Feb 12, 2018, 2:25 pm
Last edit by: drewguy
There are no complimentary upgrades on "Polaris" or premium transcon service or Hawaii (to/from ORD/EWR/IAD/IAH) flights for elites. Elites need to support their upgrades with Plus Points or miles+copay. A complete table is here
Some international flights are CPU eligible (mainly North American)
On very rare occasions if a lower cabin is overbooked, some passengers (usually by elite status) will be operational upgraded (op-up'ed)
Consolidated - Chance of Operational Upgrade (Op-Up) on my flight?
did united ever offer complimentary upgrades on international routes?
Some international flights are CPU eligible (mainly North American)
On very rare occasions if a lower cabin is overbooked, some passengers (usually by elite status) will be operational upgraded (op-up'ed)
Consolidated - Chance of Operational Upgrade (Op-Up) on my flight?
did united ever offer complimentary upgrades on international routes?
Complimentary upgrades when UA's PremPlus / Polaris cabin(s) are open? (No)
Jul 29, 2021, 11:31 am
#136
Used to be MBS PremExec
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Saginaw, MI (MBS)
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Since I'm not traveling internationally in the near (and possible longer) future, they're actually of little to no value to me. I still have 440 PPs and am about to earn my 2021 1K threshold lot of them (I already got the 'Plat' 40).
Jul 29, 2021, 11:47 am
#137
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
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There are multiple CPU flights over 6 hours scheduled, IAH-ANC, EWR-SEA, BOS-SFO, LAX-PTY, ...
Easier to express what is not CPU and the rest are CPU.
Aug 1, 2021, 6:07 am
#138
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: NGS
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Chances of Upgrade from Economy to Polaris on Transpacific Flight
I have a transpacific flight from TYO to ORD in August and upgraded my seat to United Polaris (Business) Class using points and cash. However, with only about 10% of Polaris seating reserved so far on my flight (and probably not likely to increase much), I'm wondering if I'd have a good chance of getting upgraded to Polaris as a UA Premier Gold from Economy Plus instead and save the cash since the Polaris is not a fully functioning product at the moment. With Polaris Class mostly empty, is UA upgrading its Premier members to fill all those empty seats? Does anyone think I'd have a good chance to snag an upgrade?
Aug 1, 2021, 7:07 am
#139
Join Date: Jan 2005
Programs: SQ, QF, UA, CO, DL
Posts: 2,890
UA is not giving complementary upgrades on long haul international flights from Y to J, even with the reduced service level and light loads So if you want an upgrade you should arrange it from your end as you have done.
Aug 1, 2021, 10:07 am
#140
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
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... I'm wondering if I'd have a good chance of getting upgraded to Polaris as a UA Premier Gold from Economy Plus instead and save the cash since the Polaris is not a fully functioning product at the moment. With Polaris Class mostly empty, is UA upgrading its Premier members to fill all those empty seats? Does anyone think I'd have a good chance to snag an upgrade?
Aug 1, 2021, 10:10 am
#141
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I have a transpacific flight from TYO to ORD in August and upgraded my seat to United Polaris (Business) Class using points and cash. However, with only about 10% of Polaris seating reserved so far on my flight (and probably not likely to increase much), I'm wondering if I'd have a good chance of getting upgraded to Polaris as a UA Premier Gold from Economy Plus instead and save the cash since the Polaris is not a fully functioning product at the moment. With Polaris Class mostly empty, is UA upgrading its Premier members to fill all those empty seats? Does anyone think I'd have a good chance to snag an upgrade?
1. UA does not upgrade simply because the cabin is empty.
2. Even so, your status is too low to score one anyway.
Aug 1, 2021, 5:58 pm
#142
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: NGS
Programs: UA Silver, ANA MC, HH Diamond, Hyatt Discoverist, Bonvoy Plat, IHG Plat, Shangri-La GC, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,234
Still, I thought that with 40 Polaris seats potentially empty, I might stand a chance if complimentary upgrades were offered, even as Premier Gold, but now I discover they aren't even offered regardless of status on long-haul international flights, so it doesn't matter. Not a big deal, since I still have the upgrade.
Last edited by Nagasaki Joe; Aug 1, 2021 at 6:30 pm
Aug 1, 2021, 11:21 pm
#143
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Join Date: Apr 2003
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I have a transpacific flight from TYO to ORD in August and upgraded my seat to United Polaris (Business) Class using points and cash. However, with only about 10% of Polaris seating reserved so far on my flight (and probably not likely to increase much), I'm wondering if I'd have a good chance of getting upgraded to Polaris as a UA Premier Gold from Economy Plus instead and save the cash since the Polaris is not a fully functioning product at the moment. With Polaris Class mostly empty, is UA upgrading its Premier members to fill all those empty seats? Does anyone think I'd have a good chance to snag an upgrade?
Many have observed Polaris cabins are gone out with several empty seats on a number of international flights.
Aug 2, 2021, 3:26 am
#144
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: New York, NY, USA
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Posts: 766
Also EWR-ANC (seasonal) which is 7.5 hours, but first usually sells out from paid first fares or buy-up offers, so hoping for a CPU or relying on PP for this route will lead to disappointment.
Aug 2, 2021, 12:52 pm
#145
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 57,616
Off thread topic, my IAD-FRA return flight was completely full. For my next flight (FRA-EWR) I've already been upgraded, and on the return, I'm waitlisted and likely won't be upgraded. Are UA customers moving to Germany for good?
Mar 1, 2022, 2:06 pm
#146
Suspended
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Do you mean free upgrades? No, no one does that on international flights. You can upgrade through a number of ways depending on how flush your UA account is with miles or PluPoints. Sometimes you are offered an opportunity to pay for an upgrade. Again, you can use PlusPoints to upgrade on both UA and LH.
Mar 1, 2022, 3:30 pm
#147
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As noted, no free upgrades. Only United has what they call Premier 1K. Within Star Alliance, there's only up to *Gold.
David
David
Mar 1, 2022, 5:10 pm
#148
Join Date: Aug 2020
Posts: 51
Do you mean free upgrades? No, no one does that on international flights. You can upgrade through a number of ways depending on how flush your UA account is with miles or PluPoints. Sometimes you are offered an opportunity to pay for an upgrade. Again, you can use PlusPoints to upgrade on both UA and LH.
. OR i have to use pluspoints to get on a waitlistThanks all for the responses. This is very helpful
Last edited by mysticalice; Mar 1, 2022 at 5:18 pm
Mar 1, 2022, 5:26 pm
#149
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Yeah i know no one does it on international flights, but it doesn't make sense to me - an open seat is an open seat, and it gets frustrating watching a flight attendant and her boyfriend fly polaris business on a 13 hour flight, on standby, but me as 1K or GSC, spending tens of thousands of dollars each year with the airline, stay in premium economy . OR i have to use pluspoints to get on a waitlist...
. OR i have to use pluspoints to get on a waitlist...Can you provide the name of an airline that promise regular complimentary upgrades on long-haul flights to their elites?
Mar 1, 2022, 5:32 pm
#150
Suspended
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Yeah i know no one does it on international flights, but it doesn't make sense to me - an open seat is an open seat, and it gets frustrating watching a flight attendant and her boyfriend fly polaris business on a 13 hour flight, on standby, but me as 1K or GSC, spending tens of thousands of dollars each year with the airline, stay in premium economy . OR i have to use pluspoints to get on a waitlist
Thanks all for the responses. This is very helpful
. OR i have to use pluspoints to get on a waitlistThanks all for the responses. This is very helpful
. The price and service differential between economy and Polaris is so high that no one would pay for the latter if there was a reasonable chance for an automatic upgrade.