Feb 12, 2019, 1:21 am
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
This is the archive thread, the active thread is Lufthansa GPUs Go Electronic (How to use, will it clear?, issues w/flight credit,...)
For general information on upgrading ANA or Lufthansa flights with a GPU, see Upgrading Flights Operated by ANA or Lufthansa. You actually request the upgrade through the online form, here: Request a GPU for a Select Partner Airline.
Per United web support, you only need to fill in the required* info.
**The LH flight you are upgrading must be an LH flight, not a UA codeshare flight. If you have a UA codeshare flight, you can call websupport and they will (put you on hold and] change your itinerary to one with an LH flight#.
Note that UA websupport might give you a new ticket # when you do the above, but if the original ticket # was 016 UA stock, it will remain so, and thus you will still be earning RDMs at the UA rate (11x for a 1K), not the *A rate. In case of a $6000 biz fare for LAX-FRA that you are trying to upgrade to F for example, as a 1K you would earn 66,000 UA RDM if booked as a UA flight. And even though after booking you get them to change the UA flight # from a UA codeshare flight to an LH flight, the 016 ticket stock sticks, and you earn 66,000 RDMs.
(FYI, had the ticket stock been an LH stock, the RDM's earned would be 5790 miles x 150% = 8685 RDMs. Big difference)
Note that sometimes the online upgrading does not work, and you may get an error message to call an 877 number, which is now defunct but still resides on .bomb...Ignore it and just call web support. They might put you on hold while they call LH but they will get the job done.
Eligible Economy Fares to Apply a GPU
Upgradeable to business fares include U/H/Q the lowest eligible economy fares. G&E the two top premium economy fares and Y/B/M the most expensive economy fares. (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/24219165-post205.html)
LH booking class P, Z upgreadable for miles and eVouchers
Appears this also applies to use of UA GPUs IF booked as native flight number on LH or UA ticket stock.
Presently UA is not converting codeshare to native flight numbers, as required for this process, if P or Z fare From April to September 2018 it was possible to confirm and waitlist P ,Z-class LH flights with a GPU. Confirming and waitlisting is no now longer possible, but previously waitlisted segments will continue to clear as/if available.
Checking for Upgrade Availability
Upgrades to E, C and F come from the N, I and O fare bucket, but its a subset, which theoretically is not the same as the award subset. If awards are available it is a strong indication the upgrade is available too. (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/24861289-post342.html)
In case of upgrade clearing but eticket refresh problems:
Checking for availability prior to calling
Use ANA or even united.com to see availability.
To check if C/F upgrades may open up, ask in this thread: Determining LH Y/C/F loads? [the help me guesstimate loads thread]
Regarding ticket stock, Oliver reports:
Each LH flight segment requires a separate GPU
A single GPU can be used to only upgrade a single LH flight segment, And that GPU cannot be extended to include another LH flight segment or another UA flight segment.
Problems getting mileage credit for upgraded LH segments
Numerous reports of denial of mileage credits (RDMs, PQMs, PQSs, PQDs) for upgraded tickets. This issue is probably due to LH uses the same fare bucket for mileage awards and upgrades. It seems patience, persistence, and documentation of the originally paid fare are needed to get credit.
You probably won't get credit by simply submitting the online form or asking a CSR to do so for you. A CSR needs to submit a System Issue Form, together with the mileage request, explaining that you flew in I class, but you paid for a mileage-earning booking class.
T-10
While the original system did not allow the upgrade waitlist to carry on past t-10 hours, the have been multiple reports that this is no longer the case. If not cleared in advance - the upgrade wait-list will last all the way until the door closing. UA has not updated the text on the LH GPU upgrades to reflect this change.
Archive Thread: Lufthansa GPUs Go Electronic {Archive}
Related Thread
How to upgrade with UA miles on Star Alliance carriers
For general information on upgrading ANA or Lufthansa flights with a GPU, see Upgrading Flights Operated by ANA or Lufthansa. You actually request the upgrade through the online form, here: Request a GPU for a Select Partner Airline.
Per United web support, you only need to fill in the required* info.
**The LH flight you are upgrading must be an LH flight, not a UA codeshare flight. If you have a UA codeshare flight, you can call websupport and they will (put you on hold and] change your itinerary to one with an LH flight#.
