PN vs PZ -- Why such a difference?
Jul 1, 19, 3:37 pm
#1
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PN vs PZ -- Why such a difference?
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...
Any sense of how often this brilliant algorithm refreshes? Weekly, daily?
Any sense of how often this brilliant algorithm refreshes? Weekly, daily?
Jul 1, 19, 3:47 pm
#3
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Originally Posted by spartacusmcfly
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...
Any sense of how often this brilliant algorithm refreshes? Weekly, daily?
Any sense of how often this brilliant algorithm refreshes? Weekly, daily?
One potential solution is to have a separate upgrade bucket just for 1Ks, but there’s a reason UA has not and likely will never do that...they don’t care about 1Ks enough to worry whether we all end the year with all of our GPUs unused. In fact, that’s precisely their strategy.
Jul 1, 19, 3:49 pm
#4
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Originally Posted by saccoNY
Could be x4-x10+ spend 1k vs GS...
Jul 1, 19, 3:51 pm
#5
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Originally Posted by spartacusmcfly
Is the 1K really worthy of zero upgrade benefits, while the GS gets access to 1/4 of the J cabin?
Originally Posted by spartacusmcfly
Sorry, what does x4-x10 spend mean? Are you saying a GS typically spends 2.5x more than a 1K in a calendar year?
Jul 1, 19, 3:57 pm
#6
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Originally Posted by PanAmOneTwo
The problem is that PN is exclusively for GS, but PZ is not exclusively for 1Ks. Anytime PZ>0, Plats through GMs can use miles plus cash to upgrade immediately too...
Jul 1, 19, 4:03 pm
#7
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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.
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.
Jul 1, 19, 4:06 pm
#8
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Originally Posted by mahasamatman
No, that's somewhere between 4x and 10x (or more).
Jul 1, 19, 4:10 pm
#9
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Originally Posted by spartacusmcfly
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....
Also remember if PZ is used, it decreases PN.
Originally Posted by spartacusmcfly
Not sure why you feel the upgrade availability should be 100% for GS and 0% for rest of preimium status customers.
Jul 1, 19, 4:12 pm
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Originally Posted by spartacusmcfly
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.
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).
Jul 1, 19, 4:13 pm
#11
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Originally Posted by spartacusmcfly
Not sure why you feel the upgrade availability should be 100% for GS and 0% for rest of preimium status customers.
Sadly, PN0 PZ0 and PNx PZ0 have been common at UA for many years.
Jul 1, 19, 4:14 pm
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Originally Posted by spartacusmcfly
Not sure why you feel the upgrade availability should be 100% for GS and 0% for rest of preimium status customers.
Jul 1, 19, 4:18 pm
#13
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Originally Posted by PanAmOneTwo
...The problem is that PN is exclusively for GS..
Jul 1, 19, 4:21 pm
#14
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Originally Posted by spartacusmcfly
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.
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.
Jul 1, 19, 4:41 pm
#15
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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...
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...
