UTex09

For a short TATL I'm taking the cheaper guaranteed better seat on Delta 10 times out of 10.

Austin787

Premium Economy on Delta is the same as United's Economy plus - standard economy seats with extra legroom.

UTex09

Not anymore. They sell a true PE product (basically domestic first with better food and amenity kit) now.

Austin787

Only on the A350s - most of Delta's long haul aircraft do not have true PE.

To the OP, if the Delta option is an A350, go for PE option.

UTex09

Good point, was not aware of this since I don't really fly DL. If OP is ending up paying 1000 for an E+ equivalent, I'd probably risk the $600 for the GPU lottery.

Boogie711

Meh... all the Delta hard product are A-330's or 767's. For that, I'd do better to just buy a K fare on United and get a decent Economy Plus seat.

Xyzzy

Since the OP seems to be based in Ontario, what about AC? They've usually got pretty good TATL fares... and as a *A carrier wuld qualify for crediting toward UA MP.

cfischer

USD1600? in W? From Canada? You should be able to find $2k fares in P-class no problem.

sbm12

That's almost certainly just C+, the DL equivalent of E+. The only European market slated for real PremY on DL is AMS.

Aussienarelle

I had this same debate with myself earlier this year for travel LAX/SYD/LAX (for my current trip). The UG was not coming through so I changed to PE on NZ. So much better than E+ on UA. If in doubt that the GPU will come through and the flight is long enough I will take the true PE every time. NZ PE provides the amenity kit and PE meal, but their new PE seats are not nearly as nice as the old space saver seats but leaps and bounds better than E+ on UA.

I also flew NZ LAX-LHR in July in PE (and had the space saver seats). So much better, and less expensive than E+ on UA.

As it relates to UA fares: "W" vs "K" - If the fare differential is more than $550 I take the K fare and apply the miles and the co-pay. That way if the UG does not come through I keep my money for the E+ travel.

Full disclosure: I was able to use all my GPUs in 2017.

Kacee

You haven't mentioned routing, nor loads on your desired flights, but I'd be surprised if there isn't a routing to TXL in March via FRA, MUC, ZRH, GVA, LHR, or BRU where the odds of clearing are not pretty good. Homework pays off for GPU upgrades.

TA

How about this idea for UA to implement:

When people buy explicitly GPU-upgradeable fares for that purpose and apply the upgrade -- note in their record automatically (or by calling in afterwards) that they could have purchased (STKL etc) lower fare for $<X> at the time.

Then, if the GPU doesn't clear by the time of departure, the passenger can request a refund to the original lower available fare, if they haven't used any of the benefits of the higher fare otherwise (changeability, etc).

This would make people feel a lot less frustrated / angry with spending wasted money, and actually this is basically what the mileage upgrade + copay $ scheme is anyway, correct?

Why not, aside from ever present technological limitations? Couldn't they even implement the "manual" version of this policy now?

Dublin_rfk

It must be your dates, All I've seen is @ .5K.
As an alternative try DUS or FRA and take the train.

Boogie711

I was looking at March 5-10 (or 11, if you need the Saturday stayover). Out of Toronto, W is $1,600 (Canadian dollars.)

I ended up buying a K fare to London, and a BA flight to TXL... combined cost of $800. I'm inside the 24 hour window, so I can cancel if I need to, but man... how frustrating. Oh, and AC isn't an option because I'm 6'4" and AC wants to charge me $100 extra just to pick an exit row. I can get E+ for free with UA.

eng3

Playing the lottery is never worth it. I would either book a different date (where R>0) or try another routing (with R>0, maximizing my time in J). Sometimes you have no choice in dates or routing, but its hard to say if its "worth it" if you are forced into it.