Feb 22, 2017, 12:57 pm
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
Active thread Consolidated "Waitlist for Award Seats Questions/Issues"
Waitilisting for awards
Click for the current rules from United
Member experiences:
At the airport if you have not yet cleared:
Note: The correct priority term here may in fact be a code that is one of WAI, WBI, WCI, or WDI depending on status. The is per GG ONESTANDBY lines 32-55.
Note: PR-1 status is given to those who "paid" the requisite miles for an upgraded seat (i.e. biz) when only the non-upgraded space (i.e. coach) was available. The PR-1 status is to clue the system (and agents) in so that it is clear that you have been "displaced." (NOTE: once you have obtained PR-1 status, should there be any change to your ticket, e.g., an involuntary reroute by UA due to missing a connection, the PR-1 status will most likely get dropped and you must have it reattached (esp. before any UGs are given to others).
Unfortunately at T-24, many GAs do not get this concept. Use the above to plead your case but be prepared to be unsatisfied. One method that can get you to a higher level of understanding is the UC. Their staff seem to not only have a better understanding of the issues, but they can contact the gate and exert some influence on the less informed GAs, AND they seem to have more of an interest in helping PAX. If you can get into the UC, it will be worth your while.
**Note: If you get the UG on the long haul, the higher level of award miles you are using (like with the GPU) are considered used up regardless of the short haul. You will not be charged the lower level # of miles (i.e. refunded the diff between the lower level and the higher level you paid in advance), rather the higher level award miles will be considered spent. That is the risk you take when you do Plan B.
Waitilisting for awards
Click for the current rules from United
From the above link:You may redeem miles for travel in United Global First, United First, United Business or United BusinessFirst, 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 BusinessFirst and United Business travel awards, the difference in miles will be refunded when the United BusinessFirst 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.
- You must have a confirmed segment to wait list for different cabin and/or a different flight.
- Can only waitlist for UA/UX operated flight, cannot waitlist for partner flights. Can waitlist for UA/UX flights on a mixed itin.
- Maximum number of WL segments in a PNR is 2.
- When confirmed segment is on a partner, you can waitlist for UA operated alternative.A report of being refused waitlisting for Economy{mixed reports - need further confirmation/clarification}.
At the airport if you have not yet cleared:
Note: The correct priority term here may in fact be a code that is one of WAI, WBI, WCI, or WDI depending on status. The is per GG ONESTANDBY lines 32-55.
The agent should give you “PR-1 status” which gives you top-priority status and moves you to the very top of the upgrade standby list, ahead of employees and everyone else trying to upgrade with miles+cash. If one agent won’t put you on the list as a displaced Business class passenger with PR-1 status then find another one who will. With this status the odds of you getting a business class are very high if there are still open seats (or if anybody no-shows).
If the agents in the airport are all clueless you should direct them to look
up “gg onestandby” in their system (they’ll know exactly what this is)
and look around lines 85-89 which spell out the details of the procedure for
this award.
If the agents in the airport are all clueless you should direct them to look
up “gg onestandby” in their system (they’ll know exactly what this is)
and look around lines 85-89 which spell out the details of the procedure for
this award.
Unfortunately at T-24, many GAs do not get this concept. Use the above to plead your case but be prepared to be unsatisfied. One method that can get you to a higher level of understanding is the UC. Their staff seem to not only have a better understanding of the issues, but they can contact the gate and exert some influence on the less informed GAs, AND they seem to have more of an interest in helping PAX. If you can get into the UC, it will be worth your while.
**Note: If you get the UG on the long haul, the higher level of award miles you are using (like with the GPU) are considered used up regardless of the short haul. You will not be charged the lower level # of miles (i.e. refunded the diff between the lower level and the higher level you paid in advance), rather the higher level award miles will be considered spent. That is the risk you take when you do Plan B.
Consolidated "Waitlist for Award Seats Questions/Issues [ARCHIVE]
Aug 11, 2014, 6:46 pm
#271
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Van down by the river
Programs: UA GS, AA EXP, Marriott PP/LT Plat, Golden Circle Diamond
Posts: 718
Aug 12, 2014, 1:18 am
#272
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Left Coast
Programs: UA 1K & 1MM, HH Diamond, Marriott/SPG Gold (UA comp)
Posts: 1,353
Hi Philemer. Yes, I get that but the terminology used above suggested upgrading an award. The correct term as you point out is waitlist. What is also confusing is the use of the term taking the "extra miles". The term is pulling the "correct number" of miles for the saver biz award (when only the saver award is available), which waitlists you for the biz since you are charged for the biz award (plan B).
