Apr 25, 21, 3:48 pm
Last edit by: Lux Flyer
Yes it's a limited time promo in many CPU markets to help people use PlusPoints before they expire at the end of July. For flights through July 31st it should be offering StW when requested at least 2 weeks in advance (as opposed to typical 30 days for international).
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unit...questions.html
Edit: here's the promo details they will email to you if you ask
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unit...questions.html
Edit: here's the promo details they will email to you if you ask
Skip Waitlist
From time to time, our 1K members are able to use additional PlusPoints to receive a confirmed upgrade when traveling on select international long-haul flights.
When Skip Waitlist is available, youre able to either request an upgrade on our standard waitlist using fewer PlusPoints, or use additional PlusPoints to skip the waitlist and confirm your upgrade right then and there, even if upgrade inventory is closed.
Skip Waitlist availability on international long-haul flights will vary; to be eligible, you must be traveling on an eligible fare*, and request your upgrade at least 30 days from departure
*Eligible fare classes include O, A, and R (for United Premium Plus to United Polaris business); Fare classes Y, B, M, E, U, H, Q, V, W (for Economy to United Polaris business); Fare classes Y, B, M, E, U, H, Q, V, W, S, T, L, K, (for Economy to United Premium Plus).
From time to time, our 1K members are able to use additional PlusPoints to receive a confirmed upgrade when traveling on select international long-haul flights.
When Skip Waitlist is available, youre able to either request an upgrade on our standard waitlist using fewer PlusPoints, or use additional PlusPoints to skip the waitlist and confirm your upgrade right then and there, even if upgrade inventory is closed.
Skip Waitlist availability on international long-haul flights will vary; to be eligible, you must be traveling on an eligible fare*, and request your upgrade at least 30 days from departure
*Eligible fare classes include O, A, and R (for United Premium Plus to United Polaris business); Fare classes Y, B, M, E, U, H, Q, V, W (for Economy to United Polaris business); Fare classes Y, B, M, E, U, H, Q, V, W, S, T, L, K, (for Economy to United Premium Plus).
- The earning Premier member may use PlusPoints for upgrade requests for themselves or to sponsor others with the exception of Skip Waitlist upgrade requests, for which the earning Premier member must be traveling. Although the earning Premier member may use PlusPoints to request upgrades for others, PlusPoints are not transferable to other members.
- PlusPoints used for Skip Waitlist upgrades are not refundable or transferable to other flights in the event of itinerary changes. A PlusPoints upgrade on a changed itinerary will require additional PlusPoints.
- Skip Waitlist upgrades wont be available for corporate and agency account travelers who are using upgrades from a Corporate Upgrade Bank account.
When is STW available?
First UA needs to decide the route is eligible and then ZN seems to be the key inventory requirement.
PN or PZ is not required (if they were the regular amount would be sufficient)
Appears to be no special/separate GS STW inventory
STW has generally been limited to deep South America except for a short period in late summer 2021 when some TATL STW was offered, never to be seen again.
New Promo 20 June 2023 till 31 July 2023 (to use expiring PlusPoints?)
So thanks to this promo and playing around with various flights the past day. I think there's enough data for how StW works, with the major deciding factor if it's offered being if UA has "enabled" StW for the market in question.
For StW it needs these 6 things:
Inventory (ZN for business/first; /ON for PremEcon), advance purchase met (30 days international, 14 days CPU market [promo]), eligible fare (W+ to Polaris, non-BE for PP/first), eligible market, and redeeming account is 1k/GS, redeeming account travelling on the PNR.
The StW segment(s) will confirm into PZ/RN, if there are other non-StW eligible segments in the line-of-flight they are considered "paid for" by the StW pricing and will waitlist as part of the request/process as any other waitlisted upgrade.
To summarize the different scenarios:
To find StW
-Redeeming account must be GS/1K and must be travelling on the PNR
-PlusPoints being used to StW must not expire prior to the flight (oldest, eligible PlusPoints taken first)
-Cannot have pending upgrade WL request
To Polaris
-Voluntary: forfeits the upgrade and PlusPoints
-Involuntary: PlusPoints can be redeposited if not able to be accommodated in upgraded cabin
For StW it needs these 6 things:
Inventory (ZN for business/first; /ON for PremEcon), advance purchase met (30 days international, 14 days CPU market [promo]), eligible fare (W+ to Polaris, non-BE for PP/first), eligible market, and redeeming account is 1k/GS, redeeming account travelling on the PNR.
The StW segment(s) will confirm into PZ/RN, if there are other non-StW eligible segments in the line-of-flight they are considered "paid for" by the StW pricing and will waitlist as part of the request/process as any other waitlisted upgrade.
