IAD-HND was a bright spot for a while, but it has been less so recently. SFO-MNL is probably still the easiest upgrade in the system, but they still haven't been opening advance PZ the way I'd have expected in previous years.

In my experience, either at/around T-330 or close in. Had great success with T-330 recently as well

T-330? Do you mean 13 days and 18 hour prior to departure?

T-330 means 330 days prior to departure — when the schedule opens. In years past, UA would habitually open some number of upgrade seats when the flight first came onto the schedule. I haven’t noticed that recently, but if cfischer says he has, I believe him. :). It’s rare that this would do me much good personally, becuase I’m normally requalifying late in the year, so there’s very little time when I have PlusPoints that are good for 330 days anyway. Buf if you requalify in, say, April, you’d have almost a whole year to use PlusPoints 330 days prior to departure.

Thank you! My my brain has been locked in the habbit of using T for hours (like T-72) and D for days (like D-3).
I shoud have thought more.

Yep. I bought x-mas 24/25 travel and recently Feb ‘25 travel watching like a hawk when ‘days’ became available. Been down to hours in some cases, 6 a.m. from home … nada. Checked again when I reached the office around 7.30 and here it was PN9IN9PZ6. Got two tickets that confirmed right away … by the end of the day the available space was gone.
Doesn’t always work, but it is worth checking for sure.

If I find RN space and upgrade into PremiumPlus and waitlist for Polaris, is my position on the Polaris waitlist computed from my original Economy fare or from R?

Original Economy fare assuming you upgraded using an instrument (since you said RN).

If you buy up into PE, including a "sticker" upsell, your priority is based on the new booking class.

Ah, yes, using an instrument (figured that was a given considering this is the PlusPoints thread)

Seems like in theory it might be better to not to upgrade into PE via instrument if it means retaining the opportunity to buy up for a better shot into Polaris.

SFO-MNL? I'll keep an eye on it.
I had thought of a return via MNL but the 8:40am flight brings back nasty memories of the "polaris breakfast" from FRA.
What makes you "expect" UA to open PZ in advance? I've never figured out the logic. Sometimes I see availability with many seats assigned. And often with almost zero seats assigned, it's PZ=0. And other inventory numbers go up to 9.

I see SFO-HND and ORD-HND about a week from now. Don't know how consistent that is.
I didn't realize IAD-HND existed (I hate there is no route map) , I'll have to check that out too. Do you think that has the best chance (vs SFO/ORD to HND or NRT)?
I am seeing as the, other person said, SFO-TPE opening up about weeks ahead.

I'd like to go somewhere beginning of June. Maybe I can build something going to HND and returning via TPE and hope for something opening up.
Do you think it's better to wait to apply PP or just apply and wait. If I go via SFO, I have zero concern of an advance clearance of EWR-SFO. At the same time, I don't know if the system still has issues clearing sometimes vs me seeing it and clearing it on my own.

Well, it used to be that UA would regularly open PZ in advance on flights that it had reason to believe wouldn’t fill with paid business-class seats. Somebody has to know that SFO-MNL is one such route, but they’re keeping PZ0 even with near-empty J cabins.

Generally, as far as advance PZ goes, I find LAX to be the easiest gateway to Tokyo, then IAD, then ORD/SFO/EWR, and then DEN/IAH.

I flew HKG-TPE-SFO in January for exactly that reason. A bird in the hand…

The primary downside to waitlisting PZ in advance is that it makes your record more brittle if you need to change it / if there’s a schedule change. The advantage is that UA may be clearing high-status passengers from the waitlist without visibly opening PZ. So I’d probably waitlist but I can see both sides.

Hmm, in my experience the SFO<->EWR route is one of the more difficult routes upgrade in advance. Particularly when the schedule shifts towards 752 and 772 HD equipment.

This is how we all believe that UA decides whether or not to open up PZ in advance, however even back then, there were many cases with R0/PZ0 with near-empty J cabins. However, there is no way for us to know if this is how it really worked? Even if it is, we don't have a good way to know how full the cabin really is unless there's less than 9 seats left. Thus there is no way to know if they changed or what they changed. I do agree, it seems it's harder to find advanced PZ since COVID. Hard to believe that is possible.

Thanks, maybe I'll book LAX-HND and TPE-SFO. I suppose I can cancel off a segment and rebook closer in if I find something.

I think "brittle" is the right word. In the not too distant past, I was able to change one leg of a trip online without affecting the other cleared leg. Now, I have to call in or use chat to make a change. Half the time, they are unable to verify PZ>0 eventhough it is showing on the website for days or the price is much much higher than shown on the website. Also, they use to be able to make a change without affecting the whole leg (ie. ewr-ord-fra change ewr-ord to diff time/route while maintaining ord-fra upgrade) but half the time they say its not possible.


I agree, it's the most difficult route to upgrade in existence I think so I'm not concerned about this happening. My concern is if a domestic upgrade clears prior to a intl segment I can't remove it without canceling the whole leg. Not exactly a huge issue though I suppose.

I've always booked the 752 vs the 772HD thinking the F to Y ratio was better possibly increasing my chances but I don't know how true that is. It's hard to time the occasional 787 or 773 and eventhen, it's a tough upgrade.

If you have PP applied but not cleared and then you see PZ>0, can you call/chat with customer service and have them clear you? I know this was possible in the past but I think the last time I tried, they said they can't because there's a waitlist. Wasn't sure if this was a policy change or a one off.

remove WL online. Re-request online. Done