Last edit by: Zorak
This thread is for general RPU usage questions. ---- Previous Thread was Specific GPU and RPU usage questions thread
Questions like "will my upgrade clear" are better placed in
[Consolidated] Chance of upgrade clearing on my flight [2016]
How often do your RPUs clear?
General comments on utility / value are better placed in
My new United Regional Premier Upgrade (RPU) strategy
Regional Premier® Upgrades (RPUs) are one-way, one-cabin, space available confirmable upgrades as early as the time of ticketing on eligible UA/UX and Copa Airlines-operated flights. They can be used on any fare and any flight that is also CPU eligible and on PS flights. This includes some Oceania and some COPA South America flights. They are generally not usable on flights outside of North America -- see upgrade region chart for details.
PS and non-west coast Hawaii flights are considered one of the better uses of RPUs since those flights are not CPU eligible and since elites are subject to copays on mileage upgrades.
RPUs are earned by elites -- (Re-)qualifying for Premier Platinum earns 2 RPU for the rest of the year, all of the next year and then thru 31 January of the following year. Re-)qualifying for Premier 1K earns 2 more RPUs and you can then earn 2 more RPUs for each additional 25K PQMs.
Unlike GPUs, UA does not offer an extension of unused and about to expire RPUs.
2MM, assuming they did not otherwise qualify for Platinum in the prior year, will have 2 RPUs deposited into their account around mid-January. 3MM+, assuming they did not otherwise qualify for 1K in the prior year, will have 2 RPUs and 6 GPUs deposited into their account around mid-January.
RPUs can be used for other individuals / friends / family but the upgrade priority is based on the status of the flyer, not the earning elite.
RPUs require PZ space (formerly R) to clear (except for GS RPUs which clear into PN space). For a given flight, RPU /GPU or Mileage+Copay have the same waitlist priority -- what does matter is passenger Status then Fare Class and then the time of the request. For more on waitlisting, see Understanding the United Upgrade List Comprehensively
A Regional Premier Upgrade will be considered used if any segment of an itinerary is upgraded and flown - no exception. Miles and GPUs have an exception if the waitlisted International BF/GF (now called Polaris business / first) does not clear, the miles/GPU will be returned -- this does not apply to RPUs. Recent changes in the rules make it clear there is no exception for PS routes.
Note on most RPU routes, a "connection" needs to be under 4 hours (longer only if it is the next scheduled flight) or a single RPU will not apply. This standard stopover definition for North American flights.
A single RPU (or GPU or Miles+copay) can not be applied to flights on different PNRs (or for different carriers even on the same PNR).
Questions like "will my upgrade clear" are better placed in
[Consolidated] Chance of upgrade clearing on my flight [2016]
How often do your RPUs clear?
General comments on utility / value are better placed in
My new United Regional Premier Upgrade (RPU) strategy
Regional Premier® Upgrades (RPUs) are one-way, one-cabin, space available confirmable upgrades as early as the time of ticketing on eligible UA/UX and Copa Airlines-operated flights. They can be used on any fare and any flight that is also CPU eligible and on PS flights. This includes some Oceania and some COPA South America flights. They are generally not usable on flights outside of North America -- see upgrade region chart for details.
PS and non-west coast Hawaii flights are considered one of the better uses of RPUs since those flights are not CPU eligible and since elites are subject to copays on mileage upgrades.
RPUs are earned by elites -- (Re-)qualifying for Premier Platinum earns 2 RPU for the rest of the year, all of the next year and then thru 31 January of the following year. Re-)qualifying for Premier 1K earns 2 more RPUs and you can then earn 2 more RPUs for each additional 25K PQMs.
Unlike GPUs, UA does not offer an extension of unused and about to expire RPUs.
2MM, assuming they did not otherwise qualify for Platinum in the prior year, will have 2 RPUs deposited into their account around mid-January. 3MM+, assuming they did not otherwise qualify for 1K in the prior year, will have 2 RPUs and 6 GPUs deposited into their account around mid-January.
RPUs can be used for other individuals / friends / family but the upgrade priority is based on the status of the flyer, not the earning elite.
RPUs require PZ space (formerly R) to clear (except for GS RPUs which clear into PN space). For a given flight, RPU /GPU or Mileage+Copay have the same waitlist priority -- what does matter is passenger Status then Fare Class and then the time of the request. For more on waitlisting, see Understanding the United Upgrade List Comprehensively
A Regional Premier Upgrade will be considered used if any segment of an itinerary is upgraded and flown - no exception. Miles and GPUs have an exception if the waitlisted International BF/GF (now called Polaris business / first) does not clear, the miles/GPU will be returned -- this does not apply to RPUs. Recent changes in the rules make it clear there is no exception for PS routes.
Note on most RPU routes, a "connection" needs to be under 4 hours (longer only if it is the next scheduled flight) or a single RPU will not apply. This standard stopover definition for North American flights.
A single RPU (or GPU or Miles+copay) can not be applied to flights on different PNRs (or for different carriers even on the same PNR).
General RPU earning & usage questions [Consolidated 2016 onward]
#136
Join Date: Jan 2016
Programs: UA 1K; *G, AA Plat
Posts: 1,700
First time seeing this and wanted to get some opinions:
On the UA website, J3 JN3 ... are available for an upcoming PS flight. However, on the 'mobile United app' it says "Capacity 16, Booked 10". Why is there a discrepancy? Shouldn't those two metrics match? And I know seat maps are not an indicator of flight load, but there are 6 'non-chosen / empty' business class seats.
