Jan 9, 2016, 5:58 pm
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]
Jul 14, 2017, 11:55 am
#391
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 11,470
Sort of: I used the app. It just showed me going back to my original fare class and then emailed me a new eticket showing the same, with no other emails about upgrade waitlist or confirmation. If I'd been fast enough I'd have checked the arrow to see the upgrade request type to be certain, but I was a bit distracted and forgot until after being upgraded ~30 minutes later.
Jul 14, 2017, 2:42 pm
#392
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Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,477
Sort of: I used the app. It just showed me going back to my original fare class and then emailed me a new eticket showing the same, with no other emails about upgrade waitlist or confirmation. If I'd been fast enough I'd have checked the arrow to see the upgrade request type to be certain, but I was a bit distracted and forgot until after being upgraded ~30 minutes later.
You might try calling MPSC and ask innocently if the RPU can be returned. Assuming that is you'll be able to make use of it before expiration.
Jul 14, 2017, 4:22 pm
#393
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
Sort of: I used the app. It just showed me going back to my original fare class and then emailed me a new eticket showing the same, with no other emails about upgrade waitlist or confirmation. If I'd been fast enough I'd have checked the arrow to see the upgrade request type to be certain, but I was a bit distracted and forgot until after being upgraded ~30 minutes later.
Jul 19, 2017, 9:38 pm
#394
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: EWR
Programs: UA MM GS, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 520
RPU and same day change
Hi
I'm not sure if this has been answered before, but I wonder if there is an official way to port upgrade waitlist over when doing a SDC while having an unconfirmed upgrade waitlisted with a RPU?
commom scenario: ewr - sfo flight, rpu applied but hasn't cleared at t-24, so added to upgrade waitlist. SDC to earlier flight, no longer on the waitlist but also not able to apply RPU, since it's within 24h of departure
is there a way to get back in the waitlist that does not involve one hour on the phone with UA and luck to find the right agent?
thanks
FeM
I'm not sure if this has been answered before, but I wonder if there is an official way to port upgrade waitlist over when doing a SDC while having an unconfirmed upgrade waitlisted with a RPU?
commom scenario: ewr - sfo flight, rpu applied but hasn't cleared at t-24, so added to upgrade waitlist. SDC to earlier flight, no longer on the waitlist but also not able to apply RPU, since it's within 24h of departure
is there a way to get back in the waitlist that does not involve one hour on the phone with UA and luck to find the right agent?
thanks
FeM
Jul 19, 2017, 9:41 pm
#395
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,477
Jul 19, 2017, 9:51 pm
#396
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: LHR (sometimes CLE, SFO, BOS, LAX, SEA)
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 5,895
I have had agents spontaneously volunteer to transfer my waitlisted upgrade request when SDC'ing on a flight where I had requested an upgrade (variously RPU or GPU). This was unexpected and quite kind. None more recently than late 2016. It is not the policy (policy is no waitlisting if flight is within 24 hrs for the to-be-waitlisted sector).
In some cases you can SDC via connections onto a flight which is >24 hr out and should be able to apply an instrument.
I have also observed multiple agents saying they cannot apply a RPU/GPU even if confirmable upgrade space (R) is open if the flight is within about 3.5 hours -- whether I landed on that flight because of SDC, a last-minute purchase, or irrop rebooking. Crazy but true. Saw this in mid-2017 mostly.
In some cases you can SDC via connections onto a flight which is >24 hr out and should be able to apply an instrument.
I have also observed multiple agents saying they cannot apply a RPU/GPU even if confirmable upgrade space (R) is open if the flight is within about 3.5 hours -- whether I landed on that flight because of SDC, a last-minute purchase, or irrop rebooking. Crazy but true. Saw this in mid-2017 mostly.
Jul 19, 2017, 9:51 pm
#397
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: EWR
Programs: UA MM GS, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 520
You don't for complimentary upgrades but obv those don't work on p.s. Flights
Jul 19, 2017, 10:05 pm
#398
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 11,470
The RPU is supposed to be specific to the flight (i.e. not to the eticket). You do sort of lose your place for SDC with CPU, as your sequence number is determined by your switch time, not your original check-in time.
Jul 19, 2017, 10:08 pm
#399
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Join Date: Apr 2013
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It may be related to a systems issue, but the agents do have the ability to add you to the waitlist within T-24. They're just not supposed to do it.
Jul 19, 2017, 10:28 pm
#400
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 575
My understanding is they were trying to prevent queue jumping. When someone is waitlisted for R and it get to t-24 and R opens, the waitlist doesn't clear right away. People who see R will un-request their waitlist, then re-request and take the R space. So rather than fixing the system, they implemented a no waitlist in 24 hour policy.
Jul 19, 2017, 10:31 pm
#401
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Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
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My understanding is they were trying to prevent queue jumping. When someone is waitlisted for R and it get to t-24 and R opens, the waitlist doesn't clear right away. People who see R will un-request their waitlist, then re-request and take the R space. So rather than fixing the system, they implemented a no waitlist in 24 hour policy.
Jul 19, 2017, 10:45 pm
#402
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 575
That makes no sense. You can still queue jump by clearing into open R within T-24. This rule (which has been around forever) prevents you from being put at the end of the queue. The relatively-new not clearing upgrades into open R within T-3 is an anti queue jumping measure. This is something else.
Jul 20, 2017, 12:24 am
#403
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Join Date: Apr 2013
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Posts: 56,477
Can no longer do it online, but an agent can if there's open R. At around T-3 clearing into open R becomes problematic (debated whether it's just a rule or an actual block, with several reports suggesting it's the latter).
Jul 20, 2017, 4:44 am
#404
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: CHS
Programs: UA GS, Bonvoy Amabassador, Hertz PC
Posts: 2,589
All bets are off if you find a sympathetic agent with skillz, they can (seemingly) do almost anything......
Aug 4, 2017, 6:08 pm
#405
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Two segment return flight next week (IAD-SFO-LAX). Looking a week out from UA340 IAD-SFO flight - A/C is slated to be a 3-class 772 arriving from MUC. Used FL390's flight status tool - J shows 33 of 40 seats booked with 5 already upgraded. Seatmap shows Y is full and E+ is half empty.
Fare classes show as follows: F1 FN1 A1 ON0 O0 J7 JN7 C6 D4 Z4 ZN4 P3 PN0 R0 RN0 IN0 I0 Y9 YN9 B9 M9 E9 U9 H9 HN0 Q9 V8 W5 S0 T0 L0 K0 G0 N9 XN0 X0 with U as the lowest class available for purchase.
Question: Apply RPU now or wait closer to check-in (will need to call 1K desk since I'll need to apply the RPU only on the IAD-SFO segment)?
David
Fare classes show as follows: F1 FN1 A1 ON0 O0 J7 JN7 C6 D4 Z4 ZN4 P3 PN0 R0 RN0 IN0 I0 Y9 YN9 B9 M9 E9 U9 H9 HN0 Q9 V8 W5 S0 T0 L0 K0 G0 N9 XN0 X0 with U as the lowest class available for purchase.
Question: Apply RPU now or wait closer to check-in (will need to call 1K desk since I'll need to apply the RPU only on the IAD-SFO segment)?
David