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 22, 2017, 6:51 am
#1891
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 615
I just got back from Europe using the wait list method for J class successfully but it was a long process since we were traveling with an infant lap child (which throws everything off). Several weeks back, I was told that the return flight could not be put on waitlist b/c of the infant and then I was told that I was on the list.
I get to the gate for the return leg GVA-IAD and the gate agent told me I was not on any list but that they would call the airline. They were on hold with the UA MP agent for over an hour and finally pushed it through! I have the sense that I was never on the waitlist but the gate agent perhaps did me a solid. Further DP.
On another note, I'm thinking about doing the same thing on the famous IAD-HNL route. Economy saver is open, but business saver is not. How full are these flights typically in J class?
I get to the gate for the return leg GVA-IAD and the gate agent told me I was not on any list but that they would call the airline. They were on hold with the UA MP agent for over an hour and finally pushed it through! I have the sense that I was never on the waitlist but the gate agent perhaps did me a solid. Further DP.
On another note, I'm thinking about doing the same thing on the famous IAD-HNL route. Economy saver is open, but business saver is not. How full are these flights typically in J class?
Aug 23, 2017, 8:38 am
#1892
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: NYS
Programs: UA 1K MM, IHG Plat Amb, HH Diamond
Posts: 311
My son is booked today EWR-SFO-TLV with I class requested for EWR-SFO and I confirmed SFO-TLV. He was #1 on the WL up until a few minutes ago. As a note of interest. He was #1 all day yesterday but the list showed 3 people get upgraded yesterday. I called the service desk to ask how and why people were upgraded before him? Her reply was that they bought the upgrade with money. I wanted to let her know that it would not show up as an upgrade if it was a buy
up.
On a side note, can he access the lounge in EWR with his J BP for his TATL flight out of SFO later today?
up.
On a side note, can he access the lounge in EWR with his J BP for his TATL flight out of SFO later today?
Aug 23, 2017, 9:04 am
#1893
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: EWR/LHR/SFO
Programs: UA 1K 1MM
Posts: 574
My son is booked today EWR-SFO-TLV with I class requested for EWR-SFO and I confirmed SFO-TLV. He was #1 on the WL up until a few minutes ago. As a note of interest. He was #1 all day yesterday but the list showed 3 people get upgraded yesterday. I called the service desk to ask how and why people were upgraded before him? Her reply was that they bought the upgrade with money. I wanted to let her know that it would not show up as an upgrade if it was a buy
up.
On a side note, can he access the lounge in EWR with his J BP for his TATL flight out of SFO later today?
up.
On a side note, can he access the lounge in EWR with his J BP for his TATL flight out of SFO later today?
On waitlist: what you observed is entirely normal behaviour. If you are WLd for I class, requests for PN and R class (ie GS and 1K GPUs) will clear ahead of you, since PN > R > IN > I. The whole "intrigue" of PR-1 is that you are lower on the pre-departure/EUA waitlist than people using GPUs, but higher than them on the gate list (which only becomes relevant at T-1 or so when the gate agent manually clears remaining upgrades). So you would expect people who are lower than you on the gate/visible list to clear ahead of you prior to T-2 if you are WLd for I and they are WLd for PN/R.
Aug 23, 2017, 9:06 am
#1894
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,405
As a note of interest. He was # 1 all day yesterday but the list showed 3 people get upgraded yesterday. I called the service desk to ask how and why people were upgraded before him? Her reply was that they bought the upgrade with money. I wanted to let her know that it would not show up as an upgrade if it was a buy up.
On a side note, can he access the lounge in EWR with his J BP for his TATL flight out of SFO later today?
On a side note, can he access the lounge in EWR with his J BP for his TATL flight out of SFO later today?
His Polaris boarding pass for EWR-TLV should give him lounge access at SFO and EWR.
Aug 23, 2017, 9:12 am
#1895
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,453
He was #1 all day yesterday but the list showed 3 people get upgraded yesterday.
Aug 23, 2017, 2:52 pm
#1896
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: NYS
Programs: UA 1K MM, IHG Plat Amb, HH Diamond
Posts: 311
Prior to the gate (around T-1), the waitlist you see is not the one that is processing. The published list only shows passengers who are checked in. Passengers who have not yet checked in but who have higher priority can clear without ever showing up on the waitlist. This happens all the time.