Thoughts?
On the UA website, J3 JN3 ... are available for an upcoming PS flight. However, on the 'mobile United app' it says "Capacity 16, Booked 10". Why is there a discrepancy? Shouldn't those two metrics match? And I know seat maps are not an indicator of flight load, but there are 6 'non-chosen / empty' business class seats.
Thoughts?
#137
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.997MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,859
First time seeing this and wanted to get some opinions:
On the UA website, J3 JN3 ... are available for an upcoming PS flight. However, on the 'mobile United app' it says "Capacity 16, Booked 10". Why is there a discrepancy? Shouldn't those two metrics match? And I know seat maps are not an indicator of flight load, but there are 6 'non-chosen / empty' business class seats.
Thoughts?
On the UA website, J3 JN3 ... are available for an upcoming PS flight. However, on the 'mobile United app' it says "Capacity 16, Booked 10". Why is there a discrepancy? Shouldn't those two metrics match? And I know seat maps are not an indicator of flight load, but there are 6 'non-chosen / empty' business class seats.
Thoughts?
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...rade-list.html
#138
Join Date: Jan 2016
Programs: UA 1K; *G, AA Plat
Posts: 1,700
Economy is oversold by 3 seats, so 3 J seats are "blocked" (removed) for the economy oversold.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...rade-list.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...rade-list.html
J3 JN3 C3 D3 Z3 ZN3 P0 PN0 R0 RN0 IN0 I0 Y9 YN9 B9 M9 E9 U9 H9
Last edited by laxmillenial; Oct 11, 2016 at 11:09 pm Reason: adding info
#139
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,424
And the mobile app will print (+X blocked) for the number of seats blocked from inventory. That's strange.
#140
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,480
If it's a 752 int'l on a TATL, they do block two seats for pilot rest. But that doesn't explain the gap.
They will typically still sell a few economy fares even if Y is booked full - that's why they block seats in J - but the buckets wouldn't look like that.
#141
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,424
Also I'm pretty sure they don't oversell Y into J on p.s. - at least sample size a few flights around one I'm on. It's gone Y0 without any blocked inventory in the J cabin.
Might have something to do with the fact that full Y is still less than a lot of the J tickets.
Might have something to do with the fact that full Y is still less than a lot of the J tickets.
#142
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Los Angeles
Programs: UAL, Marriott,
Posts: 23
Advice for first time UA MP Plat's & RPUs?
Hi everyone
New (pleasant) changes in job meant more conferences and business travel, and unexpectedly made it to UA MP Platinum status after the final UA flight for the calendar year & just $200 for Premier accelerator. I've been Gold and Silver in the past, but from the Forum, it sounds like the main changes are the Group 1 Boarding and the Regional Premier Upgrades. My travel habits are usually flying solo or with minimal luggage, so increased checked bags and E+ seats for others are nice but unlikely to be used.
So big question: how to best use RPUs? The value seems better for US Coast-to-Coast flights like LAX-(fill in the blank), but I also worry it will be less likely to get any upgrades due to the popularity of hub-hub flights? With hub-nonhub coastal flights, it's likely to CPU at Plat status, right?
Some insight and shared experiences would be nice. Safe travels.
-Todd
New (pleasant) changes in job meant more conferences and business travel, and unexpectedly made it to UA MP Platinum status after the final UA flight for the calendar year & just $200 for Premier accelerator. I've been Gold and Silver in the past, but from the Forum, it sounds like the main changes are the Group 1 Boarding and the Regional Premier Upgrades. My travel habits are usually flying solo or with minimal luggage, so increased checked bags and E+ seats for others are nice but unlikely to be used.
So big question: how to best use RPUs? The value seems better for US Coast-to-Coast flights like LAX-(fill in the blank), but I also worry it will be less likely to get any upgrades due to the popularity of hub-hub flights? With hub-nonhub coastal flights, it's likely to CPU at Plat status, right?
Some insight and shared experiences would be nice. Safe travels.
-Todd
#143
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: GVA (Greater Vancouver Area)
Programs: DREAD Gold; UA 1.035MM; Bonvoy Au-197; PCC Elite+; CCC Elite+; MSC C-12; CWC Au-197; WoH Dis
Posts: 52,140
I wouldn't say CPU is ever "likely".
#144
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Programs: DL PM, MR Titanium/LTP, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 10,130
Expert Mode and ExpertFlyer subscription are critical to let you find R space.
Especially for the TCONs, if you can't confirm at booking you probably won't get it.
Especially for the TCONs, if you can't confirm at booking you probably won't get it.
#145
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: UA Platinum
Posts: 502
I am very interested in this thread! Subscribed!
I'll be hitting Pt (for the 1st time) Dec 18th.
I'll be hitting Pt (for the 1st time) Dec 18th.
#148
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: BOS
Programs: Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott/SPG/Hilton Gold, PreCheck + Clear
Posts: 2,306
So big question: how to best use RPUs? The value seems better for US Coast-to-Coast flights like LAX-(fill in the blank), but I also worry it will be less likely to get any upgrades due to the popularity of hub-hub flights? With hub-nonhub coastal flights, it's likely to CPU at Plat status, right?
#149
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: BDL/NYC/BOS
Programs: UA/*A Gold, Global Entry, Marriott Plat, Hilton+IHG Gold, Hertz PC, DL
Posts: 1,752
my advice: use your upgrade instruments liberally, otherwise you'll end up wasting them.