Consolidated UA PlusPoints Question & Answer Thread
 

Need some help from the experts on this forum.

Currently have a flight ZRH to IAD to PHX, party of 2 and we are ticketed in Premium Economy (R). We show as #5 and #6 on the upgrade list to Polaris.

Based on some flight checking using the Flight Status tool, I knew there were many free seats on the ZRH to ORD flight for the same day we are currently traveling and when I checked it today via expert mode I get:

• J9
• JN9
• C9
• D9
• Z9
• ZN9
• P9
• PN7
• PZ7

However, when I check the full routing ZRH to ORD to PHX it shows:

• J3
• JN3
• C3
• D3
• Z3
• ZN3
• P3
• PN0
• PZ0

And the same above numbers for the connecting flight.

My question, can I change my flight to the new routing (ual.com actually will give me a travel credit to do this booking into S bucket), then apply the PlusPoints (I know it will take more PlusPoints since we would not be in Premium Economy) and the upgrade will be confirmed then and there? Or are the segments married in such a way that the Polaris portion won't clear immediately and I will stay on the waitlist until closer to departure?

Thank you for anyone who can provide some advice or learned knowledge on this.

The upgrade would clear to ORD immediately on application of PPs.

Don't even need to be in premium economy. Even cheapest economy fare would get you instantly upgraded to business class.

Thank you so much. I made the routing change, and applied the PPs and it cleared immediately as you indicated. I appreciate the quick and knowledgeable reply.

Thank you, that is exactly what I did (booked the new route into S class and got the Travel Credit). My PPs expire at the end of this month anyway, so I got some added value out of the ones I had left.

Appreciate your help with this!

How long does it take for PPs to get redeposited after a flight change when those PPs have been succesfully applied for an upgrade before on the flight to be changed?

"Successfully applied", as in your current flight(s) have PP upgrades confirmed?

If so, and you change to completely different flights, you should get them back instantaneously, and it should display the PP redeposit amount prior to confirming the change.

If RN and PZ are open on a flight and you're booked in W. Can you apply 20 plus points from one account, clear into PremiumPlus then apply plus points from a different account to clear into J, and would that be 20/30 or the full 40 from a different account?

No because you can't submit a separate upgrade request once you've already cleared the upgrade to one cabin (this is the double upgrades terminology in the terms/conditions). All the PlusPoints for a line-of-flight request for everyone in the PNR have to come from a single account, and you have to request all the cabins you want in a single request.

Thanks, I feared this was the case but worth asking (and I was unsuccessful at finding the PlusPoints Question thread.

I apologize that I haven't read through the entire thread, only the last couple of pages and the wiki, and I'm not sure if this is the right place to ask, but here goes: I have a confirmed upgrade to domestic F using PPs. What happens if the flight is canceled for weather related reasons (snow forecast at the arrival airport)? Do I get re- accommodated in F on the new flight I'm booked on even if no PZ space is available? Or do I lose the upgrade and the points get re-deposited?

In general, yes, you get re-accommodate in the upgraded cabin but realize, in the case of weather, it may be days, due to the number of folks to be re-accommodated, to get everyone handled.

Thanks!
Exactly.
At first, I had the plan to only change specific legs but then got an error message at the very end of the process. That's why I changed the itinery completely and got the full refund immediately as you stated.
Still, I would have loved to know whether the full amount of PPs get reimbursed even though only specific legs of the itineray would have been changed. In other words, what happens if I change the first leg (no PP applied) but the second leg (PP applied) stays the same.

It seems that on many international flights, UA clears many PPs between 36 and 48 hours out. Is there any consensus re what number of remaining seats they clear down to around that window? I’m 1-4 for 7 seats to LHR at under 48 hours out and trying to figure out odds of that clearing in advance of check in for the domestic feeder. We wouldn’t check in if we aren’t cleared and will find another option.

Regarding PlusPoint upgrades, UA always saves at least two seats for the gate t:o handle -- though these two can certainly be purchased.