Consolidated Global Services Thread: Benefits, Questions 2017
 

Welp, I started the 2016 thread a year ago, so I might as well start the 2017 thread. Post away!

New to this...woo hoo...I believe GS can use a GPU on an award ticket. Can we use a GPU on a purchased fare <W?

can a GS request to stay in Y and get the downgrade comp? depending onthe flight, i'd take a $250 voucher and sit in the back.

Pretty much the same - there is a GS line at check-in. Look out for Annie and team :)

Just got bumped up to GS for the year and so I'm coming up to speed on what's changed. This, if correct, is a disappointment:
"United Global Services members are welcome to enter whenever traveling in United Polaris."

While I'm going to book Biz (Polaris) for long haul, there are occasions when it is booked out. Flights to CES are an example :) In past years it goes like this: last minute, all booked out but E, end up in a middle seat in E- on a Y (full fare) ticket. IMHO... they should _always_ look after customer's that have earnt GS with a consistent high level of surface and while this is similar to the old GFL rule, I'm a little surprised by it.

No W fare is required still.

It's NOT similar to old GFL rule and will eventually be a downgrade when GFLs are gone. Anybody flying Polaris can access a Polaris Lounge, whether they're GS or it's their first time ever on an aircraft.

Another downgrade for GS will be the loss of the Lufthansa First Class Lounge once Global First goes away and nobody can thus fly in it.

Sorry, buddy, Polaris lounges are only open to passengers ticketed in business or first class on long haul, international routes. It's the same for all passengers, MP status has no bearing.

GS really don't get any special UA lounge benefits other than FC lounge access to any remaining FC lounges if ticketed in international business on UA. This is not a policy change, but the effective change comes as one by one the FC lounges are converted to Polaris lounges.

It really does suck that UA doesn't offer any kind of premium lounge at EWR. Doesn't make any sense to me.
They are opening a Polaris lounge there one day but only Munoz knows when it will happen.

Is it really true that GS sometimes get invitation to F lounge in international places where UA is utilizing others lounges (like CA, SQ, LH)?

GS members can use the LH F lounges when traveling in Polaris first (normally only LH group F passengers get access). Anyone can use the SQ and CA F lounges when traveling in United Polaris first. GS do not get any special privileges in those, at least not officially anyway.

Thanks for this

thx for the thread. can we try to build out the wiki to be all comprehensive of the benefits. i'm not clear on things like lounge access (GFL?), OAL lounges, etc

this statment was also ambiguous to me: GS can upgrade a companion from coach to biz when flying on a paid biz fare, even if R or PN is not available. (does the companion have to be in W or higher?)

would be great to see a list of intangible not guaranteed things but peoples experiences like holding planes, rebooking options in irrops, hotels for wx delays etc

yes, the fare needs to be W class or higher AND you have to apply a GPU as well. The only difference is that the GS desk will confirm the upgrade right away even if PN/RN is not available (so no upgrade waitlist)

for domestic flights including Canada and Mexico, the W fare rule does not apply. Also, you only need a RPU outside the 120 hour period. Within the 120 hour GS CPU upgrade window your companion can get upgraded for free without the need of a RPU.

Hope this helps


when you are flying International economy, your *A Gold benefits apply and you get United Club access but not Polaris Lounge access

I didnt know that they can process the international GPU on a paid fare instantly even though there is no PN. I thought it was the same rules as the 1K, but just cleared into PN instead of R

But doesn't this needs to have PN space available?

Is it possible to upgrade an award ticket to first domestically with a RPU?

Absolutely. And a CPU too.

No PN availability needed if you are in paid first

If I book an international biz award ticket with a connection, and the domestic leg is only available in economy, how is this best handled?

1. Waitlist for IN class on the domestic leg (I assume I'd want to do this anyway in case it clears in advance)
2. Try to CPU on the domestic leg, which would clear into PN

What happens here? Which fare class would it actually clear into? Do you have to pick one or the other?

