chrisl137

Some people are working under travel policies that only allow them to buy Y cabin, but allow them to upgrade on their own dime or miles or status.

BookerNYC

Understood. Seems like the optimal path there would be to call in and buy-up, since you get the extra PQD that way (I think?), but I get that clicking the button on the website is a heck of a lot easier.

jsloan

Yes, if you call and buy-up, you are changing the underlying fare basis, which will result in the full PQD and will also ensure that you keep the entire value if you need to change your flight. The online upgrades are non-transferrable; if you make a voluntary flight change, they're lost.

mtftw

Not always the case when you're within the SDC window.

StuckinITH

In my experience, the offer that I get clicking that button on the website is giving me an upgrade that is cheaper than the price differential for buying outright the First Class ticket. So, I wonder if I call for doing the Buy Up they will quote me a price that is higher than the website offer. I guess if that happens I can refuse to proceed with it on the phone.

But, in the end, I don't need the PQDs as I reach the $12,000 spending.

To go back to real numbers to help this thread: at check-in, DCA to ORD in August 2018 (from a U fare) the price for the upgrade was $113. In the days before, it was $149. I did not take it since I had an exit aisle seat and my wife had the exit aisle seat across the aisle.

My wife seems to be luckier than I am. Going ORD-DCA, I'm in 21C, my wife is is 21D. The one upgraded person at the gate was the person seated in 21E so my wife gets an empty seat near her. Coming back, I'm in 21D, my wife is in 21C. One of the two upgraded persons at the gate was seated in 21B so my wife gets an empty seat near her.

jsloan

If you mean, you can sometimes keep the upgrades via SDC -- yes, I've seen those reports, but they should be understood to be exceptions. The T&C of the upgrade offer are that they're non-transferable and non-refundable in case of a flight change. UA could start enforcing that this afternoon, and affected passengers would have no recourse.

findark

I believe it's a reissue vs revalidation issue -- any voluntary reissue will forfeit the upgrade (an INVOL one probably does too, but you can get a refund in that case). I once successfully paid a change fee to switch flights and keep my fee upgrade (was ready to pay it again, but agent kept me in A on the new flight).

pseudoswede

Just booked DEN-IAD-DEN for a trip in October. Offer was $192 for each segment. Declined.

dilanesp

I have at least twice SDC'd after purchasing a TOD upgrade. Both times the app booked me in confirmed space in the premium cabin on the new flight. One of those times was a SDC from a connection LAX-IAD-EWR to a nonstop LAX-EWR, and I was able to SDC into p.s.

So these things are at least possible.

jsloan

You had purchased both LAX-IAD and IAD-EWR TODs?

While this may work, I just think it's important to be aware that you don't have a leg to stand on if it doesn't work.

Artpen100

This. For some clients, the initial purchase must be in economy, period, and after that it is my ticket. But also, different things can happen - the upgrade offer can fluctuate, GG BUYUP can go down, or R might become available. Sometimes, a really cheap business class fare or upgradeable R space will become available on another flight that is worth the change fee. I don't care that much on domestic flights, and try to avoid waitlisting on international flights, but when I did, I was usually buying economy far in advance and found some way to get into business class before the flight took off.

gene2632

This was kind of funny...traveling on UA1581, EWR to LAS tomorrow. Up until T-24 it was showing 9 to 10 empty F seats and offering to let me buy up to F for $260. At check in it is suddenly down to 5 F seats AND the buy up is now $640. I passed on the early buy since we already have 21 C and D, our favorite E+ seats and my wife is Gold so we already get the F baggage allowance (we do not need it on this trip anyway) and there are lots of empty blue seats showing so why spend $260 each for a slightly better seat and pretty much inedible meal? Thanks but no thanks to both. Oh, we are 1 and 2 on the upgrade list right now but even if we hold at 1 and 2 that CPU thing never works anymore.

StuckinITH

So, did you get upgraded? I see two passengers upgraded with the same last name.

gene2632

Indeed we did. Her first because she is the one who is Gold and me the Silver one cleared about an hour later. Kind of shocked because this the first time in over a year either of us has had a CPU clear. So, anyone who wants 21C and D, they are open.

StuckinITH

Good for you! That's a long flight so you will enjoy it. But I think you should go buy a lottery ticket. As a 1K, I had no CPU clear and my RPUs mostly clear on short routes. Example for my next trip: I cleared IAH-BTR but not ORD-IAH. I guess I should go look what is the upsell for that flight.