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}
Jun 20, 2019, 8:06 am
#4156
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I think you're going to clear. Whether it's worth it to upfare to R depends on the price and your need for PQM.
^UA views this as fare discipline. They really don't want to sell any cheap seats on that route close-in. The fact this is an Apple heavy route may impact their thinking.
Jun 20, 2019, 8:28 am
#4157
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It's hard to comment on a specific instance, but there is a legitimate argument here - how many potential purchasers of that ticket are going to blindly pay for a C fare, versus choosing not to fly or trying to find (if it exists) a cheaper OAL ticket? There is revenue lost for everyone who would pay C rates but instead buys a D fare because "the seats would go empty otherwise". We tend to miss this logic a lot when complaining about inventory management.
Jun 20, 2019, 8:31 am
#4158
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It's hard to comment on a specific instance, but there is a legitimate argument here - how many potential purchasers of that ticket are going to blindly pay for a C fare, versus choosing not to fly or trying to find (if it exists) a cheaper OAL ticket? There is revenue lost for everyone who would pay C rates but instead buys a D fare because "the seats would go empty otherwise". We tend to miss this logic a lot when complaining about inventory management.
It's incredibly frustrating if you're hoping to SDC a P or a Z. Which is a real possibility on PVG, with 2 daily flights from SFO and 1 from LAX.
Jun 20, 2019, 9:13 am
#4159
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I think you're going to clear. Whether it's worth it to upfare to R depends on the price and your need for PQM.
^
UA views this as fare discipline. They really don't want to sell any cheap seats on that route close-in. The fact this is an Apple heavy route may impact their thinking.
^
UA views this as fare discipline. They really don't want to sell any cheap seats on that route close-in. The fact this is an Apple heavy route may impact their thinking.
I think the reason it's legit to criticize is they're using inventory rather than fare rules to enforce an AP requirement. UA does this quite a bit; it's reflective of a fare structure which is incredibly convoluted and often irrational.
It's incredibly frustrating if you're hoping to SDC a P or a Z. Which is a real possibility on PVG, with 2 daily flights from SFO and 1 from LAX.
It's incredibly frustrating if you're hoping to SDC a P or a Z. Which is a real possibility on PVG, with 2 daily flights from SFO and 1 from LAX.
) so, but this is another frustrating way that they've eroded the flexibility of SDC.
Jun 20, 2019, 9:36 am
#4160
Join Date: May 2010
Location: ABE, EWR, PHL
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Do you have status?
Business class is booked 11/44. Premium Plus is booked 10/21. Paid Premium Plus customers are supposed to have priority over paid economy customers (although, Global Services instruments would trump that prior to the gate, and might still trump it at the gate also; nobody’s really sure).
I’d say, all signs point to neutral. Thursday can be a popular business travel date; 11/44 is actually pretty high load for three months in advance. However, being on an R fare should help propel you up the list. It’s too early to tell for sure, but it doesn’t look hopeless.
Jun 20, 2019, 9:58 am
#4161
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Jun 20, 2019, 10:27 am
#4162
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Having the United Club credit card would put you ahead of other Premium Economy R fare passengers without status who also used miles + copay to upgrade, assuming that UA properly implemented the rules they announced. There is a good chance that there is nobody on the flight that meets these criteria, so it is almost certainly a waste of money. I would not bother, because I don’t think they waive the first year annual fee for that particular card (since it includes United Club access).
Jun 20, 2019, 11:49 am
#4163
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Ah. 
Probably still some kind of corporate traffic behind that strategy, though.
Having the United Club credit card would put you ahead of other Premium Economy R fare passengers without status who also used miles + copay to upgrade, assuming that UA properly implemented the rules they announced. There is a good chance that there is nobody on the flight that meets these criteria, so it is almost certainly a waste of money. I would not bother, because I don’t think they waive the first year annual fee for that particular card (since it includes United Club access).
I think there is sometimes an offer of no first-year AF for the Club card, but I'm not sure if it's targeted. But overall I agree it's not worth getting the card just for that bump in third- or fourth-level sorting priority.
Probably still some kind of corporate traffic behind that strategy, though.Having the United Club credit card would put you ahead of other Premium Economy R fare passengers without status who also used miles + copay to upgrade, assuming that UA properly implemented the rules they announced. There is a good chance that there is nobody on the flight that meets these criteria, so it is almost certainly a waste of money. I would not bother, because I don’t think they waive the first year annual fee for that particular card (since it includes United Club access).
