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Complimentary upgrades when UA's PremPlus / Polaris cabin(s) are open? (No)

Old Feb 12, 2018, 2:25 pm
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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?

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Complimentary upgrades when UA's PremPlus / Polaris cabin(s) are open? (No)

Old Dec 22, 2017, 7:30 am
  #46  
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 27
Question about upgrade as a Platinum member

This is probably a silly question, but I can't seem to find a straight answer. I have an upcoming paid economy plus flight from Taipei to San Francisco. I have met the Platinum status for the first time ever in my life last month (on my way to 1K by the end of this year too which is exciting!). Do I have a chance at getting a "free" upgrade to Business class as a Platinum status (ie, will I automatically be put on the waitlist for an upgrade to Business class after checking in?)? Or do Platinum status members not qualify for such "free" upgrades?
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Old Dec 22, 2017, 7:32 am
  #47  
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
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No, not for this flight - no "free" or "automatic" upgrades.
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Old Dec 22, 2017, 7:39 am
  #48  
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Pennsylvania
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Thanks for the quick reply! There was a waitlist for upgrades to Business on my SFO to TPE flight so I was wondering how you get on that list. Five people eventually cleared on that flight. I was only a Gold member at that time and had used miles + 550 dollars to upgrade myself to Business class. I wasn't sure if there are any "free" or "automatic" upgrades on international flights with any status (maybe Global Services?).
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Old Dec 22, 2017, 7:41 am
  #49  
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Congrats on the Platinum...and upcoming 1K !

Long haul International flights do not qualify for automatic, complimentary upgrades. This is true for everyone, including 1K and Global Services.
Once you hit 1K, you will receive 6 upgrade certificates (GPU) which can be applied to W-fare or higher International trips.

For regular, domestic USA flights, you will be automatically placed on an upgrade list, sorted by status, flight bucket, etc.

Everyone on the upgrade list for Intl (Polaris) flights supported the upgrade request in some manner. Certificate, Miles/money, etc. Or they are employees eligible if any empty seats remain.

Last edited by goodeats21; Dec 22, 2017 at 7:43 am Reason: added
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Old Dec 22, 2017, 7:43 am
  #50  
 
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You can also wait list for an international upgrade (or snag one if available) with miles and cash. If you look at your reservation you can see an upgrade this flight button which will give you the option to upgrade for straight cash or cash and miles.
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Old Dec 22, 2017, 7:44 am
  #51  
 
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Originally Posted by blankspace
Thanks for the quick reply! There was a waitlist for upgrades to Business on my SFO to TPE flight so I was wondering how you get on that list. Five people eventually cleared on that flight. I was only a Gold member at that time and had used miles + 550 dollars to upgrade myself to Business class. I wasn't sure if there are any "free" or "automatic" upgrades on international flights with any status (maybe Global Services?).
No, but GS and 1K can use the GPUs they receive when they qualify for those status. For 1K not all fares qualify for using the GPUs. I think the cheaper one that qualifies is W. I don't know about if there is such a restriction for GS.

I see that I typed too slow and goodeats21 had already given a detailed explanation.

Last edited by StuckinITH; Dec 22, 2017 at 7:48 am Reason: Slow typing
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Old Dec 22, 2017, 7:45 am
  #52  
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 27
I saw there is an international upgrade seat available for the TPE-SFO flight back to the US, but I was wondering if with higher status you can ever get a "free" upgrade without having to spend the miles and cash. Sounds like maybe this never happens?
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Old Dec 22, 2017, 7:47 am
  #53  
 
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: EWR/LHR/SFO
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The only "free" upgrade you can get on intl is an op-up: see here for more info on those. In brief: if economy is full and J is quite open, UA might oversell the back and then op-up elites to the front. Does happen on US<>Asia routes around peak leisure travel season, so your odds wouldn't be zero ex-TPE at Christmas, but aside from a few "op-ups often happen" routes (ex. the old SIN<>HKG), you should consider it a unicorn-type event.
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Old Dec 22, 2017, 8:00 am
  #54  
 
