PN vs PZ vs IN
 

I completely understand UA offering more benefits to GS vs 1K. That said, I get frustrated when I see flights like this. Why PN7 and PZ0? Is the 1K really worthy of zero upgrade benefits, while the GS gets access to 1/4 of the J cabin? I completely understand PN2/PZ0 or PN6/PZ4...but I can't understand PN7/PZ0. Seems completely arbitrarily. Is there some logic to this or simply a poorly written algorithm on the part of United IT? BTW, the flight is completely empty in J right now! SFO-BOS in late August...

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...2a97f2f775.png
Any sense of how often this brilliant algorithm refreshes? Weekly, daily?

Sorry, what does x4-x10 spend mean? Are you saying a GS typically spends 2.5x more than a 1K in a calendar year?

Yes.

No, that's somewhere between 4x and 10x (or more).

Ahhh, I didn't know that. I thought PZ was for 1Ks only. The RPUs in circulation are going to plummet in 2020, but if this wacky algorithm doesn't change, it won't matter.

The PZ, PN issue you raise is not new -- PN was instituted a number of years ago so the GS did not have to compete for upgrade space with the riffraff

But you even hear GS complaining about lack of upgrades nowadays -- the airlines are monetizing upgrades and what is left is for elites -- GS first.

Let's call it 6x -- meaning the average GS spends 6x the average 1K. By that logic, the space should at least be PN6/PZ1. Not sure why you feel the upgrade availability should be 100% for GS and 0% for rest of preimium status customers.

except PX is for all non-GS elites which on average would bring the spend for the PZ folks way down.

Also remember if PZ is used, it decreases PN.

People are not expressing their preferences but rather reality (as harsh as it is)

That's not how it works. UA makes no representation that upgrade inventory will be doled out based on some presumed proportionately to spend.

Do I wish 1Ks had better access to upgrade inventory? Yes, absolutely. But I'm not holding my breath waiting for it to happen (nor banging my head against the wall).

And now you can see why people didn't agree with your valuation of a GPU at $2000.

Sadly, PN0 PZ0 and PNx PZ0 have been common at UA for many years.

I didn't say I felt that way, but apparently United does. Though if United really had their way, they would sell every seat and there would be no upgrades for anyone.

Except for YBM-ups, so there is some benefit for non-GSs travelling (in most cases) on OPM.

This is kind of poor logic. All it's saying is that GS (and people paying for J) get first crack at those seats. If there is anything left over your upgrades will clear.

Should 1k (or, for that matter, lower level elites, like me with my Gold status) buying a month in advance be prioritized over GS buying a week in advance? I think that's it's perfectly reasonable for UA to hold onto those upgrades until they are reasonably sure that no GS will need them before giving them to everyone else.

Yup, I get it. All the points above are well made.

Interestingly, I just made a Marriott reservation today using a free-night certificate. They don't use the concept of buckets of availability. If the hotel, has a room, you can use the cert. There is a simplicity and elegance to that type of system. I think I would prefer fewer UA instruments, with lower barriers to usage, than what we have today, but that's a discussion for another day...