May 10, 2017, 11:29 pm
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
Upgrading on flights operated by ANA
Each NH/ANA segment requires an unique GPU. A a single GPU can not be used for two ANA segment nor for a connecting UA segment
Summary of Practical Advice from this thread:
* If you have bought a ticket from United (e.g., cause you want PQDs), you likely have UA codeshares of NH-operated flights. However, only NH-ticketed flights can have upgrades requested. When you have these flights, you need to call United (e.g., the 1K desk) and tell them you want to use GPUs on this itinerary. What they will do is modify your ticket so that the codeshares are replaced with the native flight numbers. This takes 10-15 minutes. You will still need to separately request the upgrades using the United GPU request form (link below) for LH/ANA flights.
* The web form will ask for information from your ticket. You will need to enter the NH flight numbers. Also it will ask for your confirmation code and can use the United-issued confirmation code (not the NH confirmation code)
* You should be able to verify in advance whether the upgrade is going to clear based on NH inventory. I class is for Y->J upgrades and O class is for J->F. These are also the business and first 'saver' award buckets, and can be estimated by doing phantom bookings of award travel for the same flights. If saver awards are showing up the classes should be available.Expertflyer and other sites can also show the availability.
* The T&Cs suggest that you cannot request upgrades until 8 weeks before the flight, but various flyertalkers have confirmed upgrades beyond the 8 week window.
* If your upgrade is not confirmed, you can keep trying before the flight. Waitlisting is now an option (for NH/ANA)
* There seems to be mixed opinion on whether O and I class inventory is put back into the system as the flight gets closer, but several have reported finding inventory show up 2-3 weeks before the flight.
* Fare mapping from ANA to UA:
J/C/D/Y/B = J/C/D/Y/B
G/E = O/A
Below are various T&Cs from United relevant to the applicability of fares, etc, copied from the website.
Acrhive: Using PlusPoints on NH / ANA {Archive}
PlusPoints can be used on flights operated by All Nippon Airways (ANA) for one-segment, one-cabin upgrades on any multi-cabin international flight operated by ANA and marketed by ANA or United. Upgrades are subject to availability and valid for paid, published fares only. The following ANA fare classes are eligible for PlusPoints upgrades: B, C, D, E, G, J, M, U, Y and Z. PlusPoints cant be used to upgrade from Economy to Premium Economy on ANA-operated flights. Please see the terms and conditions below for specific eligibility rules.
The PlusPoints upgrade system with NH/LH appears to be a slightly modified version of the star alliance upgrade award system (using PP instead of miles obviously). Given Z is a valid booking code on NH for a SAUA, not really surprising if there was an oversight in adapting the system to work for PlusPoints upgrades and someone forgot to either add Z-fare being allowed in the official T&C, or forgot to take Z-fares out when the upgrade request system validates the booking code.
Each NH/ANA segment requires an unique GPU. A a single GPU can not be used for two ANA segment nor for a connecting UA segment
Summary of Practical Advice from this thread:
* If you have bought a ticket from United (e.g., cause you want PQDs), you likely have UA codeshares of NH-operated flights. However, only NH-ticketed flights can have upgrades requested. When you have these flights, you need to call United (e.g., the 1K desk) and tell them you want to use GPUs on this itinerary. What they will do is modify your ticket so that the codeshares are replaced with the native flight numbers. This takes 10-15 minutes. You will still need to separately request the upgrades using the United GPU request form (link below) for LH/ANA flights.
* The web form will ask for information from your ticket. You will need to enter the NH flight numbers. Also it will ask for your confirmation code and can use the United-issued confirmation code (not the NH confirmation code)
* You should be able to verify in advance whether the upgrade is going to clear based on NH inventory. I class is for Y->J upgrades and O class is for J->F. These are also the business and first 'saver' award buckets, and can be estimated by doing phantom bookings of award travel for the same flights. If saver awards are showing up the classes should be available.
* The T&Cs suggest that you cannot request upgrades until 8 weeks before the flight, but various flyertalkers have confirmed upgrades beyond the 8 week window.
* If your upgrade is not confirmed, you can keep trying before the flight. Waitlisting is now an option (for NH/ANA)
* There seems to be mixed opinion on whether O and I class inventory is put back into the system as the flight gets closer, but several have reported finding inventory show up 2-3 weeks before the flight.
* Fare mapping from ANA to UA:
J/C/D/Y/B = J/C/D/Y/B
G/E = O/A
Below are various T&Cs from United relevant to the applicability of fares, etc, copied from the website.
updated May 2023
- Upgrades are valid only on ANA.