Aug 23, 2017, 9:37 pm
#1897
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Dallas, TX
Programs: AA, Continental, Virgin, Southwest
Posts: 37
I am not having any luck...yet
Need to confirm with the experts here, what I am saying is what is supposed to be happening.
I am telling them I need them to reserve (3) tickets in coach, but charge me the business saver rate (57.5k) miles and then waitlist me. They are insisting I purchase (3) economy saver ticktes first, then they will waitlist me and if I clear, they will deduct the additional 27.5k miles per person
Tries so far:
Try #1 - Operator tried to get me to book 30K saver award and then waitlist me for biz class, and if they cleared, would deduct my miles. I said, based on what I read, this is incorrect. I should have 57.5k miles pp deducted and only if I do not clear, will the miles difference be refunded. She transferred me to a supervisor who regurgitated the same things. These were non-US based operators if it matters or not.
Put son to bed, then tried attempt #2
Try #2 -
Another overseas call center. Same issue.
Try #3
Called United Web Support - Got an awesome guy here in the US - he knew exactly what I wanted to do and understood why the overseas agents couldn't. Confirmed me into Saver Coach @ Biz Saver rate.
Edit: After talking with my new friend, he did state that if you ever get to an "overseas" call center, you can immediately request to talk to a US call center, and they "should" transfer you.
Need to confirm with the experts here, what I am saying is what is supposed to be happening.
I am telling them I need them to reserve (3) tickets in coach, but charge me the business saver rate (57.5k) miles and then waitlist me. They are insisting I purchase (3) economy saver ticktes first, then they will waitlist me and if I clear, they will deduct the additional 27.5k miles per person
Tries so far:
Try #1 - Operator tried to get me to book 30K saver award and then waitlist me for biz class, and if they cleared, would deduct my miles. I said, based on what I read, this is incorrect. I should have 57.5k miles pp deducted and only if I do not clear, will the miles difference be refunded. She transferred me to a supervisor who regurgitated the same things. These were non-US based operators if it matters or not.
Put son to bed, then tried attempt #2
Try #2 -
Another overseas call center. Same issue.
Try #3
Called United Web Support - Got an awesome guy here in the US - he knew exactly what I wanted to do and understood why the overseas agents couldn't. Confirmed me into Saver Coach @ Biz Saver rate.
Edit: After talking with my new friend, he did state that if you ever get to an "overseas" call center, you can immediately request to talk to a US call center, and they "should" transfer you.
Last edited by Minter66; Aug 23, 2017 at 9:55 pm
Aug 23, 2017, 11:02 pm
#1898
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Left Coast
Programs: UA 1K & 1MM, HH Diamond, Marriott/SPG Gold (UA comp)
Posts: 1,353
I am not having any luck...yet
Need to confirm with the experts here, what I am saying is what is supposed to be happening.
I am telling them I need them to reserve (3) tickets in coach, but charge me the business saver rate (57.5k) miles and then waitlist me. They are insisting I purchase (3) economy saver ticktes first, then they will waitlist me and if I clear, they will deduct the additional 27.5k miles per person
Tries so far:
Try #1 - Operator tried to get me to book 30K saver award and then waitlist me for biz class, and if they cleared, would deduct my miles. I said, based on what I read, this is incorrect. I should have 57.5k miles pp deducted and only if I do not clear, will the miles difference be refunded. She transferred me to a supervisor who regurgitated the same things. These were non-US based operators if it matters or not.
Put son to bed, then tried attempt #2
Try #2 -
Another overseas call center. Same issue.
Try #3
Called United Web Support - Got an awesome guy here in the US - he knew exactly what I wanted to do and understood why the overseas agents couldn't. Confirmed me into Saver Coach @ Biz Saver rate.
Edit: After talking with my new friend, he did state that if you ever get to an "overseas" call center, you can immediately request to talk to a US call center, and they "should" transfer you.
Need to confirm with the experts here, what I am saying is what is supposed to be happening.
