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[Consolidated] Chance of upgrade clearing on my flight {Archive}

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[Consolidated] Chance of upgrade clearing on my flight

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Nov 2, 2023, 12:02 pm

#106

nomad420

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: 3,621

Quote:

Originally Posted by WineCountryUA

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.

It is all about your risk tolerance. I, like you, can't sit in E for anywhere near 11 hrs. For me the PremPlus seat was at least adequate but my wife "will never do it again". However, it is frustrating not having your PPs clear and expire worthless as they have all to often.

Airportbeer likes this.

Nov 3, 2023, 12:44 am

#107

rewqion

Join Date: Nov 2022

Posts: 26

Getting close to 2 weeks out on a SFO-PVG flight, upgrading from economy G as Gold.

Relevant fare class availability ...P9...R9...G5 XN5
54/60 business seats are unselected, as are 8 free in PE.

So this is looking wide open? Unless there's a 40+ economy Platinum+ members looking to upgrade (assuming everyone in PE is moving up as well)

Nov 3, 2023, 9:03 am

#108

RobOnLI

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Oct 2003

Location: Floating around

Programs: UA 1K (1MM), DL Gold (1MM), Marriott LTT

Posts: 10,346

Quote:

Originally Posted by rewqion

Open seats on a seat map are a horrible indicator of true availability. This is especially true on flights to/from Asia where (in general) people from that part of the world usually don't select seats during booking. However, with P9R9 I'd say you're looking very good.

-RM

Nov 5, 2023, 9:38 pm

#109

SimplySanrio

Join Date: Aug 2015

Location: So Cal

Posts: 19

Hi All, wanted to get some advice on a March SNA-SFO-ICN roundtrip and chances to upgrade. I am 1K and will be 1K next year. I booked Economy (L) and was given the cash upgrade option to Premium Plus:
SFO-ICN $1018 - Passed on this
ICN-SFO $400 - I bought this and am waitlisted for Polaris with PP with fingers crossed to get an upgrade.

I am considering request MUA to waitlist SNA-SFO-ICN to First/Polaris for 30k miles/$600 copay.

Do you think I should just watch the SFO-ICN Premium Plus cash upgrade option and try for a PP upgrade or stick with the MUA upgrade waitlist?

Thanks for any advice!

Last edited by SimplySanrio; Nov 5, 2023 at 9:57 pm

Nov 7, 2023, 1:54 pm

#110

mswheeler

Join Date: Jun 2021

Posts: 13

LAX-LHR
Three days out. Booked in L. Number 3 and 4 on the business upgrade list. Opinions on our chances? Relatively new to the game. Feels tight to me. Was J9 yesterday morning.

J6 JN6 C5 D4 Z3 ZN3 P3 PN0 PZ0 IN0 I0 O2 ON2 A2 R0 RN0 Y9 YN9 B9 M9 E9 U9 H9 HN9 Q9 V9 W9 S9 T9 L9 K9 G0 XN9 X9

Last edited by mswheeler; Nov 7, 2023 at 2:19 pm

Nov 7, 2023, 2:09 pm

#111

prometa

Join Date: Jan 2016

Posts: 622

Quote:

Originally Posted by mswheeler

Three days out. Booked in L. Number 3 and 4 on the business upgrade list. Opinions on our chances? Relatively new to the game. Feels tight to me. Was J9 yesterday morning.

J6 JN6 C5 D4 Z3 ZN3 P3 PN0 PZ0 IN0 I0 O2 ON2 A2 R0 RN0 Y9 YN9 B9 M9 E9 U9 H9 HN9 Q9 V9 W9 S9 T9 L9 K9 G0 XN9 X9

What's the origin/destination? The number of late-in bookings depends a lot on route.

mswheeler likes this.

Nov 7, 2023, 2:12 pm

#112

prometa

Join Date: Jan 2016

Posts: 622

Quote:

Originally Posted by SimplySanrio

This far out, I doubt your position on the waitlist will be affected by time of request, so there is no harm in waiting to see if the price for R comes down.

SimplySanrio likes this.