I've found pmco agents to be the best in doing this quickly, and the best way to get them is to use the call back feature from the online link. The other agents usually just say it cannot be done.
BTW, one can get upgraded (cpu) from an economy award if the the correct cc is used to pay the fees from an elite member and space is available.
I've found pmco agents to be the best in doing this quickly, and the best way to get them is to use the call back feature from the online link. The other agents usually just say it cannot be done.
BTW, one can get upgraded (cpu) from an economy award if the the correct cc is used to pay the fees from an elite member and space is available.
Aug 12, 2014, 4:10 pm
#273
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Intermountain West
Programs: Too many to list
Posts: 12,082
Looks like the policies for W/L have changed. I called today to ck and see if my flt had indeed been W/L. The agent said "yes". And, no miles will be withdrawn until/unless you are actually moved/pushed/upgraded 
into Bus/First.
Also, no separate entry under "Manage Reservations" saying "waitlisted". To tell if you are W/L you have to click on "View/Change seats" and then you will see double tabs for each segment. Interesting way of doing it.
into Bus/First. Also, no separate entry under "Manage Reservations" saying "waitlisted". To tell if you are W/L you have to click on "View/Change seats" and then you will see double tabs for each segment. Interesting way of doing it.
Aug 12, 2014, 8:04 pm
#274
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: WAS/TYO
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP (3MM), DL PM, BONVOY TITANIUM, HYATT GLOBALIST, HILTON DIAMOND, IHG DIAMOND AMB, et al
Posts: 5,913
I'm attempting to waitlist for UA F on a domestic segment of an award containing partner flights. I've had three different Premier Desk agents tell me it's not possible to waitlist UA flights on itineraries containing partner segments. This doesn't match my past experience. Does anyone know if the rules have changed?
-FlyerBeek
-FlyerBeek
Aug 14, 2014, 5:15 pm
#275
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: USA
Programs: DL DI AA LTPL MAR LTPL HY GL
Posts: 477
Quick question... is it possible to book IN but waitlist XN? In wiki, it says it is possible to book XN and waitlist IN. How about the other way?
Aug 23, 2014, 11:55 pm
#276
Join Date: Jan 2009
Programs: Hilton Diamond, IHG Spire Ambassador, Radisson Gold, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 3,623
Is it possible to wait list for more than one alternate flight? For example, if there are two earlier flights that you would prefer to take, can you wait list for both, or do you have to choose one?
Aug 28, 2014, 10:55 am
#277
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: SFO or OAK
Programs: AA 1MM GLD, Hertz #1 Gold, bunch of other programs w/no status
Posts: 1,454
2 simple questions
1) Can you W/L if you have no status?
2) If so, can you at least get E+ on a W/L segment if booked on a saver J award (and the W/L segment doesn't clear)?
2) If so, can you at least get E+ on a W/L segment if booked on a saver J award (and the W/L segment doesn't clear)?
Aug 28, 2014, 11:29 am
#278
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 15,020
2) Yes, if you pay for it. E- to E+ is not considered an upgrade or compensation. On the other hand, a sympathetic agent may have pity....
Aug 28, 2014, 7:27 pm
#279
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Intermountain West
Programs: Too many to list
Posts: 12,082
Sep 3, 2014, 1:13 pm
#280
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
I called in today to request IN be waitlisted on my wife's XN segment. I also noticed that "I" was available on an earlier LH flight than she was currently booked on, and asked to switch to that one (which is the same flight I'm on; she was previously on a flight 2 hours later).
Prior to talking to the agent, the segments were as follows:
IAD-MUC (XN)
MUC-BCN (X)
BCN-GVA (X)
GVA-IAD (O)
After the agent was done, I see:
IAD-MUC (YN, with IN requested)
MUC-BCN (I)
BCN-GVA (I)
GVA-IAD (O)
So far, no additional miles have been deducted, though I'm a bit miffed that she somehow changed me from saver Y to standard Y--I didn't even think you could waitlist saver segments when booked in standard awards--and am concerned that at check-in, the agent is going to ask for a bunch more miles.
