cyclogenesis

I am having terrible upgrade luck with my GPUs (my first year as 1K). Only had one clear, and that cleared on application.

Actually not true, I had another one clear but was downgraded as they then let the guy who's seat I took check in at 30 minutes before pushback (compensated.. ).

Sunday night on UA98 (LAX-MEL) I was sitting 2nd on upgrade list. Booked 46/48. Checked in at 45/48.

At T-2 I was feeling happier.. Went to the lounge sat down with G&T. Check in cut off is T-60 mins for international flights..

At T-65 odd minutes last two seats are booked and all three get checked in. Probably a buy-up. But ouch.. that one hurt.

So how often do folks get "beat at the line"? I know, "if you want to sit in Polaris buy in Polaris" but I am sitting at 4 tries one success with GPUS and my return from Melbourne is looking very unlikely to clear leaving me with 5 GPUs!

I think United needs to rethink GPUs. If they really are useless (well for those that lack booking flexibility) then united providing them is a net negative as they come with some degree of expectation that they will, at times, work.

I will probably make platinum for 2018. So no chance on extending deadline..

I guess it is time to try to give them away..

sfo789

I was #1 on a 15/16 booked PS redeye right up till T-25min. Was smug until someone else appeared on the list as boarding was closing (I can only presume a reaccommodated GS). That stung.

villox

It wasn't a GPU, but I was once shoulder-tap upgraded on a flight because of a no-show, but the agent failed to actually process the upgrade and give me the boarding pass (we were in a hurry to push back because of weather). Due to a ground stop, we returned the the gate and deplaned us, and the no-show passenger was given their seat back. They actually denied ever having upgraded me at all and I had no way to prove it other than the FA's word that it had happened.

I wrote CS and got a $500 voucher.

alexperi

This kind of thing happens to me the whole time. They seem to be holding seats and selling them off at the gate for fire sale prices and only if that doesn't work do they release them at the last minute to the waitlist. It's so frustrating. I agree with the OP - they need to rethink it, because it is so clearly a case of over-promise, under-deliver, and it just makes people - well, me at least - frustrated. I would be much happier with 4 GPUs that I knew would clear rather than 6 where I have to play the lottery all year long.

SS255

A similar thing happened to me on Sunday LHR-LAX, with a happier ending:

46 of 48 booked. 45 checked in. I was #2 .

I went to the gate at T-55, and somebody was buying up, leaving 1 open seat and 1 person yet to check in.

The GA told me to board, and if the person no-showed, they would come on board and move me to J.

Y was lightly booked, with a few empty rows and most middle seats open. I semi-settled in. Sure enough, after everyone boarded, another GA came up to me, asked me my name, and asked to see my boarding pass before telling me that my upgrade came through.

Saved by a no-show! I have 2 failed GPU's which I will be extending through April, and the cycle will begin anew.

supergabe

I've had quite a few failures going from #1 on the upgrade list immediately before boarding when some mystery passenger does a flight change and swoops up my hard earned upgrade

Jimmie Jet

I fly that same route several times per year and I am down to my last GPU to clear , I’m hopeful it clears Mel-lax and lax-ord

Typically the Mel-lax and lax-Mel have been easy to clear it’s when I’m back in USA trying for the leg to lax or from lax that the gpu is not as useful

You missed the horse race by a day, but you can make blokes day!

sabbasolo

I just booked MEL-LAX and back in Nov/Dec with GPU's confirmed - just required a bit of flexibility. Overall, I think GPU's are reasonably valuable, but obviously sometimes it is a betting game. I book business if I have no flexibility. No real complaints (although UA left me hanging the other day - but that is another story)

Never had one pulled back, but I have lost it on board the aircraft - someone was sitting in my seat - lo and behold the originally ticketed passenger was on board and hadn't had his boarding pass scanned (in Buenos Aires if I remember correctly)

Winel0ver

I have had zero GPU clear this year on eight attempts: EWR-HKG, SFO-HKG, EWR-NRT.

All the flights had similar patterns as cyclogenesis. At T+24: 5-6 seats available. At T+1: All seats disappear instantly and no one clears off the upgrade list. Add insult to injury, paid more than $2k extra for W fare vs lowest available. It really leaves a bad tastes in mouth.

I will book away from United next year. I have also told group if your expense reports include United, don't expect it to be approved right away.

narvik

I will clear all this years' 8 GPUs, BUT also had MANY failed attempts being #1 or #2 or #3 on the upgrade list. Some anxious anticipation leading up to the flight departing with me in Y and mostly at pole position. Urgghhhh....

I am now convinced that I could have just put aside all that dough I spent on getting to a minimum of W fares, and simply used that money and purchased P fares with much less stress.
Might end up with left-over GPUs in 2018 for the first time in 6 or so years.

2017 has been too much lottery. Too much nail-biting.


Last flight PEK-EWR was waitlisted for upgrade using a GPU, $600 and 30000 miles (yes, that is possible with United's glorious IT team). Looked semi-promising up until one or two hours before takeoff. But never cleared and had to call 1k line and get a supervisor to redeposit the GPU.