Note that UA websupport might give you a new ticket # when you do the above, but if the original ticket # was 016 UA stock, it will remain so, and thus you will still be earning RDMs at the UA rate (11x for a 1K), not the *A rate. In case of a $6000 biz fare for LAX-FRA that you are trying to upgrade to F for example, as a 1K you would earn 66,000 UA RDM if booked as a UA flight. And even though after booking you get them to change the UA flight # from a UA codeshare flight to an LH flight, the 016 ticket stock sticks, and you earn 66,000 RDMs.
(FYI, had the ticket stock been an LH stock, the RDM's earned would be 5790 miles x 150% = 8685 RDMs. Big difference)
Note that sometimes the online upgrading does not work, and you may get an error message to call an 877 number, which is now defunct but still resides on .bomb...Ignore it and just call web support. They might put you on hold while they call LH but they will get the job done.
Eligible Economy Fares to Apply a GPU
Upgradeable to business fares include U/H/Q the lowest eligible economy fares. G&E the two top premium economy fares and Y/B/M the most expensive economy fares. (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/24219165-post205.html)
While UA has not changed their T&Cs, LH appears to have expanded the potential fare classes
For C->F upgrade, J, D, C fares are eligible, Z and P fares are not. ... Just check the tables here: https://www.miles-and-more.com/onlin...l=en&cid=18002
Appears this also applies to use of UA GPUs IF booked as native flight number on LH or UA ticket stock.
Presently UA is not converting codeshare to native flight numbers, as required for this process, if P or Z fare
Checking for Upgrade Availability
Upgrades to E, C and F come from the N, I and O fare bucket, but its a subset, which theoretically is not the same as the award subset. If awards are available it is a strong indication the upgrade is available too. (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/24861289-post342.html)
In case of upgrade clearing but eticket refresh problems:
Originally Posted by oliver2002
Both longhaul LH segments cleared into I after being on waitlist . The first didnt get stickered, so the DCS ( amadeus altea ) rejected online and agent checkin . The eticket helpdesk had to manually update the first coupon for the DCS to accept the coupon. My seat in C was safe, since the PNR was updated correctly, just the ticket was not updated completely to the satisfaction of the DCS. Everyone looking at the booking agreed the upgrade was legit, so you will not be denied boarding or downgraded, just budget enough time
Originally Posted by oliver2002
The LH GA must have called the eticket helpdesk and pointed out the * SSR remark in your reservation that shows an upgrade was applied and the e-ticket just needed a fix/sticker. See my experience above.
To check if C/F upgrades may open up, ask in this thread: Determining LH Y/C/F loads? [the help me guesstimate loads thread]
Regarding ticket stock, Oliver reports:
Each LH flight segment requires a separate GPU
A single GPU can be used to only upgrade a single LH flight segment, And that GPU cannot be extended to include another LH flight segment or another UA flight segment.
Problems getting mileage credit for upgraded LH segments
Numerous reports of denial of mileage credits (RDMs, PQMs, PQSs, PQDs) for upgraded tickets. This issue is probably due to LH uses the same fare bucket for mileage awards and upgrades. It seems patience, persistence, and documentation of the originally paid fare are needed to get credit.
You probably won't get credit by simply submitting the online form or asking a CSR to do so for you. A CSR needs to submit a System Issue Form, together with the mileage request, explaining that you flew in I class, but you paid for a mileage-earning booking class.
T-10
While the original system did not allow the upgrade waitlist to carry on past t-10 hours, the have been multiple reports that this is no longer the case. If not cleared in advance - the upgrade wait-list will last all the way until the door closing. UA has not updated the text on the LH GPU upgrades to reflect this change.
Archive Thread: Lufthansa GPUs Go Electronic {Archive}
Related Thread
How to upgrade with UA miles on Star Alliance carriers
Lufthansa GPUs Go Electronic {Archive}
Nov 7, 2018, 7:17 am
#1651
Join Date: Jul 2016
Programs: United MileagePlus
Posts: 69
Anyway, lesson learned for next time.