Also, I don't know why she put BCN-GVA into I; I specifically had it in X as my wife would much prefer sitting with me in Y to sitting by herself in intra-European "F."
Nor does the IN request show up for GVA-IAD, but that's the least of my issues. Her being in global first makes for an easy swap with the guy next to me in C if needed...
Prior to talking to the agent, the segments were as follows:
IAD-MUC (XN)
MUC-BCN (X)
BCN-GVA (X)
GVA-IAD (O)
After the agent was done, I see:
IAD-MUC (YN, with IN requested)
MUC-BCN (I)
BCN-GVA (I)
GVA-IAD (O)
So far, no additional miles have been deducted, though I'm a bit miffed that she somehow changed me from saver Y to standard Y--I didn't even think you could waitlist saver segments when booked in standard awards--and am concerned that at check-in, the agent is going to ask for a bunch more miles.
Also, I don't know why she put BCN-GVA into I; I specifically had it in X as my wife would much prefer sitting with me in Y to sitting by herself in intra-European "F."
Nor does the IN request show up for GVA-IAD, but that's the least of my issues. Her being in global first makes for an easy swap with the guy next to me in C if needed...
Sep 8, 2014, 8:24 pm
#281
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
As a follow-up, the IN segment cleared this morning (about T-36) without issue, despite it being on a YN segment (standard Y).
Sep 12, 2014, 1:50 pm
#282
Join Date: Aug 2011
Programs: UA PS, AA GLD, SPG GLD, PC PLT, CC GLD
Posts: 217
Just got off the phone with Premier desk, and they said that as of August 13th it is no longer possible to waitlist for another saver award flight (in my case saver economy from EWR-SFO) after having a confirmed saver award flight later for the same day and routing. Is this a HUCA moment or the actual policy now with award waitlisting?
EDIT: Got added to the waitlist by another agent, though was told coming off the waitlist within 21 days would lead to a fee as Premier Silver.
EDIT: Got added to the waitlist by another agent, though was told coming off the waitlist within 21 days would lead to a fee as Premier Silver.
Last edited by LordByran; Sep 12, 2014 at 2:16 pm
Sep 13, 2014, 11:21 am
#283
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: DC Suburbs
Programs: DL Gold, Hilton Gold, Carnival VIFP Gold, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 459
Just booked a Saver J NRT-ORD-DCA Award. NRT-ORD is on NH Metal in J (booked into I), ORD-DCA is on UA Metal in Y (booked into X) because no saver F was available. This is for a flight 9 months from now with not a single F seat taken so far per UA seat map.
A recent 1K friend tells me I can get waitlisted for F on the ORD-DCA leg using the PR1 waitlist and that my upgrade would clear ahead of others, but I'm not sure how that works. I have no status myself. Can I really get upgraded to F for no additional miles/$$$ if space is available since it's part of a J award?! And if I can, what do I ask for when I call UA? And when would I know if the upgrade cleared?
Thanks!
A recent 1K friend tells me I can get waitlisted for F on the ORD-DCA leg using the PR1 waitlist and that my upgrade would clear ahead of others, but I'm not sure how that works. I have no status myself. Can I really get upgraded to F for no additional miles/$$$ if space is available since it's part of a J award?! And if I can, what do I ask for when I call UA? And when would I know if the upgrade cleared?
Thanks!
Sep 18, 2014, 9:39 pm
#284
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 10,969
Just got off the phone with Premier desk, and they said that as of August 13th it is no longer possible to waitlist for another saver award flight (in my case saver economy from EWR-SFO) after having a confirmed saver award flight later for the same day and routing. Is this a HUCA moment or the actual policy now with award waitlisting?
EDIT: Got added to the waitlist by another agent, though was told coming off the waitlist within 21 days would lead to a fee as Premier Silver.
EDIT: Got added to the waitlist by another agent, though was told coming off the waitlist within 21 days would lead to a fee as Premier Silver.
Simple xxx-SFO flight.
One agent said WL can only be done for 1 flight only. If she listed 2, then they won't clear.
Another agent put me on hold, came back and said "normally we only list 1 but as a courtesy, I listed you for both".
What is going on?
Sep 18, 2014, 9:44 pm
#285
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 10,969
It seems there is a delay between the time the change is made by the agent and the WL segment show up on the web. What I am seeing is is the seating for the WL segment shows up as unassigned (--) but the actual segment shows up a little later.