Last edit by: WineCountryUA
Archive thread
[Consolidated] Chance of upgrade clearing on my flight {Archive}
Related thread -
Ways to search for upgrade space at booking?
Understanding the United Upgrade List Comprehensively
Decoding the alphabet soup - fare buckets for UA
Expert Mode Update: better upgrade visibility and opt-in to see fare bucket data.
[Consolidated] Chance of upgrade clearing on my flight {Archive}
Related thread -
Ways to search for upgrade space at booking?
Understanding the United Upgrade List Comprehensively
Decoding the alphabet soup - fare buckets for UA
Expert Mode Update: better upgrade visibility and opt-in to see fare bucket data.
[Consolidated] Chance of upgrade clearing on my flight
#91
Join Date: Feb 2023
Location: Milwaukee, WI
Posts: 148
Currently a UA Premier Platinum with a multi-city itinerary coming up in a few days. I was looking at the upgrade options and just had a question about one of the options (2 pictures below). With this option, it appears I'll be waitlisted for all three flights. Will I still be charged anything, cash and/or miles, if my MKE-DEN and/or DEN-LAX flight clear into UA First and then no upgrade clears for LAX-EWR? Or is the only stipulation of being charge anything is if I clear into Premium Economy (10k miles) or Polaris (17.5k + $225) on the LAX-EWR flight? I don't want to select this upgrade option and risk being charged any miles and/or cash if only the MKE-DEN segment clears. I hope this makes sense.
Thanks for your assistance!
Thanks for your assistance!
#92
Join Date: May 2012
Location: ORF, RIC
Programs: UA LT 1K, 3 MM; Marriott Titanium; IHG Platinum
Posts: 6,958
#93
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.995MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,850
Currently a UA Premier Platinum with a multi-city itinerary coming up in a few days. I was looking at the upgrade options and just had a question about one of the options (2 pictures below). With this option, it appears I'll be waitlisted for all three flights. Will I still be charged anything, cash and/or miles, if my MKE-DEN and/or DEN-LAX flight clear into UA First and then no upgrade clears for LAX-EWR? Or is the only stipulation of being charge anything is if I clear into Premium Economy (10k miles) or Polaris (17.5k + $225) on the LAX-EWR flight? I don't want to select this upgrade option and risk being charged any miles and/or cash if only the MKE-DEN segment clears. I hope this makes sense.
You will be charge if any segment clears. Either the MKE-DEN or DEN-LAX clears and the LAX-EWR does not, you will be charges but no idea what you will be charged. I would hop the 10K but have not see this particular case.
#94
Moderator, Omni, Omni/PR, Omni/Games, FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Between DCA and IAD
Programs: UA 1K MM; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 67,129
Looking at 2 options for PHX-xxx-IAD for the night of 11/10 (Friday, but a holiday):
Thoughts? I know it's way too early to talk loads reasonably, and yes, it's a holiday (Veteran's Day), but Friday night transcon redeyes are something I usually have decent luck at.
- PHX-LAX-IAD
- PHX-SFO-IAD
Thoughts? I know it's way too early to talk loads reasonably, and yes, it's a holiday (Veteran's Day), but Friday night transcon redeyes are something I usually have decent luck at.
I got an email yesterday saying, "Want to upgrade your trip to Los Angeles? Use your miles today!" and went to look... the itin already looked busted, with the 2 segments saying "CPU Requested" as if I'd never applied Plus Points, but also having 2 waitlisted PZ segments (so yes, it seemed aware of the upgrade). But the PHX-LAX segment, which was the one they emailed me about, was marked "Available" for a Plus Points upgrade (also a miles one), and I clicked to choose my seat. So far, so good.
But now, the itin shows the LAX-IAD segment twice, both "Waitlisted PZ," which seems wrong, and I can't pick a seat for it even in Y now. And it's got the dreaded "Call to get your ticket re-synced" error. Haven't had a chance to call yet, but I think the 1-stop, through flight # gremlin is definitely in play. I think picking the seat for PHX-LAX and confirming the upgrade for just that segment busted something for sure.
Last edited by exerda; Nov 1, 2023 at 12:46 pm
#95
Join Date: Jan 2020
Programs: United 1K, Bonvoy Platinum, Honors Gold
Posts: 45
Two upgrade questions.
UA999 EWR -> BRU on a Monday
Currently booked in PE on an R fare. Yesterday I manually changed my computer time and saw 343/44 seats booked and I was number 3 on the upgrade list. I feel good about my odds.