Nov 7, 2018, 9:40 am
#1652
Join Date: May 2016
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1k
Posts: 312
Update: Just spoke with 1K again and they went to great lengths to try to make it happen -- including the agent talking to her supervisor, who told her that it was something they could do, and then told her how to do it -- but unfortunately Lufthansa refused to do it since they didn't have Q inventory open. At the end of the day, we'll live, though I'm kicking myself for not calling and making the change when we booked the flights... at that time I assumed I'd have long used up all my GPUs by now, but of course I'm approaching EOY with two kicking around and possibly a third if my flight home from Bangkok doesn't clear on the 26th!
Anyway, lesson learned for next time.
Anyway, lesson learned for next time.
Nov 7, 2018, 11:47 am
#1653
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,393
I still agree that LH should be willing to open space, but if they're really not, an alert that said "hey, Q space is open now" would be invaluable.
Nov 8, 2018, 7:43 am
#1654
Join Date: Jul 2016
Programs: United MileagePlus
Posts: 69
Edit -- got a quick response from web support that I have to call in to do this :facepalm:
Last edited by dc89; Nov 8, 2018 at 8:15 am
Nov 8, 2018, 1:17 pm
#1655
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: anywhere and everywhere
Programs: UA GS, AS MVP 100K, DL Diamond, Marriot Lifetime Titanium, AmEx Centurion
Posts: 5,525
Odd datapoint: Flight next week is F7, O3, and despite biz only being maybe 50% full LH won't clear the upgrade yet...
Nov 8, 2018, 2:22 pm
#1656
Join Date: May 2016
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1k
Posts: 312
Okay -- I'm going to contact web support, and upgrade my ExpertFlyer account. This feels like altogether too much length to go to for a flight that we will surely survive in economy, but what is time for if not wasting?!
Edit -- got a quick response from web support that I have to call in to do this :facepalm:
Edit -- got a quick response from web support that I have to call in to do this :facepalm:
Nov 10, 2018, 10:40 pm
#1657
Join Date: Aug 2008
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 50
Has anyone had any luck recently upgrading from P/Z to LH F using a GPU?
The wiki above says this is possible as of April 20th. And in the LH/LX forum, there are reports of people doing this.
However, the United website lists the only upgradeable fare classes as C, D, and J. When I try upgrading on the website, I get an error message saying my fare class is not upgradeable. When I called 1Kvoice I received the same message.
Was this just a temporary change or a glitch? Or does anyone know of a workaround? Sitting on 5 GPUs that will expire soon and have 3 segments I'd love to upgrade
Thanks in advance for any help!!
The wiki above says this is possible as of April 20th. And in the LH/LX forum, there are reports of people doing this.
However, the United website lists the only upgradeable fare classes as C, D, and J. When I try upgrading on the website, I get an error message saying my fare class is not upgradeable. When I called 1Kvoice I received the same message.
Was this just a temporary change or a glitch? Or does anyone know of a workaround? Sitting on 5 GPUs that will expire soon and have 3 segments I'd love to upgrade
Thanks in advance for any help!!
Nov 11, 2018, 8:19 am
#1658
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BOS/EAP
Programs: UA 1K, MR LTT, HH Dia, Amex Plat
Posts: 32,026
Has anyone had any luck recently upgrading from P/Z to LH F using a GPU?
The wiki above says this is possible as of April 20th. And in the LH/LX forum, there are reports of people doing this.
However, the United website lists the only upgradeable fare classes as C, D, and J. When I try upgrading on the website, I get an error message saying my fare class is not upgradeable. When I called 1Kvoice I received the same message.
Was this just a temporary change or a glitch? Or does anyone know of a workaround? Sitting on 5 GPUs that will expire soon and have 3 segments I'd love to upgrade
Thanks in advance for any help!!
The wiki above says this is possible as of April 20th. And in the LH/LX forum, there are reports of people doing this.
However, the United website lists the only upgradeable fare classes as C, D, and J. When I try upgrading on the website, I get an error message saying my fare class is not upgradeable. When I called 1Kvoice I received the same message.
Was this just a temporary change or a glitch? Or does anyone know of a workaround? Sitting on 5 GPUs that will expire soon and have 3 segments I'd love to upgrade
Thanks in advance for any help!!
