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}
Jul 8, 2019, 4:05 pm
#4231
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Jul 8, 2019, 8:12 pm
#4234
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Months out? I wouldn’t check every day — maybe every week or two. Then again, I rarely have waitlisted instruments, except on legs that I don’t care about that much. The longest has probably been SFO-AUS, and I checked that about once a week. It never cleared. I suppose I might have missed open PZ that somebody else grabbed, but it just wasn’t worth the effort for a 3 1/2 hour flight on a narrowbody.
Jul 9, 2019, 4:02 pm
#4235
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I have a family member traveling with me YN LHR - EWR on 12 July. (I am GS and have already used my privileges to open space for my companion--this query regards an additional family member traveling with me). When I crossed the T -72 hour mark, I called GS and asked if the additional upgrade could be cleared. The agent replied "no", there was only one seat remaining and so the gate agent would have to assign it. I checked the seat availability, which indeed shows one seat available (J1). I know not everyone chooses a seat at or shortly after booking, but united.com shows 16 available seats. (Sorry for no screenshots, but I am having trouble with the website and uploading images.) My question: is UA dribbling out all classes of Polaris seats (revenue and award), or is there really only one seat available? I will keep checking back with GS, but my frequency may decline if chasing a needle in the haystack. Many thanks in advance.
Jul 9, 2019, 5:45 pm
#4236
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16J are blocked to accommodate a potential frame swap for a 763 which is not in the high-J configuration, and the flight is also Y1 so could be overbooked in Economy. Rest assured, the upgrade will clear at some point unless they swap back to a 30J 763.
Jul 12, 2019, 12:03 am
#4238
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 22
The sweeps usually work; if I were you I would check the flight at least once a week just in case, and more frequently if it smells like PZ space is coming (PN9), but on a September FRA flight I wouldn't hold my breath. Me, I check all my future flights daily, even if I don't have an upgrade request, but that's just habit (and it helps you learn the route) 
Jul 12, 2019, 1:49 am
#4239
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https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unit...cket-data.html
in particular follow these instructions
Also Ways to search for upgrade space at booking?
How do you plan to try to upgrade? GPU, RPU, Miles+copay or hoping for CPU?
Jul 13, 2019, 1:16 am
#4240
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 22
To see fare class inventory, you need to turn on Expert Mode
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unit...cket-data.html
in particular follow these instructions
Also Ways to search for upgrade space at booking?
How do you plan to try to upgrade? GPU, RPU, Miles+copay or hoping for CPU?
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unit...cket-data.html
in particular follow these instructions
Also Ways to search for upgrade space at booking?
How do you plan to try to upgrade? GPU, RPU, Miles+copay or hoping for CPU?
Note that I posted my info above a few weeks ago (you were actually the first to respond
):https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/show...postcount=1272
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/show...postcount=1277
I was able to turn on expert mode, but I'm not clear from the links what I'm supposed to do next. If I search for my flight, it says "Currently available for use: 0 Regional Premier upgrades, 0 Global Premier upgrades, 0 Award miles."
Jul 13, 2019, 1:22 am
#4241
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The message is saying you don't have a GPU in your account.
Jul 13, 2019, 8:56 am
#4242
Join Date: Dec 2009
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There are several reasons; the main one, though, is fare discipline. If passengers learned that airlines would always lower the price until the seats were sold, they’d be much less likely to buy higher fares; they’d just wait. This would be disastrous for the airlines, because a huge part of their price discrimination strategy is using advance purchase rules to get business travelers to pay more than leisure travelers.
A second reason to provide upgrades to frequent travelers is to try to provide an additional incentive to book UA even when all else is equal — or even when UA is at a disadvantage in terms of convenience, fare, or whatnot.
Jul 13, 2019, 9:23 am
#4243
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If UA followed the suggested strategy, business travelers would get a better price just by default. If something urgent comes up, and I have to fly somewhere, I'm relatively price-insensitive; that's the worst possible time to be giving discounts.
Jul 13, 2019, 2:37 pm
#4244
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 22
If you are using the GPU's of a friend, they have to apply the GPU from their account/ You can not apply their GPUs. You need to provide your friend with the PNR of a booked light (and your names on the ticket).
The message is saying you don't have a GPU in your account.
The message is saying you don't have a GPU in your account.
I just thought maybe there was a way for me to increase my odds of getting the upgrade by monitoring for eligible seats. I wouldn't want to bother my friend with monitoring, but if something opens up, I could let him know.
Basically, I want to know if this applies to me:
Jul 13, 2019, 3:23 pm
#4245
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Note that we're seeing increasingly more reports of agents refusing to cooperate, on the belief that they're combating line-jumping. That would be admirable -- if it weren't for the fact that someone who isn't on the waitlist could waltz in and grab that space by applying a new instrument, which would clear immediately, bypassing the waitlist entirely.