Feb 9, 2019, 8:39 pm
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
This is an archive thread, the active thread is
[Consolidated] Chance of upgrade clearing on my flight
Related thread - Understanding the United Upgrade List Comprehensively
[Consolidated] Chance of upgrade clearing on my flight
Related thread - Understanding the United Upgrade List Comprehensively
[Consolidated] Chance of upgrade clearing on my flight {Archive}
Apr 13, 2018, 5:39 pm
#2506
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: SFO
Programs: United Silver
Posts: 7
I'm using this space to tell you something else. If you don't clear before the online check-in, at online check-in look if you are offered a TOD. I think it means day of departure upgrade offer. Sometimes, the cost is interesting. If you take it, they will return to you the miles and the copay. For myself, I have found that I would rather pay the TOD so that I'm guaranteed the upgrade and don't have to wait until boarding. And I can get back the miles to use on another trip.
Apr 13, 2018, 5:40 pm
#2507
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 11,484
Expert mode is the best way to see inventories and get a sense of odds.
You can also bookmark these links to search without logging in. However, you do need to have an active cookie with ua dot com, e.g., you need to have recently accessed the home page.
https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/flight-search/book-a-flight/results/rev?f=SFO&t=TLV&d=2018-09-25&tt=1&sc=7&px=1&taxng=1&idx=1&ut=mua
https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/flight-search/book-a-flight/results/rev?f=LHR&t=SFO&d=2018-10-07&tt=1&sc=7&px=1&taxng=1&idx=1&ut=mua
If you see a green arrow (and more than '1 ticket available'), call!
Apr 13, 2018, 5:45 pm
#2508
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: SFO
Programs: United Silver
Posts: 7
Expert mode is the best way to see inventories and get a sense of odds.
You can also bookmark these links to search without logging in. However, you do need to have an active cookie with ua dot com, e.g., you need to have recently accessed the home page.
If you see a green arrow (and more than '1 ticket available'), call!
You can also bookmark these links to search without logging in. However, you do need to have an active cookie with ua dot com, e.g., you need to have recently accessed the home page.
If you see a green arrow (and more than '1 ticket available'), call!
Apr 17, 2018, 4:01 am
#2509
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: WAS/TYO
Programs: AA PPro, TP Gold, UA Silver, Bonvoy/Hilton Gold, Global Entry
Posts: 296
I'm booked on Y fare on SFO-IAD UA727 for late August which I'm hoping for a Y-fare instant upgrade/CPU. Seat map's showing 11 empty seats in First. Expert mode shows the following:
In a couple of weeks I'll hit Gold, and in a month and a half I'll hit Platinum. Is it just a matter of the flight being too far ahead for any space to be released? Or am I SOL?
F9 A0 JN9 C1 D0 Z0 ZN0 P0 PN0 R0 RN0 IN0 I0 Y9 YN9 B9 M9 E9 U9 H9 HN 5Q9 V9 W9 S9 T2 L0 K0 G0 N9 XN0 X0
Apr 17, 2018, 6:25 am
#2510
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 11,484
I'm booked on Y fare on SFO-IAD UA727 for late August which I'm hoping for a Y-fare instant upgrade/CPU. Seat map's showing 11 empty seats in First. Expert mode shows the following:
In a couple of weeks I'll hit Gold, and in a month and a half I'll hit Platinum. Is it just a matter of the flight being too far ahead for any space to be released? Or am I SOL?
F9 A0 JN9 C1 D0 Z0 ZN0 P0 PN0 R0 RN0 IN0 I0 Y9 YN9 B9 M9 E9 U9 H9 HN 5Q9 V9 W9 S9 T2 L0 K0 G0 N9 XN0 X0
Apr 17, 2018, 6:29 am
#2511
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: SIN
Programs: UA 1K, SQ*G, Marriott Plat
Posts: 63
UA 804 NRT-IAD on 20 April
Any thoughts on chances of R opening up (and me clearing 
) by Friday's UA804 NRT-IAD flight? 1K traveling on a low W fare... It looks like 29/40 booked in J and 7/8 in F (bookings, not the seat map). On the seat map Y+ looks 40-50% empty (which I know doesn't necessarily mean much, but could be an indication of lower "competition" from other elites?) United.com loads below.... Thanks in advance!
F1 FN1 A1 ON1 O0 J9 JN9 C9 D9 Z6 ZN6 P5 PN1 R0 RN0 IN0 I0 Y9 YN9 B9 M9 E9 U9 H9 HN9 Q9 V9 W9 S9 T9 L9 K9 G9 N9 XN9 X9
) by Friday's UA804 NRT-IAD flight? 1K traveling on a low W fare... It looks like 29/40 booked in J and 7/8 in F (bookings, not the seat map). On the seat map Y+ looks 40-50% empty (which I know doesn't necessarily mean much, but could be an indication of lower "competition" from other elites?) United.com loads below.... Thanks in advance!F1 FN1 A1 ON1 O0 J9 JN9 C9 D9 Z6 ZN6 P5 PN1 R0 RN0 IN0 I0 Y9 YN9 B9 M9 E9 U9 H9 HN9 Q9 V9 W9 S9 T9 L9 K9 G9 N9 XN9 X9
Apr 17, 2018, 7:00 am
#2512
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: WAS/TYO
Programs: AA PPro, TP Gold, UA Silver, Bonvoy/Hilton Gold, Global Entry
Posts: 296
It's a route that they think they can sell, so they are not releasing much (to put it lightly!) discount inventory. As the flight gets closer, if their sales are below what they expect, they may open up the lower fare buckets. Your best shot will be to just keep watching for PN to open, and then to go online or call as soon as you see that. If it goes to the gate, you may be far down on the visible list, but if you catch PN open you can still upgrade instantly.
