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)
#1
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Durham, NC (RDU/GSO/CLT)
Programs: AA EXP/MM, DL GM, UA Platinum, HH DIA, Hyatt Explorist, IHG Platinum, Marriott Titanium, Hertz PC
Posts: 33,857
2016 Upsell Offers to Business/First (UFC/PCU) Questions/Discussion (Paid Upgrades)
Figure we need a 2016 version of this thread, I'll start.
RDU-EWR-PWM
K-Fare
$79 Upgrade after Purchase for RDU-EWR only (EWR-PWM is single class)
Declined
$127 for the K Fare or $227 for the A fare when purchasing.
RDU-EWR-PWM
K-Fare
$79 Upgrade after Purchase for RDU-EWR only (EWR-PWM is single class)
Declined
$127 for the K Fare or $227 for the A fare when purchasing.
#2
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: BOS/SIN
Programs: DL PM, OZ Diamond Plus, BA Silver
Posts: 1,803
UA804 SIN-NRT
K fare
$1349 at OLCI (T-24)
checked on the app again (T-14) and price fell to $499
5 seats open in BF but they're all middles so probably not going to bite
K fare
$1349 at OLCI (T-24)
checked on the app again (T-14) and price fell to $499
5 seats open in BF but they're all middles so probably not going to bite
#3
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: SFO
Programs: AA PP, OZ *G, Hyatt Expl, Marriott Gold, Lots of Ex-statuses
Posts: 318
UA895 HKG-SIN
P fare
$249 to upgrade to GF at T-4
Declined
2 seats open in GF, 14 seats still open in BF. Didn't want to pay for such a short trip.
P fare
$249 to upgrade to GF at T-4
Declined
2 seats open in GF, 14 seats still open in BF. Didn't want to pay for such a short trip.
Last edited by Rowyourboat; Jan 10, 2016 at 5:00 am
#4
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Our nation's capital
Programs: UA 1K & 0.6 MM
Posts: 781
IAD-MCO, at purchase, offered $129 per person (N=3) per leg for first.
It's during Spring Break, so I'll hold out for the CPUs.
It's during Spring Break, so I'll hold out for the CPUs.
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: ORD
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 16,901
BOS-ORD 1/9
I was on a later flight, upgraded with an RPU.
Weather was looming at ORD so I called and changed to an earlier flight -agent made the change but said "first was fully booked."
Went online to check in, and I was offered an upgrade for $179, which I declined.
I was on a later flight, upgraded with an RPU.
Weather was looming at ORD so I called and changed to an earlier flight -agent made the change but said "first was fully booked."
Went online to check in, and I was offered an upgrade for $179, which I declined.
#6
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: CO
Programs: UA OG-1K, Marriott Plat, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,360
Where are we discussing the purchasing of Y fares and then paying the delta to a cheap F seat. Company only pays for Y, but the delta to a P/low-F can be cheap as an example.
I have a multistop (DEN-EWR-BOM-ERW-FLL-DEN) next week and few F seats left, and I know with a GPU that won't clear on the DEN-EWR so just to look for inventory for that leg I see I can buy an F seat for $600. When I called in the operator said it wouldn't price the delta and had to check with the fare desk. They came back with over $600. I said it is kind of odd that is higher than a one way fare all by itself. She agreed and went back to the fare desk and they said that due to my multistop itin, that is the offer.
I understand fare structures and itins effect on things, but that is crazy. I don't think I've had a GPU clear on any of my DEN-IAH/EWR legs in about 10 flights. Truly awful.
Any strategies for trying to get a lower fare delta offer?
I have a multistop (DEN-EWR-BOM-ERW-FLL-DEN) next week and few F seats left, and I know with a GPU that won't clear on the DEN-EWR so just to look for inventory for that leg I see I can buy an F seat for $600. When I called in the operator said it wouldn't price the delta and had to check with the fare desk. They came back with over $600. I said it is kind of odd that is higher than a one way fare all by itself. She agreed and went back to the fare desk and they said that due to my multistop itin, that is the offer.
I understand fare structures and itins effect on things, but that is crazy. I don't think I've had a GPU clear on any of my DEN-IAH/EWR legs in about 10 flights. Truly awful.
Any strategies for trying to get a lower fare delta offer?
#7
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
Where are we discussing the purchasing of Y fares and then paying the delta to a cheap F seat. Company only pays for Y, but the delta to a P/low-F can be cheap as an example.
I have a multistop (DEN-EWR-BOM-ERW-FLL-DEN) next week and few F seats left, and I know with a GPU that won't clear on the DEN-EWR so just to look for inventory for that leg I see I can buy an F seat for $600. When I called in the operator said it wouldn't price the delta and had to check with the fare desk. They came back with over $600. I said it is kind of odd that is higher than a one way fare all by itself. She agreed and went back to the fare desk and they said that due to my multistop itin, that is the offer.
I understand fare structures and itins effect on things, but that is crazy. I don't think I've had a GPU clear on any of my DEN-IAH/EWR legs in about 10 flights. Truly awful.
Any strategies for trying to get a lower fare delta offer?
