Kacee

Related issue, based on my recent experience, UA is not clearing RPUs on waitlisted premium t-cons until T-24, no matter how empty the cabin. I've had two examples of this (LAX-EWR, EWR-LAX) in the past few days, where RPU cleared only at T-24, despite a waitlist materially shorter than the number of empty J seats.

One may argue this is simply revenue maximization, but it is both a change in practice and a devaluation of MP benefits. It is certainly not a practice which encourages loyalty from this customer.

Aussienarelle

At least your RPUs cleared -mine are recycling....

QBK

Going back to the early discussion... while both of the quoted statements above are true, I *have* noticed a strong correlation with aircraft type. Specifically, while mainline aircraft tend to end up booked to around N-2 at T-24 -- i.e., 10/12 or 22/24 or whatever -- the 175s are frequently 4/12 at T-24. Then they fill rapidly with upgrades thereafter.

I'm guessing this may be leftover logic from when 175s and 170s got hot swapped frequently. Since a 170 only has 6 F seats, they treat 175s as 170s until T-24. At some point after T-24, it "solidifies" and a bunch of upgrades all clear at once. Just a guess, though.

mh3265a

I've seen this on a number of E-175 flights and agree this is all about $$$$$$$. 1K means so little nowadays....so much for loyalty to a brand....

ryman554

And I still don't understand comments like this.

If you get upgraded, why does it matter if it is at T-24 vs T-1 week (or for that matter, at T + 2 minutes while in seat 55E) or a devaluation of any kind? Because you can get jumped by a GS? Because others can buy a FC cabin, and you lose the upgrade?

If you *don't* get the upgrade, then I can see being (and usually am) *very* irritated. More irritated than if I don't bother do apply the instrument at all. Gotta love psychology. I can certainly understand getting frustrated by the process when the outcomes are less and less in your favor. Even if upgrades are at space available, and (modulo TOD cutrate price stuff) the space is no longer available for revenue customers, so there are no upgrades to give out.

But getting the same upgrades, just at a later time? Sure, you don't get the best seat, but should that really be given to upgraders? You don't get to visit the Polaris lounge (if international), but otherwise there are no major airport differences for 1Ks at least. I hate to say it, but it feels a bit "entitled". <truth in advertising: I felt just as "entitled" when my upgrades started failing. I was irrationally mad, too. It took a while to calm down>

If the problem *is* the cutrate pricing (ala TOD) that gets in the way of you and your upgrade... then sure, I can see the frustration. But that's why they release *some* upgrades (just not yours!) before T-24, and try to find a happy medium. It's tough to balance the desire to monetize a seat (ie, selling the spoiling fruit() vs. keeping 1K happy (giving it away) vs. non-rev benefits (who nobody talks about here who have *really* gotten shafted), especially since the upgrade djinn is already out of the bottle, and they are trying to stuff it back in a bit at a time.

In fact, what we are seeing here is a cut in upgrades just like that of what hte non-revs experienced @CPU onset. I don't see a whole lot of sympathy for non-revs here ("employee class") where this travel was supposed to be a coimpany perk to keep you at your job. How are upgrades really that different?

halls120

If I am lucky enough to get a gate upgrade, I’m very happy I don’t have to sit in seat 55 middle. That said, if United followed its prior practice of giving GS and 1K upgrades a little earlier in the process, those members would get to enjoy the benefit of the lounge, and knowing that they could board at their leisure, and not worry about standing in line as early as possible in order to secure overhead space.

When you know you are sitting in the front of the bus 24 hours before departure, that’s 24 hours of stress that disappears. I know, because getting upgrade offers on Lufthansa weeks ahead of my flight and getting upgrades on KLM at T-24 advance check-in on my last 4 TATLs made all four of those flights very enjoyable.

chavala

If you’re regularly getting cheap upgrades, you’re the only “elite” getting them. Which makes me think you’re not the elite you think you are. Silver perhaps?

mfirst

Hey- I used to live in Cleveland and still often fly home. It’s cheaper for me to fly to Europe than sometimes to Cleveland and the likelihood of an upgryclearing is just as slim.

Like everyone else - lots of rpu and gpu sitting around going to waste. At least they are getting redeposited quickly without having to call the 1k desk to complain

CMK10

FWIW I buy a lot of last minute tickets, often within a week of departure and sometimes day before or day of, so I like that airlines hold back F seats so I can buy one instead of Y.