Upgrade offer is higher than buying First outright
#76
Join Date: Oct 2009
Programs: UA 1K, Hilton ♦ , Hyatt Carbonado, Wyndham ♦, Marriott PE, "Stinking Bum" elsewhere.
Posts: 4,948
Well, I am very happy about this new development. I have been unable to use my RPUs much this year, and now I can get confirmed in F for the price of a cheap coach fare.^
#77
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Springfield,MO,USA
Programs: UA 1K MM, HH Diamond, Marriott Lifetime Titanium
Posts: 1,604
I was offered a paid upgrade from Business to First on UA 909 ORD-AMS during OLCI for only $6199. I declined. Original ticket was Economy W upgraded with GPU. I was surprised but not delighted.
#78
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Anywhere but home
Programs: UA 1K/MM, DL SM/MM, AA Gold, HH Dia, PC Plat, ALL Gold, MR Gold
Posts: 4,547
Very similar to my recent experience. Booked W class and was offered LAX-PVG one-way upgrade to BusinessFirst for only $6999. Am waitlisted with a GPU with currently 36 unassigned J seats.
#79
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: JZRO
Posts: 9,169
Sure, $6199 seems like a lot of money, but look at it this way: It's only $1.50/mile.
#80
Join Date: Nov 2013
Programs: UA 1k 1mil. Marriott Titanium
Posts: 202
The best part is that these buy ups don't count towards pqd nor a change in fare class.
#81
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Sacramento
Programs: UA 2MM/GS; SPG Lifetime Plat; MHC Lifetime; Tar Heel forever; and I "Dig the Pig" at Piggly Wiggly
Posts: 12,152
I recently booked SFO-LHR in A .... return was FRA-SFO, and whatever fare bucket in GF was available, it was $2400 more than D. So, since this was a personal trip, I bought the return in D.
Upgrade offer to GF was $3999 .... and I graciously declined.
As it turned out, my GPU cleared. ^:-:^
Upgrade offer to GF was $3999 .... and I graciously declined.
As it turned out, my GPU cleared. ^:-:^
#82
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Miami, FL
Programs: UA 1MM, AA Plat Pro, Marriott LT Titanium, Hyatt Glob, IHG ♢ Amb, Hilton ♢, Hertz Pres
Posts: 6,008
United continues it's ridiculous ways. Offered a pop-up after purchase from SFO-DEN in First for $199. I declined. I immediately went to view my reservation (seconds after completing the purchase and seeing the pop-up and the offer was $129). No consistency on these offers. Plus buying first outright was $328. Since economy is $199 - the buy up after purchase is actually the difference between the economy flight and First class (surely no deal). The pop-up was an attempt to gouge. As usual United should be ashamed. Who would pay more than buying First outright?!
#83
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: LAX/TPE
Programs: United 1K, JAL Sapphire, SPG Lifetime Platinum, National Executive Elite, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 42,007
#85
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: When not traveling, Boulder,CO
Programs: united premier exec, hhonors diamond, priority club platinum elite
Posts: 43
SFO-SYD $1000 coach seat then an offer of 30,000 miles plus $600 to Polaris...riddle me simple but I took it. 15 hours standing in the back wasn't appealing.
#86
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: NYC and SFO
Programs: UA 1MM (former 1K, Delta Platinum))
Posts: 1,244
The attempt by UA to gouge customers isn't surprising at all to me - it's just another symptom of a company that doesn't really care about customers - only money. As the CEO of a company I understand the drive for profits - what I can't understand is how UA seems to justify its actions towards its customers - no matter what.
I implore you to drop all strategies premised on taking advantage of customers as chumps; in the long run they are psychologically toxic.