Join Date: Aug 2017
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Originally Posted by blankspace
I saw there is an international upgrade seat available for the TPE-SFO flight back to the US, but I was wondering if with higher status you can ever get a "free" upgrade without having to spend the miles and cash. Sounds like maybe this never happens?
While not free, as others have mentioned, when you hit 1K or higher, you get GPUs which can be applied instead of miles/cash
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Old Dec 22, 2017, 9:02 am
  #55  
 
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Thank you all for the info! Learning things I never knew!
Flying Machine and goodeats21 like this.
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Old Dec 23, 2017, 10:41 am
  #56  
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Originally Posted by blankspace
This is probably a silly question, but I can't seem to find a straight answer. I have an upcoming paid economy plus flight from Taipei to San Francisco. I have met the Platinum status for the first time ever in my life last month (on my way to 1K by the end of this year too which is exciting!). Do I have a chance at getting a "free" upgrade to Business class as a Platinum status (ie, will I automatically be put on the waitlist for an upgrade to Business class after checking in?)? Or do Platinum status members not qualify for such "free" upgrades?
Originally Posted by blankspace
I saw there is an international upgrade seat available for the TPE-SFO flight back to the US, but I was wondering if with higher status you can ever get a "free" upgrade without having to spend the miles and cash. Sounds like maybe this never happens?
Originally Posted by blankspace
Thank you all for the info! Learning things I never knew!
https://www.united.com/web/en-US/con...e/default.aspx has a nice table with what you get on what routes.
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Old Dec 23, 2017, 11:13 am
  #57  
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Originally Posted by drew in the air
...when you hit 1K or higher, you get GPUs which can be applied instead of miles/cash
Well, cash comes into play for a lot of travelers who have to cough up for higher fare class in order to use the GPU. Unlike cash used in a mileage/cash upgrade, the cash differential between the cheapest available and GPU-usable fare classes is not refundable if the upgrade is waitlisted and not cleared.
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Old Jan 19, 2018, 12:03 pm
  #58  
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Morris Plains, NJ
Programs: UA Silver, Hilton Gold
Posts: 138
What triggers upgrades based on status?

I recently flew from EWR-MAN and there were 5 open polaris seats 24 hrs out. At the airport two people must have used GPUs and were upgraded but they flew with 3 open seats (not occupied by guests or crew). Would UA ever upgrade people in order by status anymore or are those days long gone? To clarify I am only Silver and would not have ever received an upgrade but this flight is routinely packed with 1k and the like.
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Old Jan 19, 2018, 12:08 pm
  #59  
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Originally Posted by salisboss
I recently flew from EWR-MAN and there were 5 open polaris seats 24 hrs out. At the airport two people must have used GPUs and were upgraded but they flew with 3 open seats (not occupied by guests or crew). Would UA ever upgrade people in order by status anymore or are those days long gone? To clarify I am only Silver and would not have ever received an upgrade but this flight is routinely packed with 1k and the like.
UA has never provided complimentary upgrades on long-haul international trips. An occasional op-up if economy overbooked, but otherwise no. Ditto for the competition.

CPUs (complimentary upgrades) are available for most North American flights (but not SFO/LAX<>EWR or SFO<>BOS and Hawaii flights from EWR/ORD/IAD/IAH/DEN)

Last edited by WineCountryUA; Jan 19, 2018 at 12:18 pm Reason: DEN
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Old Jan 19, 2018, 12:09 pm
  #60  
 
Join Date: Dec 2016
Posts: 578
Originally Posted by salisboss
I recently flew from EWR-MAN and there were 5 open polaris seats 24 hrs out. At the airport two people must have used GPUs and were upgraded but they flew with 3 open seats (not occupied by guests or crew). Would UA ever upgrade people in order by status anymore or are those days long gone? To clarify I am only Silver and would not have ever received an upgrade but this flight is routinely packed with 1k and the like.
International routes are not eligible for complimentary upgrades (CPUs). The only published ways to get upgraded are to use an instrument (GPU) or mileage award. That being said, it is possible to receive an operational upgrade due to overbooking in economy, but as far as I know that is also prioritized by status and thus very unlikely for silver.

Edit: Beaten to the punch. I must type too slow
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