Bought a ticket with no seats available until check-in....should I upgrade?

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Oct 28, 2019, 5:02 pm

#16

findark

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Quote:

Originally Posted by iapetus

Hmm ... it's all academic now, but are you sure about that? It looks to me as though all E+ (and E) seats are currently spoken for. It's not hard for me to imagine a scenario by which that doesn't effectively change. Yes, there is currently upgrade space available, and you could theoretically snag a vacated E+ seat when someone gets upgraded. But your timing has to be just right ... relative to the upgrades happening; there might still be no E+ space available when you check in. And who knows when the upgrades will process?

There are eight blocked seats in E+ (the only blocks on the plane), plus the op-ups will come disproportionately from the E+ cabin. OP's odds of an E+ seat were very high with any kind of seatmap vigilance. If you pick your seat at the gate after every other Silver moved, then less so.

Oct 28, 2019, 6:04 pm

#17

Often1

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Buying the UG made all the sense in the world. $249 is a great price and it was unlikely that that if UA did need to OPUP a few people, he would be one of them. Don't forget that the UG was likely offered to many / most others and so long as there are enough takers, UA avoids giving the UG's away as OPUP's.

jsloan, giblet and drewguy like this.

Oct 28, 2019, 7:20 pm

#18

drewguy

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Quote:

Originally Posted by findark

OP's odds of an E+ seat were very high with any kind of seatmap vigilance.

Probably true, but that means spending 24 hours checking the seat map incessantly (which may not be possible if in meetings, or with limited data access).

I've been in a similar position - crappy seat and hoping for improvement - and it gets tiresome to hit refresh every 15-20 minutes hoping someone else has moved or been upgraded or cancelled.

Oct 28, 2019, 7:40 pm

#19

findark

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Quote:

Originally Posted by drewguy

Oh, certainly, hence the "if able" in my original advice.

Depending on what OP is up to in England (or elsewhere), checking in at T-24 on the dot might not be an option. And of course, PE is loads better than E+. All depends whether a stressful noon hour and E+ seat are better or worse than $249 in your pocket.

Oct 30, 2019, 2:59 am

#20

giblet

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I luckily have the sort of lifestyle that allows for seatmap vigilance, but we're three hours out now and it still looks like there are no E+ seats available, but quite a few business seats. I'll be interested to see how it shakes out.