I think the CPU would have a better chance of clearing than a waitlisted IN. That being said, if you apply the GPU over the entire trip, the system will automatically W/L for IN. So you'll need to only apply it to the international segment if you want to try for CPU (which should automatically WL for PN).

So if you book your ticket > 120 hours out, the best strategy would be to W/L for IN, but then at 120 hours call and have an agent undo the W/L and request the CPU. I've done this and had the CPU clear right away.

I'm talking about booking the entire thing with miles(a biz award), not a GPU. But I guess the advice would still apply.

To GS experts: do you find yourself now booking your itineraries directly through the GS desk due to all the personal handling benefits or do you still book through travel agents and then call GS desk to finish things off? i was thinking of just changing all my purchasing directly through the GS desk but then realized it wouldn't help for international transfers where i need to use another airline for some regional route. if that was the case, i think my ticket gets split up on different itineraries making baggage transfers difficult. any thoughts?

A friend reported that UA closed down the GS check in counter in PEK. Now have to line up with the masses.

Is there still a GF line?

No, just Polaris regardless of class. Major :td:

+1, I saw that too on my last flight back mid December

They did this in SIN too when I was there a few weeks ago. Talked to a GS manager there about it. He said he gets complaints every day about it and forwards them to HQ.

The reason he gave me was that SIN is now considered a Tier 2 airport (after December 1). Tier 2 airports do not get the separate GS check-in like Tier 1 airports, which are basically all the hubs including LHR, NRT and HKG.

I have already emailed and talked to various UA people about how this is a true reduction in benefits. Still waiting for an answer.

Maybe expectations have been set too high but this is a pain in some places. Flew out of EZE the other day and polaris/1K/GS check-in line was LONG. 30-40 people. Saw a couple GS show up asking where their line was only to be pointed to the end of it. Mostly a function of the limited check-in window for the single daily flight, but not best practices.

Spent 15 minutes on hold this morning getting through to a GS agent about the SFO-AKL charlie-foxtrot. GS is the new 1K.

What's a travel agent?

Seriously, I book online like usual, use the GS line if something gets screwy.

That's my MO.

Ditto. At this point, I no longer fly complex itineraries and the aid of a TA or GS agent is unnecessary.

I use my corporate TA because he also helps with OA bookings that I include in the PNR. Plus, he gets "credit" for my UA booking and it helps support his business. They have a 24-hour hotline that has been a godsend when I have problems on non-UA flights overseas. Once the TA does his booking, I then use the GS line for assistance with anything else, such as upgrades, SDCs, etc.

IRROPS
 

New to GS this year, so I'm wondering what to expect and what I can ask for. Flight has been delayed for more than 5 hours Fromm EWR to NRT, so will miss my connecting flight from NRT to SIN.

Called GS, didn't get much help except telling me the next flight available will be the next day and there is nothing available later in the day when I arrive. Should I expect accommodations from UA for the night? And if there is a flight later that night Fromm HND, will UA pay for the transportation from NRT to HND?

No GS contact since we have been delayed at the gate for the past 5 hours, so I'm not expecting much when I land in NRT.

Twice in the last year or so when I took ORD-NRT to connect to SIN the flight was late and I missed my connection. Each time there was a GS agent who met me at NRT. The options I was given were to 1) take a bus to HND and connect on an ANA flight there or 2) stay overnight (paid hotel by UA) and take a flight the next day.

NRT agents are extremely proactive but due to the limited amount of ongoing flights there are not that many options late at night.

Nothing better than getting signed over to a good airline in j on ana or sq on a swu upgrade.

Thanks for helpful response. Which hotel did you stay over? I'm incline to just stay overnight and flight out of HND the next day. So I'm wondering if they can offer a hotel near HND instead of NRT.

Just got GS for the first time.
The card on the United iPhone App shows "Valid thru 01/2017"
Is this a bug?

I opted to take the ANA redeye from HND so no hotel was necessary.