Feb 12, 2019, 1:21 am
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
This is the archive thread, the active thread is Lufthansa GPUs Go Electronic (How to use, will it clear?, issues w/flight credit,...)
For general information on upgrading ANA or Lufthansa flights with a GPU, see Upgrading Flights Operated by ANA or Lufthansa. You actually request the upgrade through the online form, here: Request a GPU for a Select Partner Airline.
Per United web support, you only need to fill in the required* info.
**The LH flight you are upgrading must be an LH flight, not a UA codeshare flight. If you have a UA codeshare flight, you can call websupport and they will (put you on hold and] change your itinerary to one with an LH flight#.
Note that UA websupport might give you a new ticket # when you do the above, but if the original ticket # was 016 UA stock, it will remain so, and thus you will still be earning RDMs at the UA rate (11x for a 1K), not the *A rate. In case of a $6000 biz fare for LAX-FRA that you are trying to upgrade to F for example, as a 1K you would earn 66,000 UA RDM if booked as a UA flight. And even though after booking you get them to change the UA flight # from a UA codeshare flight to an LH flight, the 016 ticket stock sticks, and you earn 66,000 RDMs.
(FYI, had the ticket stock been an LH stock, the RDM's earned would be 5790 miles x 150% = 8685 RDMs. Big difference)
Note that sometimes the online upgrading does not work, and you may get an error message to call an 877 number, which is now defunct but still resides on .bomb...Ignore it and just call web support. They might put you on hold while they call LH but they will get the job done.
Eligible Economy Fares to Apply a GPU
Upgradeable to business fares include U/H/Q the lowest eligible economy fares. G&E the two top premium economy fares and Y/B/M the most expensive economy fares. (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/24219165-post205.html)
LH booking class P, Z upgreadable for miles and eVouchers
Appears this also applies to use of UA GPUs IF booked as native flight number on LH or UA ticket stock.
Presently UA is not converting codeshare to native flight numbers, as required for this process, if P or Z fare From April to September 2018 it was possible to confirm and waitlist P ,Z-class LH flights with a GPU. Confirming and waitlisting is no now longer possible, but previously waitlisted segments will continue to clear as/if available.
Checking for Upgrade Availability
Upgrades to E, C and F come from the N, I and O fare bucket, but its a subset, which theoretically is not the same as the award subset. If awards are available it is a strong indication the upgrade is available too. (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/24861289-post342.html)
In case of upgrade clearing but eticket refresh problems:
Checking for availability prior to calling
Use ANA or even united.com to see availability.
To check if C/F upgrades may open up, ask in this thread: Determining LH Y/C/F loads? [the help me guesstimate loads thread]
Regarding ticket stock, Oliver reports:
Each LH flight segment requires a separate GPU
A single GPU can be used to only upgrade a single LH flight segment, And that GPU cannot be extended to include another LH flight segment or another UA flight segment.
Problems getting mileage credit for upgraded LH segments
Numerous reports of denial of mileage credits (RDMs, PQMs, PQSs, PQDs) for upgraded tickets. This issue is probably due to LH uses the same fare bucket for mileage awards and upgrades. It seems patience, persistence, and documentation of the originally paid fare are needed to get credit.
You probably won't get credit by simply submitting the online form or asking a CSR to do so for you. A CSR needs to submit a System Issue Form, together with the mileage request, explaining that you flew in I class, but you paid for a mileage-earning booking class.
T-10
While the original system did not allow the upgrade waitlist to carry on past t-10 hours, the have been multiple reports that this is no longer the case. If not cleared in advance - the upgrade wait-list will last all the way until the door closing. UA has not updated the text on the LH GPU upgrades to reflect this change.
Archive Thread: Lufthansa GPUs Go Electronic {Archive}
Related Thread
How to upgrade with UA miles on Star Alliance carriers
For general information on upgrading ANA or Lufthansa flights with a GPU, see Upgrading Flights Operated by ANA or Lufthansa. You actually request the upgrade through the online form, here: Request a GPU for a Select Partner Airline.
Per United web support, you only need to fill in the required* info.
**The LH flight you are upgrading must be an LH flight, not a UA codeshare flight. If you have a UA codeshare flight, you can call websupport and they will (put you on hold and] change your itinerary to one with an LH flight#.