- Requests for upgrades can be made after you have purchased your ticket. Upgrades can be requested until 24 hours prior to departure. Your MileagePlus account number and password are required to complete the request.
- PlusPoints upgrades may not be requested when you travel on industry discount, agency discount, deeply discounted promotional tickets, award tickets using miles, or tickets purchased on websites where you dont know the exact flight itinerary or airline until after youve paid for the ticket.
- ANA may impose blackout periods where upgrades are not permitted.
- You may request PlusPoints upgrades for up to four people traveling on the same reservation. The amount of PlusPoints required is listed per passenger for each itinerary and deducted at time of request; to upgrade additional people, youll need to use additional PlusPoints. (If the reservation has more than four travelers, you will need to call the operating carrier.) You do not need to be traveling with the passengers to request the upgrades and you can request upgrades for travelers with a different last name than yours.
- While you can only request upgrades for one segment at a time, you may upgrade more than one eligible segment on the itinerary.
- Double upgrades from Economy to First are not permitted on three-cabin aircraft.
- Standby is not permitted, but waitlisting is permitted. Waitlisting is now an option (for NH/ANA)
- An upgrade may be confirmed within eight weeks of departure, if a seat is available.
- Mileage accrual is based on the original ticketed booking class, not the upgraded class of service.
- Requests for seat assignments, special meals and amenities should be made directly with the operating carrier.
- If you wish to make changes or cancel your PlusPoints upgrade request, please contact ANA.
- If an ANA segment of your itinerary is canceled, the upgrade request for that segment will also be automatically canceled. Your PlusPoints will be automatically redeposited 24 to 48 hours after the cancellation.
- PlusPoints upgrades are not available through general selling agents.
How to request
Once the ticket has been issued, requests can be made online through the Global Premier Upgrade on ANA or Lufthansa request page. You can make upgrade requests for ANA-operated flights beginning eight weeks before departure until up to 24 hours before departure. You can make upgrade requests for Lufthansa-operated flights beginning 331 days before departure until up to 10 hours before departure.
You may request Global Premier Upgrades for up to four people traveling on the same reservation. You will need one Global Premier Upgrade for each traveler. (If the reservation has more than four travelers, you will need to call ANA or Lufthansa.) You do not need to be traveling with the passengers to request the upgrades and you can request upgrades for travelers with a different last name than yours. While you can only request upgrades for one segment at a time, you may upgrade more than one eligible segment on the itinerary.
If upgrade space is available at the time of the request and the requester chooses to confirm the upgrade, United will automatically deduct Global Premier Upgrades from the requester's MileagePlus account.
How to request for codeshare flights
If you are traveling on an ANA- or Lufthansa-operated codeshare flight with a United flight number, upgrades may be available and can be requested by calling 1-800-UNITED-1 (1-800-864-8331) within the U.S. and Canada, elsewhere call your local United Customer Contact Center.
Once the ticket has been issued, requests can be made online through the Global Premier Upgrade on ANA or Lufthansa request page. You can make upgrade requests for ANA-operated flights beginning eight weeks before departure until up to 24 hours before departure. You can make upgrade requests for Lufthansa-operated flights beginning 331 days before departure until up to 10 hours before departure.
You may request Global Premier Upgrades for up to four people traveling on the same reservation. You will need one Global Premier Upgrade for each traveler. (If the reservation has more than four travelers, you will need to call ANA or Lufthansa.) You do not need to be traveling with the passengers to request the upgrades and you can request upgrades for travelers with a different last name than yours. While you can only request upgrades for one segment at a time, you may upgrade more than one eligible segment on the itinerary.
If upgrade space is available at the time of the request and the requester chooses to confirm the upgrade, United will automatically deduct Global Premier Upgrades from the requester's MileagePlus account.
How to request for codeshare flights
If you are traveling on an ANA- or Lufthansa-operated codeshare flight with a United flight number, upgrades may be available and can be requested by calling 1-800-UNITED-1 (1-800-864-8331) within the U.S. and Canada, elsewhere call your local United Customer Contact Center.
Using PlusPoints on NH / ANA
Oct 29, 2023 | 6:03 pm
#211
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: NYC
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Gold, AA Platinum
Posts: 1,022
It is exactly 100% the same. Miles and +Ps make no difference. You can cancel the UG request and re-request it using +Ps. You'll get your miles back and you spend your +Ps. Your choice. NH109 is F0 so your chances are not looking so good; changing to NH159, however, should be near certain upgrade. NH160 11/5 looks pretty good with F6A6.
