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)
Apr 1, 2024, 8:24 am
#766
Join Date: Jun 2020
Location: NJ
Programs: UA Silver, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 511
Yes I have found the miles could be worth more on partner flights. Unfortunately, that is rarely useful for me as a TPAC flyer.
My best use of miles is 100K miles for a one-way J savers award, revenue price ~ $2600. I figure the value being $2600/(100000 miles + 2600 x 14 miles*) = 2600 / 135000 miles = 1.9c. But this is not the same as 1.9 cents cash. If it were 1.9 cents cash I can use it any time. It is 1.9 cents only in a very small percentage of times when UA's IN seats are open and the schedule meets my requirement. Besides, I would lose 1600 PQD, which may be prorated to 10 additional Plus Pints).
*14 miles from 11 RDM and 3 CSR credit card
For Gold member or below, they need to spend 170K miles for the same J ticket, so their miles is worth about 1.1 cents - when the savers are available. Otherwise the standard J upgrade is at least 200,000 miles these days.
My best use of miles is 100K miles for a one-way J savers award, revenue price ~ $2600. I figure the value being $2600/(100000 miles + 2600 x 14 miles*) = 2600 / 135000 miles = 1.9c. But this is not the same as 1.9 cents cash. If it were 1.9 cents cash I can use it any time. It is 1.9 cents only in a very small percentage of times when UA's IN seats are open and the schedule meets my requirement. Besides, I would lose 1600 PQD, which may be prorated to 10 additional Plus Pints).
*14 miles from 11 RDM and 3 CSR credit card
For Gold member or below, they need to spend 170K miles for the same J ticket, so their miles is worth about 1.1 cents - when the savers are available. Otherwise the standard J upgrade is at least 200,000 miles these days.
(jk)Anyone have data points on LHR EWR? Have a flight next week and it's at 1.5k to upgrade from W fare to Polaris...
Apr 1, 2024, 9:15 am
#768
Join Date: Oct 2009
Programs: UA 1K, Hilton ♦ , Hyatt Carbonado, Wyndham ♦, Marriott PE, "Stinking Bum" elsewhere.
Posts: 4,998
I just got a ~$5K rt J-fare from the East Coast to BKK over the summer. Nothing available with UA miles that wasn't a horrible routing (e.g. 11 hour layover in SIN) or "mixed cabin" award for less than 300K each way across a 2 month window.
Apr 1, 2024, 9:24 am
#769
Join Date: May 2012
Location: ORF, RIC
Programs: UA LT 1K, 3 MM; Marriott Titanium; IHG Platinum
Posts: 6,958
Early morning and late afternoon LHR departures have PZ spaces for the middle of week. If your date is flexible, you will have a good chance.
Apr 1, 2024, 10:10 am
#770
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,406
We're getting off-topic here, but I often end up with intra-Asia or intra-Europe award legs for positioning to those Premium Fare Deals.
Apr 12, 2024, 5:51 am
#773
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: ORD
Programs: Once a somebody now a nobody
Posts: 514
Quick questions for the UA experts. I booked an ORD-LHR in Y using 40k miles recently for travel in mid-May. After ticketing there was an offer to upgrade to PE/BIZ for $799 and $4199 respectively. The offers showed for a good 2 weeks after ticketing. Today I look and there are no offers...and clicking the "upgrade reservation" tab in the app results in a message saying upgrades are not possible for this reservation. There was roughly 20 seats open on the seatmap in J when I booked and seems to be the exact same amount. My question is do these offers when the coach fare is booked with miles have a short window where they are offered then they disappear for good? This is actually a backup flight as I have ORD-YYZ-LHR booked on AC J with Aeroplan miles if the offer never comes back at a reasonable amount it's not really a big deal. But if I can spend 40k miles + a low cash outlay on the nonstop that would be preferable.
Thanks for any thoughts.
Thanks for any thoughts.
Apr 12, 2024, 7:31 am
#774
Join Date: Apr 2024
Posts: 1
Chicago747, I also noticed that as of yesterday, all upgrade options (beyond E+) disappeared for two different TATL flights I'm taking this summer. I was thinking maybe United is updating their system or something, since both flight previously seemed to have a lot of space left in PE and Business, per the seat maps (which I understand aren't necessarily accurate).
Apr 12, 2024, 6:41 pm
#775
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 12
I'm seeing the same thing. Used miles for Economy DEN-MUC in May and PP recently dropped to $379 which was very enticing. PP wasn't full so I kept an eye on it to see if the upgrade dropped to $300. Previously it showed the price on the seat map and you selected a seat and proceeded from there like you were paying for a normal seat selection. Now it doesn't list any price and clicking PP or Polaris seats directs to "Upgrades" where nothing is available. Choosing an E+ or Preferred seat behaves as expected.
Apr 13, 2024, 8:24 am
#776
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: UA Premier Silver, AA, DL, IHG Diamond Amb, Marriott Silver, Hilton Silver, National
Posts: 1,530
Semi-hypothetical question from a buyup newbie: Let's say I've already purchased a coach fare on a UA flight for $600. Some time later I buyup to Premium Plus for another $349. Then day of flight I'm offered a buyup to Polaris for, let's say, $4000. Would I be dinged the full $4000 on top of the $349 PP upgrade already paid?
Or would the $349 be applied to the Polaris buyup, such that my additional cost for the Polaris buyup would be $3651? If so, would that happen at time of purchase, or would I pay the full $4000 and the $349 would be refunded sometime after the flight?
Or would the $349 be applied to the Polaris buyup, such that my additional cost for the Polaris buyup would be $3651? If so, would that happen at time of purchase, or would I pay the full $4000 and the $349 would be refunded sometime after the flight?
Apr 13, 2024, 9:16 am
#778
Join Date: Jun 2020
Location: NJ
Programs: UA Silver, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 511
Semi-hypothetical question from a buyup newbie: Let's say I've already purchased a coach fare on a UA flight for $600. Some time later I buyup to Premium Plus for another $349. Then day of flight I'm offered a buyup to Polaris for, let's say, $4000. Would I be dinged the full $4000 on top of the $349 PP upgrade already paid?
Or would the $349 be applied to the Polaris buyup, such that my additional cost for the Polaris buyup would be $3651? If so, would that happen at time of purchase, or would I pay the full $4000 and the $349 would be refunded sometime after the flight?
Or would the $349 be applied to the Polaris buyup, such that my additional cost for the Polaris buyup would be $3651? If so, would that happen at time of purchase, or would I pay the full $4000 and the $349 would be refunded sometime after the flight?
Apr 13, 2024, 12:10 pm
#780
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: CO
Programs: UA OG-1K, Marriott Plat, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,360
I found the wiki to be a bit hard to follow since there are so many strike outs?
If I have to buy Economy for work, and I want to upgrade to F (or PE) and want to get miles and PQP, and be able to change flights. Do all the upgrade paths get that or do I need to call in and change the class- and are their ‘magic words’ I need to say to the agent to make sure that I’m getting everything.
If I have to buy Economy for work, and I want to upgrade to F (or PE) and want to get miles and PQP, and be able to change flights. Do all the upgrade paths get that or do I need to call in and change the class- and are their ‘magic words’ I need to say to the agent to make sure that I’m getting everything.