Mar 29, 2019, 3:12 pm
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
GPU Upgrades for aircraft with United® Premium Plus:
- MileagePlus members seated in United Economy can use a single Global Premier Upgrade request to move to a United® Premium Plus seat or upgrade to the United Polaris® business class cabin.
- If you’d like to be considered for a move to a United® Premium Plus seat or an upgrade to the United Polaris business class cabin, we’ll move you to the first available seat. If the first available seat is a United® Premium Plus seat, we’ll continue to look for space in the United Polaris business class cabin without requiring an additional Global Premier Upgrade.
- Members who have purchased United® Premium Plus upgrade-eligible fares will also be able to request an upgrade to the United Polaris business class cabin using one Global Premier Upgrade.
- United Polaris business class upgrade requests for members who have purchased United® Premium Plus seats will be processed in priority order first, followed by upgrade requests for members who have purchased United Economy seats. Learn more about upgrade priority order.
- There will be no fare class restriction, other than for Basic Economy and Economy (first bag charge/no changes allowed) tickets, for members who have purchased a United Economy seat and request to move to a United® Premium Plus seat, and no fare class restriction for members who have purchased a United® Premium Plus seat and request an upgrade to the United Polaris business class cabin.
- Members requesting to move to a United® Premium Plus seat only and who have domestic portions of their itinerary will not be automatically waitlisted for United First. To be waitlisted for United First on domestic portions of an international itinerary, use your Global Premier Upgrade to request an upgrade to the United Polaris business class cabin.
Mileage Upgrades For aircraft with United® Premium Plus:
- System-wide, all MileagePlus members seated in United Economy can use a single MileagePlus Upgrade Award request to move to a United® Premium Plus seat or upgrade to the United Polaris business class cabin.
- If you'd like to be considered for a move to a United® Premium Plus seat or for an upgrade to the United Polaris business class cabin, we’ll move you to the first available seat. If the first available seat is a United® Premium Plus seat, we’ll continue to look for space in the United Polaris business class cabin.
- If you requested an upgrade to the United Polaris business class cabin, and we moved you to a United® Premium Plus seat, we’ll refund the difference in co-pay and miles after departure.
- Members requesting a MileagePlus Upgrade Award to a United® Premium Plus seat only will not be waitlisted for United First on portions of their itinerary that do not contain United® Premium Plus.
- Members who have purchased United® Premium Plus upgrade-eligible fares will also be able to request an upgrade to the United Polaris business class cabin using a MileagePlus Upgrade Award.
- United Polaris business class cabin upgrade requests for members who have purchased United® Premium Plus seats will be processed in priority order first, followed by upgrade requests for members who have purchased United Economy seats. Learn more about upgrade priority order.
How does PlusPoints / Mileage Upgrade waitlist for business work with PremiumPlus?
Jan 13, 2019, 8:59 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2008
Programs: UA, 1K
Posts: 156
How does PlusPoints / Mileage Upgrade waitlist for business work with PremiumPlus?
Greetings.
Apologies if this has been discussed before. Today, while searching for upgrade space I came across something ominous. UA was offering me to upgrade from E+ to PE for TPAC at the cost of one GPU (and space was available for instant confirmation).
At the same time it was also quoting one GPU to upgrade from E+ to J (but only WL). Could this be a preview of things to come where you will need a GPU to upgrade from E to PE and a second one (or a PE fare) to get into J?
BTW: given that the difference between E and PE in this trip was ~$200, this is an exceedingly bad use of a GPU)
Safe travels.
Apologies if this has been discussed before. Today, while searching for upgrade space I came across something ominous. UA was offering me to upgrade from E+ to PE for TPAC at the cost of one GPU (and space was available for instant confirmation).
At the same time it was also quoting one GPU to upgrade from E+ to J (but only WL). Could this be a preview of things to come where you will need a GPU to upgrade from E to PE and a second one (or a PE fare) to get into J?
BTW: given that the difference between E and PE in this trip was ~$200, this is an exceedingly bad use of a GPU)
Safe travels.
Jan 13, 2019, 9:13 am
#2
Join Date: May 2010
Location: AVP & PEK
Programs: UA 1K 1.9MM
Posts: 6,360
- MileagePlus members seated in United Economy can use a single Global Premier Upgrade request to move to a United® Premium Plus seat or upgrade to the United Polaris® business class cabin.
