Jan 2, 2019, 3:38 pm
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
GPU upgrade SUCCESS 2019Consider posting:
1. Route
2. Date
3. Fare class (New Codes for PE this year!)
4. Y-O, Y-J, O-J
5. How many days/weeks in advance ticket was purchased
6. How many hours/days/weeks before departure did upgrade clear
For Reference: GPU upgrade SUCCESS 2018
GPU upgrade SUCCESS 2017
GPU upgrade SUCCESS 2016
GPU upgrade SUCCESS 2015
GPU / PlusPoints Polaris flight upgrade SUCCESS 2019
Feb 9, 2019, 8:08 am
#61
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: DEN
Programs: UA 1K 1MM
Posts: 256
1. SFO-SYD
2. 2/11/19
3. V
4. Y-J
5. purchased about a month ago
6. Cleared 2/9/19
2. 2/11/19
3. V
4. Y-J
5. purchased about a month ago
6. Cleared 2/9/19
Last edited by MCLC; Feb 9, 2019 at 8:09 am Reason: had a typo in the date of the flight
Feb 9, 2019, 9:53 pm
#62
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: NYC
Programs: UA-1K MM, AA-Gold, DL-Silver, AS-MVP
Posts: 2,508
1. EWR-TLV (2nd flight)
2. 4/19/2019
3. V
4. Y-J
5. Booked 2/9/2019
6. Cleared at booking
2. 4/19/2019
3. V
4. Y-J
5. Booked 2/9/2019
6. Cleared at booking
Feb 10, 2019, 7:16 pm
#63
Join Date: Jun 2006
Programs: Various
Posts: 6,526
1. ORD-HKG
2. 7 Mar
3. V
4. Y-J
5. Booked today
6. Cleared at Booking
Miraculously found PZ=4 for the whole family. I've been monitoring this trip like crazy, and jumped on the available space as soon as I saw it (thank goodness the PZ display is back). This flight has had PN=# fluctuating for a while fwiw. We're waitlisted on the return, since a bird in the hand on one leg was better than continuing to wait.
2. 7 Mar
3. V
4. Y-J
5. Booked today
6. Cleared at Booking
Miraculously found PZ=4 for the whole family. I've been monitoring this trip like crazy, and jumped on the available space as soon as I saw it (thank goodness the PZ display is back). This flight has had PN=# fluctuating for a while fwiw. We're waitlisted on the return, since a bird in the hand on one leg was better than continuing to wait.
Feb 12, 2019, 10:48 am
#64
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Newport Beach, CA
Programs: United 1K 1MM, Bonvoy Ambassador Elite
Posts: 72
1. Route: SNA-SFO-SIN/SIN-SFO-LAX
2. Date: October 1 - October 9
3. Fare class: W
4. Econ to Polaris Business
5. How many days/weeks in advance ticket was purchased: ~8 months
6. How many days/weeks before departure did upgrade clear: at booking
2. Date: October 1 - October 9
3. Fare class: W
4. Econ to Polaris Business
5. How many days/weeks in advance ticket was purchased: ~8 months
6. How many days/weeks before departure did upgrade clear: at booking
Feb 12, 2019, 12:32 pm
#65
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: WAS/TYO
Programs: AA PPro, TP Gold, UA Silver, Bonvoy/Hilton Gold, Global Entry
Posts: 296
Route: NRT-ORD
Date: 3/18
Fare: V
How far in advance: 3 weeks
Cleared at booking
Date: 3/18
Fare: V
How far in advance: 3 weeks
Cleared at booking
Feb 12, 2019, 3:21 pm
#66
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Arizona
Programs: AA EXP, UA 1k, DL Platinum, B6 Mosaic
Posts: 47
Great 2019
What a great year so far:
1) SFO-HKG
2.) 1/26
3.) W
4.) Y to Polaris
5.) 3 weeks
6.) at booking
1) HKG-EWR
2.) 1/28
3.) W
4.) Y to Polaris
5.) 3 weeks
6.) at booking
1) DEN-NRT
2.) 2/20
3.) W
4.) Y to Polaris
5.) 6 weeks
6.) at booking
1) NRT-SFO
2.) 2/25
3.) W
4.) Y to Polaris
5.) 6 weeks
6.) at booking
1) IAD-AMS
2.) 3/14
3.) W
4.) Y to Polaris
5.) 4 weeks
6.) at booking
1) LHR-LAX
2.) 3/18
3.) W
4.) Y to Polaris
5.) 4 weeks
6.) at booking
1) SFO-HKG
2.) 1/26
3.) W
4.) Y to Polaris
5.) 3 weeks
6.) at booking
1) HKG-EWR
2.) 1/28
3.) W
4.) Y to Polaris
5.) 3 weeks
6.) at booking
1) DEN-NRT
2.) 2/20
3.) W
4.) Y to Polaris
5.) 6 weeks
6.) at booking
1) NRT-SFO
2.) 2/25
3.) W
4.) Y to Polaris
5.) 6 weeks
6.) at booking
1) IAD-AMS
2.) 3/14
3.) W
4.) Y to Polaris
5.) 4 weeks
6.) at booking
1) LHR-LAX
2.) 3/18
3.) W
4.) Y to Polaris
5.) 4 weeks
6.) at booking
Feb 12, 2019, 9:29 pm
#67
Join Date: May 2016
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1k
Posts: 312
1) MUC-SFO (LH)
2) Sun 12/1
3) Q
4) Y to LH Biz
5) ~11 months
6) ~10 months
Using GPUs on LH is such good value as they don't do all these TODs that UA does!
