Another year of disappointing Platinum status
Dec 1, 2018, 1:22 pm
#61
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: SJC/SFO
Programs: UA lifetime gold; Hilton Gold; Marriott/SPG Plat; Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 2,954
Dec 1, 2018, 5:10 pm
#63
Join Date: Feb 2008
Programs: 6 year GS, now 2MM Jeff-ugee, *wood LTPlt, SkyPeso PLT
Posts: 6,526
But, I don't think you can judge your upgrade rate by looking at what is (or usually is) the ONLY lie flat service between IAD and SFO. My guess is you are booking the 777 because it has lie flats and is a wide body, but then so is everyone else. Lots of GS book that flight hoping to get upgraded, and lots of other elites just buy F on the flight. (or as a 1K pray for an upgrade).
I might also add that the UA 77HD, the 77W, and now coming fleet wide are 10x in the back, a really bad ride in Y.
Dec 1, 2018, 8:16 pm
#64
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: BOS, PVG
Programs: United 1K and 1MM, Marriott Ambassador
Posts: 10,000
I see your locations are BOS and CTU.
I have Dec. 26 BOS-SFO-CTU booked. While SFO-CTU is an easy upgrade around holiday period, BOS-SFO is very, very tough.
UA 351 BOS-SFO 3:45p is still waitlisted, with 18/28 J seats taken. I am not optimistic with my GPU chances.
This is Dec. 26, just after Christmas.
I have Dec. 26 BOS-SFO-CTU booked. While SFO-CTU is an easy upgrade around holiday period, BOS-SFO is very, very tough.
UA 351 BOS-SFO 3:45p is still waitlisted, with 18/28 J seats taken. I am not optimistic with my GPU chances.
This is Dec. 26, just after Christmas.
No need to feel frustrated. As a BOS-based 1K, I set up my expectation appropriately and I am not expecting any upgrade when flying out of BOS at any time, even for flights applied with RPUs to IAH and SFO. If I won the lottery and got an upgrade, it is a happy surprise to me. 
This year I have not been upgraded a single time when flying out of BOS to EWR/IAH/SFO(with GPU)/DEN/IAD and my overall upgrade success rate is around 10% for the >50 segments with United. A few weeks ago I was >20th on the waitlist for upgrade on a Friday afternoon flight from IAH to SFO on a 789 with fully booked F cabin (48 F seats), you can image how many GS/1Ks are out there. And as it is well known on this forum, it is not surprising at all for me to be >10th on the waitlist for BOS-SFO-BOS flights after applying RPUs in the middle of the week when flying on S/T/L/K/G fares....
Safe and happy travel!
This year I have not been upgraded a single time when flying out of BOS to EWR/IAH/SFO(with GPU)/DEN/IAD and my overall upgrade success rate is around 10% for the >50 segments with United. A few weeks ago I was >20th on the waitlist for upgrade on a Friday afternoon flight from IAH to SFO on a 789 with fully booked F cabin (48 F seats), you can image how many GS/1Ks are out there. And as it is well known on this forum, it is not surprising at all for me to be >10th on the waitlist for BOS-SFO-BOS flights after applying RPUs in the middle of the week when flying on S/T/L/K/G fares....
Safe and happy travel!
Dec 1, 2018, 8:35 pm
#65
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: YUL
Programs: UA 1K, MR Bonvoy Bonzaiiiii, National EE
Posts: 622
But I have cleared 50% upgrades (some CPU, some RPU) on 20+ segments on the SJC-(IAH)-BOS route. For some reason, even though IAH is clearly elite heavy, and there are many tech 1K and GS flyers that may fly between SJC and BOS, it is easier to get upgrades because it’s not nonstop. The tradeoff is extra travel time.
I'd love to see a second flight, evening departures on both - would allow me to fly out the night before (e.g. Sunday), work during the week, then fly back Thursday/Friday evening on a red eye. Right now I'd have to fly in the morning IAH->SJC, burning a whole work day or most of my Sunday, and with the return at 1304 SJC->IAH, it doesn't really allow for even half a workday, so again I burn a whole half day.
