um, please cite us to the place where UA says that.

If you've ever searched for saver J or F awards, you have undoubtedly seen the website return "mixed" awards where less than all segments are in the premium cabin yet cost the full J or F price. UA offers no "discount" due to the mixed cabin.

Here's from their website regarding saver award waitlists. See bolded area....it's saying it a bit backward, but it has been clear from the old Plan B days that if you for instance booked ORD-EWR-CDG, and you cleared on ORD-EWR, but not EWR-CDG, you get all your miles refunded, and the ORD-EWR is a freebie.

You may redeem miles for travel in United PolarisSM first class, United First, United Business or United Polaris business class, even if the space is not available. In these cases, United Economy in the same award type must be confirmed, and the front cabin will be waitlisted. If the courtesy waitlist does not clear, it will expire 24 hours before itinerary departure, and you will automatically be added to the airport upgrade standby list upon check-in. In these cases, you will be confirmed on a space-available basis by a United airport representative at the gate once the flight has closed for check-in. For United Polaris business class and United Business travel awards, the difference in miles will be refunded when the United Polaris business class or United Business class segment of the trip could not be confirmed. Waitlist requests may only be made over the phone with your local United Customer Contact Center.

Thank you for the correction.

This is always the way I've understood it to work. If the long-haul flight doesn't clear, you'll only be charged the economy saver price, even if you flew in First on a connection.

Dan over at DansDeals says as much: "Even if you do get a seat in First Class for the non-[businessfirst] portion but do not get the [businessfirst] seat you will get the mileage refund"

Technically, the rules say "For United Polaris business class and United Business travel awards, the difference in miles will be refunded when the United Polaris business class or United Business class segment of the trip could not be confirmed." The fact you had a connection in United First wouldn't change that statement, though I imagine it would be hard to hold an agent to it who doesn't want to issue a refund.

waitlisting strategy for saver awards in premium cabins on IAD-FRA ?
 

Here is the context ...

I booked a saver economy award on IAD-FRA on a friday evening.
and requested to be put on waitlist for polaris business on the same flight .

on IAD-FRA on fridays I am thinking that there could be a lot of paid business class flyers ..diminishing my chances to see the business class waitlist clear ...

So here is the question :

-should I waitlist for Polaris first instead of Polaris business (on the account that paid first class demand is probably lower than paid business class) ( FWIW both first and business seem to have good availabilty at this point a month or so from travel)

-can I waitlist for Polaris first in addtion to waitlist for polaris business on that same flight ? -> that would be to maximise my chances of either clearing ...
what happens if/when one clears : does the other one gets removed too ?

-is there a timing aspect to this ? .. stick with the business waitlist until maybe a week before flying and then, if it is hasnt cleared, request a first class waitlist instead ?

Thanks !

Has anyone ever cleared off the waitlist from X into I on an EWR - SFO flight? In the past I have never seen a PS flight release a business saver award.

I am thinking of booking EWR - SFO for a flight in 2 months to try out Polaris. They have economy saver available now. Just curious what my chances are clearing before T-24 hours, and then having to play the standby list game at the airport.

Polaris is not on EWR-SFO it is marketed as P.S. business, you get the new blankets but no other amenities

They're doing a run on the new 777-300, EWR - SFO for a few months with full on Polaris. First flight starts Feb 16. Google search if you want.

It is only the seats, it is not marketed as Polaris and the service will be the same as a 757 PS flight

Oh good call. I didn't catch that. I got too excited when I saw the 1-2-1 configuration haha. That being said... anyone ever clear from X to I on a PS flight off the waitlist?

So good news, after a couple of weeks of waiting, my plan B worked, biz->F cleared about 10 days out. I have biz on a connecting partner segment, so the mileage is even them same FTW.

As an Evangelist, you don't wanna retract you "Um,"? ;)

AMS-IAH on 9/3. Waitlisted for J, how likely will me and my companion clear?

Hi, I just booked a trip with (XN) outbound, (X) Excursionist perk, and (I) return. None of my flights are non-stop. :(

The only UA metal flights are the (XN) outbound, LAX-SFO-CDG. When I setup Plan B, I asked only to be waitlisted for the long-haul leg (SFO-CDG). I was charged 27,500 more points. Total was 127,500 points. Please see attachment.

1) Does everything look right in the attachment and was this the correct way to book?

2) If I asked to be put on the waitlist for LAX-SFO and this short flight got cleared but the SFO-CDG flight didn't, I wouldn't get the 27,500 points refunded?

3) Since I'm waitlisted on the 2nd half, if I don't get cleared before 24 hours, will I have to wait until I get to the SFO gate to be put on the stand-by list?

'I' class requested SFO-CDG looks right, and they charged you the higher mileage fee, so the system knows you are Plan B

See previous posts, some believe that you are not going to get the miles, but UA is not supposed to charge you if only the short haul clears. Why not call an agent and request the short haul ask and then get the name/date of the call, and ask them to notate it in the record? If you you don't clear, and you do not get the miles refunded, you have some documentation. Of course if you don't want the hassle and the short haul is not a big deal, leave it alone.


You should be Priority 1 at T-24. BUT...
Many others have been jilted out of an upgrade due to poor agents' understandings at the gate. Read up (as in, read the above posts), be prepared! Bring as much documentation as you can regarding P1 status, etc. If you can, get to the UC at T-24 (whenever you can of course, sooner is better) and ask those agents to help. Even if everything is looking ok at the gate, ask them to verify PR1 status, #1 on waitlist, etc. PR1 means you are a displaced pax, you have paid for a higher level of service (with miles) and DESERVE priority over all others.

Good news is that SFO agents are quite well-versed in UA upgrades (well, many agents there are; at least you are not dealing w "UA" staff in FRA where it gets dicey arguing w them).

GOOD LUCK!