Jan 10, 2016, 10:56 pm
Last edit by: atword
Previous threads: 2015 Upsell Offers to Business/First (UFC/PCU) Questions/Discussion (Paid Upgrades)
2014 Upsell Offers to Business/First (UFC/PCU) Questions/Discussion (Paid Upgrades)
2013 "Upsell Offers to Business/First (UFC/PCU)" Questions/Discussion (Paid Upgrades)
PCU (Premium Cabin Upsell) Nets extra PQM's and can be done at purchase or anytime before checkin if prompted. This will book into a business/first bucket.
UFC (Upgrade For Cash) is done at checkin (online, counter, lounge, gate) and will not earn extra PQM's.
TOD (Tens of Dollars); please post at another thread Post your TOD buy-up experiences here [2016 Edition]
From #198 of the TOD thread by thejaredhuang: "I think there's still a distinction (from upsell thread). This thread is more about offers at check-in, I always read TOD as Time of Departure anyways."
2014 Upsell Offers to Business/First (UFC/PCU) Questions/Discussion (Paid Upgrades)
2013 "Upsell Offers to Business/First (UFC/PCU)" Questions/Discussion (Paid Upgrades)
PCU (Premium Cabin Upsell) Nets extra PQM's and can be done at purchase or anytime before checkin if prompted. This will book into a business/first bucket.
UFC (Upgrade For Cash) is done at checkin (online, counter, lounge, gate) and will not earn extra PQM's.
TOD (Tens of Dollars); please post at another thread Post your TOD buy-up experiences here [2016 Edition]
From #198 of the TOD thread by thejaredhuang: "I think there's still a distinction (from upsell thread). This thread is more about offers at check-in, I always read TOD as Time of Departure anyways."
2016 Upsell Offers to Business/First (UFC/PCU) Questions/Discussion (Paid Upgrades)
Mar 24, 2016, 5:46 am
#91
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: New Jersey
Programs: UA MM 1K, AA MM Gold, Marriott LT Platinum
Posts: 3,235
If you're on the fence at $300 over an E fare, I would be buying F (or GG BUYUP-ing it) outright. $159 each way and no games. If this upsell is the "Buy Up to United First" option on the reservation page, it should be guaranteed to book into a revenue class with bonus PQM/PQD/RDM.
But if your flight has E space, you should still be able to call in and reticket for $159. And lots of higher bases also are better than $300 - I'm assuming "plenty of available seats" means your flight has A space.
But if your flight has E space, you should still be able to call in and reticket for $159. And lots of higher bases also are better than $300 - I'm assuming "plenty of available seats" means your flight has A space.
I'll continue to watch the A inventory and may wait for an OLCI offer.
Mar 24, 2016, 12:20 pm
#92
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,394
The upsell is the "Buy Up to United First" option. I checked this morning, and it's still showing $292. I then called and the agent said the buy up to A was $230. It's a corporate ticket, so that must account for the difference between the $159 (still difference between E and A) and what I'm being quoted.
I'll continue to watch the A inventory and may wait for an OLCI offer.
I'll continue to watch the A inventory and may wait for an OLCI offer.
Apr 4, 2016, 2:05 pm
#93
formerly fkhatibloo
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: SFO/OAK
Programs: United 1K & 1MM, Marriott Gold, Starwood Gold, Omni Select
Posts: 182
Well THIS was a pleasant surprise: BOS-SFO next Friday, originally booked in M. Offered $170 buy-up to J in the Manage Reservations tab. You know I took that one.
Email confirms it's ticketed in P. So what's that, $.06/mile + the joy of a UA P experience? :-p
Email confirms it's ticketed in P. So what's that, $.06/mile + the joy of a UA P experience? :-p
Apr 4, 2016, 4:45 pm
#94
Join Date: Oct 2009
Programs: All of them, UA-Plat, 1MM*G
Posts: 881
CDG-IAD on a U fare. Economy was overbooked. Was offered the standard 20K miles plus $300 at check-in to buy up to BF. For various reasons declined it. Evidently they didn't get enough paid takers because when my boarding pass was scanned at the gate DING DING DING, you have been upgraded Monsieur Seenitall.
First op-up I have ever received on UA. It will probably be another 20 years before I see another. But a good feeling nonetheless.
First op-up I have ever received on UA. It will probably be another 20 years before I see another. But a good feeling nonetheless.
Apr 4, 2016, 6:53 pm
#95
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: New Jersey
Programs: UA MM 1K, AA MM Gold, Marriott LT Platinum
Posts: 3,235
EWR-IAH 763 lay flat BF buy up from E to A at OLCI for $149. Took it.
Apr 5, 2016, 9:47 pm
#96
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: SFO
Programs: United 1K 2MM / Marriott LTP
Posts: 5,071
SFO-ORD
K fare
Website offer: $553-$899
Check-in: $199 (Booked 15/20)
Mind you I was waitlisted with an instrument and after I checked in I was #1 on the UG list. Within 30 minutes my upgrade cleared.
ORD-SFO
K fare
Website offer: $553.
K fare
Website offer: $553-$899
Check-in: $199 (Booked 15/20)
Mind you I was waitlisted with an instrument and after I checked in I was #1 on the UG list. Within 30 minutes my upgrade cleared.
ORD-SFO
K fare
Website offer: $553.