- If you’d like to be considered for a move to a United® Premium Plus seat or an upgrade to the United Polaris business class cabin, we’ll move you to the first available seat. If the first available seat is a United® Premium Plus seat, we’ll continue to look for space in the United Polaris business class cabin without requiring an additional Global Premier Upgrade.
From: https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly...-upgrades.html
- If you’d like to be considered for a move to a United® Premium Plus seat or an upgrade to the United Polaris business class cabin, we’ll move you to the first available seat. If the first available seat is a United® Premium Plus seat, we’ll continue to look for space in the United Polaris business class cabin without requiring an additional Global Premier Upgrade.
From: https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly...-upgrades.html
Jan 13, 2019, 9:14 am
#3
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: NYC
Programs: UA GS (1MM), DL Gold, Marriott Plat, Hyatt Globalist, Avis CC
Posts: 526
Policy is already out, but in a nutshell: a GPU is valid for E to J. If PP is available at the time of booking, you'll move there but still be waitlisted for J (waitlisted behind those who already had paid PP). One GPU is burned whichever cabin you end up in, but you're still eligible for J. If you don't think it's worth the GPU for PP, just make sure you switch back to E+ before departure.
Last edited by SteveHK; Jan 13, 2019 at 9:29 am
Jan 13, 2019, 9:50 am
#4
Join Date: May 2011
Location: HKG, ORD, and BOM
Programs: 1K
Posts: 110
Lose E+ seat assignment when applying GPU?
I can't imagine this hasn't already been discussed, but I can't seem to find it anywhere:
I understand that under the new system, if I apply a GPU on a flight with Premium Plus available but Polaris waitlist only, the system will first upgrade me from Economy Plus to Premium Plus, and then waitlist me for Polaris. The annoying thing about this is that I would prefer to have my normal E+ exit row seat over a non-exit-row Premium Plus seat - I prefer the exit row legroom over the apparently nearly identical Premium Plus seat. I read that the solution to that is to simply remove the GPU later on (eg. by calling in or asking at the gate to be downgraded). But if I want to wait for a waitlist upgrade at the gate, by the time I ask to downgrade from Premium Plus to Economy Plus, my exit row seat will likely be gone (along with most decent Economy Plus seats) so I don't see how this is a reasonable option.
Is there any way to request a GPU upgrade for Polaris only (not have the system upgrade to Premium Plus)?
I understand that under the new system, if I apply a GPU on a flight with Premium Plus available but Polaris waitlist only, the system will first upgrade me from Economy Plus to Premium Plus, and then waitlist me for Polaris. The annoying thing about this is that I would prefer to have my normal E+ exit row seat over a non-exit-row Premium Plus seat - I prefer the exit row legroom over the apparently nearly identical Premium Plus seat. I read that the solution to that is to simply remove the GPU later on (eg. by calling in or asking at the gate to be downgraded). But if I want to wait for a waitlist upgrade at the gate, by the time I ask to downgrade from Premium Plus to Economy Plus, my exit row seat will likely be gone (along with most decent Economy Plus seats) so I don't see how this is a reasonable option.
Is there any way to request a GPU upgrade for Polaris only (not have the system upgrade to Premium Plus)?
Jan 13, 2019, 10:12 am
#5
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,470
Jan 13, 2019, 12:15 pm
#6
Join Date: May 2011
Location: HKG, ORD, and BOM
Programs: 1K
Posts: 110
Thanks. I must be blind, but I just re-read the United GPU terms page and still can't find a clear statement about whether this is possible or not. And the only forum post I found on this advised the impractical practice of accepting the Premium Plus upgrade, and then un-waitlisting before departure if you didn't want to keep the Premium Plus upgrade. Thanks for your clear answer.
