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New Corporate Preferred (upgrade tiebreaker) / new 'preferred' seating section

Old Aug 13, 2018, 11:55 am
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Last edit by: WineCountryUA
United Airlines Strengthens Commitment to Top Corporate Customers with Launch of United Corporate Preferred

New exclusive program provides multi-level benefits to airline's top business travelers

SAN DIEGO, Aug. 13, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- United Airlines today debuted United Corporate Preferred, the industry's newest corporate travel program designed to offer top travel benefits to the airline's most loyal business customers. United announced the new program this morning at the Global Business Traveler Association (GBTA) Convention in San Diego.

United Corporate Preferred is a new and exclusive benefits program that provides added perks for the airline's top corporate customers. A multi-level program, United Corporate Preferred offers escalating benefits at three levels, including United Corporate Preferred, United Corporate Preferred Plus and United Corporate Preferred Elite. Eligibility for the new program is determined by a corporation's contract status, revenue contribution and loyalty with United. Eligible corporate agreements include United corporate share agreements, United PassPlus and United Meetings.

"Every day thousands of road warriors are jetting off on United to work events and business meetings all over the world," said Jake Cefolia, United's senior vice president of Worldwide Sales. "We designed our United Corporate Preferred program with the customer's entire travel experience in mind, from booking to landing, to identify opportunities to show our appreciation to our loyal business customers with a program that offers extra perks and travel benefits."

Benefits offered to all United Corporate Preferred customers include:
• Preferred upgrades – tie-breaker preferences for upgrades.
• Preferred standby – prioritization when traveling on standby for a different flight and when waitlisting for a seat in a different cabin or booking class.
• Operational adjustment protection – protection during travel interruptions, as well as seat protection to retain the same or similar seat in the event of an aircraft swap.
• Preferred discounts and offers – eligibility to receive exclusive promotions offered by both United and its partners in the near future.

Customers in the airline's new United Corporate Preferred Elite level will also receive the following:
• Additional travel waiver flexibility – when United has a travel waiver in place, customers will receive additional flexibility to adjust their travel beyond restrictions in place on the standard waiver.
• Preferred boarding – later this year, customers will receive priority boarding in group two.
• Preferred seating – later this year, customers will have access to book designated standard economy seats closer to the front of the plane.

To receive these benefits, tickets must be flown on United or United Express flights, reservations must include the customer's corporate account number at the time of booking, and the travel must be for the corporate customer's business. Companies invited to participate in United Corporate Preferred will receive a tailored webpage with information on benefits eligible to their employees. For more information on the program, visit unitedcorporatepreferred.com.
What benefits do United Corporate Preferred travelers receive?
Specific benefits are listed below. Being a multi-level program, within each benefit in tie-breaker scenarios, United Corporate Preferred Elite travelers receive the highest priority, followed by United Corporate Preferred Plus and then United Corporate Preferred.
Preferred seating FAQs

Originally Posted by alanstar
, the $9 "preferred seating" are available for free at T-24 check-in.
Refunds:
UA says
Refunds for preferred seating purchases are processed automatically after scheduled departure in the event of flight cancellation change, when travel is completed in a standard United Economy seat, or when travel is completed in a seat of equal or greater value through the purchase of a premium cabin seating offer.
and
In the event of a ticket refund or cancellation, preferred seating purchases will be automatically refunded.
...
If you decide to change your flight, your preferred seating purchase will be automatically refunded. If the ticket is partially used at the time of the change, only the value of unused preferred seating will be refunded.
Preferred seats access for elites
MileagePlus Premier® members will receive access to preferred seating, where available, at no additional cost.
Appears to be for entire PNR and not limited like E+ elite access.

Preferred seat refunds (changed flights, upgraded, purchased E+, ...)



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New Corporate Preferred (upgrade tiebreaker) / new 'preferred' seating section

Old Jun 23, 2021, 1:26 pm
  #181  
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Originally Posted by hoopsbwc34
I haven’t flown United for years, but used to have status for a short period of time. I don’t have a United credit card and bought an economy ticket (E) but got priority boarding in Group 2. I do have TSA preCheck, is that why I was in priority boarding? Or is this just a random thing United does once in a while?

I’m interested because it’s one reason I don’t fly United more often, without status I’m unlikely to get a spot for my bag in the overhead boarding in Group 5.
Could be an error, could be a 'surprise and delight' thing that has been reported here sporadically (although mostly by elites, based on my observations). Did you used to have a United card? Did someone use their card to pay? Precheck should absolutely have zero effect on which boarding group you get.

Also, boarding group you get, without status, is going to be based on your seat type. Group 5 is going to be for aisle seats. If you are in a window, that would give you group 3, so a better chance at the overhead.
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Old Jun 23, 2021, 1:36 pm
  #182  
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Originally Posted by emcampbe
... Group 5 is going to be for aisle seats. ...
BG5 is BE
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Old Jun 23, 2021, 1:36 pm
  #183  
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Originally Posted by hoopsbwc34
I haven’t flown United for years, but used to have status for a short period of time. I don’t have a United credit card and bought an economy ticket (E) but got priority boarding in Group 2. I do have TSA preCheck, is that why I was in priority boarding? Or is this just a random thing United does once in a while?