Nov 7, 2023, 7:14 pm

#113

jsloan

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Oct 2001

Location: Austin, TX

Posts: 21,422

Quote:

Originally Posted by mswheeler

LAX-LHR
Three days out. Booked in L. Number 3 and 4 on the business upgrade list. Opinions on our chances? Relatively new to the game. Feels tight to me. Was J9 yesterday morning.

J6 JN6 C5 D4 Z3 ZN3 P3 PN0 PZ0 IN0 I0 O2 ON2 A2 R0 RN0 Y9 YN9 B9 M9 E9 U9 H9 HN9 Q9 V9 W9 S9 T9 L9 K9 G0 XN9 X9

I'd say your chances aren't great.

SPN Lifer likes this.

Nov 8, 2023, 11:20 am

#114

gordita

Join Date: Jun 2009

Posts: 13

Folks, I'm scheduled to depart from EWR - JNB on UA 188 on Monday, 11/13.
I bought a W economy ticket and my relative was kind enough to apply her points for a Polaris upgrade.
currently, 40% of business seats are available but my upgrade has not gone through.
what additional checks can I do to gauge upgrade success (I am not sure how to check my waitlist number or if there's PZ availability (not sure what PZ stands for))
It's a 14.5hr flight so....getting anxious.
Thanks for pointing me in the right direction!

Nov 8, 2023, 11:30 am

#115

ironmanjt

Join Date: Mar 2003

Location: anywhere and everywhere

Programs: UA GS, AS MVP 100K, DL Diamond, Marriot Lifetime Titanium, AmEx Centurion

Posts: 5,528

Quote:

Originally Posted by gordita

Flight is PZ=0 (upgrade bucket) and PN=0 (Global Services upgrade bucket) but P9 with 15+ seats still for sale. Your chances of clearing are very high unless impacted by cancellations.

I do this route frequently, and find United often does a sweep up the upgrade list 3-4 days prior to departure and again around 2 days....and then most everything will go down to the gate.

My recommendation would be to keep watching "Flight Status" in the app, and around 60-72 hrs prior to departure the upgrade list will start to show, along with how many seats are left. Good luck!

Nov 8, 2023, 11:35 am

#116

Kmxu

Join Date: May 2012

Location: ORF, RIC

Programs: UA LT 1K, 3 MM; Marriott Titanium; IHG Platinum

Posts: 6,958

Quote:

Originally Posted by ironmanjt

If OP is the impatient type and not willing to call UA, OP can change the date to the travel date on the phone, open united.com and check flight status and upgrade waiting list.
Good luck.

Nov 8, 2023, 11:38 am

#117

ironmanjt

Join Date: Mar 2003

Location: anywhere and everywhere

Programs: UA GS, AS MVP 100K, DL Diamond, Marriot Lifetime Titanium, AmEx Centurion

Posts: 5,528

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kmxu

If OP is the impatient type and not willing to call UA, OP can change the date to the travel date on the phone, open united.com and check flight status and upgrade waiting list.
Good luck.

Tried this tip, and while it allows me to "see" the flight the Standby and Upgrade lists are greyed out.

Nov 8, 2023, 11:43 am

#118

flyer1337

Join Date: Jun 2016

Posts: 4

I'm on a short haul to EWR, then a long haul international flight (SAT-EWR). I've requested upgrade for international flight (40pts EWR-DEL). Is it worth the gamble to request on the short haul to EWR as well? Burning 20 points to EWR does not seem worth it.

Nov 8, 2023, 2:16 pm

#119

Kmxu

Join Date: May 2012

Location: ORF, RIC

Programs: UA LT 1K, 3 MM; Marriott Titanium; IHG Platinum

Posts: 6,958

"EWR - JNB on UA 188 on Monday, 11/13" is within a week. It should work unless your travel date is beyond 14 Nov..

Nov 8, 2023, 5:16 pm

#120

Kacee

A FlyerTalk Posting Legend

Join Date: Apr 2013

Location: PHX

Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)

Posts: 56,484

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kmxu

"EWR - JNB on UA 188 on Monday, 11/13" is within a week. It should work unless your travel date is beyond 14 Nov..

But not on the app, just the website.

VRFast likes this.