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]
Nov 24, 2015, 4:34 pm
#856
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: IAH
Programs: Marriott Plat, Hyatt Globalist, DL Plat, UA Silver
Posts: 4,043
Booked
3F seats but the short haul IAH-LAX I was booked into XN due to I being unavail.
Agent waitlisted me into I. 13 seats avail but UA did not open any I Space.
11 seats gone, now #5 on the Upg list.
Did the Agent waitlist the right fare class because she wasn't sure about this process.
Thanks in advanced.
3F seats but the short haul IAH-LAX I was booked into XN due to I being unavail.
Agent waitlisted me into I. 13 seats avail but UA did not open any I Space.
11 seats gone, now #5 on the Upg list.
Did the Agent waitlist the right fare class because she wasn't sure about this process.
Thanks in advanced.
Nov 24, 2015, 10:27 pm
#857
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.99MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,783
Booked 3F seats but the short haul IAH-LAX I was booked into XN due to I being unavail.
Agent waitlisted me into I. 13 seats avail but UA did not open any I Space.
11 seats gone, now #5 on the Upg list.
Did the Agent waitlist the right fare class because she wasn't sure about this process. ...
Agent waitlisted me into I. 13 seats avail but UA did not open any I Space.
11 seats gone, now #5 on the Upg list.
Did the Agent waitlist the right fare class because she wasn't sure about this process. ...
Nov 25, 2015, 10:23 am
#858
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 33
I have a question, if I'm looking to book a business saver award seat one way to Spain from EWR next June, but there is no availability right now, should I call the number on the back of my explorer card and ask them to "book economy saver at the business saver level and waitlist me"?
What exactly should I say? I'm not even sure if this is the right thread for this. Right now the only availability is nonstop economy for 65k, and partner flights with stops at 30k (economy saver). I'd probably want to book the partner flight, business saver for 70k since I have other accompanying me and if there is no availability at the time of departure I wouldn't mind having spent 30k miles vs 65k if the 65k doesn't change to 30k itself.
What should I do? Thanks.
What exactly should I say? I'm not even sure if this is the right thread for this. Right now the only availability is nonstop economy for 65k, and partner flights with stops at 30k (economy saver). I'd probably want to book the partner flight, business saver for 70k since I have other accompanying me and if there is no availability at the time of departure I wouldn't mind having spent 30k miles vs 65k if the 65k doesn't change to 30k itself.
What should I do? Thanks.
Last edited by Dom624; Nov 25, 2015 at 10:36 am
Nov 25, 2015, 3:02 pm
#859
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.99MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,783
I have a question, if I'm looking to book a business saver award seat one way to Spain from EWR next June, but there is no availability right now, should I call the number on the back of my explorer card and ask them to "book economy saver at the business saver level and waitlist me"?
What exactly should I say? ...
What exactly should I say? ...
it is
... Right now the only availability is nonstop economy for 65k, and partner flights with stops at 30k (economy saver). I'd probably want to book the partner flight, business saver for 70k since I have other accompanying me and if there is no availability at the time of departure I wouldn't mind having spent 30k miles vs 65k if the 65k doesn't change to 30k itself.... .
Nov 28, 2015, 10:32 pm
#861
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 33
I have a question, if I were to book an economy saver award that involves a stop and a partner flight (EWR - ZRH on UA metal, ZRH - BCN on Swiss Airlines), would I be able to call and ask to be charged the business saver award and be waitlisted for at least the UA metal flight?
Nov 28, 2015, 11:32 pm
#862
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Hawai'i Nei
Programs: Au: UA, Marriott, Hilton; GE
Posts: 7,133
I have a question, if I were to book an economy saver award that involves a stop and a partner flight (EWR - ZRH on UA metal, ZRH - BCN on Swiss Airlines), would I be able to call and ask to be charged the business saver award and be waitlisted for at least the UA metal flight?
Nov 30, 2015, 4:24 pm
#863
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 33
Two more questions, do I book the economy saver award online then call asking them to book it at business saver level and waitlist, or call and have them book it all.
And lastly, once I'm waitlisted how does this work? Let's say I get successfully waitlisted, and in say a month at like 2am while I'm sleeping and the business saver award becomes available. Does it automatically confirm me in business class and I would get to choose my seat in the morning, when I wake up?
Nov 30, 2015, 7:41 pm
#864
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Hawai'i Nei
Programs: Au: UA, Marriott, Hilton; GE
Posts: 7,133
Oh okay.
Two more questions, do I book the economy saver award online then call asking them to book it at business saver level and waitlist, or call and have them book it all.
And lastly, once I'm waitlisted how does this work? Let's say I get successfully waitlisted, and in say a month at like 2am while I'm sleeping and the business saver award becomes available. Does it automatically confirm me in business class and I would get to choose my seat in the morning, when I wake up?
Two more questions, do I book the economy saver award online then call asking them to book it at business saver level and waitlist, or call and have them book it all.
And lastly, once I'm waitlisted how does this work? Let's say I get successfully waitlisted, and in say a month at like 2am while I'm sleeping and the business saver award becomes available. Does it automatically confirm me in business class and I would get to choose my seat in the morning, when I wake up?
If you waitlist clears, you are then automatically confirmed. However, to get the seat you want, you either call in or do it online.
Good luck!
Nov 30, 2015, 9:54 pm
#865
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 33
Thanks!
Nov 30, 2015, 10:44 pm
#866
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Hawai'i Nei
Programs: Au: UA, Marriott, Hilton; GE
Posts: 7,133
yes. just make you have miles for J or F seat deducted when you make your reservation, and after it is made, that the online reservation shows "I Class Requested" (for Business) or "O Class Requested" (For First).
Dec 7, 2015, 10:22 am
#867
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: None - previously UA
Posts: 4,859
I have itinerary booked IAD-HDN-DEN in I, and then I'm waitlisted for IAD-DEN I class, it's been like this for months. HDN-DEN is completely sold out over a month out, the flight doesn't show up in a flight search. Do they ever load balance in these situations - not just on the day when I class on IAD-DEN will be unavailable?
Dec 9, 2015, 2:33 pm
#868
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 239
Anyone have a recent report of being able to waitlist X/XN into I/IN? I just spoke with a very adamant CSR who claimed he was well aware of the procedure but had been told not to perform it.
Dec 9, 2015, 2:37 pm
#869
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Hawai'i Nei
Programs: Au: UA, Marriott, Hilton; GE
Posts: 7,133
Dec 9, 2015, 2:37 pm
#870
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Jersey
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Lifetime PLT
Posts: 1,154
i did it and cleared a few months back. call back and speak to someone else.