Dec 2, 2018, 1:33 am
#67
Ambassador: Alaska Airlines
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: BWI
Posts: 7,390
If that makes the OP a little better I’ll never forget years ago my first time flying this route I finally found my name at 77 on the upgrade list out of some insane 140+ deep upgrade list. Back then, I was a “matched” Premier Executive during the CO/UA merger (I was CO Platinum) before they finally combined elite accounts and gave me 1K.
Knew to not fly SFO-IAD-SFO again if I want at least a shot at an upgrade unless I could confirm RPU at booking. I think this route is the hardest upgrade in the entire UA system. EWR-LAX was definitely up there back then when the route wasn’t p.s.
Anyway - really interesting to hear how bad upgrades have gotten on UA. If this benefit is very important then maybe consider flying with the dAArkside. As an EXP I have enjoyed 80%+ upgrade rate as long as you manage to avoid the A319. I rarely fly PIT-PHX for this reason and I have always failed at scoring an upgrade on this route on the A319.
Word of caution - SDC SUCKS on AA. At the end of the day, AA operates at least 2x more flights out of PIT than UA and no partner PQDs so AA it is for me.
Knew to not fly SFO-IAD-SFO again if I want at least a shot at an upgrade unless I could confirm RPU at booking. I think this route is the hardest upgrade in the entire UA system. EWR-LAX was definitely up there back then when the route wasn’t p.s.
Anyway - really interesting to hear how bad upgrades have gotten on UA. If this benefit is very important then maybe consider flying with the dAArkside. As an EXP I have enjoyed 80%+ upgrade rate as long as you manage to avoid the A319. I rarely fly PIT-PHX for this reason and I have always failed at scoring an upgrade on this route on the A319.
Word of caution - SDC SUCKS on AA. At the end of the day, AA operates at least 2x more flights out of PIT than UA and no partner PQDs so AA it is for me.
Dec 2, 2018, 4:08 am
#68
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 57,502
I got my second upgrade in as many years as a platinum just a few days ago on IAD-FRA using miles and $$ on a Y fare, and only because our three hour delay prompted several GS to jump to another flight. That’s the reality of UA today - and why I stopped worrying about qualifying for 1K. I saw the handwriting on the wall in 2015 - the days of my 75% success rate on domestic flights and near 90% using miles and money on international flights were over. I started purchasing P fares once they became reasonable because that was the only way I would be sitting up front on a domestic flight.
Last edited by halls120; Dec 2, 2018 at 4:50 am
Dec 7, 2018, 10:04 am
#69
Suspended
Join Date: Apr 2017
Programs: UA Gold
Posts: 14
Dec 7, 2018, 11:04 am
#70
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 4,218
If you're flying around a family and they are of insufficient status, the 8 E+ seats is a meaningful benefit. I'm always shocked at what United charges for E+ when booking for others and not traveling with them.
Dec 7, 2018, 11:38 am
#71
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: EWR
Programs: UA 1.65M , Platinum, 1K Emeritus, UC Lifetime , HHonors Gold, Presidential Plus card holder
Posts: 691
The (slightly) better availability of Premium awards has worked for my wife when we want to travel in first paying for one seat with miles and the other with cash.
I am taken aback by some of the whinging by people who want 1K benefits but who don't want to pay the $12k ($15k for '20) and fly the 100K pqms. As someone who flies less and pays less than that, I am happy to get the benefits that come with platinum.
I am taken aback by some of the whinging by people who want 1K benefits but who don't want to pay the $12k ($15k for '20) and fly the 100K pqms. As someone who flies less and pays less than that, I am happy to get the benefits that come with platinum.