I have a multistop (DEN-EWR-BOM-ERW-FLL-DEN) next week and few F seats left, and I know with a GPU that won't clear on the DEN-EWR so just to look for inventory for that leg I see I can buy an F seat for $600. When I called in the operator said it wouldn't price the delta and had to check with the fare desk. They came back with over $600. I said it is kind of odd that is higher than a one way fare all by itself. She agreed and went back to the fare desk and they said that due to my multistop itin, that is the offer.
I understand fare structures and itins effect on things, but that is crazy. I don't think I've had a GPU clear on any of my DEN-IAH/EWR legs in about 10 flights. Truly awful.
Any strategies for trying to get a lower fare delta offer?
#8
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: CO
Programs: UA OG-1K, Marriott Plat, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,360
Yep, DEN-EWR-BOM, BOM-EWR-FLL, FLL-DEN. $600 bucks all the way to BOM I could live with Good to know that the legs on a stop aren't always (Sometimes?) separable. Actually was booked thru a TA, so I don't know exact breakdowns.
#9
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: NYS
Programs: UA 1K MM, IHG Plat Amb, HH Diamond
Posts: 311
T-23 EWR-HKG tomorrow. I'm already in J. My 18 year old Son is in 17D with the middle still open. Offered just now while checking him in, $2,379 to confirm. There are still 2 R's available with nobody on the list so far. Does this come down as we get closer?
#10
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: LAX
Programs: UA MM | BA Silver
Posts: 7,193
SMF-LAX
Cheapest Y (K) Fare: $89
Cheapest F (A) Fare: $138
I purchased the K fare on my corporate CC, went back into the reservation to find that UNITED wanted $199 to upgrade to F.
I called UNITED and paid the $49 difference.
Why oh why does UNITED still suck so hard.
Cheapest Y (K) Fare: $89
Cheapest F (A) Fare: $138
I purchased the K fare on my corporate CC, went back into the reservation to find that UNITED wanted $199 to upgrade to F.
I called UNITED and paid the $49 difference.
Why oh why does UNITED still suck so hard.
#11
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: LAX
Programs: UA MM | BA Silver
Posts: 7,193
Based on the upsell difference being greater than outright purchasing an F ticket, I went back and looked at an LAX-SLC flight booked a few weeks ago.
LAX-SLC
Cheapest Y (G) Fare: $84.10 (Currently, and what I paid a few weeks back)
Cheapest F (A) Fare: $163.11
My Reservation: G->P PCU $115
I called to ask if they would charge the difference ($79.01), and the first agent said no. In addition to the $115 I could get off the website, I would have to pay a $200 change fee. I transferred to web support and after a little haggling the agent threw in the towel and only charged the difference.
I find Delta to have a much better user experience design in this respect.
LAX-SLC
Cheapest Y (G) Fare: $84.10 (Currently, and what I paid a few weeks back)
Cheapest F (A) Fare: $163.11
My Reservation: G->P PCU $115
I called to ask if they would charge the difference ($79.01), and the first agent said no. In addition to the $115 I could get off the website, I would have to pay a $200 change fee. I transferred to web support and after a little haggling the agent threw in the towel and only charged the difference.
I find Delta to have a much better user experience design in this respect.
Last edited by anc-ord772; Jan 11, 2016 at 4:25 pm
#12
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: CO
Programs: UA OG-1K, Marriott Plat, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,360
It is interesting. CPUs are dead, so people (or caused by people) buy the upgrades at check in. Now people are beating the day of buy ups by buying Y and paying the difference to F near booking. Interestingly, that is not a set up system in United with lots of variation. Considering the Time-Value of Money of getting the upgrade fares difference earlier and the reality that a lot of business people can't buy F, but will pay the delta our of their own pocket- United really should streamline this process.
#13
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: COS and PIT
Programs: UA Plat
Posts: 279
I flew USA-Europe on 1/1. C had only 6 people booked on 767. Y was "full" and I was told at check-in that Y was actually overbooked. No offers to buy-up online, nothing at check-in, nothing on the app. The agent at check-in looked for me, too - nothing. Looked again after my first connection - no offers. I called, and they wanted about $1,600, presumably the fare difference. Finally, I asked at the gate, and they initially offered the miles + money option, then offered just $500. I took the $500.
We went out with a nearly empty C cabin. I don't know if anyone else bought-up at the gate.
We went out with a nearly empty C cabin. I don't know if anyone else bought-up at the gate.
#14
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: WAS/ BOM
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Gold, HHonors Gold
Posts: 1,567
CUN-IAD on 1/10/2016. SO is Premier Silver and was #2 on the UG list. Was offered $129 PCU. Didn't bite for a 2.5 hour flight. Someone else did - only 1 additional CPU cleared, the rest 3 available seats were buyups.
#15
Join Date: May 2012
Location: ORF, RIC
Programs: UA LT 1K, 3 MM; Marriott Titanium; IHG Platinum
Posts: 6,958
$829 for EWR-BCN (Barcelona) from K class for a 1K member on 14 January at check-in. This is approximately $100 per hour in terms of flight time. The offer was declined. The standard buy-up offer before check-in was $2029. So, there is a $1200 deduction.