Jan 21, 2017, 10:27 am
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
UA will generally offer cash upgrades from any non-Basic Economy fare for UA operated flights, these can be offered:
- At the time of purchase
- Before travel in the itinerary view
- At check-in (computer, smartphone, airport)
- You can inquire with an agent anytime (including at the gate)
The price can vary, as it appears multiple processes are used -- occasionally yielding strangely high offers. Always cross-check on what the fare difference (up fare) might be and consider insteadBuy up to higher fare class w/o change fee? {GG BUYUP}
Awards tickets may be offered similar cash upgrade but generally only at check-in (Aug 2022 update, frequent reports of award ticket cash upgrade offers; at booking, after booking and check-in. Unclear under what conditions.
For Check-in offers, these can vary post initial check-in, so check back closer to departure.
Such upgrades will be eligible for all the benefits of a premium cabin ticket, UA makes no distinction on how a passenger premium cabin ticket was obtained.
Generally, fees for upgrades are non-refundable if you voluntarily cancel. If UA cancels or fails to provide the upgrade, the fees will be refunded. On voluntary changes, the agent may transfer to the changes flight but that is not standard policy.
True up-fares (ADD/COLLECT) are transferable if the appropriate inventory space is available.
Fees paid for upgrades now {2020) earn PQPs
Will the upgrade earn PQDs or bonus PQMs see the wiki of Some Paid Upgrades Count Towards PQD & mileage bonus and some DON"T!
On how pricing is structured, see A Comprehensive Look at Domestic First Class Monetization (FCM) on United
Previous Threads:
UA Upsell Offers to Business/First at Purchase and Day of Departure (TOD) [Archive]
2016 Upsell Offers to Business/First (UFC/PCU) Questions/Discussion (Paid Upgrades)
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)
- At the time of purchase
- Before travel in the itinerary view
- At check-in (computer, smartphone, airport)
- You can inquire with an agent anytime (including at the gate)
The price can vary, as it appears multiple processes are used -- occasionally yielding strangely high offers. Always cross-check on what the fare difference (up fare) might be and consider instead
Awards tickets may be offered similar cash upgrade but generally only at check-in (Aug 2022 update, frequent reports of award ticket cash upgrade offers; at booking, after booking and check-in. Unclear under what conditions.
For Check-in offers, these can vary post initial check-in, so check back closer to departure.
Such upgrades will be eligible for all the benefits of a premium cabin ticket, UA makes no distinction on how a passenger premium cabin ticket was obtained.
Generally, fees for upgrades are non-refundable if you voluntarily cancel. If UA cancels or fails to provide the upgrade, the fees will be refunded. On voluntary changes, the agent may transfer to the changes flight but that is not standard policy.
True up-fares (ADD/COLLECT) are transferable if the appropriate inventory space is available.
Fees paid for upgrades now {2020) earn PQPs
On how pricing is structured, see A Comprehensive Look at Domestic First Class Monetization (FCM) on United
Previous Threads:
UA Upsell Offers to Business/First at Purchase and Day of Departure (TOD) [Archive]
2016 Upsell Offers to Business/First (UFC/PCU) Questions/Discussion (Paid Upgrades)
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)
UA Upsell Offers to Business/First/PP at Purchase to Day of Departure (TOD)
May 3, 2023, 1:56 pm
#167
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: San Francisco
Programs: UA MM Plat, UA 1MM, Hilton Lifetime Gold, Marriott Gold, Hertz Gold, CLEAR, AS MVP Gold
Posts: 3,620
Given my recent experience (see above) if you have the cash I would jump on that in a second. The initial Polaris class fare on that flight, while not certain, probably had a delta greater than $890 to your current coach fare. I have a couple of TATLs coming up out of SFO that I can tell you I am waiting to jump at such and offer. The delta on the upgrade price to Polaris was greater than $890 each way (admittedly not into LHR).
May 3, 2023, 2:03 pm
#168
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 411
Given my recent experience (see above) if you have the cash I would jump on that in a second. The initial Polaris class fare on that flight, while not certain, probably had a delta greater than $890 to your current coach fare. I have a couple of TATLs coming up out of SFO that I can tell you I am waiting to jump at such and offer. The delta on the upgrade price to Polaris was greater than $890 each way (admittedly not into LHR).