I’m interested because it’s one reason I don’t fly United more often, without status I’m unlikely to get a spot for my bag in the overhead boarding in Group 5.
You would only get group 5 for purchasing a basic economy ticket.
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Old Jun 23, 2021, 1:38 pm
  #184  
 
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Originally Posted by emcampbe
Also, boarding group you get, without status, is going to be based on your seat type. Group 5 is going to be for aisle seats. If you are in a window, that would give you group 3, so a better chance at the overhead.
BG5 on domestic flights is only for Basic Economy now, I think.

All regular economy and economy plus, non-Basic, non-elite, non-credit card holders should be in BG3 or BG4 for domestic.

Don't know what happened with OP. Are you Silver on another *A airline?
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Old Jun 23, 2021, 1:47 pm
  #185  
 
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Originally Posted by threeoh
BG5 on domestic flights is only for Basic Economy now, I think.

All regular economy and economy plus, non-Basic, non-elite, non-credit card holders should be in BG3 or BG4 for domestic.
I believe this was Economy (E) not BE cause I selected a refundable fare when booking. Used a corporate card and was booked through my business travel company with standard MasterCard.
I did have a United card long ago but it has been closed for years.

Originally Posted by threeoh
Are you Silver on another *A airline?
Nope. Don’t have status on a partner airline.
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Old Jun 23, 2021, 2:04 pm
  #186  
 
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Your corporate status/affiliation/booking may have helped - BG2 and better seat selection

https://www.unitedcorporatepreferred.com/


New Corporate Preferred (upgrade tiebreaker) / new 'preferred' seating section
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Old Jun 23, 2021, 2:21 pm
  #187  
 
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Originally Posted by paperwastage
Your corporate status/affiliation/booking may have helped - BG2 and better seat selection

https://www.unitedcorporatepreferred.com/


New Corporate Preferred (upgrade tiebreaker) / new 'preferred' seating section
thanks! This seems most likely
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Old Jun 23, 2021, 2:26 pm
  #188  
 
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Originally Posted by emcampbe
Could be an error, could be a 'surprise and delight' thing that has been reported here sporadically (although mostly by elites, based on my observations).
OP could just suppose that he/she got a “surprise and delight” offered by UA without posting at FT. But we love to be surprised here.
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Old Jun 23, 2021, 5:54 pm
  #189  
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Originally Posted by hoopsbwc34
I believe this was Economy (E) not BE cause I selected a refundable fare when booking. Used a corporate card and was booked through my business travel company with standard MasterCard.
Refundable fares tend to be pretty high up on the list, so might come with boarding priority.
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Old Jun 24, 2021, 6:41 am
  #190  
 
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Originally Posted by hoopsbwc34
thanks! This seems most likely
I’m sure this is it. My corporate fares on AA get me no lower than Group 4 which is the next to last of the Priority boarding groups.
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Old Dec 4, 2021, 2:25 pm
  #191  
 
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Question United Economy Plus related question

I am flying for 15 hours (Delhi-San Francisco) on UA 868 Aircraft: Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. I googled but did not find the answer.


The seat plan is listed as the second one under (Seat map (48/21/39/149) (url not allowed). Please google: united boeing 787-9 dreamliner

I dont want to spend $200 a seat to upgrade to Economy Plus (seats marked in blue: Row 30 to 34 side rows. But I see that the other rows and the middle columns (3 seats each in the middle section) are all only $30-$40 and marked as Economy. My understanding is that the extra legroom is the primary advantage of economy plus. My question is .. do the economy seats in the middle not have extra leg room ? For eg 31E or 34D or 35A ? I am thinking of paying the $40 and book this. But I want to pay the extra amount only if these have extra leg room.

[image post not allowed]
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Old Dec 4, 2021, 2:48 pm
  #192  
 
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Those are just preferred seats, they charge extra because they can, not because of extra leg room.
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Old Dec 4, 2021, 2:54 pm
  #193  
 
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Thanks. But the seats on the same row 34 (34A, 34B, 34C) on the left 3 are marked as $200 Economy Plus and says it has extra leg room. But 34D (middle set of seats) are $40 preferred and marked as Economy.
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Old Dec 4, 2021, 2:59 pm
  #194  
 
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Originally Posted by observer247
Thanks. But the seats on the same row 34 (34A, 34B, 34C) on the left 3 are marked as $200 Economy Plus and says it has extra leg room. But 34D (middle set of seats) are $40 preferred and marked as Economy.
Yes, other seats in the row are E+ but the middle section isn’t.
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Old Dec 4, 2021, 3:05 pm
  #195  
 
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Thank you for responding. My question is.. do the middle section have the same legroom as the other seats that are E+. From the photos and layouts, it looks like seats in the same row should have same extra leg room. I am interested only in the extra leg room and the $40 extra is worth it for me.
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