To summarize the different scenarios:
To find StW
-Redeeming account must be GS/1K and must be travelling on the PNR
-PlusPoints being used to StW must not expire prior to the flight (oldest, eligible PlusPoints taken first)
-Cannot have pending upgrade WL request
To Polaris
- ZN inventory
- 30+ days in advance
- Fare class: non-award, published W or higher
- Eligible market (only appears to be GRU, GIG, EZE, SCL, and LIM as of June 2023)
- Cost per person; 140 PlusPoints from economy/110 PlusPoints from premium economy
- Confirms into PZ
- ON inventory (yes, it appears when StW is offered to PremiumPlus, it is effectively allowing last seat inventory)
- 30+ days in advance
- Fare class: any non-BE published revenue fare
- Eligible market (only appears to be GRU, GIG, EZE, SCL, and LIM as of June 2023)
- Cost per person; 70 PlusPoints
- Confirms into RN
- ZN inventory
- 14+ days in advance/flight prior to or on July 31st (effectively July 17th is last day to book)
- Fare class: any non-BE published revenue fare
- Eligible market (basically CPU markets, see promo announcement)
- Cost per person; 70 PlusPoints
- Confirms into PZ
-Voluntary: forfeits the upgrade and PlusPoints
-Involuntary: PlusPoints can be redeposited if not able to be accommodated in upgraded cabin
Skip the waitlist (STW) questions. (New Promo thru 31 July 2023?)
Dec 5, 19, 12:24 am
#76
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Dec 5, 19, 12:27 am
#77
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Dec 5, 19, 12:29 am
#79
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Dec 5, 19, 12:31 am
#80
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Much more than 80 points someone speculated.
Dec 5, 19, 12:35 am
#82
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fatlasercat is correct. Here's an example. 140 PP for IAH-SCL. PZ0 but it appears to book into PZ. Underlying fare would appear to be a W.
So at 320 points, a 1K gets 2 confirmed upgrades plus one GPU (or two RPU). And the StW upgrade is not changeable and not refundable.
So at 320 points, a 1K gets 2 confirmed upgrades plus one GPU (or two RPU). And the StW upgrade is not changeable and not refundable.
Last edited by Kacee; Dec 5, 19 at 12:41 am
Dec 5, 19, 12:46 am
#83
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40 PP worth $746
Here's another example. Interestingly, the option to search for StW, which showed on IAH-SCL, is not yet present on SFO-HKG.
Dec 5, 19, 12:48 am
#84
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Dec 5, 19, 1:35 am
#85
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I called the GS line yesterday to try to use STW on award travel in March. She said STW is only available on paid reservations and not award travel. Hoping she didn't get this right - I might try calling back.
Yes, I was speaking about award tickets. IMHO, the ability to use upgrade certificates (and now points) on award tickets is the best GS benefit. Example: I booked award travel for Feb 2020, EWR-PVG for two people. 30k miles for each ticket and upgrade to Polaris already cleared. At the time I booked, 170k miles was needed per ticket for Polaris. So, a savings of 280k miles on two tickets. 
StW on award tickets would be fantastic - my return (NRT-EWR) is currently waitlisted for Polaris...
StW on award tickets would be fantastic - my return (NRT-EWR) is currently waitlisted for Polaris...
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Dec 5, 19 at 2:06 am Reason: merged consecutive posts by same member
Dec 5, 19, 1:44 am
#86
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I mean, it clearly is more flexibility. They probably should have announced the price point up front, but this isn't really all that different from what I was expecting. I mean, at 80 points to upgrade a K fare into open PZ, it never occurred to me that it would be less than 120 for StW.
If you've been able to use your GPUs in the past, StW isn't for you. But, how many messages have you read from people who've said they can't clear a single instrument? Those are the target market for StW, on the theory that it's better to clear 2 upgrades at a high cost than to waitlist 6 that won't clear.
If you've been able to use your GPUs in the past, StW isn't for you. But, how many messages have you read from people who've said they can't clear a single instrument? Those are the target market for StW, on the theory that it's better to clear 2 upgrades at a high cost than to waitlist 6 that won't clear.
Dec 5, 19, 8:34 am
#87
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If you've been able to use your GPUs in the past, StW isn't for you. But, how many messages have you read from people who've said they can't clear a single instrument? Those are the target market for StW, on the theory that it's better to clear 2 upgrades at a high cost than to waitlist 6 that won't clear.
Dec 5, 19, 8:37 am
#88
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Dec 5, 19, 8:41 am
#89
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I mean, it clearly is more flexibility. They probably should have announced the price point up front, but this isn't really all that different from what I was expecting. I mean, at 80 points to upgrade a K fare into open PZ, it never occurred to me that it would be less than 120 for StW.
If you've been able to use your GPUs in the past, StW isn't for you. But, how many messages have you read from people who've said they can't clear a single instrument? Those are the target market for StW, on the theory that it's better to clear 2 upgrades at a high cost than to waitlist 6 that won't clear.
If you've been able to use your GPUs in the past, StW isn't for you. But, how many messages have you read from people who've said they can't clear a single instrument? Those are the target market for StW, on the theory that it's better to clear 2 upgrades at a high cost than to waitlist 6 that won't clear.
There was a lot of derision towards standard awards. But not everyone is looking for the largest number of free flights or upgrades- some people have a specific itinerary in mind that they want to use miles on.
Similarly, StW allows you to get an upgrade when you really need one, rather than losing out on the GPU lottery. That's a useful feature.
Dec 5, 19, 9:04 am
#90
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There was a lot of derision towards standard awards. But not everyone is looking for the largest number of free flights or upgrades- some people have a specific itinerary in mind that they want to use miles on.
Similarly, StW allows you to get an upgrade when you really need one, rather than losing out on the GPU lottery. That's a useful feature.
Similarly, StW allows you to get an upgrade when you really need one, rather than losing out on the GPU lottery. That's a useful feature.