Note that UA websupport might give you a new ticket # when you do the above, but if the original ticket # was 016 UA stock, it will remain so, and thus you will still be earning RDMs at the UA rate (11x for a 1K), not the *A rate. In case of a $6000 biz fare for LAX-FRA that you are trying to upgrade to F for example, as a 1K you would earn 66,000 UA RDM if booked as a UA flight. And even though after booking you get them to change the UA flight # from a UA codeshare flight to an LH flight, the 016 ticket stock sticks, and you earn 66,000 RDMs.
(FYI, had the ticket stock been an LH stock, the RDM's earned would be 5790 miles x 150% = 8685 RDMs. Big difference)
Note that sometimes the online upgrading does not work, and you may get an error message to call an 877 number, which is now defunct but still resides on .bomb...Ignore it and just call web support. They might put you on hold while they call LH but they will get the job done.
Eligible Economy Fares to Apply a GPU
Upgradeable to business fares include U/H/Q the lowest eligible economy fares. G&E the two top premium economy fares and Y/B/M the most expensive economy fares. (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/24219165-post205.html)
While UA has not changed their T&Cs, LH appears to have expanded the potential fare classes
For C->F upgrade, J, D, C fares are eligible, Z and P fares are not. ... Just check the tables here: https://www.miles-and-more.com/onlin...l=en&cid=18002
Appears this also applies to use of UA GPUs IF booked as native flight number on LH or UA ticket stock.
Presently UA is not converting codeshare to native flight numbers, as required for this process, if P or Z fare
Checking for Upgrade Availability
Upgrades to E, C and F come from the N, I and O fare bucket, but its a subset, which theoretically is not the same as the award subset. If awards are available it is a strong indication the upgrade is available too. (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/24861289-post342.html)
In case of upgrade clearing but eticket refresh problems:
Originally Posted by oliver2002
Both longhaul LH segments cleared into I after being on waitlist . The first didnt get stickered, so the DCS ( amadeus altea ) rejected online and agent checkin . The eticket helpdesk had to manually update the first coupon for the DCS to accept the coupon. My seat in C was safe, since the PNR was updated correctly, just the ticket was not updated completely to the satisfaction of the DCS. Everyone looking at the booking agreed the upgrade was legit, so you will not be denied boarding or downgraded, just budget enough time
Originally Posted by oliver2002
The LH GA must have called the eticket helpdesk and pointed out the * SSR remark in your reservation that shows an upgrade was applied and the e-ticket just needed a fix/sticker. See my experience above.
To check if C/F upgrades may open up, ask in this thread: Determining LH Y/C/F loads? [the help me guesstimate loads thread]
Regarding ticket stock, Oliver reports:
Each LH flight segment requires a separate GPU
A single GPU can be used to only upgrade a single LH flight segment, And that GPU cannot be extended to include another LH flight segment or another UA flight segment.
Problems getting mileage credit for upgraded LH segments
Numerous reports of denial of mileage credits (RDMs, PQMs, PQSs, PQDs) for upgraded tickets. This issue is probably due to LH uses the same fare bucket for mileage awards and upgrades. It seems patience, persistence, and documentation of the originally paid fare are needed to get credit.
You probably won't get credit by simply submitting the online form or asking a CSR to do so for you. A CSR needs to submit a System Issue Form, together with the mileage request, explaining that you flew in I class, but you paid for a mileage-earning booking class.
T-10
While the original system did not allow the upgrade waitlist to carry on past t-10 hours, the have been multiple reports that this is no longer the case. If not cleared in advance - the upgrade wait-list will last all the way until the door closing. UA has not updated the text on the LH GPU upgrades to reflect this change.
Archive Thread: Lufthansa GPUs Go Electronic {Archive}
Related Thread
How to upgrade with UA miles on Star Alliance carriers
Lufthansa GPUs Go Electronic {Archive}
Jan 27, 2018, 12:25 pm
#1216
Join Date: Sep 2009
Programs: United GS/MM, Marriott LT Titanium Elite
Posts: 242
Just called web support, they claimed the United back-end is broken and that they have submitted the issue to their technical staff. The CSR told me to try again on Monday, except my flight is on Sunday 
--Spent another hour alternating between calling Lufthansa and the GS desk, both of which continued to blame the other side... useless.
--Spent another hour alternating between calling Lufthansa and the GS desk, both of which continued to blame the other side... useless.