I'm a little confused with regards to waitlist eligibility. I did some further searching, and it states elsewhere that only GS/1K on Y/B/M get put on the waitlist if not cleared at booking, and that Platinum and below needed to have an RN bucket to open up at booking.
Is RN capacity something that can open up like PN? Unfortunately I won't be 1K until November at the earliest, so it won't help me for this flight
If all fails, at least there's the CPU @T-72 hours...
Apr 17, 2018, 7:06 am
#2513
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,503
Apr 17, 2018, 8:43 am
#2514
Join Date: Nov 2012
Programs: BA Bronze, United 1K, HH Gold, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 3,477
Any thoughts on chances of R opening up (and me clearing ) by Friday's UA804 NRT-IAD flight? 1K traveling on a low W fare... It looks like 29/40 booked in J and 7/8 in F (bookings, not the seat map). On the seat map Y+ looks 40-50% empty (which I know doesn't necessarily mean much, but could be an indication of lower "competition" from other elites?) United.com loads below.... Thanks in advance!
F1 FN1 A1 ON1 O0 J9 JN9 C9 D9 Z6 ZN6 P5 PN1 R0 RN0 IN0 I0 Y9 YN9 B9 M9 E9 U9 H9 HN9 Q9 V9 W9 S9 T9 L9 K9 G9 N9 XN9 X9
) by Friday's UA804 NRT-IAD flight? 1K traveling on a low W fare... It looks like 29/40 booked in J and 7/8 in F (bookings, not the seat map). On the seat map Y+ looks 40-50% empty (which I know doesn't necessarily mean much, but could be an indication of lower "competition" from other elites?) United.com loads below.... Thanks in advance!F1 FN1 A1 ON1 O0 J9 JN9 C9 D9 Z6 ZN6 P5 PN1 R0 RN0 IN0 I0 Y9 YN9 B9 M9 E9 U9 H9 HN9 Q9 V9 W9 S9 T9 L9 K9 G9 N9 XN9 X9
I think that PN1 means that there's no GS traveling alone that is booked on your flight that is applying an upgrade instrument because they would have already upgraded. I had misread your statement of the occupancy of E+ as occupancy of the whole Economy. The passengers who are in Economy have lower status (Silver) or no status on UA. For Economy +, there may be some other 1Ks but most probably more passengers that are Platinum or lower or no status with the E+ subscription. I would say that you have have good chances of finding yourself in Polaris Business. Good luck!
Hopefully, the TOD offered to other passengers is not too tempting.
Last edited by StuckinITH; Apr 17, 2018 at 9:00 am
Apr 17, 2018, 9:00 am
#2515
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,433
. While a GS party of 2 or more will still be ahead of any 1K, I would feel much better about PN1 than PN0 for this reason.BTW, OP: There's no such thing as a "low W" fare -- W is W. Whether or not you got a good deal on your W fare is irrelevant to the clearance order. The tiebreaker among 1Ks on W fares at the gate will be time of check-in, so if you don't clear in advance, make sure to check in as soon as practical. Note that passengers on connecting itineraries have an inherent advantage over nonstop passengers because their check-in window opens earlier.
Good luck.
Apr 17, 2018, 9:02 am
#2516
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 11,484
Thanks for the help. Sorry, I'm just utterly puzzled by the complexity of the whole ordeal.
I'm a little confused with regards to waitlist eligibility. I did some further searching, and it states elsewhere that only GS/1K on Y/B/M get put on the waitlist if not cleared at booking, and that Platinum and below needed to have an RN bucket to open up at booking.
Is RN capacity something that can open up like PN? Unfortunately I won't be 1K until November at the earliest, so it won't help me for this flight
If all fails, at least there's the CPU @T-72 hours...
I'm a little confused with regards to waitlist eligibility. I did some further searching, and it states elsewhere that only GS/1K on Y/B/M get put on the waitlist if not cleared at booking, and that Platinum and below needed to have an RN bucket to open up at booking.
Is RN capacity something that can open up like PN? Unfortunately I won't be 1K until November at the earliest, so it won't help me for this flight
If all fails, at least there's the CPU @T-72 hours...
(And if you do wind up seeing PN>0 but RN0, please report whether or not you get your upgrade through!)
Apr 17, 2018, 9:32 am
#2517
Join Date: Nov 2012
Programs: BA Bronze, United 1K, HH Gold, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 3,477
BTW, OP: There's no such thing as a "low W" fare -- W is W. Whether or not you got a good deal on your W fare is irrelevant to the clearance order. The tiebreaker among 1Ks on W fares at the gate will be time of check-in, so if you don't clear in advance, make sure to check in as soon as practical. Note that passengers on connecting itineraries have an inherent advantage over nonstop passengers because their check-in window opens earlier.
Apr 17, 2018, 10:19 am
#2518
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 15,036
11 seats on a 777 vs 11 seats on a 319 is a big difference in estimating chances. It's a popular route w/ lots of higher status passengers and for those who buy First outright. I'd prepare mentally to be in economy and be pleasantly surprised if F came through. Works for me out of Hawaii. Upgrades used to be very easy, then I started getting dwelling too much on chances. Once I started assuming I'd be in coach more often than I actually was, the better travel has become since the loss of the almost guaranteed upgrades.
Apr 17, 2018, 10:44 am
#2519
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: SIN
Programs: UA 1K, SQ*G, Marriott Plat
Posts: 63
Thanks for your advice, both!
Apr 17, 2018, 1:56 pm
#2520
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,438
I'm sure the SFO-BWI folks do.