ordflyer18

How do I donate my GPUs? I am not going to be taking any international flights, will re qualify for 1k on friday and my RPUs hardly ever clear. I know that I can ask for an extension but I frankly have 0 use of my GPUs

WineCountryUA

There is no formal, supported process to donate GPUs. Say to a charity.

You can offer to request for friends/family/coworkers, you will need their PNR and name. You pull up their reservation in your account and do the standard process

Lani1

I have 7 RPU's that just NEVER seem to clear!

Aussienarelle

I really wish UA would start such a program, for example:

GPUs for bringing sick children/people to the USA for medical treatment;
RPUs for uniformed military personnel

There is no tax deduction for donation of such an item, but most of us would do this for the "I am doing something nice" for the (anonymous) feel good factor.

I am unable to use my RPUs at the airport when I see a uniformed military person as flights are generally full on the day of departure. In the past I have asked the GA to swap seats (put the soldier in my seat and I will take their seat) but have learnt to do this out of ear shot of the other passengers as others on the UG list start complaining if I try to give up my seat for the military person. Although I was on a flight on Monday and someone wanted to give up his domestic first class seat to the person sitting next to his wife in coach as he wanted to sit with his wife and he was not allowed to swap with that person (explained as a security issue but overheard the FAs and GA stating there is now an official policy that if you do not want your seat it must go to the next person on the UG list as the GS/1K members complain.) I would have swapped with the wife but the flight was delayed (and this interration made the delay longer) and I only had 10 mins to make my connecting flight (which I did but not sure I would have made it from the exit row.)

Back on topic, guess if GS/1K members are going to complain then this is probably why UA has not started a donation program for GPUs and RPUs.

Kacee

I think donating upgrade instruments, while reflecting laudable intentions, is inconsistent with the airlines' view of what these instruments represent.

They are perks for the personal use of the customers who earned them (or immediate friends family). Not some independent currency to be transferred to strangers, either for profit or charity.

WineCountryUA

While agreeing on the likely reason, there is a process for donating miles which the airlines view in a similiar manner. Although RPUs/GPUs would be a more complicated process with the expiration issue, restricted geographic usage and the need for an underlying paid ticket.

Kacee

It's a good point, but I would respond that upgrade instruments are different from miles, which really have become a transferable currency. Not only can you convert credit card points to miles, you can pay UA to transfer them between accounts.

Also agree on the additional complicating factors.

HeidiInTheAlps

I know that once I reach 1K status (will be December) I can get two of my GPU's extended, but that will still leave me with at least one unused GPU, expiring January 31 2018. It seems a pity to let that go unused.

Any suggestions on how to do something useful with the GPU?

TIA FT friends.

eng3

When you reach the 1K threshold, your six new GPUs will expire 1/31/2019.
As 1K, you can call in and they should extend your remaining one which expires 1/31/2018

As for RPU's they don't extend them so just apply them to anything and everything.

nigos

In my opinion, having only one GPU go unused is a victory. I will give up 2 GPU's and 10 RPUs at the end of January. I try to waitlist upgrades for all of my friends but the success rate is quit low.

IAH-OIL-TRASH

OP will get 6 new GPUs expiring 1/31/2019 when (I assume) she reaches 1K for 2018. She will be able to extend two of the three she currently has until (I think) 4/30/2018. That leaves her one she's wondering what to do with.

Kacee

I have had success gifting them to friends and family as well as other FT members. It's good karma

HeidiInTheAlps

That's perspective!
I am AMS based, and the AMS-IAH flight has like 50+ business class seats, which dramatically increases chances of getting the upgrade...

Two Bee

RPU for BOS - LAX 2 days ago did not clear (#11 on the list). Called just now (2 days later) to find out when it would be returned, and was informed by my personal representative in India that I need to wait 4 FULL days from the time the miles posted to my account (today) before I get it back. She could not do it for me now as there may be a double redeposit, or something like that. So I've got that going for me!!!

DELee

Call the MPSC in the morning in the US. Or call again - I just called 1K and they shipped me over to MPSC in order to reclaim an RPU applied to my wife's PNR from about 10 days ago. After 10 minutes, my RPU counter is +1.

David