Last edited by supergabe; Jan 27, 2018 at 2:51 pm
Jan 27, 2018, 4:47 pm
#1217
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: ZRH/LUX/LON
Programs: BA GGL/ VS Gold. Former: UA 1K (10 years+) , EY partners Plat, SQ PPS Club, SU Gold, LH SEN/HON
Posts: 770
Just called web support, they claimed the United back-end is broken and that they have submitted the issue to their technical staff. The CSR told me to try again on Monday, except my flight is on Sunday
--Spent another hour alternating between calling Lufthansa and the GS desk, both of which continued to blame the other side... useless.
--Spent another hour alternating between calling Lufthansa and the GS desk, both of which continued to blame the other side... useless.
Jan 28, 2018, 11:22 am
#1218
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Fort Lauderdale
Programs: UA: 1K 1.5MM, DL: LTDM 3.5MM, JB: Mosaic4, LH: exSEN 1MM, Bonvoy LT Titanium Elite, Hertz PresC
Posts: 266
Not sure who rebooked me (system automatically?) but initially I was rebooked onto DL DUS-ATL which left 2 hours before my scheduled flight. At that point the upgrade was canceled and went back to UA. Everybody I spoke to at LH then told me that without getting „paid“ there was nothing they could do... GS support even called LH but received the same answer.
Jan 28, 2018, 12:54 pm
#1219
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BOS/EAP
Programs: UA 1K, MR LTT, HH Dia, Amex Plat
Posts: 32,092
Not sure who rebooked me (system automatically?) but initially I was rebooked onto DL DUS-ATL which left 2 hours before my scheduled flight. At that point the upgrade was canceled and went back to UA. Everybody I spoke to at LH then told me that without getting „paid“ there was nothing they could do... GS support even called LH but received the same answer.
Jan 28, 2018, 8:23 pm
#1220
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: ZRH/LUX/LON
Programs: BA GGL/ VS Gold. Former: UA 1K (10 years+) , EY partners Plat, SQ PPS Club, SU Gold, LH SEN/HON
Posts: 770
I'm waiting to see if anyone can confirm that they successfully applied a GPU to an LH reservation ticketed on 220 stock after Jan 26.
Bump. Need to decide soon if i'm going to give money to BA
Update: I gave up. Gave 2600~ to British Airways and AA, instead of 1900 to LH and UA.
Good luck to anyone needing to apply UA GPU to LH reservation on 220 tickets. Tried to use the leftover instruments, and UA fails. Whatever.
Bump. Need to decide soon if i'm going to give money to BA
Update: I gave up. Gave 2600~ to British Airways and AA, instead of 1900 to LH and UA.
Good luck to anyone needing to apply UA GPU to LH reservation on 220 tickets. Tried to use the leftover instruments, and UA fails. Whatever.
Last edited by OpenSky; Jan 30, 2018 at 1:51 pm
Jan 30, 2018, 7:35 pm
#1221
Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: Mileage Plus 1K \\ ConciergeKey
Posts: 531
I'm waiting to see if anyone can confirm that they successfully applied a GPU to an LH reservation ticketed on 220 stock after Jan 26.
Bump. Need to decide soon if i'm going to give money to BA
Update: I gave up. Gave 2600~ to British Airways and AA, instead of 1900 to LH and UA.
Good luck to anyone needing to apply UA GPU to LH reservation on 220 tickets. Tried to use the leftover instruments, and UA fails. Whatever.
Bump. Need to decide soon if i'm going to give money to BA
Update: I gave up. Gave 2600~ to British Airways and AA, instead of 1900 to LH and UA.
Good luck to anyone needing to apply UA GPU to LH reservation on 220 tickets. Tried to use the leftover instruments, and UA fails. Whatever.
I just got my code share UA ticket stock changed to LH, and now I still can't apply it online via the request page since it says fare class not eligible (even though it's Y). Now i'm going to have to call UA and hopefully I don't play this bounce between UA and LH game. But they have told me that they dont have a way to apply the GPU on their (UA) side.
Jan 31, 2018, 11:03 am
#1222
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: ZRH/LUX/LON
Programs: BA GGL/ VS Gold. Former: UA 1K (10 years+) , EY partners Plat, SQ PPS Club, SU Gold, LH SEN/HON
Posts: 770
UGH. Same issues for me.
I just got my code share UA ticket stock changed to LH, and now I still can't apply it online via the request page since it says fare class not eligible (even though it's Y). Now i'm going to have to call UA and hopefully I don't play this bounce between UA and LH game. But they have told me that they dont have a way to apply the GPU on their (UA) side.
