HELP-Need upgrade knowledge advice
Aug 15, 2018 | 11:23 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Chicago, IL
Programs: United MileagePlus
Posts: 4
HELP-Need upgrade knowledge advice
I am new to the status and upgrade process. My wife and I are flying to Europe in December for our 10th anniversary. She's fare class X and I'm K (both in Economy Plus). We're flying ORD>MUC. I know K is not GPU eligible and have no idea about upgrade ability of X. I would like to surprise my wife with a Polaris upgrade. I would really appreciate any advice on what it would take to upgrade for cheaper than United is offering ($2,500 or 20,000 miles & $550 per passenger).
Aug 15, 2018 | 11:53 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 25,721
I am new to the status and upgrade process. My wife and I are flying to Europe in December for our 10th anniversary. She's fare class X and I'm K (both in Economy Plus). We're flying ORD>MUC. I know K is not GPU eligible and have no idea about upgrade ability of X. I would like to surprise my wife with a Polaris upgrade. I would really appreciate any advice on what it would take to upgrade for cheaper than United is offering ($2,500 or 20,000 miles & $550 per passenger).
Watch the upgrade price offered between now and departure, as it may change. In particular, if there are business class seats available at check-in, they may offer a discounted upgrade.
Aug 16, 2018 | 12:14 am
#3
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA LT Plat 2MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 73,141
Welcome to FT!, ORDinaryJohn
For the X fare, you can waitlist for an I Business Saver (for another 30,000) or wait for a potential cash offer at check-in. neither is guaranteed to occur.
For the K fare, you can waitlist for the upgrade ( 20,000 miles + $550) or wait for a potential cash offer at check-in. neither is guaranteed to occur.
Cheap business fares to Europe on UA has not been seen for some time.
I am new to the status and upgrade process. My wife and I are flying to Europe in December for our 10th anniversary. She's fare class X and I'm K (both in Economy Plus). We're flying ORD>MUC. I know K is not GPU eligible and have no idea about upgrade ability of X. I would like to surprise my wife with a Polaris upgrade. I would really appreciate any advice on what it would take to upgrade for cheaper than United is offering ($2,500 or 20,000 miles & $550 per passenger).
For the K fare, you can waitlist for the upgrade ( 20,000 miles + $550) or wait for a potential cash offer at check-in. neither is guaranteed to occur.
Cheap business fares to Europe on UA has not been seen for some time.
Aug 16, 2018 | 12:14 am
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Chicago, IL
Programs: United MileagePlus
Posts: 4
jsloan: Thank you!! Working towards Silver.
WineCountryUA: Thank you for the advice!
WineCountryUA: Thank you for the advice!
Last edited by ORDinaryJohn; Aug 16, 2018 at 12:36 am Reason: merging consecutive posts by same member
Aug 16, 2018 | 12:27 am
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 25,721
No problem. 
OK, then you wouldn't have access to GPUs anyway. (Buying them is expressly prohibited by UA, and if you get caught, you can wind up sitting in the back with your upgrade cancelled and your MileagePlus account closed). Furthermore, even if you had a benefactor who were willing to give you some GPUs as a gift (which is allowed), the fact that you don't have status and you're flying on the cheapest fare class that UA offers on trans-Atlantic flights means that your chances of having the upgrade clear are minuscule -- you'd basically be last in line.
If there were a cheap way to upgrade, nobody would sit in coach. Your best bet is to keep your fingers crossed and hope that the upgrade price drops at some point prior to departure. If you have a smartphone, install the United app, if you haven't already, so you can monitor the upgrade price right up until boarding. They will absolutely try to sell the seats. Even though your wife is traveling with miles, there's a good chance that she'll get a cash upgrade offer at check-in too.
OK, then you wouldn't have access to GPUs anyway. (Buying them is expressly prohibited by UA, and if you get caught, you can wind up sitting in the back with your upgrade cancelled and your MileagePlus account closed). Furthermore, even if you had a benefactor who were willing to give you some GPUs as a gift (which is allowed), the fact that you don't have status and you're flying on the cheapest fare class that UA offers on trans-Atlantic flights means that your chances of having the upgrade clear are minuscule -- you'd basically be last in line.
If there were a cheap way to upgrade, nobody would sit in coach.
Your best bet is to keep your fingers crossed and hope that the upgrade price drops at some point prior to departure. If you have a smartphone, install the United app, if you haven't already, so you can monitor the upgrade price right up until boarding. They will absolutely try to sell the seats. Even though your wife is traveling with miles, there's a good chance that she'll get a cash upgrade offer at check-in too.
Aug 16, 2018 | 12:39 am
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Chicago, IL
Programs: United MileagePlus
Posts: 4
No problem.