All partner UGs cost 40 +Ps per flight.
All partner UGs cost 40 +Ps per flight.
But next time Ill def try to use PP since I have so many left and I hardly use them since I almost always buy biz class to get PQP and PP always is waitlist and being 1K isnt that easy to clear upgrade in my experience.
Oct 31, 2023 | 8:49 pm
#213
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 2MM 1K
Posts: 16,597
Batting a thousand (4 for 4) on PP upgrades, PE>Business, on my two round trips HNL-NRT on ANA this year. Japanese tourism to Hawaii still down 64.3% since pre-pandemic. Looks like all 4 flights this year will have departed with some empty business seats. Last trip I was happy w/ 130 yen/$. Now it's 150. Just amazing. Wish domestic U.S. was this easy...
Last edited by IAH-OIL-TRASH; Oct 31, 2023 at 8:56 pm
Oct 31, 2023 | 9:01 pm
#214
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: NYC / TYO / RSW Up in the Air avoiding the Snowflakes
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Posts: 8,120
Nov 3, 2023 | 8:30 am
#216
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Silicon wasteland
Programs: UA 1KMM
Posts: 1,506
Challenge using PP on UA code share of NH flight.
I'm struggling getting united to get me a native flight number -- NH108 HND to SFO so I can apply PP.
I have the itinerary ticketed in UA A class codeshare (with a B domestic segment). All united will sell me. Whenever I call in and ask them to get me NH E class (the A equivalent) it can't ticket or price goes to like 3k more. Upon looking at ITA, it seems to want to put the domestic on M class.. which is fine but hard to communicate. But, what do I have to say /do to the UA agent?
I have the itinerary ticketed in UA A class codeshare (with a B domestic segment). All united will sell me. Whenever I call in and ask them to get me NH E class (the A equivalent) it can't ticket or price goes to like 3k more. Upon looking at ITA, it seems to want to put the domestic on M class.. which is fine but hard to communicate. But, what do I have to say /do to the UA agent?
Nov 3, 2023 | 9:20 am
#217
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Seems like miscommunication and the agent is trying to change (re-book) the entire ticket to include NH flight number in E class. You just want to ask for the UA codeshare # to be changed to the native NH flight number # on the current ticket - that will cause A to go to E by itself.
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Nov 3, 2023 at 11:54 am Reason: thread cleanup after move, thanks for the link
Nov 3, 2023 | 12:14 pm
#218
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Seems like miscommunication and the agent is trying to change (re-book) the entire ticket to include NH flight number in E class. You just want to ask for the UA codeshare # to be changed to the native NH flight number # on the current ticket - that will cause A to go to E by itself.
per fare bucket.
Nov 3, 2023 | 12:21 pm
#219
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There was plenty of E space on ANA HNL-NRT for my current flight, so couldn't test your hypothesis of space needed beyond that currently occupied being available.
Nov 4, 2023 | 1:57 am
#220
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Silicon wasteland
Programs: UA 1KMM
Posts: 1,506
I assumed a UA-ticketed codeshare in A would occupy E space in ANA's eyes and it's a simple switch of flight #. But my assumption could be wrong....
There was plenty of E space on ANA HNL-NRT for my current flight, so couldn't test your hypothesis of space needed beyond that currently occupied being available.
There was plenty of E space on ANA HNL-NRT for my current flight, so couldn't test your hypothesis of space needed beyond that currently occupied being available.
The last agent clearly read some notes in my record and shut me down quickly, so my guess is I'm going to come up empty. So I'll fly out of kix. Want to visit Osaka anyhow.
I think the problem was I initially combined an upfare (to E/A from R) request with the native number change. And that wouldn't ticket no matter how hard they tried.
Is the right statement: I want to apply PlusPoints on my ana flight (only). Can you please change the flight number on segment to the native NH 108?
What alarm bells go off if the agent tries to do something else?
Last edited by ryman554; Nov 4, 2023 at 2:06 am
Nov 4, 2023 | 7:22 am
#221
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: DEN
Programs: UA 1K / 1MM, Marriott Bonvoy LT Titanium, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 208
Is it common for the United PP Upgrade Request site to be unable to find ticketed ANA segments?