2) Sun 12/1
3) Q
4) Y to LH Biz
5) ~11 months
6) ~10 months
Using GPUs on LH is such good value as they don't do all these TODs that UA does!
Feb 13, 2019, 1:26 pm
#68
Join Date: Feb 2019
Posts: 5
1. SFO-PEK (2 pax)
2. 3/19
3. Fare: W
4. Econ to Polaris
5. Days adv purchase: 60
6. Cleared: Didn't automatically clear. Checked inventory every day until I noticed PZ6 on 2/8. Called and agent processed manually.
Currently waitlisted for return NRT-SFO (non-flexible itinerary). Have V fare and J still shows 45 open seats. P8, PN0, PZ0.
Almost all seats in economy plus are gone tho, half PP is gone and 3/4 economy is full already. We're in the very last row and feeling very anxious about odds. Sponsored by a friend so we have no status🤞
2. 3/19
3. Fare: W
4. Econ to Polaris
5. Days adv purchase: 60
6. Cleared: Didn't automatically clear. Checked inventory every day until I noticed PZ6 on 2/8. Called and agent processed manually.
Currently waitlisted for return NRT-SFO (non-flexible itinerary). Have V fare and J still shows 45 open seats. P8, PN0, PZ0.
Almost all seats in economy plus are gone tho, half PP is gone and 3/4 economy is full already. We're in the very last row and feeling very anxious about odds. Sponsored by a friend so we have no status🤞
Feb 13, 2019, 1:29 pm
#69
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: NYC
Programs: UA-1K MM, AA-Gold, DL-Silver, AS-MVP
Posts: 2,508
1. BRU-EWR
2. 4/24/2019
3. V
4. Y-J
5. Booked 2/13/2019
6. Cleared at booking
2. 4/24/2019
3. V
4. Y-J
5. Booked 2/13/2019
6. Cleared at booking
Feb 13, 2019, 3:56 pm
#70
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: EWR and KGL (with occasional home/work trips to NRT/ITM)
Programs: MP MM 1K, Sky Miles, Emirates Gold
Posts: 708
1. HKG-EWR
2. 4/13.2019
3. Fare R (PE class)
4. Y-J
5. Bought ticket in mid January so about 90 days ahead.
6. cleared on 02/13 so 50 days before the flight. Surprisingly fast.
Currently WL for outbound flight to NRT on 3/30. I have V fare so let's see if that would clear. It would be nice to get Polaris but if worst come to worst, I could take a PE on the outbound flight.
2. 4/13.2019
3. Fare R (PE class)
4. Y-J
5. Bought ticket in mid January so about 90 days ahead.
6. cleared on 02/13 so 50 days before the flight. Surprisingly fast.
Currently WL for outbound flight to NRT on 3/30. I have V fare so let's see if that would clear. It would be nice to get Polaris but if worst come to worst, I could take a PE on the outbound flight.
