:24 am
#370
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: DAY
Programs: UA 1K 1MM; Marriott LT Titanium; Amex MR; Chase UR; Hertz PC; Global Entry
Posts: 10,159
I guess the April 6 update to fix Expert Mode was as massive a failure as should be expected from United.
Idiots.
Apr 8, 2016, 9:58 am
#371
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Texas
Programs: Former 1K turned UA Kettle
Posts: 413
A work around I've been using is just make the flight you want to look for buckets on as the last flight of a multi city itin. For example, I was looking IAH-LHR so I changed the origin to BPT and the second leg, IAH-LHR shows the fare buckets now.
Apr 8, 2016, 10:02 am
#372
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: 6,310
But you still don't know -after even having to do all this extra work - IF THEY ARE ACTUALLY ACCURATE lol! This is based on my experiences yesterday on the phone - even when I could get the second / third segments to display the buckets - they were not accurate... Of course, my agent wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed....
Apr 8, 2016, 10:03 am
#373
Moderator: Smoking Lounge; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: SFO
Programs: Lifetime (for now) Gold MM, HH Gold, Giving Tootsie Pops to UA employees, & a retired hockey goalie
Posts: 28,878
While this does work in showing fare buckets for the second leg, there are reports in this thread that the fare buckets displayed may or may not be accurate so YMMV
Apr 8, 2016, 10:46 am
#374
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 1999
Posts: 11,468
Actually, it would be helpful to list city pairs easing the search.
e.g. looking at EWR-LAX, I plugged in MHT-LAX.
Now, searching for early am flights it gets tricky, because there are no connecting flights. For example I want to check the 6h00 & 7h00 am EWR-LAX departure, but there are no connecting flights from MHT that early in the morning.
What an convolution
Apr 8, 2016, 10:55 am
#375
Moderator: Budget Travel forum & Credit Card Programs, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: YYJ/YVR and back on Van Isle ....... for now
Programs: UA lifetime MM / *A Gold
Posts: 14,428
Now accuracy, well ....