WineCountryUA

As a Plat in PremPLus witha Club Card,generically might give myself less than 20% chance but it varies depending on actual routing and day of the week. Without more detials hard to provide more guidance.

As for seeing the list, UA makes that visible 2-3 days in advance There use to be a hack to see it earlier but that appears to have been closed. Calling might get an answer but be aware many late bookers will get ahead of you as time of request is only matters as tie break if all other parameters are equally. Status being the most important and fare (& PremPlus if long haul) , the rest are just small differentiators.

wxguy

The other day I was #8 on the CPU list for a FLL-EWR flight on an "L" fare. I applied my own GS PPs, and remained at #8. I called GS, and they acknowledged the seven above me were all GS (or GS-sponsored) with PP on higher fares. First time I've been so low with PPs applied, and never worse than first loser.

PanAmWT

Interesting. You, as a GS with lower fare, was below a GS sponsored none-GS at higher fare. So in this case fare trumps status?

WineCountryUA

Non-GS when on the same PNR, are prioritized as GS (substitute any status level for GS and the same is true -- all on a PNR are prioritize together per the highest elite.

lessthanzero

Booked UA1835 from LAX to IAD for this Thursday (4/4) in class T one week or so ago.
8 out of 20 seats in Business still appear to be bookable right now. As a GS, when would seats be released for upgrades?

IAH-OIL-TRASH

Anytime between now and boarding. If I had to guess, a first upgrade doled out around 36-30 hours out. If other GSs on flight, a T fare might put you behind them. Do you have PPs applied? A CPU might be (eventually) hopeless for that relatively long flight.

caseminole

How likely will the upgrade clear (understand its hard to predict), but the flight is in May with plenty of inventory.

Also, if it is going to clear, any chance I would know before I fly?

I wonder how they handle Polaris Lounge access - i assume if my waitlist hasnt or doesnt clear, until "day of" , then any lounge access depends on the time it clears right?

Would be a shame if i am in Houston for a 4 hour layover and the waitlist clears 2 hours before departure i guess (?)

Just wondering what other folks have experienced

fumje

I'll take the over. I think GS can clear CPU on a Thursday. Might be the only upgrade though.

Agree that T-36h is likely when it would happen. If they hold to T-24h, hopes get very slim indeed.

IAH-OIL-TRASH

No Polaris access until you are in Polaris cabin. United is obviously not going to let everyone on a waitlist into the PL - that would be ridiculous. United hasn't been clearing upgrades early, but if inventory isn't too tight (leaving 1 or 2 seats for gate handling), you'll probably get the upgrade prior to IAH arrival.

julietnov

----------------------------------------------
I was monitoring all week. On Wed, Mar 28, 2024 I purchased refundable Prem Plus for SFO > FCO (Mon Apr 22) leg & FCO > SFC (Thur 9 May) Prem Plus was $4200 less than Polaris at the time. At the time the seat map showed 28 empty seats in Polaris (I know that is not an accurate number of empty seats - see the available fares above using expert mode). On Fri Mar 29 I pulled the trigger and transferred some Chase points thinking my odds were pretty good at snagging an upgrade at least on the SFO > FCO leg as nobody was on the WL at the time, seat map showed 28 empty seats and J9/P9. I monitored daily to see if a PZ fare opened, when I woke up this morning (Thurs, April 4) United sent me an SMS at 3:25 AM Pacific saying my upgrade had been confirmed to Polaris (no email or push notification).

As of this morning expert mode shows:

• J9,JN9, C9, D9, Z9, ZN9, P9, PN9, PZ9, IN9, I9, O9, ON9, A9, R9, RN9, Y9,YN9, B9, M9, E9, U9, H9, HN9, Q9, V9, W9, S9, T9, L9, K9, G0, XN9, X9

I did not add myself to the upgrade list or transfer points for my return leg as I feel like my odds are less good right now (will continue to monitor for PZ fare). I have no status, as of last week there were already 5 people on the WL ahead of me (according to United Rep with 17 seats showing unassigned on seat map. Today it's showing 15 unassigned seats (upgrade cash $928 or 20k points + $425 to be added to WL).

J9, JN9, C9, D9, Z9, ZN9, P9, PN0, PZ0, IN0, I0, O4, ON4, A1, R0, RN0, Y9, YN9, B9, M9, E9, U9, H9, HN9, Q9, V9, W9, S9, T9, L9, K9, G0, XN9, X9

fumje

I think you made it before T-24h, right?

?

John Darcy

Flew UA863 SFO-SYD last night and, on a BE ticket, was assigned 49J. The seat map on the United App was showing the "preferred" Economy seating 90% empty, ie rows 30-43 on a 77W. At the gate I asked if I could pay for 38A or 38L (knowing that upgrades are verboten on BE tix) and without the slightest fuss and without taking payment the gate agent reassigned my seat.
Now this is not so much an "upgrade" as most of the content of this thread, but I think there is a lesson here. For a flight that has a lot of spare seats, a polite enquiry at the gate may yield results that would not be possible online. My wife and I achieved an upgrade on UA839 LAX-SYD a couple of years ago in the same manner, although there was a payment required there, but I still credit my direct, but polite and easy, approach for gaining the result.

ContinentalFan

It happens quite often to me. If I have a gate or Club agent double check my flight, about half the time I end up being moved to preferred or E+. I am 1k, so it likely has something to do with it. Last week, I enjoyed the exit row on three legs and seat 22L on a B789 performing a domestic leg.

lessthanzero

I did get it around 24 hours out. Kept watching the open seats and based on that saw no reason to apply plus points. However, I had 4 later flights clear upgrades for me (sometimes with companions) while waiting, and some of those were the max 120 hours out. Oh well, can't complain about free upgrades.

fumje

I think there's some kind of hold on redeye upgrades, but I don't know the parameters. I've had them held to the gate even when there was clearly no need for that, and then they cleared perhaps 8 pax at once giving no one a chance for seat selection. Anyway, can't complain (much ) if it clears.