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]
Feb 9, 2016, 6:04 pm
#961
Join Date: Jan 2008
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 246
If confirmed in economy and waitlisted for first on a three-cabin flight, is it possible to be put on the standby list for both first and business, or would it only be first?
Feb 9, 2016, 7:34 pm
#962
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Hawai'i Nei
Programs: Au: UA, Marriott, Hilton; GE
Posts: 7,138
My understanding is that you have to choose one cabin for your waitlist. So, if you have chosen F, C is not a default position....
Feb 10, 2016, 1:09 am
#963
Join Date: Jan 2008
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 246
That makes sense for the waitlist, but it seems strange to have a confirmed seat in economy and an entry on the first class upgrade list, but no chance to sit in C if that doesn't clear. How's it handled for the case where a full-fare F ticket holder has ended up in Y?
Feb 10, 2016, 10:18 am
#964
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: PHL
Programs: United 1K, American Gold, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Gold
Posts: 430
XN into IN successful (IAD-LHR)
I booked an saver award earlier this year with segment IAD-LHR. Thanks to the advice in this thread, I called the 1K line and booked XN, though charged at the BusinessFirst Saver price and requested IN class.
Well this morning, one week before the flight, I checked and IN class had opened up! I was able to use the United app to select a seat in BusinessFirst. No email notification though.
Just glad that the system works as expected sometimes.
Well this morning, one week before the flight, I checked and IN class had opened up! I was able to use the United app to select a seat in BusinessFirst. No email notification though.
Just glad that the system works as expected sometimes.
Feb 13, 2016, 3:55 pm
#965
Join Date: Aug 2004
Programs: AA, BA, Delta, SPG, Hilton
Posts: 718
Urgent: Who gets priority for upgrade?
We paid for Biz Saver Award but confirmed in Economy.
We were the first on the waitlist and suddenly 2 people went ahead of us.
20 minutes before the online check in, I was told that it is only 2 of us on the waitlist.
So... the 2 people that got in front of us, today paid $500/each and 25K miles/each from L fare.
My question is: who gets priority first in this case?
paid for 2 biz saver awards 55k each one way and confirmed in economy VS
passengers who within 24 hrs of flight paid 25k and $500/each from L fare
We were the first on the waitlist and suddenly 2 people went ahead of us.
20 minutes before the online check in, I was told that it is only 2 of us on the waitlist.
So... the 2 people that got in front of us, today paid $500/each and 25K miles/each from L fare.
My question is: who gets priority first in this case?
paid for 2 biz saver awards 55k each one way and confirmed in economy VS
passengers who within 24 hrs of flight paid 25k and $500/each from L fare
Feb 13, 2016, 4:01 pm
#966
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: DFW
Programs: UA peon (+decades 1K), AA Exec Plt
Posts: 1,117
Awards and Upgrades clear from different buckets. There could have been R buckets for upgrade but no I buckets for Awards.
Feb 13, 2016, 4:01 pm
#967
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,404
You *should* have priority at the gate, coded PR-1 as a displaced passenger, but reported success rates of getting agents to do this correctly at the gate are extremely low.
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Feb 13, 2016 at 5:02 pm Reason: cleanup after merge
Feb 13, 2016, 4:01 pm
#968
Join Date: Mar 2012
Programs: Mileage Plus 1K; Marriott Platinum; Hilton Gold
Posts: 6,355
If there is extra cash on the table, you can count on United's IT to grab it first. So a miles plus cash upgrade will trump miles alone.
Feb 13, 2016, 4:04 pm
#969
Join Date: Aug 2004
Programs: AA, BA, Delta, SPG, Hilton
Posts: 718
I am confused (( They get the priority under the rules? Is there a clear list of rules for such situations?
Should I go to the airport today - or it is useless? Flight is tomorrow
The agent on the phone stated - yes, your are on our piority list 3 and 4! Who should I talk to? ((
Should I go to the airport today - or it is useless? Flight is tomorrow
The agent on the phone stated - yes, your are on our piority list 3 and 4! Who should I talk to? ((
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Feb 13, 2016 at 4:57 pm Reason: merging consecutive posts by same member
Feb 13, 2016, 4:09 pm
#970
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: DFW
Programs: UA peon (+decades 1K), AA Exec Plt
Posts: 1,117
Feb 13, 2016, 4:10 pm
#971
Join Date: Mar 2012
Programs: Mileage Plus 1K; Marriott Platinum; Hilton Gold
Posts: 6,355
BTW, how do you know that the two pax ahead of you on the wait list bought an L fare, and then paid miles and cash to get ahead of you?
Feb 13, 2016, 4:12 pm
#972
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: DFW
Programs: UA peon (+decades 1K), AA Exec Plt
Posts: 1,117
Already asked
Feb 13, 2016, 4:13 pm
#973
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: SDF
Programs: -=- UA: GS + 3.9 Million Miler; Hilton: Diamond; Marriott: Gold; Hertz: President's Circle
Posts: 676
You may have been jumped by a GS passenger.
Feb 13, 2016, 4:15 pm
#974
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,404
There are two upgrade windows which are very different. There is an upgrade window which runs from booking until your flight goes to gate control, roughly 3 hours before departure. During this first window, you require open I space in order to clear your waitlisted award sector. People with instrument supported upgrades (such as miles+cash) only need R space, which is higher up the totem pole. Therefore, while there isn't technically an order, you effectively have lower priority.
Close to departure, the flight will go under gate control. The gate will use the Upgrade Standby List, which is the one you can see on the Flight Status page. Generally speaking, you will not get added to this list automatically with a sector waitlisted for I class. FT reports (per the thread I linked) that you can call an agent and asked to be placed on this list with highest priority (called PR-1), but many people have said that it is very rare to get an agent who is willing to do this.
So, I would ask:
*How do you know where you are in the list (an agent told you)?
*Have you checked in for your flight?
*Do you appear on the Upgrade Standby List when you look at your Flight Status?
Feb 13, 2016, 4:20 pm
#975
Join Date: Aug 2004
Programs: AA, BA, Delta, SPG, Hilton
Posts: 718
IT department disclosed that passengers that got ahead of us are on L fare and an hour ago purchased upgrades with miles and copay.