danthflyer

I only seem to get the fare class information if I search for Upgrade Type = "MileagePlus Upgrade Awards (MUA)". If I keep this set to "No Upgrade", I don't see any fare types when I expand the details on the flight results page.

So with that in mind, below is what I see for UA1 on Aug 3. It unfortunately looks like PZ is zero. Also, PN is zero. (For GPU, wouldn't I want PN?)

StuckinITH

I just tested booking this trip without setting the parameter that I want to upgrade and the "Available fare classes" appeared when I expanded the "Details". It always works if you have set your account to "Expert Mode".

Yes, for a GPU from a Global Services friend you are looking for PN>0. For a GPU from a 1K friend you would have to look for PZ>0.

At this point, three weeks out, United only sells high fares: J9 C9 D3. The future flight status site indicates that it's sold 28/48. Most business travelers book their tickets in the last two weeks. And the problem at this time is that you don't know if there are passengers already waitlisted for the PN (and the PZ if your friend is only 1K). What fare did you purchase?

jsloan

That's odd. The only place the fare classes don't appear for me is if I do an award search. Are you sure you're signed in?

I reviewed your earlier note; since your sponsor is Global Services, it is, in fact, PN that you want. 1K GPUs clear into PZ.

Here is the flight status for your flight: https://www.united.com/web/en-US/app...SO=SFO&FSD=SIN

It's currently booked 30/48. On a GS GPU, I'd say you have maybe a 5% chance of clearing that flight. If you were on a 1K GPU, your chances would be zero. SFO-SIN is one of the most difficult upgrades in the system, even after going to 2x daily, and weekend upgrades are particularly difficult. There's a good chance that UA will sell most, if not all, of the 18 remaining seats between now and departure. Your best bet is for bad weather in SFO to cause some people to misconnect.

danthflyer

I definitely have "Enable expert mode" turned on in Preferences & settings > Special preferences & accommodations, so I'm not sure why I don't see available fare classes under details w/ "no upgrade", but I tried several times, and that's what I observed.

My friend is GS not 1K. The GPU was applied to my tickets on June 4 (only ~8.5 weeks out), so yeah, I may not be the first GS GPU passenger to book.

I started out purchasing a W fare, then I later paid an extra $400 to get Economy Plus seats (I assume this wouldn't have changed my fare class).

IAH-OIL-TRASH

danthflyer

Definitely signed in.

Thanks for confirming.

I'm actually flying on 03 AUG, not 01 AUG. There appear to still be 20 business class seats remaining if I edit your link to https://www.united.com/web/en-US/app...SO=SFO&FSD=SIN

There appear to be 22 seats remaining for my return flight (which is https://www.united.com/web/en-US/app...SO=SIN&FSD=SFO)

I'm guessing this doesn't improve my odds much, but just wanted to make sure everyone is looking at the correct numbers.

(Side question, is there any way to look these up without manually editing links? The form only lets you input five days into the future.)

StuckinITH

Yes, the future status website is: www.cablepick.net/united

jsloan

Sorry about that. . I'm not sure how I got the date wrong, but I clearly did. You're correct; your actual flight is booked 28/48. Unfortunately, as you suspected, that likely doesn't change your outlook much; maybe you have a 10% chance to clear instead of 5%.

As for your spot on the waitlist: within the set of people waitlisted for PN class, it's going to be prioritized by status and then fare class. You're ahead of everyone on a 1K instrument, but you're behind anyone with higher status on a GS instrument, even if they booked after you did.

You can get a rough idea of how confident UA is that they can sell the seats by looking at inventory. Your outbound flight is J9 (JN9) C9 D3 Z0, meaning that they don't think they will have to discount very much in order to sell the tickets (there's no Z or P inventory). Before they would open upgrade space, they'd first open Z, ZN, and P space. JN and ZN are both everyday award classes, so I'll sometimes leave them out for simplicity.

Your return flight is in slightly better shape, at J9 C9 D9 Z0, and Thursday is going to be a better day to try to upgrade than Saturday. This far from departure, though, having more than half the cabin full isn't a great sign. Most business class tickets are purchased within 3 weeks of departure.

BeanTownBoy

End of story: The 16 J seats were blocked until 90 mins before departure, at which my two sponsored upgrades (#'s 2 and 3 on list) cleared. I believe everyone on waitlist cleared, and flight left with approx 7 or 8 J seats empty.

needHelp

These are the two flights I am choosing from. I am UA G* trying to use GPU upgrade for Q or V class ticket.

Both flights show PN0. I slightly prefer the date for Flight 2 .

Flight 1: J9JN9C9D9Z8ZN8P7PN0PZ0IN0I0Y9YN9B9M9E9U9H6HN6Q1V0W 0S0T0L0K0G0N9XN0X0

Flight 2: J9JN9C4D0Z0ZN0P0PN0PZ0IN0I0Y9YN9B9M9E9U9H9HN9Q9V9W 0S0T0L0K0G0N9XN0X0

My question is ---Does Flight 1 have a better chance for GPU upgrade than Flight 2? If it is substantially better, then i will stay with Flight 1.

Thanks.

fumje

From the inventory flight 1 is clearly better. What are the loads (check with cablepick.net/united), and what are the days of week?

jsloan

Without any further information, yes, the chance for flight 1 is substantially better. You've got availability all the way down to P on that flight, whereas flight 2 is zeroed out from D below. I guess UA thinks other people will prefer the date for flight 2 also.

needHelp

Thanks for the tips on checking the loads.

Flight 1: business : 50 Booked: 32
Flight 2: business : 50 Booked: 39

I guess flight 1 it is then!

mcrw00

jsloan

Both. You probably won't be in the top 8, and they'll sell most / all of those seats between now and departure, including possibly as TODs at check-in.