IAATM

What are folks seeing in terms of domestic upgrade percentages these days? In other words, are upgrades easier now because so few people are flying? Or are upgrades harder, because a lot of 5-row FC aircraft have been parked and replaced with 3-row FC aircraft?

Maybe benchmark your answer against pre-Covid-19 history? For example, if you normally flew EWR-MCO and got upgraded as a Silver, and now aren't be upgraded regardless of status, that's informative. Similarly, if you used to fly EWR-SAN and couldn't get upgraded as a 1k, but are now being upgraded on that route as a Silver, then that's telling, too.

Thanks in advance!

tstauck

Sat 6/20 ORD - DEN, 757-300, showed full a few days in advance and nothing cleared for me. Surprised with it being a Sat, and United even emailed saying it was a pretty full flight and I could change it if I wanted to.

DEN - SBA ERJ 175. First row blocked but only 2 people booked in First. All CPU's cleared at the gate.

IAATM

Thanks and congrats on the upgrade at the gate!!

CMK10

Two flights this week:

6/24 UA 6216 RDU-IAD EMB-175
6/24 UA 6019 IAD-ATL EMB-175

On both flights I cleared into F at the gate but in both cases I didn't show as cleared. My name just disappeared from the upgrade list and my BP refreshed. Also on the second flight the app showed First as "FULL" from T-24 on even though there were numerous empty seats and we left with empty seats in F and a cleared upgrade list. Still, what matters is I'm getting the upgrades.

threecap

6 segments flown in the last couple of weeks on my most frequent routes pre-COVID. Despite fewer first class seats on *some* of the aircraft I've flown (I'd say 4 of the 6 were the same), I've had more upgrades. Only 1 segment wasn't CPU'd, and that was EWR-ORD, hub to hub, usually 0% CPU'd as a UA Platinum. Also, I don't know the fare class I paid in economy but I know the price I paid was higher than usual and not as far in advance as usual. And 2 of my 5 CPUs I was "on the bubble", the last to get CPU'd. So I'm guessing fare class helped.

RobOnLI

Me thinks there's something afoul again with the CPU system. 1K on an "E" fare and I'm showing as #14 of 23. If I were on a "G" fare I _might_ consider that normal...but these are not normal times and an "E" fare is very high.

Route is WAS-DEN on Friday (holiday).

-RM

fumje

Try throwing some +P at it and see where you wind up?

Dublin_rfk

It can�t hurt, on TCONs with +points I�m 5 out of 6 and #6 is Thursday night.

CruiserCLE

Similar story, on an E fare with PP applied and surprised to find myself 5/6 on the waitlist. I guess not impossible in theory but seems rather surprising given how few people are still flying. Although on the flip side maybe it�s also other GS/1K�s trying to burn PP�s.

Going midday from IAH-Florida so even more surprising for me. But again maybe not so much given the limited schedules and the fact most people are moving around for leisure.

RobOnLI

Yeah, hadn't done that before my post as I had other things to do. Just added PP to the res and I moved up to #7. WOOT! Seriously...#7 as a 1K on an E fare on a holiday with PP applied. This isn't EWR-SFO! Maybe elite flying is back to "normal". If that's the case load up on UA stock because they're going to report way better than expected earnings for Q2. Geesh.

Gone are the days when I was the only elite on the whole plane during this pandemic as I had to get from A to B. Some flights I was the only one in FC.

-RM

SS255

i was supposed to fly LAX-ORD-AVP today. I was #12 out of 24 on Tuesday days ago, so I applied PP and jumped to #7 . Eventually there were 35 people on the list. I cancelled last night, since the cases in LA are spiking and I was afraid that PA would issue a state-wide mandatory quarantine for people coming from CA.

BullishGS

I reckon there might be some shenanigans going on here... Just checked the list for my 7/4 flight. I am #12 on the list.
There is also a party of 4 with the same last name ahead of me. I doubt there are more than 12 GS on this flight especially during this time, let alone that a GS(s) used PP to redeem upgrades for such a short flight <2h.

TechMarauder

I have an upcoming flight this weekend EWR-IAH where the plane is pretty empty and 20F seats are open. I checked EF and PZ6. If this is the case, why wouldn�t they start upgrading folks within their window until PZ0 instead of a mess at the gate wheee 15-+ are upgraded at
a time including non revs? I get that they are trying to sell as much as possible and maybe the PZ availability gives folks with PP or miles the chance to use them and take them off UA books but it�s kind of ridiculous to Limit all advanced upgrades. I know DL did that for a few months but the difference there is they are capping F to 50%.

fumje

UA stopped advance CPU around the end of April.

Why? Some words were said by UA about COVID and safety. Coincidentally, when CPU is held back, there is more chance for someone to buy up to F.

Aussienarelle

UA has made it clear on my recent bookings that upgrades are only happening at the gate.

I made two close in bookings in the past week. Applied my PlusPoints (as a 1K) and was the only person upgraded at the gate on two flights, one of two on another flight and was upgraded at time of booking for the fourth flight. Long lists for the upgrades.

The supply is not there and UA knows many of us are booking last minute for our flights. For a number of trips where I may have previously booked a flight I am driving and also flying WN.

It is the old adage, especially with limited flights, if you want first pay for it.

UA is no different to AA. A couple of my friends missed out on the upgrade last week as Plarinum Executive.