I just got my code share UA ticket stock changed to LH, and now I still can't apply it online via the request page since it says fare class not eligible (even though it's Y). Now i'm going to have to call UA and hopefully I don't play this bounce between UA and LH game. But they have told me that they dont have a way to apply the GPU on their (UA) side.
Personally, I think its an attempt to prevent UA 1Ks and GS to prevent them from using their expiring instruments. I don't care about status anymore.
UA needs to fix this. It worked well ever since the process went electronic except for this small hickup. I'm guessing its a coding error, somoneone somewhere can fix it, but it might take god knows how long.
If anyone at UA is listening try booking a 220 coded LH flight number ticket in the allowed booking class and applying a SWU and you'll see what the issue is. Ditto 016.
I don't care anymore. Good luck to you all.
Jan 31, 2018, 11:43 am
#1223
Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: Mileage Plus 1K \\ ConciergeKey
Posts: 531
I personally hate the BA J seats but the travel times were roughly the same as LH/UA, and the cost just a little bit more. If the portal had worked I would have given money to LH/UA. alas.
Personally, I think its an attempt to prevent UA 1Ks and GS to prevent them from using their expiring instruments. I don't care about status anymore.
UA needs to fix this. It worked well ever since the process went electronic except for this small hickup. I'm guessing its a coding error, somoneone somewhere can fix it, but it might take god knows how long.
If anyone at UA is listening try booking a 220 coded LH flight number ticket in the allowed booking class and applying a SWU and you'll see what the issue is. Ditto 016.
I don't care anymore. Good luck to you all.
Personally, I think its an attempt to prevent UA 1Ks and GS to prevent them from using their expiring instruments. I don't care about status anymore.
UA needs to fix this. It worked well ever since the process went electronic except for this small hickup. I'm guessing its a coding error, somoneone somewhere can fix it, but it might take god knows how long.
If anyone at UA is listening try booking a 220 coded LH flight number ticket in the allowed booking class and applying a SWU and you'll see what the issue is. Ditto 016.
I don't care anymore. Good luck to you all.
Just gotta keep calling!
Jan 31, 2018, 2:15 pm
#1224
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: ZRH/LUX/LON
Programs: BA GGL/ VS Gold. Former: UA 1K (10 years+) , EY partners Plat, SQ PPS Club, SU Gold, LH SEN/HON
Posts: 770
Well, I don't know how I did it, but I called the UA Exec. desk and got my GPU applied to my LH flight LAX - MUC segment. They alluded first to an issue of the fare type (even though it was Y, but unpublished? Don't know how that could be given that I bought it through UA), then they said it was a multi-segment issue, which I said I was only looking for LAX - MUC and not all the way through to BCN. Was put on hold, and then lo and behold, I got my GPU applied and i'm waitlisted for that segment now.
Just gotta keep calling!
Just gotta keep calling!
Well looks like there is a manual override . Trust me we tried calling , this must be new . Prior to this there was no manual override
Well too late for me and too late for LHUA
Jan 31, 2018, 9:24 pm
#1225
Join Date: Sep 2015
Programs: UA 1K/MM
Posts: 33
Upgraded lh segment now "missing"
Booked multi-segment flight
Outbound
1/242 DEN-EWR-MUC-BEG all UA metal except MUC-BEG
inbound
3/8
CDG-MUC-DEN LH metal UA codeshare
I tried to appap a gpu to MUC-DEN segment. Was denied for "wrong flight number"
Called 1k desk. Was told they had to assign an LH flight number. No big deal. Number assigned. Then applied gpu through website and cleared immediately Now my MUC-DEN segment no longer shows under my united res. The complete itinerary shows on Lufthansa website under l
Outbound
1/242 DEN-EWR-MUC-BEG all UA metal except MUC-BEG
inbound
3/8
CDG-MUC-DEN LH metal UA codeshare
I tried to appap a gpu to MUC-DEN segment. Was denied for "wrong flight number"
Called 1k desk. Was told they had to assign an LH flight number. No big deal. Number assigned. Then applied gpu through website and cleared immediately Now my MUC-DEN segment no longer shows under my united res. The complete itinerary shows on Lufthansa website under l
Jan 31, 2018, 9:27 pm
#1226
Join Date: Sep 2015
Programs: UA 1K/MM
Posts: 33
Upgraded lh segment now "missing"
Booked multi-segment flight
Outbound
1/242 DEN-EWR-MUC-BEG all UA metal except MUC-BEG
inbound
3/8
CDG-MUC-DEN LH metal UA codeshare
I tried to apply a gpu to MUC-DEN segment. Was denied for "wrong flight number"
Called 1k desk. Was told they had to assign an LH flight number. No big deal. Number assigned. Then applied gpu through website and cleared immediately Now my MUC-DEN segment no longer shows under my united res. The complete itinerary shows on Lufthansa website under LH booking code....
