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)
Apr 11, 2016, 5:26 pm
#106
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,425
Yes, you are likely to see a buy-up offer at OLCI. This sounds like East Coast TATL, which tends to be in the $500 to $1,000 range each way. It is not guaranteed however, so I would not count on it.
Apr 11, 2016, 5:40 pm
#107
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
It's IAH->LHR on 787.
There's plenty of availability on IAD flights, but I am coming from the Midwest and can't leave early enough to get out there... Poor planning on my part.
Good to know there's a possible buy up... Haven't had a ice cream sundae for a while
. I can suffer in e+ if necessary I guess. Flew NRT to DEN on 787 e+ a couple years ago and somehow survived. It was the return flight though.
There's plenty of availability on IAD flights, but I am coming from the Midwest and can't leave early enough to get out there... Poor planning on my part.
Good to know there's a possible buy up... Haven't had a ice cream sundae for a while
. I can suffer in e+ if necessary I guess. Flew NRT to DEN on 787 e+ a couple years ago and somehow survived. It was the return flight though.
Apr 11, 2016, 10:09 pm
#108
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: LBB
Programs: UA 1K 1MM ★G | Marriott LTT | Hilton ♦ | Hertz PC | Global Entry TSA Pre ✓
Posts: 2,820
The one thing I keep close tabs on when I book my tickets is the difference in fare between Y and F .... often times, the disparity is very small... in the order of the OLCI buy-up price. I often times will take the initiative to simply buy first class outright than to wait to see what happens at OLCI or the battlefield.
This is not always the case, but often times, it is... and for this reason, I am buying first class (within pricing sanity, of course) outright more than 75% of the time booking personal tickets.
For instance, I just purchased DEN-AUS ... Option was $160 o.w. for economy or $260 for A .... though this extra $$ was right at the threshold for the distance flown, I went for it anyway.
Many times, I have seen the deltas between Y and F be around $130 for DEN-ORD / DEN-LAX / DEN-SFO ... pretty easy choice for me, as I get double PQM's, a nice seat, and usually a meal vs. a guaranteed (impossible to upgrade on these routes at the gate) seat in Y.
Apr 11, 2016, 11:43 pm
#109
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,425
The one thing I keep close tabs on when I book my tickets is the difference in fare between Y and F .... often times, the disparity is very small... in the order of the OLCI buy-up price. I often times will take the initiative to simply buy first class outright than to wait to see what happens at OLCI or the battlefield.
This is not always the case, but often times, it is... and for this reason, I am buying first class (within pricing sanity, of course) outright more than 75% of the time booking personal tickets.
This is not always the case, but often times, it is... and for this reason, I am buying first class (within pricing sanity, of course) outright more than 75% of the time booking personal tickets.
Apr 12, 2016, 1:18 am
#110
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 7
That's a fantastic deal... and a no-brainer for anyone that stumbles across it.
The one thing I keep close tabs on when I book my tickets is the difference in fare between Y and F .... often times, the disparity is very small... in the order of the OLCI buy-up price. I often times will take the initiative to simply buy first class outright than to wait to see what happens at OLCI or the battlefield.
This is not always the case, but often times, it is... and for this reason, I am buying first class (within pricing sanity, of course) outright more than 75% of the time booking personal tickets.
For instance, I just purchased DEN-AUS ... Option was $160 o.w. for economy or $260 for A .... though this extra $$ was right at the threshold for the distance flown, I went for it anyway.
Many times, I have seen the deltas between Y and F be around $130 for DEN-ORD / DEN-LAX / DEN-SFO ... pretty easy choice for me, as I get double PQM's, a nice seat, and usually a meal vs. a guaranteed (impossible to upgrade on these routes at the gate) seat in Y.
The one thing I keep close tabs on when I book my tickets is the difference in fare between Y and F .... often times, the disparity is very small... in the order of the OLCI buy-up price. I often times will take the initiative to simply buy first class outright than to wait to see what happens at OLCI or the battlefield.
This is not always the case, but often times, it is... and for this reason, I am buying first class (within pricing sanity, of course) outright more than 75% of the time booking personal tickets.
For instance, I just purchased DEN-AUS ... Option was $160 o.w. for economy or $260 for A .... though this extra $$ was right at the threshold for the distance flown, I went for it anyway.
Many times, I have seen the deltas between Y and F be around $130 for DEN-ORD / DEN-LAX / DEN-SFO ... pretty easy choice for me, as I get double PQM's, a nice seat, and usually a meal vs. a guaranteed (impossible to upgrade on these routes at the gate) seat in Y.
This also booked into A.
Apr 24, 2016, 6:14 pm
#111
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: TGU
Programs: Lm silver / MileagePlus / Aadvantage / Amex platinum / stargold points silver
Posts: 266
Do I have a chance to get an offer to upg at OLCI if I purchased my ticket w/Lifemile
I will purchase next week a ticket with lifemiles to fly in UNITED, I have purchased before award flights with Mileage Plus and I have got offers to upgrade, do I have the change to get this offer if I purchased the flight with Lifemiles or at least to purchase Economy Plus.
