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

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Old Feb 9, 2019, 8:39 pm
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[Consolidated] Chance of upgrade clearing on my flight {Archive}

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Old Jun 7, 2019, 12:27 pm
  #4081  
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: West Palm Beach, FL
Programs: UA 1k, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 363
So, I booked the flight, then just had a thought about different fare class , do did same search and can get same flight for same price with Q fare, should I change it? Will that give better chance for upgrade ?

thx
simonoaks is offline  
Old Jun 7, 2019, 12:48 pm
  #4082  
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: ATL
Programs: UA:MM 1K HH:Diamond IHG:Plat Marriott:Plat
Posts: 652
Flying from YUL to PVG on June 22. Will be buying a Q fare and willing to route through any US gateway. Narrowed it down to SFO or LAX since ORD and EWR look horrible. Not much separating them, though intuitively 891 and 198 seem to be better than 857 based on past feedback. Any thoughts on what would be the best flight to go with to maximize upgrade chances?

UA857 (32/48 J sold) - J9 JN9 C9 D9 Z9 ZN9 P0 PN0 PZ0
UA891 (31/48 J sold) - J9 JN9 C9 D9 Z9 ZN9 P0 PN0 PZ0
UA198 (31/48 J sold) - J9 JN9 C9 D9 Z7 ZN7 P2 PN0 PZ0
expressboy is offline  
Old Jun 7, 2019, 1:00 pm
  #4083  
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: ORF, RIC
Programs: UA LT 1K, 3 MM; Marriott Titanium; IHG Platinum
Posts: 6,958
LAX-PVG is my choice
Check https://www.cablepick.net/united for an exact number of unsold seats. LAX flight has fewer elites than SFO. If you have 1K status, your chance of success is very high. Good luck.
Kmxu is offline  
Old Jun 7, 2019, 1:00 pm
  #4084  
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: LBB
Programs: UA 1K 1MM ★G | Marriott LTT | Hilton ♦ | Hertz PC | Global Entry TSA Pre ✓
Posts: 2,820
Originally Posted by simonoaks
So, I booked the flight, then just had a thought about different fare class , do did same search and can get same flight for same price with Q fare, should I change it? Will that give better chance for upgrade ?

thx
What is your current booking class? If Q is higher than your current class (W or V), you would clear above the W and V fares. I honestly wouldn't pay more into it unless it's like $50.... but it's probably more.
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Old Jun 7, 2019, 1:02 pm
  #4085  
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Programs: BA Bronze, United 1K, HH Gold, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 3,477
Originally Posted by simonoaks
So, I booked the flight, then just had a thought about different fare class , do did same search and can get same flight for same price with Q fare, should I change it? Will that give better chance for upgrade ?

thx
If it's the same price, it's a non-brainer as you will be ahead of the V and W fares. However, I cannot guarantee the end-result (the upgrade) as it depends on how many GS there are and how many 1Ks with higher fares and how many passengers will take any TOD.

Also, I think that you were looking for an adjustment if the price went down on the W fare. Maybe the Q fare will never go down.
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Old Jun 7, 2019, 4:14 pm
  #4086  
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: West Palm Beach, FL
Programs: UA 1k, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 363
Originally Posted by StuckinITH
If it's the same price, it's a non-brainer as you will be ahead of the V and W fares. However, I cannot guarantee the end-result (the upgrade) as it depends on how many GS there are and how many 1Ks with higher fares and how many passengers will take any TOD.

Also, I think that you were looking for an adjustment if the price went down on the W fare. Maybe the Q fare will never go down.
I figured it out. I was putting in Q fare along with GPU upgrade with the advanced search , but it was defaulting to W fare (hence showing the same price). Turns out you have to remove the GPU option then search - V is 200 more and Q is 500 more for two of us.