I am telling them I need them to reserve (3) tickets in coach, but charge me the business saver rate (57.5k) miles and then waitlist me. They are insisting I purchase (3) economy saver ticktes first, then they will waitlist me and if I clear, they will deduct the additional 27.5k miles per person
Tries so far:
Try #1 - Operator tried to get me to book 30K saver award and then waitlist me for biz class, and if they cleared, would deduct my miles. I said, based on what I read, this is incorrect. I should have 57.5k miles pp deducted and only if I do not clear, will the miles difference be refunded. She transferred me to a supervisor who regurgitated the same things. These were non-US based operators if it matters or not.
Put son to bed, then tried attempt #2
Try #2 -
Another overseas call center. Same issue.
Try #3
Called United Web Support - Got an awesome guy here in the US - he knew exactly what I wanted to do and understood why the overseas agents couldn't. Confirmed me into Saver Coach @ Biz Saver rate.
Edit: After talking with my new friend, he did state that if you ever get to an "overseas" call center, you can immediately request to talk to a US call center, and they "should" transfer you.
Aug 24, 2017, 5:32 am
#1899
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: New York NY
Programs: UA Gold, CO Plat, CO Million Miler
Posts: 2,617
As a MM gold, I always get US call centers, most agents initially don't "get it." Usually, I ask them to check with a supervisor and they come back and do it.
Aug 24, 2017, 10:23 am
#1900
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Dallas, TX
Programs: AA, Continental, Virgin, Southwest
Posts: 37
Its AMS - IAD - DFW on 9/15
J9JN9C9D9Z9ZN9P8PN2R0RN0IN0I0Y9YN9B9M9E9U9H9HN9Q9V 9W9S9T9L9K9G0N9XN9X9
Was watching same flight for tomorrow and right at T-24 IN and I opened to the full 9+.
We shall see....
Aug 24, 2017, 10:28 am
#1901
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,405
The 9/15 flight is currently booked 25/39. That seems fairly high for 3 weeks out.
Aug 24, 2017, 10:49 am
#1902
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Dallas, TX
Programs: AA, Continental, Virgin, Southwest
Posts: 37
To my knowledge there are no major events occurring that weekend in Amsterdam, but I could be missing something.
I chose this route because the AMS - IAH - DFW was even worse in availability.
Last edited by Minter66; Aug 24, 2017 at 11:01 am
Aug 30, 2017, 2:04 pm
#1903
Join Date: Jan 2008
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 246
The last couple of times I've done this I've been added to the upgrade list automatically on checkin, but roughly where I'd expect to be if I were GPUing. Has anyone been able to confirm whether people are being added with the right priority?
Aug 30, 2017, 3:59 pm
#1904
Join Date: May 2016
Location: SLC
Programs: United Gold, Hilton Silver, Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 768
I booked a honeymoon trip recently for my son and his fiancee DEN - CUN using miles. The plan was to go all coach, but when the only way I could get them back on the right day was to do an overnight connection in Newark, I thought I'd at least try to make them comfortable.
I called and got a VERY upbeat and helpful customer service agent who, although it took at least 30 minutes, was able to get them waitlisted for the return flights.
The CUN-EWR segment cleared a couple of days ago, but nothing yet on EWR-DEN.
The EWR-DEN portion is in lie-flats on a 757-200, so it would be really nice if they could score that one. Does anyone have any guesses as to whether this is likely to clear? It's Sunday, Oct. 29 in the morning. I'm hoping Sunday morning will be more likely to clear than other days.
I called and got a VERY upbeat and helpful customer service agent who, although it took at least 30 minutes, was able to get them waitlisted for the return flights.
The CUN-EWR segment cleared a couple of days ago, but nothing yet on EWR-DEN.
The EWR-DEN portion is in lie-flats on a 757-200, so it would be really nice if they could score that one. Does anyone have any guesses as to whether this is likely to clear? It's Sunday, Oct. 29 in the morning. I'm hoping Sunday morning will be more likely to clear than other days.
Aug 30, 2017, 4:30 pm
#1905
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: EWR/LHR/SFO
Programs: UA 1K 1MM
Posts: 574
The EWR-DEN portion is in lie-flats on a 757-200, so it would be really nice if they could score that one. Does anyone have any guesses as to whether this is likely to clear? It's Sunday, Oct. 29 in the morning. I'm hoping Sunday morning will be more likely to clear than other days.