Why is there no/extremely limited upgrade availability on PS routes?
Nov 23, 15, 7:53 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: New York, NY
Programs: DL Platinum, UA Gold, Starwood Gold, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 53
Why is there no/extremely limited upgrade availability on PS routes?
Just called the premier desk to upgrade my partner and I to J on a EWR-LAX flight, not a single seat booked in business first, but they put us on the wait list. I asked the agent and she said that since they took away JFK, they haven't been releasing many upgrades on the PS routes. What's the deal? Anyone have any insight? 
Nov 23, 15, 8:10 pm
#2
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: NYC (Primarily EWR)
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Posts: 8,114
Originally Posted by bryan7007
Just called the premier desk to upgrade my partner and I to J on a EWR-LAX flight, not a single seat booked in business first, but they put us on the wait list. I asked the agent and she said that since they took away JFK, they haven't been releasing many upgrades on the PS routes. What's the deal? Anyone have any insight?
Good luck on the waitlist...
Nov 23, 15, 8:59 pm
#3
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: NYC: UA 1K, DL Platinum, AAirpass, Avis PC
Posts: 4,599
R is very hard in advance but not impossible - just snagged one yesterday.
No real rhyme or visible reason to it.
No real rhyme or visible reason to it.
Originally Posted by PsiFighter37
Quote:
Originally Posted by bryan7007
Just called the premier desk to upgrade my partner and I to J on a EWR-LAX flight, not a single seat booked in business first, but they put us on the wait list. I asked the agent and she said that since they took away JFK, they haven't been releasing many upgrades on the PS routes. What's the deal? Anyone have any insight?
They are indeed being extremely stingy with it. There was a little bonanza when they first moved over from JFK to EWR, but yes - I have looked a little and pretty much see R=0 for every single flight...even the early-morning flights or the redeyes.
Good luck on the waitlist...
Originally Posted by bryan7007
Just called the premier desk to upgrade my partner and I to J on a EWR-LAX flight, not a single seat booked in business first, but they put us on the wait list. I asked the agent and she said that since they took away JFK, they haven't been releasing many upgrades on the PS routes. What's the deal? Anyone have any insight?
They are indeed being extremely stingy with it. There was a little bonanza when they first moved over from JFK to EWR, but yes - I have looked a little and pretty much see R=0 for every single flight...even the early-morning flights or the redeyes.
Good luck on the waitlist...
Nov 23, 15, 9:01 pm
#4
Join Date: Oct 2004
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Yeah, I was looking for inventory for a few dates in September and couldn't find a single flight with R>0. As the dates approach, eventually some inventory will probably open up for flights with less demand, such as 6am departures or late morning/early afternoon departures from JFK, but it's a guessing game at this point.
Nov 23, 15, 9:04 pm
#5
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Join Date: Apr 2013
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Originally Posted by bryan7007
Just called the premier desk to upgrade my partner and I to J on a EWR-LAX flight, not a single seat booked in business first, but they put us on the wait list. I asked the agent and she said that since they took away JFK, they haven't been releasing many upgrades on the PS routes. What's the deal? Anyone have any insight?
Saver awards - particularly in J - are now virtually impossible on ps as well.
Nov 23, 15, 9:47 pm
#7
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 4,449
Originally Posted by Kacee
This started before the switch from JFK to EWR. UA significantly reduced advance releases of upgrade space, stopped opening R at T-24, and are selling the BF seats at check-in rather than upgrading elites. It's one of the most significant devaluations of MP over the past two years.
Saver awards - particularly in J - are now virtually impossible on ps as well.
Saver awards - particularly in J - are now virtually impossible on ps as well.
It's pure marketing genius. pure genius by UA.
Nov 23, 15, 9:51 pm
#8
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 2,544
Originally Posted by SFflyer123
agree. UA gives out all these miles, GPUs and RPUs, but you can hardly use them.
It's pure marketing genius. pure genius by UA.
It's pure marketing genius. pure genius by UA.
Nov 23, 15, 10:00 pm
#9
Join Date: Apr 2009
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I applied a RPU LAX-EWR for mid December Travel. Chose a flight with 28 BF seats vs one with 16 BF seats to increase my chances of R opening up at some point. In the past when row 9 was a yoga studio 
I always cleared quickly. Now, I just sweat it out..
I always cleared quickly. Now, I just sweat it out..
Last edited by goalie; Nov 23, 15 at 10:19 pm Reason: Comment about thread title no longer needed after title change
Nov 23, 15, 10:18 pm
#10
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: BOS, PVG
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Not only R is virtually impossible to find, even PN is rare on p.s.
Last edited by goalie; Nov 23, 15 at 10:25 pm Reason: Response to deleted quoted post removed
Nov 23, 15, 11:19 pm
#11
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Honolulu / DC
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Most of the hub to hubs seem plagued by this. ORD-SFO is also particularly devoid of R. I wish GPUs and RPUs cleared into PN. As it stands they are too hard to use.
Nov 23, 15, 11:37 pm
#12
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Philadelphia,PA
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P.S. Premium Service Flights EWR to LAX/SFO do not have complimentary Elite Upgrades on any flight at anytime for any Elite..This is a BusinessFirst Service and MP Elite are not given complementary upgrades on these 2 routes..You must buy the full fare or use you miles to be placed on waitlist to upgrade..All P.S. flights have been full in Business First that i have been on in the last month.
Nov 24, 15, 3:16 am
#13
Join Date: Jan 2009
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I just cleared an RPU on Sunday for a mid December redeye from SFO. I chose a flight that had 28 Business Class seats and that seemed to be the most wide open and I've been sweating it for the last couple of months.
Nov 24, 15, 5:59 am
#14
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Morris County, NJ
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Originally Posted by CAL PHL FLYER
P.S. Premium Service Flights EWR to LAX/SFO do not have complimentary Elite Upgrades on any flight at anytime for any Elite..This is a BusinessFirst Service and MP Elite are not given complementary upgrades on these 2 routes..You must buy the full fare or use you miles to be placed on waitlist to upgrade..All P.S. flights have been full in Business First that i have been on in the last month.
Nov 24, 15, 7:40 am
#15
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: What I write is my opinion alone..don't read into it anything not written.
Posts: 9,644
I would guess that until one could forecast accurate demand for the product, they would be conservative on upgrade space. They need to have a large historical sample size, on all different days. Once they have that, they can better allocate the resources based on projected demand. Remember this is no longer a hub to a spoke flight, but a hub to hub with feeds on both ends, so their ability to sell the product closer in has a much larger potential customer base. Yea they lose some JFK peeps, but they pick up all of the east coast connecting traffic as potential buyers.