Jun 22, 2019, 2:10 pm
#4164
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 22
Need help w/ United Global Services upgrade coupons
I have a friend who flies a ton of miles on United and offered me a global upgrade coupon for my upcoming round trip between SFO and SIN. I booked economy tickets (W fare), and my friend then called Global Services to find out how to apply the coupon to my flight. He was told:
Questions
- There were plenty of business class seats ("inventory") still available on my flights, but all the seats that could be instantly awarded with a coupon were sold out.
- There is still a solid chance that an upgrade would be possible when seats are "released", but they do not know when that will happen.
Questions
- Is there a typical timeframe for business class seats to be released? Are we talking the day of the flight, a week before the flight, or a month before the flight?
- If I end up not getting a coupon upgrade, would I still have the opportunity to at least pay to upgrade to premium economy (assume there are any seats left)?
- If there are no business class seats available for coupon holders, does that also mean I couldn't upgrade to business class using miles, or are mileage upgrades a different category than coupon upgrades?
Jun 22, 2019, 2:21 pm
#4165
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I have a friend who flies a ton of miles on United and offered me a global upgrade coupon for my upcoming round trip between SFO and SIN. I booked economy tickets (W fare), and my friend then called Global Services to find out how to apply the coupon to my flight. ...
This is given to GS and 1Ks but GS certs (applies to you) clear from a higher priority inventory PN. But if PN=0, you will be waitlisted; at the botom of the GS list as you are not a GS. Still better then the non-GS waitlist.
- could be any of those or never
- maybe , maybe not
- the use of your miles would be much lower priority then the GS GPU.
Jun 22, 2019, 3:54 pm
#4166
Join Date: Jun 2019
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Posts: 7
Hi all, currently a Premier Silver. What are my RPU chances on this?
Mon July 15th:
SFO - BOS UA 1865 (757-200) (10:42am - 7:39pm), Q fare.
Available: J9 JN9 C7 D6 Z0 ZN0 P0 PN0 PZ0 IN0
I0 Y9 YN9 B9 M9 E9 U9 H9 HN0 Q5 V0 W0 S0 T0 L0 K0
Currently 16/28 empty seats
Thanks!
Mon July 15th:
SFO - BOS UA 1865 (757-200) (10:42am - 7:39pm), Q fare.
Available: J9 JN9 C7 D6 Z0 ZN0 P0 PN0 PZ0 IN0
I0 Y9 YN9 B9 M9 E9 U9 H9 HN0 Q5 V0 W0 S0 T0 L0 K0
Currently 16/28 empty seats
Thanks!
Jun 22, 2019, 3:59 pm
#4167
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Monday bad but summer Monday may be slightly better
Much of the seats up front in these flights are purchased in the last week or two -- lots of short notice travel.
Jun 22, 2019, 4:33 pm
#4169
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 22
03-AUG 2019 UA-1 SFO-SIN (arrives 5-AUG-2019)
15-AUG-2019 UA-2 SIN-SFO
(In case it matters, I have a couple domestic flights that are already upgraded to United First)
As of today (22 JUN/6 weeks out):
- UA1 still shows 29 business class seats remaining (and ~55 economy plus)
- UA2 still shows 34 business class seats remaining (and ~75 economy plus)
Jun 22, 2019, 5:03 pm
#4170
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Likely the tougher of the two due to the day of the week. UA is not offering any discount business fares (D is the lowest), we assume this means they have high hope of selling most of the seats
UA is offering Z fares and this on a Thursday- still, a popular day' Chances are better
Lack of P fares on either is a discouraging sign but 6 weeks out, it's still not clear on the possibilities -- but a GS GPU is the best place you can be. As a lot of bookings are done in the last 2 weeks, it hard to provide a strong set of odds other than UA 2 > UA 1 -- but for a GS GPU, there is always a decent chance.
UA is offering Z fares and this on a Thursday- still, a popular day' Chances are better
Lack of P fares on either is a discouraging sign but 6 weeks out, it's still not clear on the possibilities -- but a GS GPU is the best place you can be. As a lot of bookings are done in the last 2 weeks, it hard to provide a strong set of odds other than UA 2 > UA 1 -- but for a GS GPU, there is always a decent chance.