Dec 7, 2018, 11:43 am
#72
Join Date: Nov 2012
Programs: BA Bronze, United 1K, HH Gold, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 3,477
My wife has no complaints about her Platinum status. This year, on her own PNRs, she managed to get 4 upgrades to Polaris Business on international long hauls (on my GPUs or miles + copay). These were out of 5 international long hauls so she only missed 1. Who knows, if she had been Gold, maybe she would have gotten those upgrades but we will never know.
I have found her RPUs very useful for my own domestic travel.
However, this year, she saw an opportunity to get to 1K for 2019 and took it.
I have found her RPUs very useful for my own domestic travel.
However, this year, she saw an opportunity to get to 1K for 2019 and took it.
Dec 7, 2018, 12:03 pm
#73
Join Date: Oct 2008
Programs: UA 1K, 1MM
Posts: 504
RPU not clearing on a PS route SFO/LAX-EWR is one thing but when I constantly fail at any long route (IAH-HNL etc.) and am left with only being able to use it on like IAH-LAX, then really
i'm looking at only group 1 boarding so i can get my bag in the overhead.
I'll probably hit plat again just because of the amount of work travel I have and that 15,000 PQD won't be achievable. But i won't be going out of my way to get plat, that's for sure.
Edit: Someone mentioned up thread about clearing International upgrade on Miles + Copay - I guess I was 3/4 on that this year so I should value that more, that's true.
(But i rarely fly internationally so it doesn't come to mind often)
Dec 7, 2018, 12:06 pm
#74
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: TPE, SF, DC
Programs: UA Lifetime GS 4mm
Posts: 890
But I have cleared 50% upgrades (some CPU, some RPU) on 20+ segments on the SJC-(IAH)-BOS route. For some reason, even though IAH is clearly elite heavy, and there are many tech 1K and GS flyers that may fly between SJC and BOS, it is easier to get upgrades because it’s not nonstop. The tradeoff is extra travel time.
I wanted to try the SJC flight the other month, but there's just one daily and the timings aren't that great.
I'd love to see a second flight, evening departures on both - would allow me to fly out the night before (e.g. Sunday), work during the week, then fly back Thursday/Friday evening on a red eye. Right now I'd have to fly in the morning IAH->SJC, burning a whole work day or most of my Sunday, and with the return at 1304 SJC->IAH, it doesn't really allow for even half a workday, so again I burn a whole half day.
I'd love to see a second flight, evening departures on both - would allow me to fly out the night before (e.g. Sunday), work during the week, then fly back Thursday/Friday evening on a red eye. Right now I'd have to fly in the morning IAH->SJC, burning a whole work day or most of my Sunday, and with the return at 1304 SJC->IAH, it doesn't really allow for even half a workday, so again I burn a whole half day.
My wife has no complaints about her Platinum status. This year, on her own PNRs, she managed to get 4 upgrades to Polaris Business on international long hauls (on my GPUs or miles + copay). These were out of 5 international long hauls so she only missed 1. Who knows, if she had been Gold, maybe she would have gotten those upgrades but we will never know.
I have found her RPUs very useful for my own domestic travel.
However, this year, she saw an opportunity to get to 1K for 2019 and took it.
I have found her RPUs very useful for my own domestic travel.
However, this year, she saw an opportunity to get to 1K for 2019 and took it.
Dec 7, 2018, 12:18 pm
#75
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: San Francisco
Programs: UA MM Plat, UA 1MM, Hilton Lifetime Gold, Marriott Gold, Hertz Gold, CLEAR, AS MVP Gold
Posts: 3,614
I sat next to UA gold person this week in coach class this week, and when FA offer free food-drink offer, he said was platinum before and liked the 2 RPU and better award booking. We started talking, and after I found he’s already 68k pqm ytd and $10k+, I suggested him to fly extra discretionary MR trip (to get to 75k pqm) or short biz trip by Xmas to reach platinum status to get 2 RPU. He was amazed that people do this to reach next status level when I told him I regularly do this for my 1k status