J9
JN9
C8
D7
Z5
ZN5
P4
PN0
PZ0
IN0
I0
O5
ON5
A4
R2
RN0
UA135 ZRH -> EWR on a Saturday
I was offered a buy-up upgrade from PE to J for $674 and took it. Based on this I think I made the right call.
J7
JN7
C3
D0
Z0
ZN0
P0
PN0
PZ0
IN0
I0
O7
ON7
A6
R4
RN0
UA999 EWR -> BRU on a Monday
Currently booked in PE on an R fare. Yesterday I manually changed my computer time and saw 343/44 seats booked and I was number 3 on the upgrade list. I feel good about my odds.
J9
JN9
C8
D7
Z5
ZN5
P4
PN0
PZ0
IN0
I0
O5
ON5
A4
R2
RN0
UA135 ZRH -> EWR on a Saturday
I was offered a buy-up upgrade from PE to J for $674 and took it. Based on this I think I made the right call.
J7
JN7
C3
D0
Z0
ZN0
P0
PN0
PZ0
IN0
I0
O7
ON7
A6
R4
RN0
#97
Join Date: Jan 2020
Programs: United 1K, Bonvoy Platinum, Honors Gold
Posts: 45
#98
Join Date: Nov 2010
Programs: United 1K
Posts: 38
so i booked a NRT-SFO flight for 12/31 in Econ (U fare) $1900... should i bother re-booking in PE for $3500 to improve my chances to P? (lol also there was an immediate $300 upgrade to PE option, $6k+ for P)
i used PlusPoints and waitlisted for upgrades to Polaris and PE. but i guess it's still prob too far out from the flight to know my chances?
as of tonight 11/1
J9
JN9
C9
D9
Z9
ZN9
P9
PN0
PZ0
IN0
I0
O7
ON7
A4
R0
RN0
Y9
YN9
B9
M9
E9
U9
H9
HN9
Q9
V0
W0
S0
T0
L0
K0
G0
XN0
X0
i used PlusPoints and waitlisted for upgrades to Polaris and PE. but i guess it's still prob too far out from the flight to know my chances?
as of tonight 11/1
J9
JN9
C9
D9
Z9
ZN9
P9
PN0
PZ0
IN0
I0
O7
ON7
A4
R0
RN0
Y9
YN9
B9
M9
E9
U9
H9
HN9
Q9
V0
W0
S0
T0
L0
K0
G0
XN0
X0
#99
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 11,460
so i booked a NRT-SFO flight for 12/31 in Econ (U fare) $1900... should i bother re-booking in PE for $3500 to improve my chances to P? (lol also there was an immediate $300 upgrade to PE option, $6k+ for P)
i used PP and waitlisted for upgrades to Polaris and PE. but i guess it's still prob too far out from the flight to know my chances?
as of tonight 11/1
(clip)
i used PP and waitlisted for upgrades to Polaris and PE. but i guess it's still prob too far out from the flight to know my chances?
as of tonight 11/1
(clip)
#100
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.995MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,850
I would take this in a heart beat. It greatly improves your Polaris upgrade chances and it provide a safety net if upgrade take not occur. While the chances look very good there is a lots of reason upgrades can go upside down.
#101
Join Date: May 2012
Location: ORF, RIC
Programs: UA LT 1K, 3 MM; Marriott Titanium; IHG Platinum
Posts: 6,958
If the chance for upgrade is very good, there is no way that I would exchange $300 for 10 PPs.
#102
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.995MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,850
#103
Join Date: May 2012
Location: ORF, RIC
Programs: UA LT 1K, 3 MM; Marriott Titanium; IHG Platinum
Posts: 6,958
#104
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: San Francisco
Programs: UA MM Plat, UA 1MM, Hilton Lifetime Gold, Marriott Gold, Hertz Gold, CLEAR, AS MVP Gold
Posts: 3,618
The upgrade from PremPlus to Polaris is not always a slam duck. See this post: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/35713660-post1128.html
#105
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.995MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,850
The upgrade from PremPlus to Polaris is not always a slam duck. See this post: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/35713660-post1128.html
My point was exactly this a "pretty good chance" is not a guarantee and the PremPlus buyup guarantees not cattle class economy. While some (much younger than I) are willing to rough it for 11+ hour flights in economy, I am not. And at $25 / hour upgrade, that is about as cheap as you are likely to get PremPlus.