I am trying to upgrade two ANA-operated segments on a United itinerary using PP:
-NRT to CTS on 1/20/24; UA 7987 / NH 2155
-CTS to NRT on 1/28/24; UA 7986 / NH 2154
When I plug the details into the site (https://www.united.com/loyalty/partn...points/request) I continually get the message "The operating carrier could not find your flight" (and then a bunch of weird language about contacting Lufthansa, even though I've clearly selected ANA in the drop down). All the details are correct and I've tried with and without my ticket number.
Any thoughts? Is this something the 1K desk can help with?
Thanks in advance!
EDIT: is it possible the search isn't working because I'm trying to upgrade a domestic flight that seems to be ineligible?
I am trying to upgrade two ANA-operated segments on a United itinerary using PP:
-NRT to CTS on 1/20/24; UA 7987 / NH 2155
-CTS to NRT on 1/28/24; UA 7986 / NH 2154
When I plug the details into the site (https://www.united.com/loyalty/partn...points/request) I continually get the message "The operating carrier could not find your flight" (and then a bunch of weird language about contacting Lufthansa, even though I've clearly selected ANA in the drop down). All the details are correct and I've tried with and without my ticket number.
Any thoughts? Is this something the 1K desk can help with?
Thanks in advance!
EDIT: is it possible the search isn't working because I'm trying to upgrade a domestic flight that seems to be ineligible?
Last edited by ORDtoAnywhere; Nov 4, 2023 at 7:40 am Reason: clarification
Nov 4, 2023 | 11:47 am
#222
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This is what I tried to say, and yes, they did go to the rate desk. But beforehand there was something strange and whatever they tried to do didnt work.
The last agent clearly read some notes in my record and shut me down quickly, so my guess is I'm going to come up empty. So I'll fly out of kix. Want to visit Osaka anyhow.
I think the problem was I initially combined an upfare (to E/A from R) request with the native number change. And that wouldn't ticket no matter how hard they tried.
Is the right statement: I want to apply PlusPoints on my ana flight (only). Can you please change the flight number on segment to the native NH 108?
What alarm bells go off if the agent tries to do something else?
The last agent clearly read some notes in my record and shut me down quickly, so my guess is I'm going to come up empty. So I'll fly out of kix. Want to visit Osaka anyhow.
I think the problem was I initially combined an upfare (to E/A from R) request with the native number change. And that wouldn't ticket no matter how hard they tried.
Is the right statement: I want to apply PlusPoints on my ana flight (only). Can you please change the flight number on segment to the native NH 108?
What alarm bells go off if the agent tries to do something else?
Is it common for the United PP Upgrade Request site to be unable to find ticketed ANA segments?
I am trying to upgrade two ANA-operated segments on a United itinerary using PP:
-NRT to CTS on 1/20/24; UA 7987 / NH 2155
-CTS to NRT on 1/28/24; UA 7986 / NH 2154
When I plug the details into the site (https://www.united.com/loyalty/partn...points/request) I continually get the message "The operating carrier could not find your flight" (and then a bunch of weird language about contacting Lufthansa, even though I've clearly selected ANA in the drop down). All the details are correct and I've tried with and without my ticket number.
Any thoughts? Is this something the 1K desk can help with?
Thanks in advance!
EDIT: is it possible the search isn't working because I'm trying to upgrade a domestic flight that seems to be ineligible?
I am trying to upgrade two ANA-operated segments on a United itinerary using PP:
-NRT to CTS on 1/20/24; UA 7987 / NH 2155
-CTS to NRT on 1/28/24; UA 7986 / NH 2154
When I plug the details into the site (https://www.united.com/loyalty/partn...points/request) I continually get the message "The operating carrier could not find your flight" (and then a bunch of weird language about contacting Lufthansa, even though I've clearly selected ANA in the drop down). All the details are correct and I've tried with and without my ticket number.
Any thoughts? Is this something the 1K desk can help with?
Thanks in advance!
EDIT: is it possible the search isn't working because I'm trying to upgrade a domestic flight that seems to be ineligible?
Nov 26, 2023 | 1:18 pm
#225
Join Date: May 2003
Location: new york, ny, usa
Posts: 29
Batting a thousand (4 for 4) on PP upgrades, PE>Business, on my two round trips HNL-NRT on ANA this year. Japanese tourism to Hawaii still down 64.3% since pre-pandemic. Looks like all 4 flights this year will have departed with some empty business seats. Last trip I was happy w/ 130 yen/$. Now it's 150. Just amazing. Wish domestic U.S. was this easy...