What happened to my UA booking?
Will i still get UA mp credit for MUC-DEN leg?
Guess maybe i should call 1k line again...
10th year as 1k but first time using an instrument to upgrade an LH leg
Not that it matters but all legs are 'Q' fare
Thx
Eric
Outbound
1/242 DEN-EWR-MUC-BEG all UA metal except MUC-BEG
inbound
3/8
CDG-MUC-DEN LH metal UA codeshare
I tried to apply a gpu to MUC-DEN segment. Was denied for "wrong flight number"
Called 1k desk. Was told they had to assign an LH flight number. No big deal. Number assigned. Then applied gpu through website and cleared immediately Now my MUC-DEN segment no longer shows under my united res. The complete itinerary shows on Lufthansa website under LH booking code....
What happened to my UA booking?
Will i still get UA mp credit for MUC-DEN leg?
Guess maybe i should call 1k line again...
10th year as 1k but first time using an instrument to upgrade an LH leg
Not that it matters but all legs are 'Q' fare
Thx
Eric
Jan 31, 2018, 9:42 pm
#1227
Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: Mileage Plus 1K \\ ConciergeKey
Posts: 531
Booked multi-segment flight
Outbound
1/242 DEN-EWR-MUC-BEG all UA metal except MUC-BEG
inbound
3/8
CDG-MUC-DEN LH metal UA codeshare
I tried to apply a gpu to MUC-DEN segment. Was denied for "wrong flight number"
Called 1k desk. Was told they had to assign an LH flight number. No big deal. Number assigned. Then applied gpu through website and cleared immediately Now my MUC-DEN segment no longer shows under my united res. The complete itinerary shows on Lufthansa website under LH booking code....
What happened to my UA booking?
Will i still get UA mp credit for MUC-DEN leg?
Guess maybe i should call 1k line again...
10th year as 1k but first time using an instrument to upgrade an LH leg
Not that it matters but all legs are 'Q' fare
Thx
Eric
Outbound
1/242 DEN-EWR-MUC-BEG all UA metal except MUC-BEG
inbound
3/8
CDG-MUC-DEN LH metal UA codeshare
I tried to apply a gpu to MUC-DEN segment. Was denied for "wrong flight number"
Called 1k desk. Was told they had to assign an LH flight number. No big deal. Number assigned. Then applied gpu through website and cleared immediately Now my MUC-DEN segment no longer shows under my united res. The complete itinerary shows on Lufthansa website under LH booking code....
What happened to my UA booking?
Will i still get UA mp credit for MUC-DEN leg?
Guess maybe i should call 1k line again...
10th year as 1k but first time using an instrument to upgrade an LH leg
Not that it matters but all legs are 'Q' fare
Thx
Eric
I believe you'll still get the original UA miles, you'll just have to keep an eye on it after the flight.
Look above in the wiki section - should have an example there.
Jan 31, 2018, 10:38 pm
#1228
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,424
If the LH system with the LH PNR shows the LH operated segments with the correct booking code and status (i.e. "Business (I)" and "State Confirmed") then you are good to fly, regardless of what the UA system says. You can call the 1K desk to get the segment put back on the UA PNR, but it isn't strictly necessary. It will credit correctly most of the time; if it doesn't it's pretty easy to fix so long as it was an 016 ticket.
Feb 1, 2018, 7:30 am
#1230
Join Date: Sep 2015
Programs: UA 1K/MM
Posts: 33
If the LH system with the LH PNR shows the LH operated segments with the correct booking code and status (i.e. "Business (I)" and "State Confirmed") then you are good to fly, regardless of what the UA system says. You can call the 1K desk to get the segment put back on the UA PNR, but it isn't strictly necessary. It will credit correctly most of the time; if it doesn't it's pretty easy to fix so long as it was an 016 ticket.
E