Jkrun03

1k ex-RDU this year, usually on cheap tickets. 8/9 CPU'd so far, primarily to and from EWR, also cleared out of IAD and IAH back to RDU from international legs. Only miss was RDU-SFO in which I was like 12th out of 30 some people for 2 seats. That's a crazy route to get a CPU on out of Raleigh, I'm guessing everyone at the top is instrument upgrades and/or GS. Given the amount of flights to EWR from RDU everyday, these are almost guaranteed if you have the flexibility to chose less busy times (wake up for 6:45am flight or go mid-afternoon arriving around 5). Never tried to compete for the prime times so I can't comment on those. Looking at flight status for today and tomorrow, a decent amount of the flights went out/will go out with empty F seats, just do you homework when you book it.

Flying RDU-IAH-LAS then LAS-IAD-RDU this week, looks good on all but 1 leg (IAH-LAS, I'm #3 for 2 seats), will update.

zombietooth

It's been 5 months since my last CPU, and it was MSP-ORD.

findark

Spinning the roulette wheel now that I've fallen down to Gold.. sadly cannot continue to be that "mythical 100% CPU percentage"

LEX-ORD CR5 booked 42m before departure and cleared at the gate - F went out with 4 empty. Great aircraft.
ORD-MSP 739 died at #1 on the list but had an empty middle

RobOnLI

Booked a ticket last night within the 4 day CPU window for 1K. Second segment must have upgraded almost right after ticketing (PN8 PZ8 IN8 I8) because I got an email asking me to choose my meal for the flight out of ORD. The first segment upgraded overnight which was PN6 PZ0 IN0 I0).

So, as usual, no CPU clearance emails but the "choose your food" email clued me into the fact that I must have been upgraded. Also, this is the first flight I've had the "choose your food" option and both choices are awful so I'll just see what's offered on the flight.

-RM

EpsilonZer0

Just my own experience. Home is ORD and I fly to both coasts frequently.
2016 - Gold . Was upgraded 1/8 flights
2017 - 1K. Was upgraded 1/4 flights
2018 - 1K Was upgraded 1/3 flights
2019 - Gold Was upgraded 1/10 flights
2020 - Platinum, So far upgraded 1/5 flights

With the new Mileage rules in effect, I believe the number of 1K flyers will be thinned for 2021. But I also believe that in Q4 the number of available upgrades will decrease because customers are purchasing upgrades in order to boost PQD.

Jkrun03

Cleared on the RDU-IAH at Check-in T-24. Equipment swapped overnight to a plane with only 6 first seats vs 12, was lucky to keep my seat as they had ticket 3 first customers and upgraded 3 at T-24, so it worked out perfectly. Not looking great for IAH-LAS, #3 for 2 seats with 12/14 checked in. Never know.

Jkrun03

1K - cleared other three segments as well.
IAD-LAS 03/04 got the last seat
LAS-IAD 03/09 first to be upgraded into a 757-200 lie-flat (though I suspect a GS cleared a few days out), it was a nice treat. They also cleared 7 other people. Leaving Vegas on a Monday makes a huge difference, pretty sure a few golds or lower cleared into it.
IAD-RDU 03/09 half the cabin went out empty, and there were deadheading crews in first, for the 10:30pm flight, fairly normal for that time of night into RDU.

Still have only missed one upgrade this year, getting lucky.

ChurnieEls

PP here;

This year;

DCA-ORD RT x2 = 3/4 CPU's cleared. Sunday evening DCA-ORD, Friday evening ORD-DCA.

RobOnLI

Did UA just turn off their CPU system? During the last two weeks I have received CPU right after ticketing when booked within the 4 day window. In fact, I used the fee-free change waiver to change a ticket for this week and the ticket refused to reissue because one leg already CPU'd before the ticket was re-issued. Manual intervention required.

Anyway, booked a new ticket with a connection already within the 4 day 1K window. First flight is booked 0/10 and second is booked 1/12. I'm #1 on both lists. Zero CPU, even today during the normal CPU window for each flight.

I'm wondering if the CPU was turned off because it's causing so many issues with new tickets. Or, it's turned off because UA is expecting to cut so much capacity that they have no clue what flights will actually operate and doesn't want to deal with downgrade comp, etc. Both make sense to me.

Looks like we're going to gate upgrades only?

-RM

jsloan

There's no downgrade comp from losing a CPU on a re-route.

This might be something that's COVID-19 related -- or it could just be that they decided not to run the CPU process for your flights. There are multiple reports dating back at least a year about nearly full flights, with obvious CPUs, not being processed until the gate.

aacar

Might be due to this:

https://viewfromthewing.com/starting...l-at-check-in/

donjo

I fly about once or twice a week for work and now have more work than I can possibly get to so am booking a lot of travel for the next couple of months. I'm being upgraded on every flight and often the only one in business. I know it won't last but it's nice for a change.

fumje

Are those RJ flights? 0/10 sounds like CR5. They have been holding RJ flights to either T-24 or gate, often but not always, for a while now.

They are still pushing CPUs on mainline as of yesterday.

RobOnLI

My flights are empty. And I disagree on your first point having just received an ETC two weeks ago for a flight that had first class and was subbed to equipment without it. I was CPU'd and offered any flight out of any nearby city with FC *and* an ETC. I took the ETC and kept my original flight in coach. Certainly an ETC wasn't expected and a nice gesture but I think the common thinking on this board is that if you're in first (regardless of how you got there), GG OVS DOWNGRADE applies? I could be wrong.

Thanks. I hadn't seen that. Certainly could be part of the reason but holding back *all* seats? I don't think so.
Yes, first flight is a CR5. And my connection is mainline (booked 1/12). In my original post when I mentioned about getting a ticket re-issue stuck because CPU processed before the ticket ever re-issued, it was on a CR5. So I don't think it's mainline vs regional.

Just observations at the end of the day.

-RM

jsloan

GG OVS DOWNGRADE applies to oversale situations, where you end up traveling in Y on the same flight where you had a confirmed F ticket, no matter how you got to F. It does not apply to any situation where you are moved to a different flight. I'm glad you got an ETC, but I don't think it was part of any particular policy.