Apr 5, 2016, 10:58 pm
#97
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: IAH
Programs: DL DM, Hyatt Ist-iest, Stariott Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 12,783
Nice one. I flew LGA-IAH on Sunday and the offer was $219 to sit in the typical Boeing loungers. Obviously passed, but not sure about others as F magically filled up from having 5 empty seats to 0 with only 1 pax moving to the cleared upgrade list.
Apr 6, 2016, 6:31 am
#98
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: KEWR
Programs: UA 1K, HH Diamond, SPG/Marriott Gold, Hyatt Plat, National Exec, GE/Nexus
Posts: 501
Seems like the feeling is - if I am willing to pay a certain price point to get upgraded ahead of 1Ks I feel good, and if I get passed on a CPU because someone else paid to get ahead of me I feel cheated. 
Apr 6, 2016, 7:42 am
#99
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: LAX & EWR/JFK
Programs: Fomerly UA 1K, now Gold... next year, who knows?
Posts: 1,432
I'm sure some feel that way. Personally, I never get an offer to upgrade for TOD (unless T= Thousands). I fly a lot of PS LAX-EWR-LAX (formerly JFK) and in 2016 I've only had 1 RPU clear, and they even pass over me last week when I tried to be waitlisted for a miles & co-pay upgrade. It seems obvious to me what is happening when I see middle seats open up, and F seats disappear.
Apr 6, 2016, 2:18 pm
#100
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: NYC (Primarily EWR)
Programs: UA 1K / *G, Marriott Bonvoy Gold; Avis PC
Posts: 8,999
Was offered $219 on EWR-MIA at OLCI. Got CPU'ed at T-3 hours
Apr 6, 2016, 5:42 pm
#101
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: BOS/SIN
Programs: DL PM, OZ Diamond Plus, BA Silver
Posts: 1,800
Booked LAX-EWR for August as part of a EWR-NRT-SIN-NRT//HND-LAX-EWR itinerary (with middle 3 legs on NH), all in S class.
At booking offered $329 to upgrade the LAX-EWR redeye to BF. Didn't bite but kinda regretting it now. Oh well.
At booking offered $329 to upgrade the LAX-EWR redeye to BF. Didn't bite but kinda regretting it now. Oh well.
Apr 7, 2016, 6:24 pm
#102
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: IAH
Programs: DL DM, Hyatt Ist-iest, Stariott Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 12,783
IAH-CVG
tomorrow
K fare
$129
2 of the 6 seats in F are available (CRJ 700) and it's offering me the upgrade for $129, which is far less than what the differential was when I booked it. Being just barely over 2 hours, likely a cold dinner since its UAX, and me picking up a rental car means I can't open bar the whole flight. Passed and going to CPU lottery it for now, which as a Silver means I'll be in my E+ seat.
Edit: sitting at #1 on the UG list. We'll see where I land tomorrow afternoon.
tomorrow
K fare
$129
2 of the 6 seats in F are available (CRJ 700) and it's offering me the upgrade for $129, which is far less than what the differential was when I booked it. Being just barely over 2 hours, likely a cold dinner since its UAX, and me picking up a rental car means I can't open bar the whole flight. Passed and going to CPU lottery it for now, which as a Silver means I'll be in my E+ seat.
Edit: sitting at #1 on the UG list. We'll see where I land tomorrow afternoon.
Last edited by krazykanuck; Apr 7, 2016 at 10:58 pm
Apr 8, 2016, 2:58 pm
#103
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: New Jersey
Programs: UA MM 1K, AA MM Gold, Marriott LT Platinum
Posts: 3,235
Also didn't mention that the outbound flight had BF pillow and thick blanket at each seat. That was unexpected. On the return, standard see-through thin blue blanket and no pillow.
Apr 11, 2016, 4:58 pm
#104
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: The place where it gets so hot in the summer some planes can't take off.
Programs: Marriott LT Titanium, WoH Globalist, National EE, United Platinum
Posts: 1,446
Options to upgrade a international saver award ticket same day?
I have never flown a completely United international itinerary so I don't have any experience with this.
Does United offer any buy up options at checkin or at the gate to businessfirst from a economy award ticket? The flight I am forced to go out on has half of the 36 bizfirst seats available, but I can't bring myself to dump 120k miles more on a 7 1/2 hr flight, especially when it's not a foreign carrier.
I'm keeping an eye to see if saver inventory opens up, but do they tend to offer any same day discounted buy ups on award tickets? I may also resort to bringing treats to the gate agent and asking for sympathy since I'm flying on my birthday
Does United offer any buy up options at checkin or at the gate to businessfirst from a economy award ticket? The flight I am forced to go out on has half of the 36 bizfirst seats available, but I can't bring myself to dump 120k miles more on a 7 1/2 hr flight, especially when it's not a foreign carrier.
I'm keeping an eye to see if saver inventory opens up, but do they tend to offer any same day discounted buy ups on award tickets? I may also resort to bringing treats to the gate agent and asking for sympathy since I'm flying on my birthday
Apr 11, 2016, 5:01 pm
#105
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 7
June flight
752 lie flat
MCO-EWR
Originally a W fare.
Upon booking a pop-up offer showed up and offered $119 for the segment up there and $119 for the segment back. Took it.
And yes my mom has absolutely no status at all. I can see why the elites get pissed.
752 lie flat
MCO-EWR
Originally a W fare.
Upon booking a pop-up offer showed up and offered $119 for the segment up there and $119 for the segment back. Took it.
And yes my mom has absolutely no status at all. I can see why the elites get pissed.