As there are 14/39 seats left with PN4, I figure , as someone said previously, I have a pretty good chance of getting the upgrade. This is the 1st time I have done wait list , so a bit new to me, as previously I would never book until PZ space is open. Will just leave it and see how it goes,
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Old Jun 9, 2019, 6:14 am
  #4087  
 
Join Date: Apr 2019
Posts: 18
I'm at T-60 for UA3474 on June 11th. I'm a Platinum member with a CPU applied. How can I know how many passengers are in front of me in the upgrade list?
mittch is offline  
Old Jun 9, 2019, 8:38 am
  #4088  
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Programs: BA Bronze, United 1K, HH Gold, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 3,477
Originally Posted by mittch
I'm at T-60 for UA3474 on June 11th. I'm a Platinum member with a CPU applied. How can I know how many passengers are in front of me in the upgrade list?
You really don't have a way to know until the last GS and 1K have checked in, and also there might be some Platinum with a higher fare.
StuckinITH is offline  
Old Jun 9, 2019, 10:04 am
  #4089  
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Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,400
Originally Posted by StuckinITH
You really don't have a way to know until the last GS and 1K have checked in, and also there might be some Platinum with a higher fare.
The best that you can do is to count the number of occupied E+ seats. As a Platinum, on DCA-EWR on a workday evening, I’d assume you’re behind 50-75% of the passengers who are listed in E+. Despite the fact that F is only booked 1/6, the fact that E+ is almost full tells me your chances aren’t great.
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Old Jun 9, 2019, 10:53 am
  #4090  
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Programs: BA Bronze, United 1K, HH Gold, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 3,477
Originally Posted by jsloan
The best that you can do is to count the number of occupied E+ seats. As a Platinum, on DCA-EWR on a workday evening, I’d assume you’re behind 50-75% of the passengers who are listed in E+. Despite the fact that F is only booked 1/6, the fact that E+ is almost full tells me your chances aren’t great.
And then there are the passengers who booked First Class on another flight and decide to switch to your flight.
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Old Jun 9, 2019, 11:01 am
  #4091  
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Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,450
Originally Posted by jsloan
The best that you can do is to count the number of occupied E+ seats.
Originally Posted by StuckinITH
And then there are the passengers who booked First Class on another flight and decide to switch to your flight.
Bottom line is that guessing Plat CPU odds on a business route past the window is a total crapshoot. As 1K, if I don't CPU at T-96, it's almost impossible to predict what's going to happen. But the odds are usually not good (unless it's one of those flights with a wide-open F cabin, where they don't run a sweep until T-24 . . . in those cases, I usually have a chance).
Kacee is offline  
Old Jun 9, 2019, 12:29 pm
  #4092  
 
Join Date: Jun 2019
Posts: 2
Long time lurker, first time poster!

I'm starting to travel more for work so hoping to get status by the end of the year. But I'm curious about this leisure trip coming up:
SFO-FRA June 18 Flight 629 Booked Fare Class H
J9, JN9, C7, D7, Z4, CN4, P1, PN0, PZ0, IN0, I0, O4, ON4, A4, R0, RN0

I'm actually flying from SD to SFO first and have a GPU sponsored from a GS for the whole itinerary. I've already been upgraded for my SD to SFO flight, upgrade still pending for SFO-FRA.
Chances with no status?! Even if its not a polaris upgrade and just P+...? Dreading an 11 hours redeye in economy after working all day. This was my only flight option
Last edited by RNTraveling; Jun 9, 2019 at 12:31 pm Reason: clarification
RNTraveling is offline  
Old Jun 9, 2019, 1:07 pm
  #4093  
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Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,450
Originally Posted by RNTraveling
I'm starting to travel more for work so hoping to get status by the end of the year. But I'm curious about this leisure trip coming up:
SFO-FRA June 18 Flight 629 Booked Fare Class H
I think you mean UA926.

With a GS GPU applied, you have a chance.
Kacee is offline  
Old Jun 9, 2019, 1:13 pm
  #4094  
 
Join Date: Jun 2019
Posts: 2
Originally Posted by Kacee
I think you mean UA926.

With a GS GPU applied, you have a chance.
Oops yep you're on it! 926 Thanks for that

Where does a GPU sponsored by a GS fall in the upgrade hierarchy? I could only find in the GPU FAQs that my upgrade depends on my status not the person who sponsored me's status...
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Old Jun 9, 2019, 1:17 pm
  #4095  
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Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,450
Originally Posted by RNTraveling
Where does a GPU sponsored by a GS fall in the upgrade hierarchy? I could only find in the GPU FAQs that my upgrade depends on my status not the person who sponsored me's status...
GS upgrades clear into PN. PN opens before PZ, which is the bucket that all non-GS upgrades clear into. That's why you have a chance.
Kacee is offline  



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