gregoryad

Doesn't everyone in J+ get access on PS routes?

Copy and paste from UA website.
"Who can use the United Polaris lounge?
Customers traveling in United Polaris business class or United Polaris first class on long-haul international flights may access the lounge before departure, during connections or upon arrival. Customers traveling in international first or business class cabins on Star Alliance™ partner airlines may access the lounge only at the airport of their international departure. Please reference the Club and Lounge Access page for more information.
"

Id like to see the ability to combine miles and dollars more effectively if I want to pay half a ticket with miles and the other half with cash I should be able to even if it gives up PQM/PQD.
Allow some kind of dollars or miles bidding for upgrades. I was on a Tpac flight before I had any status and I would have paid $500 for business from E+. There was about 6 empty business seats on a 789 that route. When I asked they said it would be about $2000 to upgrade. Not a chance from me. And I am sure there was other people on the flight that had gold or silver and were not upgraded even for free.

physioprof

The premium cabin on PS/premium transcon flights books as "United Business", not "United Polaris Business", and there is no Polaris Lounge Access (even for GS members, who used to get access to Global First lounges on PS front cabin trips).

cova

Gold and above (Plat, 1K) should get Polaris lounge access for international travel when in Economy. If not Gold then at least 1K should get Polaris access on International.

AA gives their 50K level (Sapphire) and above Plat Pro, Exec Plat access to Flagship Lounge for international travel. AA EXP and CK also get partner F lounge access.

gregoryad

Ah I was thinking it was meant for intl routes not the tcon flights that are booked in regular business. Shouldn't all Polaris routes be booked as United Polaris Business or Polaris First no matter the route then?

CHOPCHOP767

This is more of a credit card feature than a MP benefit, but I do appreciate that with DL one can always lower cash prices for tickets using increments of 5K points with their Amex branded cards. Especially when buying cheap A fares for leisure, it's nice to knock off a few bucks or many bucks with each purchase. I haven't seen something similar offered under the MP banner.

WineCountryUA

Yes that is true but pts/PS is not a Polaris route or nor other domestic routes using lie-flat aircraft.

John Aldeborgh

I've always wanted the ability to exchange RPU's and GPU's, with the understanding that there would be an exchange rate. I travel almost exclusively internationally so I end up with a lot of RPU's that I never touch or give to friends and relatives. I would gladly trade 3 RPU's for a single GPU, as an example. Folks who travel exclusively domestic still have the option of using GPU's on their domestic flights, but I would argue this is wasting a valuable perk, at least from my perspective. It would be cool if UA could set up an "upgrade exchange". Not sure there is any downside to doing this for UA.

drewguy

Agree that would be a more rational approach, rather than the single huge jump for Plat and above.

drewguy

Instant devaluation of GPUs!

I'd revise it to keep the W restriction, but wipe that away for day of upgrades. I.e., if there's space available day of and you apply a GPU you're on the waitlist. W and above for advance upgrades.

At least that way someone on a <W fare can get an upgrade over a non-rev.

eng3

I didn't think this thread was about what UA is willing to do, rather just a WISH list. This is pretty much the one benefit above all other 1K benefits that I wish would be improved. If we are limiting to what UA is willing to do, that would be an empty thread or hoping they don't take away anything.

They take credit for giving 1K/GS upgrades but then complain that they are losing revenue because they could have sold that seat and equate that to the full cost of a J seat rather forgetting that we already bought a W fare and that seat may have gone empty anyways. If not every seat, how about offer a minimum (>0) percentage of seats on every flight. UA tries to have it both ways. That's called the cost of a loyalty program.

It just seems a little bit disingenuous to offer up vouchers but have zero availability on some flights. They should at least offer up one seat on every flight R>=1.

windhund

Premier members should board before CC holders without Premier status. It's bizarre to me that someone can spend $3k/$6k for Silver or Gold on UA and be thrown in the same group as someone who pays $95 a year for a card and might fly UA only a few times a year, if that.

silverdl

I'd love to see rollover PQM/PQS/PQD after you reach at least Silver status. It feels like a waste to fly sometimes when you know you're not going to make it to the next tier. I might fit in another flight or two in December if it gives me a head start on moving up to a higher status next year.

J.Edward

A thread full of "everyone upgraded / Dom on all flights / onboard chef-prepared Chateaubriand for all flights 1hr+ / etc." would also be an empty thread, despite the replies.

As someone who's seen how "enhancements" work, there's something to be said for the status quo as the new tends to be worse, from our perspective, of what it replaces.

UA (and AA / DL to be fair) do not mind giving away an otherwise spoiled seat to an upgrade/employee. It's just they cannot do so at the expense of a paid customer.

The loyalty component is allowing loyal customers opt-in for upgrades, when available, and still attempt to fulfill their corporate duty to sell the seat for as much revenue as possible.

Because flights don't operate like that. For example, 869, SFO > HKG on a Saturday departure / Sunday evening arrival, UA may have a market demand of 80 seats. Same flight on Tuesday the demand may be 35. UA's 77W J cabin seats 60 meaning they're short 20 seats on Saturday but under by 25 on Tuesday.

Why would UA discount (Z/P) or give away (PN/R/IN/I) any seats on Saturday when they can score a J/C fare?

Likewise, why wouldn't UA want to open award/upgrade inventory on the Tuesday flight when they can confidently forecast J seats going out empty?

It's very hard to make the "every flight" argument as you'll see demand vary widely by the day of the week...and God only knows whatever other factors come into play.

I'm not saying I like this as an upgrader, but I understand the constraints UA (and AA/DL) MUST operate in. And those constraints will make it very difficult for UA to make a business case to forego a J/C/D customer in favor of an upgrader or discount fare pax. Of course, if there's a misconnect or some other unforecasted event and the seat would otherwise be empty, by all means, upgrade, but the priority at first must be to the high revenue customers.

Look - I'm not saying I too would not like to see better upgrade availability and removal of the W fare risk (buying up to a W fare to try to upgrade and then fail to clear), I would.

What I'm saying is if you step away from what "I WISH UA would do" and work from the perspective of "what CAN UA do given the constraints they must operate under" you'll come to more realistic conclusions.

As I said upthread, I think the best way to balance UA's constraints and our desires is to treat PE as a separate cabin when it is fleet-wide and then remove any GPU fare restrictions. This allows someone to buy the cheapest Y fare they can and still use their ugprade instruments to PE, hence removing the W fare risk. It also allows those who are willing to pay more (think the W+ crowd) to actually get something for their extra dollars should their upgrade from PE > J fail to clear - their seat in PE. Plus now there are arguably more seats to upgrade into (J + PE vs J), which ideally should help facilitate upgrades.

Melodsal

usbusinesstraveller