Nov 15, 2018, 10:43 pm
#1659
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: EWR
Programs: UA MM GS, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 519
P,Z-class was never officially upgradable. There was a window from April to September where this was indeed possible since LH changed it for their own members and since the UA system is using the same backend system it applied likewise. Probably because too many *&^$%&^$**($&^^$$# members called UA about it and asked to convert inconvertible booking classes they got wind of it and shut it down. I updated the wiki to reflect that.
Four others did clear, thereof two this week. Looking forward to my last flight in F today. It was such a great use of GPUs while it lasted.
No more luck trying to waitlist since then. I guess I have to go back to booking UA metal and trying to chase GS
Nov 15, 2018, 11:25 pm
#1660
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: In the air
Programs: Occasional RTW club
Posts: 6,924
Comparative datapoint: I booked a 748 flight and it was at F8, and I was able to _IMMEDIATELY_ confirm into it. And today I can't.
Nov 16, 2018, 9:51 am
#1661
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Programs: UA-1k, 1mm, Marriott-LT Platinum, Hertz-Presidents Circle
Posts: 6,355
Data point... cleared both outbound and inbound J-F! Booked J class FRA-ORD and cleared upon arrival in the FRA F lounge where the agent took my boarding pass in J and got the upgrade cleared at the desk in about 5 minutes, 3 hours ahead of the flight. Wonderful to get the F boarding pass and access to the F lounge at the same time.
Return of IAH-FRA was given at the gate, for I had only 1 hour connection to make the flight and so relieved to get it! Had 5 hour layover and the F lounge was really something to look forward to indeed. Getting a closet full of Van Laack pajamas!
Return of IAH-FRA was given at the gate, for I had only 1 hour connection to make the flight and so relieved to get it! Had 5 hour layover and the F lounge was really something to look forward to indeed. Getting a closet full of Van Laack pajamas!
Nov 16, 2018, 5:11 pm
#1662
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BOS/EAP
Programs: UA 1K, MR LTT, HH Dia, Amex Plat
Posts: 32,026
makes sense. I have waitlisted on F8 and it ultimately did not clear. If LH thinks they can sell F8 they will not open O. Sometimes you can confirm right away and clearly F8 is better than F4, but it really depending on day of the week and route. IAH-FRA for example I have never seen clear at booking ... always at the gate (if it does clear).
Nov 19, 2018, 12:28 am
#1663
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: In the air
Programs: Occasional RTW club
Posts: 6,924
Hoping for some help. The flight I wanted (FRA-DEL) is now F7, and there's O space available. My GPU is still stuck in Waitlisted. I tried to call around to see if someone can either push it through or cancel it and I can re-request it, but zero luck. There have been some changes with my itinerary before and my e-ticket got reissued a few times, so I wonder if its fallen through some hole (as it would with NH - do NOT ever reissue a ticket for an upgraded NH flight, or you WILL lose it!) - or if O space does NOT match upgrade space and I should just be patient?
Any thoughts welcome!
Any thoughts welcome!
Nov 20, 2018, 4:55 pm
#1664
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BOS/EAP
Programs: UA 1K, MR LTT, HH Dia, Amex Plat
Posts: 32,026
Hoping for some help. The flight I wanted (FRA-DEL) is now F7, and there's O space available. My GPU is still stuck in Waitlisted. I tried to call around to see if someone can either push it through or cancel it and I can re-request it, but zero luck. There have been some changes with my itinerary before and my e-ticket got reissued a few times, so I wonder if its fallen through some hole (as it would with NH - do NOT ever reissue a ticket for an upgraded NH flight, or you WILL lose it!) - or if O space does NOT match upgrade space and I should just be patient?
Any thoughts welcome!
Any thoughts welcome!
Nov 20, 2018, 5:00 pm
#1665
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: In the air
Programs: Occasional RTW club
Posts: 6,924
So to this day, the only way I have _ever_ been able to cancel a GPU applied to an LH flight was by cancelling the LH flight and hopefully having it auto-redeposit (or emailing 1kvoice). I'm surprised there's not more information on this - I guess once people get their upgrade they hold on for dear life, so not many stories of cancelling them