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, 9:17 am
#91
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The no changes, no cancels aspect of StW is really quite limiting to the point of being punitive (much like the BE fares).
Dec 5, 19, 9:30 am
#92
Join Date: May 2010
Location: AVP & PEK
Programs: UA 1K 1.8MM
Posts: 5,783
Sure, if you like to vacation in EZE or SCL!
My point is, a lot of talk on FT seems to assume that StW will be universally available. This won't be the case, and UA has said as much.
StW:
- Super rare
- costing 3.5 GPU equivalent per person O/W
- restrictions of non-refundable, non-changable
StW, no thank you.
Dec 5, 19, 12:03 pm
#94
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: LAX IAH AMS
Programs: UA GS 1MM
Posts: 1,231
Just tried a few dummy attempts at finding a "skip the waitlist" -- never saw it once. per previous discussion above, I am wondering if GS will even get this option. I read the article on TPG and in their example, skip the waitlist was available and the flight was PN0. So it does not appear it clears into PN - but above PN.
Has anyone actually seen skip the waitlist on their own?
Has anyone actually seen skip the waitlist on their own?
Dec 5, 19, 12:20 pm
#95
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: San Francisco
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Posts: 3,510
Just tried a few dummy attempts at finding a "skip the waitlist" -- never saw it once. per previous discussion above, I am wondering if GS will even get this option. I read the article on TPG and in their example, skip the waitlist was available and the flight was PN0. So it does not appear it clears into PN - but above PN.
Has anyone actually seen skip the waitlist on their own?
Has anyone actually seen skip the waitlist on their own?
Dec 5, 19, 12:53 pm
#96
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Posts: 20,271
While that's the rumor, there are already some StW results appearing for flights beyond February, for anyone who has requalified.
Dec 5, 19, 1:31 pm
#97
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Dec 5, 19, 1:49 pm
#98
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Northern California
Programs: I want to be free! Free!
Posts: 3,401
^ to apparent incremental availability. 
to the big co-pays, and to lack of availability on award tickets for GS. not sure where I come out on balance. incrementally i still think this represents an increase in benefits -- if availability ends up being pretty widespread, even with the copays it's would be a nontrivial one.
to the big co-pays, and to lack of availability on award tickets for GS. not sure where I come out on balance. incrementally i still think this represents an increase in benefits -- if availability ends up being pretty widespread, even with the copays it's would be a nontrivial one.
Dec 5, 19, 2:21 pm
#100
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Dec 5, 19, 2:29 pm
#101
Join Date: Oct 2013
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Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Gold, HHonors Gold
Posts: 1,567
NOTE - I am not promoting anything on this link below. Instead just posting a 3rd party travel site link for additional information.
I am sure someone posted the following TPG link above - https://thepointsguy.com/news/united...HOVaxvdBBGA2-w
I am sure someone posted the following TPG link above - https://thepointsguy.com/news/united...HOVaxvdBBGA2-w
Dec 5, 19, 2:34 pm
#102
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Northern California
Programs: I want to be free! Free!
Posts: 3,401
So when you click through do you still have access to the lower priced return option, or does use of StW force your hand into the higher fare bucket?
Dec 5, 19, 2:48 pm
#103
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 20,271
StW requires a minimum of a W fare. I suspect that's an artifact of that. Perhaps UA is assuming that you'd want to StW in both directions (?).
Dec 5, 19, 3:01 pm
#104
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
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Dec 5, 19, 3:27 pm
#105
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: San Francisco
Programs: UA MM Plat, UA 1MM, Hilton Lifetime Gold, Marriott Gold, Hertz Gold, CLEAR, AS MVP Gold
Posts: 3,510
NOTE - I am not promoting anything on this link below. Instead just posting a 3rd party travel site link for additional information.
I am sure someone posted the following TPG link above - https://thepointsguy.com/news/united...HOVaxvdBBGA2-w
I am sure someone posted the following TPG link above - https://thepointsguy.com/news/united...HOVaxvdBBGA2-w
. From what i see it would have been 140 points but if you loosing them why not use them. Well good to know going forward but no international coming back up until second quarter 2020.