Feb 15, 2019, 8:39 am
#71
Join Date: Jun 2006
Programs: Various
Posts: 6,526
1. HKG-EWR
2. 16 Mar
3. W
4. Y-J
5. It's complicated (see below)
6. Cleared at Booking, sort of
The complication comes from the original booking. I booked this flight a little under a week ago, but the original leg departing Asia was HKG-ORD. I've been monitoring all of the HKG-US flights that day, though, and noticed that the number of business seats booked to EWR just fell by half (from 36 to 18) while the SFO and ORD flights spiked upward. I checked the buckets, and PZ=5 appeared (along with a bunch of P and PN).
I decided to check the change fee, after Kacee had pointed out earlier (in this thread or another one, I can't remember) that a lot of Asia travel change fees had dropped to $120. That was the case for us, and after about 30 minutes on the phone with a super-helpful agent (the connection from EWR was problematic, but she was amazing), we were on the new flight, with a confirmed upgrade.
FWIW, if anyone else is looking for a guaranteed upgrade on this flight, it is still PZ=1 right now.
2. 16 Mar
3. W
4. Y-J
5. It's complicated (see below)
6. Cleared at Booking, sort of
The complication comes from the original booking. I booked this flight a little under a week ago, but the original leg departing Asia was HKG-ORD. I've been monitoring all of the HKG-US flights that day, though, and noticed that the number of business seats booked to EWR just fell by half (from 36 to 18) while the SFO and ORD flights spiked upward. I checked the buckets, and PZ=5 appeared (along with a bunch of P and PN).
I decided to check the change fee, after Kacee had pointed out earlier (in this thread or another one, I can't remember) that a lot of Asia travel change fees had dropped to $120. That was the case for us, and after about 30 minutes on the phone with a super-helpful agent (the connection from EWR was problematic, but she was amazing), we were on the new flight, with a confirmed upgrade.
FWIW, if anyone else is looking for a guaranteed upgrade on this flight, it is still PZ=1 right now.
Feb 15, 2019, 5:10 pm
#72
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Minneapolis
Programs: DL DM, IHG Spire, Marriott Platinum, National EE
Posts: 318
1. LAX-SYD
2. 12/30/19
3. V
4. Y-J
5. 2/15/19
6. Cleared at booking
We're returning MEL-LAX and that flight has been cleared (W class), too. Had $2,950 in vouchers to apply, so for my soon-to-be wife and I, we'll be spending $1,509 for two RT business class seats! We can't wait!
2. 12/30/19
3. V
4. Y-J
5. 2/15/19
6. Cleared at booking
We're returning MEL-LAX and that flight has been cleared (W class), too. Had $2,950 in vouchers to apply, so for my soon-to-be wife and I, we'll be spending $1,509 for two RT business class seats! We can't wait!
Feb 19, 2019, 1:29 pm
#73
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Newport Beach, CA
Programs: United 1K 1MM, Bonvoy Ambassador Elite
Posts: 72
1. LAX-SYD
2. 12/30/19
3. V
4. Y-J
5. 2/15/19
6. Cleared at booking
We're returning MEL-LAX and that flight has been cleared (W class), too. Had $2,950 in vouchers to apply, so for my soon-to-be wife and I, we'll be spending $1,509 for two RT business class seats! We can't wait!
2. 12/30/19
3. V
4. Y-J
5. 2/15/19
6. Cleared at booking
We're returning MEL-LAX and that flight has been cleared (W class), too. Had $2,950 in vouchers to apply, so for my soon-to-be wife and I, we'll be spending $1,509 for two RT business class seats! We can't wait!
Have you decided if you're flying vs driving between Sydney and Melbourne? Taking a similar trip around Thanksgiving.
Feb 19, 2019, 3:41 pm
#74
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Minneapolis
Programs: DL DM, IHG Spire, Marriott Platinum, National EE
Posts: 318
FWIW, if you haven't booked, it was cheaper to book two one-ways.
Feb 19, 2019, 4:46 pm
#75
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: San Francisco
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Titanium, IHG Platinum, Avis President's Club, Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 323
1. SFO - AKL
2. 10 Feb 2019
3. Y
4. Y-J
5. 12/16/18
6. Cleared at booking
1. AKL - SFO
2. 22 Feb 2019
3. Y
4. Y-J
5. 12/16/18
6. Cleared at T – 60 hours
2. 10 Feb 2019
3. Y
4. Y-J
5. 12/16/18
6. Cleared at booking
1. AKL - SFO
2. 22 Feb 2019
3. Y
4. Y-J
5. 12/16/18
6. Cleared at T – 60 hours