OK, then you wouldn't have access to GPUs anyway. (Buying them is expressly prohibited by UA, and if you get caught, you can wind up sitting in the back with your upgrade cancelled and your MileagePlus account closed). Furthermore, even if you had a benefactor who were willing to give you some GPUs as a gift (which is allowed), the fact that you don't have status and you're flying on the cheapest fare class that UA offers on trans-Atlantic flights means that your chances of having the upgrade clear are minuscule -- you'd basically be last in line.
If there were a cheap way to upgrade, nobody would sit in coach. Your best bet is to keep your fingers crossed and hope that the upgrade price drops at some point prior to departure. If you have a smartphone, install the United app, if you haven't already, so you can monitor the upgrade price right up until boarding. They will absolutely try to sell the seats. Even though your wife is traveling with miles, there's a good chance that she'll get a cash upgrade offer at check-in too.
OK, then you wouldn't have access to GPUs anyway. (Buying them is expressly prohibited by UA, and if you get caught, you can wind up sitting in the back with your upgrade cancelled and your MileagePlus account closed). Furthermore, even if you had a benefactor who were willing to give you some GPUs as a gift (which is allowed), the fact that you don't have status and you're flying on the cheapest fare class that UA offers on trans-Atlantic flights means that your chances of having the upgrade clear are minuscule -- you'd basically be last in line.
If there were a cheap way to upgrade, nobody would sit in coach.
Your best bet is to keep your fingers crossed and hope that the upgrade price drops at some point prior to departure. If you have a smartphone, install the United app, if you haven't already, so you can monitor the upgrade price right up until boarding. They will absolutely try to sell the seats. Even though your wife is traveling with miles, there's a good chance that she'll get a cash upgrade offer at check-in too.
Aug 16, 2018 | 12:44 am
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Chicago, IL
Programs: United MileagePlus
Posts: 4
No problem.
OK, then you wouldn't have access to GPUs anyway. (Buying them is expressly prohibited by UA, and if you get caught, you can wind up sitting in the back with your upgrade cancelled and your MileagePlus account closed). Furthermore, even if you had a benefactor who were willing to give you some GPUs as a gift (which is allowed), the fact that you don't have status and you're flying on the cheapest fare class that UA offers on trans-Atlantic flights means that your chances of having the upgrade clear are minuscule -- you'd basically be last in line.
If there were a cheap way to upgrade, nobody would sit in coach. Your best bet is to keep your fingers crossed and hope that the upgrade price drops at some point prior to departure. If you have a smartphone, install the United app, if you haven't already, so you can monitor the upgrade price right up until boarding. They will absolutely try to sell the seats. Even though your wife is traveling with miles, there's a good chance that she'll get a cash upgrade offer at check-in too.
OK, then you wouldn't have access to GPUs anyway. (Buying them is expressly prohibited by UA, and if you get caught, you can wind up sitting in the back with your upgrade cancelled and your MileagePlus account closed). Furthermore, even if you had a benefactor who were willing to give you some GPUs as a gift (which is allowed), the fact that you don't have status and you're flying on the cheapest fare class that UA offers on trans-Atlantic flights means that your chances of having the upgrade clear are minuscule -- you'd basically be last in line.
If there were a cheap way to upgrade, nobody would sit in coach.
Your best bet is to keep your fingers crossed and hope that the upgrade price drops at some point prior to departure. If you have a smartphone, install the United app, if you haven't already, so you can monitor the upgrade price right up until boarding. They will absolutely try to sell the seats. Even though your wife is traveling with miles, there's a good chance that she'll get a cash upgrade offer at check-in too.
Aug 16, 2018 | 12:58 am
#8
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA LT Plat 2MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 73,141
Upgrades are handled by the computer and there will be multiple waitlisted upgraders that will fail on most TATL flights. The agents get "special events" requests (real or not real) all the time, anniversary, newlyweds, birthdays, trips to see grandma, ... but it is a violation of company policy not to follow the proper procedures / process. The special event request has not worked for decades and is not worth trying.
Aug 16, 2018 | 1:00 am
#9
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Canada, USA, Europe
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 31,439
Aug 16, 2018 | 1:05 am
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 25,721
Upgrade offers will appear in the reservation when you open it in the app. For example, on an upcoming trip, I see "Enjoy our premium cabin Upgrade from $169 per person" (ORD-AUS, in this case). You likely won't see this -- yet -- on your wife's reservation, as you can't normally upgrade award tickets until check-in.
After check-in, you should see it on both reservations (if there are seats available). For checked in flights, you'll see another menu pop up when you tap on your reservation; select Travel Options, and the upgrade offer should be shown there.
You can also find it on the kiosk at the airport, or on the website, but the app is likely to be the easiest.