Kacee

This is absolutely correct.

The at check-in buy-up will sometimes book into P or A (vs. R or PN) and thus accrue additional PQM, but it's YMMV and certainly can't be counted on.

diburning

My buy ups have booked into PN, ZN, and R. I've never gotten a bonus but I've also never bitten unless it was a good deal (except for that one time where I was half awake and bought up on an award ticket but that's a different story)

clipclop

YYZ-ORD
G class
$79 offer on website (at OLCI) to upgrade
Waffling...!

The website says "Currently 3 United Business® seats available with 3 special offer seats left." So I feel I have a bit of time to think about it.

Edit: I find it most amusing that the value of the upgrade changed considerably. Upon completing OLCI, it said the value was $499. 30 minutes later -- the value is $1189! That makes the $79 offer an even more appealing value... HA!

747FC

Just bought upsell HNL-IAD.

T-25 was $998
T-24 was $1700
T-17 was $298 SOLD!

There was exactly one BF seat available during the entire time period noted above.

Original ticket was S fare

And, thanks, FTers, for educating me about how this Upsell works...

TarHeelAlum

Earlier this week HNL-IAH was $299 at OLCI with one first class seat available. Thought about it but didn't pull the trigger since I was just going to sleep the whole time anyway and I don't find the reclining seats all that comfortable for sleeping anyway.

Original ticket was L fare.

physioprof

That was a great deal.

CMK10

RDU-ORD
Booking Class T
Coach Fare: $140
First Class Fare: $269
Upgrade Offer at Check-In: $211
Declined

EWR-RDU
Booking Class W
Coach Fare: $160
First Class Fare: $211
Upgrade Offer at Check-In: $59
Accepted

I wasn't paying for the tickets so I couldn't outright buy F but the upgrade on EWR-RDU was in the range of what I'll pay, especially as I worry about getting E+ on E70s with their small E+ cabin.

exerda

IAD-TPA

• Booked L (~$220 rt a-i, N on the return trip)
• Declined offer at booking (it was something insane, like $750)
• Checked back a couple of weeks ago and was offered $130 for F on the outbound
• Accepted, as at the time I needed the extra PQD. Booked into A.

I normally would take my chances with CPU on that route, but as I said, due to some changes in other trips, I was thinking I would be ~$100 short on PQD for the year, depending on how my Dec-Jan trip split (paid F on the outbound, but I was nonetheless worried they'd put all the $$ onto the mid-price E segments on the return). I wanted to be sure I had my $12k taken care of even if I didn't travel at the end of December.

NH_Clark

I've seen buy-ups at the gate counter often on domestic flights. Is this also available for international? I'm on IAD-LHR 11/14. Upgrade via website shows waitlist only for both segments BOS-IAD, IAD-LHR .. with a cost of 20K miles and $550USD. I'm not eager on paying that out and then only getting the BOS-IAD upgrade.

I'm on a K fare both segments.
According to website: First shows 5 booked (8 seats) and Business shows 37 booked (40 seats) .. but we all know how reliable that is

aacharya

If you only clear BOS-IAD, you get a refund.

The booked numbers are pretty accurate - not sure why the rolleyes.

I don't tend to see gate buy-ups for international - I do see some offers at check-in.

emcampbe

If buy ups are available, you should also be able to do those on the app pretty close to departure - if they are available, you should be able to access them in the check in module. I've never checked that close to departure for upgrades, but know I've switched seats using the check in module while waiting at the gate - I think the upgrades should probably be available through the app until the system has you boarded. But I'm sure others have more experience.

Also not sure the reliability issue on the premium cabin bookings. Yes, looking at seat assignments in advance is a bad way to judge, but I've always found the F/C upgrade bookings fairly accurate. You do on very rare occasion have the "+X blocked" issue, or a pax who checks in but doesn't show up and board (which is still accurate until someone doesn't show up).

Cargojon

Check the mobile app about an 1-2 hours before departure. I recently upgraded ZRH-EWR for $689 while standing at the gate area an hour before flight. In my mind, I was paying $139 for the ability to keep 20,000 RDM which was a heck of a value IMO.

The night before, at check it, it was $790 which I passed on since I had an entire row of E+ to myself anyway at the time.

bizzarODog

I did something similar a few weeks back. LHR-EWR while I was in the gate area. Unfortunately it kind of borked my boarding pass because it was so close to boarding time. I bought the upgrade but the app wouldn't give me a new boarding pass with my new BF seat due to the time. Ultimately I just went to the GA who was a little confused by what happened ("you didn't check in?") but was able to issue the pass seemingly without too much trouble. The app has been my best way to get relatively inexpensive OLCI upgrade offers, but just figured I'd offer my experience as a potential caution.

rustykettel

I had almost the same experience, except only the Passbook/lock screen pass wouldn't update. The one inside the app itself correctly showed the new seat.

big V

They got me. Ugh.

On a B fare from IAD to NRT, just was booked by my travel agent. I logged on to put in to upgrade with miles, and they're offering me a buy-up at $472. Miles would put on my a waitlist, TOD is a done deal.

A 14-hour day flight in E+ vs $500 to lounge in Biz? No brainer.

I now see why all y'all are griping about the lack of upgrade options. They got me because I didn't want to roll the dice and not have it come through.

They are telling me I got an upgrade for the onward flight to BKK on ANA, too. I'll believe it when the boarding pass is in my hot little hands.