May 3, 2023, 2:14 pm
#169
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: San Francisco
Programs: UA MM Plat, UA 1MM, Hilton Lifetime Gold, Marriott Gold, Hertz Gold, CLEAR, AS MVP Gold
Posts: 3,620
I didn't look at your specific load on that flight but others here are great at that and can chime it. But from my experience as a Plat I would say your chances are definitely not good. However I am the great UA pessimist....LOL
May 3, 2023, 2:51 pm
#170
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 411
All this talk is now academic because the price went back up to $2400 for the upgrade. Oh well, I guess I have to sit next to my mother in PP. LOL
May 3, 2023, 5:48 pm
#171
Moderator, Omni, Omni/PR, Omni/Games, FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Between DCA and IAD
Programs: UA 1K MM; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 67,136
Just booked a trip in August, and the upgrade offer during the purchase was significantly higher than booking F outright. The per-segment offers that the website made totaled over $2k for a 4 segment domestic trip involving flights with zero F seats assigned as yet (and inventory reflecting very light front cabin bookings, with all but deepest discount F buckets at 9s). Roundtrip in F was about $1.6k; roundtrip in Y is $900. Buy up would make the trip about $3k total, with the 2 outbound segments (IAD-IAH-TUS) alone asking $453 per segment to upgrade. Sometimes the logic just blows my mind.
I waitlisted with points and will keep an eye on the discounted F fares. $1.6k isn't terrible for an itin of that length (and a $700 delta over Y roundtrip), but also given I'm still spending hot on PQP requal but cold on PQS, I'm trying to book as much Y as possible and use points.
I waitlisted with points and will keep an eye on the discounted F fares. $1.6k isn't terrible for an itin of that length (and a $700 delta over Y roundtrip), but also given I'm still spending hot on PQP requal but cold on PQS, I'm trying to book as much Y as possible and use points.
May 7, 2023, 10:17 am
#173
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 57,596
May 10, 2023, 1:04 pm
#175
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Premier Gold
Posts: 151
SFO-MEX upgrade for $209
We bought tickets SFO-MEX coming up on Memorial Day weekend. The outbound is booked in S class and the return is in T class. I recall that the buy-up to business class wasn't tempting when we initially bought our tickets. Last night, however, I saw that the buy-up to business for the SFO-MEX flight was $209, so I bought it. The return flight offer was $807 each which I passed on. The seat maps showed 5 seats in business class each flight. The flight SFO-MEX had 28 Economy Plus seats showing in the seat map and the MEX-SFO flight showed 27. I have 40 Plus Points from when I was a Platinum last year which expire in July that I applied for the return flight, so hopefully I may get the upgrade on the return.
May 10, 2023, 1:13 pm
#176
Join Date: Jul 2000
Posts: 3,746
We bought tickets SFO-MEX coming up on Memorial Day weekend. The outbound is booked in S class and the return is in T class. I recall that the buy-up to business class wasn't tempting when we initially bought our tickets. Last night, however, I saw that the buy-up to business for the SFO-MEX flight was $209, so I bought it. The return flight offer was $807 each which I passed on. The seat maps showed 5 seats in business class each flight. The flight SFO-MEX had 28 Economy Plus seats showing in the seat map and the MEX-SFO flight showed 27. I have 40 Plus Points from when I was a Platinum last year which expire in July that I applied for the return flight, so hopefully I may get the upgrade on the return.
May 10, 2023, 1:30 pm
#177
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: DEN
Programs: UA 1K 0.7MM (trying to get to 1MM!)
Posts: 1,272
Yeah, I just checked FlightAware, and the only planes I see UA flying SFO-MEX are A319s and A320s, so definitely a domestic first seat.
May 10, 2023, 1:45 pm
#178
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2017
Programs: AS 75K, DL Silver, UA Platinum, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Platinum + LT Gold
Posts: 10,503
INTL flights include lounge use, for example; whereas domestic flights are excluded, even if on the same aircraft (type).
May 10, 2023, 5:50 pm
#179
Join Date: Jul 2000
Posts: 3,746
Seems to me that's deceptive. I would think most people who don't read Flyertalk (and many that do) would assume that a seat called "business class" on an international flight would be lie flat. And certainly the pricing of $800+ for an upgrade suggests lie flat business class seats.
May 10, 2023, 6:00 pm
#180
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,406
SFO-MEX is not a long flight, relatively speaking.