Jan 13, 2019, 2:52 pm
#7
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,470
Mar 25, 2019, 9:25 am
#8
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Yexas
Posts: 54
upgrades to premium plus
Hello all. Some UA aircraft now have Biz first, premium plus, and economy. For an upcoming flight on such an aircraft I ahve requested upgrade using a global systems upgrade. Typically this upgrade is to biz first. But is the premium plus also included as a possible upgrade?
thanks
thanks
Mar 25, 2019, 9:29 am
#9
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: WAS/ BOM
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Gold, HHonors Gold
Posts: 1,567
From UA -
For aircraft with United® Premium Plus:
- MileagePlus members seated in United Economy can use a single Global Premier Upgrade request to move to a United® Premium Plus seat or upgrade to the United Polaris® business class cabin.
- If you’d like to be considered for a move to a United® Premium Plus seat or an upgrade to the United Polaris business class cabin, we’ll move you to the first available seat. If the first available seat is a United® Premium Plus seat, we’ll continue to look for space in the United Polaris business class cabin without requiring an additional Global Premier Upgrade.
- Members who have purchased United® Premium Plus upgrade-eligible fares will also be able to request an upgrade to the United Polaris business class cabin using one Global Premier Upgrade.
- United Polaris business class upgrade requests for members who have purchased United® Premium Plus seats will be processed in priority order first, followed by upgrade requests for members who have purchased United Economy seats. Learn more about upgrade priority order.
- There will be no fare class restriction, other than for Basic Economy and Economy (first bag charge/no changes allowed) tickets, for members who have purchased a United Economy seat and request to move to a United® Premium Plus seat, and no fare class restriction for members who have purchased a United® Premium Plus seat and request an upgrade to the United Polaris business class cabin.
- Members requesting to move to a United® Premium Plus seat only and who have domestic portions of their itinerary will not be automatically waitlisted for United First. To be waitlisted for United First on domestic portions of an international itinerary, use your Global Premier Upgrade to request an upgrade to the United Polaris business class cabin.
Mar 28, 2019, 5:56 pm
#12
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: CHS
Programs: UA GS, Bonvoy Amabassador, Hertz PC
Posts: 2,589
OK, so let me get this straight - as long as I don't book basic economy, I can GPU in PP, but not to Polaris
If I want to go Econ-> PP -> Polaris - you still have to purchase a W or higher fare
There is no fare restriction to GPU from PP to Polaris
How many fare class does PP have? R? is there any other?
What is the fare class required for instant upgrade from econ -> PP?
If I want to go Econ-> PP -> Polaris - you still have to purchase a W or higher fare
There is no fare restriction to GPU from PP to Polaris
How many fare class does PP have? R? is there any other?
What is the fare class required for instant upgrade from econ -> PP?
Mar 28, 2019, 6:11 pm
#13
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.997MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,859
O, A & R (the lowest)
The is no Instant Upgrade concept for PP.
RN is the fare class for upgrades.
ON is award space for PP (presently just this fare class -- no separate Saver / EveryDay
Decoding the alphabet soup - fare buckets for UA
RN is the fare class for upgrades.
ON is award space for PP (presently just this fare class -- no separate Saver / EveryDay
Decoding the alphabet soup - fare buckets for UA
Mar 29, 2019, 6:21 am
#14
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: CHS
Programs: UA GS, Bonvoy Amabassador, Hertz PC
Posts: 2,589
O, A & R (the lowest)
The is no Instant Upgrade concept for PP.
RN is the fare class for upgrades.
ON is award space for PP (presently just this fare class -- no separate Saver / EveryDay
Decoding the alphabet soup - fare buckets for UA
The is no Instant Upgrade concept for PP.
RN is the fare class for upgrades.
ON is award space for PP (presently just this fare class -- no separate Saver / EveryDay
Decoding the alphabet soup - fare buckets for UA
I knew R was fare class for PP, and kinda thought RN was for the upgrade, but wanted to confirm
Thanks
Mar 29, 2019, 6:45 am
#15
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: SYD
Programs: UA 1K; VA Gold; QF Gold; HHonors Gold; Marriott Gold; National ExecElite
Posts: 419
FWIW, most airlines that have had a Premium Economy section for some time (SQ, QF, NZ are three that I've flown in Premium Economy) only allow one-class upgrades using any instrument. Since it's a separate class of service, the upgrades are one-class upgrades. I think it's a pretty safe bet that UA will have a very similar system in the future - if you want to upgrade to Polaris using any instrument, you'll have to purchase PP if it's available on that aircraft. Otherwise, your upgrade from E+ will be to PP.