Apr 24, 2016, 6:18 pm
#112
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: OOL
Programs: VA Plat, QF LTS, UA MM, Hilton Diamond, Rydges Black, ,Le-Club Gold
Posts: 3,659
I will purchase next week a ticket with lifemiles to fly in UNITED, I have purchased before award flights with Mileage Plus and I have got offers to upgrade, do I have the change to get this offer if I purchased the flight with Lifemiles or at least to purchase Economy Plus.
Apr 24, 2016, 8:33 pm
#113
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: ORD, MKE
Programs: Bonvoy LT Gold, Hilton Silver, Hyatt Discoverist, Hertz PC, National EE
Posts: 710
what route: ORD-SFO
original fare bucket: K
price offered: $768
PCU/UFC? PCU
Where it was offered: Online
Declined
original fare bucket: K
price offered: $768
PCU/UFC? PCU
Where it was offered: Online
Declined
Apr 24, 2016, 9:28 pm
#114
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: LBB
Programs: UA 1K 1MM ★G | Marriott LTT | Hilton ♦ | Hertz PC | Global Entry TSA Pre ✓
Posts: 2,820
You can purchase a ticket in F class outright for less than $600 many times on this route (I did this 3 times this year). What a rip off.... especially if it was for a standard recliner 737/753/A320.
Apr 25, 2016, 1:05 pm
#115
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: DCA/IAD
Programs: UA 1K, HH Diamond, Bonvoy Plat
Posts: 109
Just got the email for flights on 5/5 and 5/8:
IAD-MCO $731, K fare, 737-8, 8 seats available
MCO-IAD $618, W fare, 737-9, 4 seats available
IAD-MCO $731, K fare, 737-8, 8 seats available
MCO-IAD $618, W fare, 737-9, 4 seats available
Apr 25, 2016, 1:46 pm
#116
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Northern Calif./Eastern Ida.
Programs: Amethyst Premier Plutonium Medallion
Posts: 20,648
Apr 25, 2016, 2:35 pm
#117
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Houston, TX
Programs: United Gold, Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 207
what route: IAH-AMS
original fare bucket: S
price offered: $481
PCU/UFC?: UFC
Where it was offered: Online
Accepted.
original fare bucket: S
price offered: $481
PCU/UFC?: UFC
Where it was offered: Online
Accepted.
Last edited by plc44; Apr 25, 2016 at 2:53 pm
Apr 25, 2016, 6:08 pm
#118
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: New Jersey
Programs: UA MM 1K, AA MM Gold, Marriott LT Platinum
Posts: 3,236
EWR-LHR
Fare: B
Cost: $2,411
Declined (6 weeks out)
Fare: B
Cost: $2,411
Declined (6 weeks out)
Apr 25, 2016, 6:30 pm
#119
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: NYC (Primarily EWR)
Programs: UA 1K / *G, Marriott Bonvoy Gold; Avis PC
Posts: 9,011
I found what feels like a mistake - $380 to upgrade a W fare to BF on LIS-EWR. Tried to snag it but kept getting an error...calling in now to see if I can still get it. That's a freakin' steal for a flight that is still in peak season (early September).
ETA: Being told that the fare was 'no longer valid' and that they could only offer it to me for $735. ...! I have 10 pending charges for $380 on my credit card now. Extremely frustrated and pissed off that there is literally no way they could push this through.
ETA x2: I got it! For some reason, they had to downgrade my outbound leg (EWR-OSL) to K fare and then push me into P on the return. I guess it's a combination of GG Buyup + a downgrade in fare class?! Had no idea that was possible, but definitely feel like I lucked out. I paid the $800 to upgrade my wife...so basically did a miles + copay upgrade but saved all the miles for the two of us and will get twice the PQM. ^
ETA: Being told that the fare was 'no longer valid' and that they could only offer it to me for $735. ...! I have 10 pending charges for $380 on my credit card now. Extremely frustrated and pissed off that there is literally no way they could push this through.
ETA x2: I got it! For some reason, they had to downgrade my outbound leg (EWR-OSL) to K fare and then push me into P on the return. I guess it's a combination of GG Buyup + a downgrade in fare class?! Had no idea that was possible, but definitely feel like I lucked out. I paid the $800 to upgrade my wife...so basically did a miles + copay upgrade but saved all the miles for the two of us and will get twice the PQM. ^
Last edited by PsiFighter37; Apr 25, 2016 at 7:34 pm
Apr 25, 2016, 8:14 pm
#120
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,425
ETA x2: I got it! For some reason, they had to downgrade my outbound leg (EWR-OSL) to K fare and then push me into P on the return. I guess it's a combination of GG Buyup + a downgrade in fare class?! Had no idea that was possible, but definitely feel like I lucked out. I paid the $800 to upgrade my wife...so basically did a miles + copay upgrade but saved all the miles for the two of us and will get twice the PQM. ^