Last edit by: WineCountryUA
Types of Upgrades
UA's Upgrades overview
UA has multiple methods for upgrading to a higher cabin. Examples include: Economy to Domestic First, Economy to International Business or Business (ex-p.s. flights) or Economy to Premium Economy ("Premium Plus").
In this regard, seating in Economy Plus is considered Economy.
Not all upgrade methods are available on all flights (see table).
Paid/cash upgrades are a different mechanism and are only available if confirmable -- no waitlisting. Depending on methods, paid upgrades can clear into almost any fare class. If the class would otherwise be used for upgrades, the cash upsell can show up on the cleared upgrade list.
Plus Points and MUA (also called "miles+cash upgrades") are collectively referred to as instrument-supported upgrades, as they are considered with equal priority once applied. They may also be used on Copa (CM), Lufthansa (LH), and ANA (NH) flights.
Waitlisting for a premium cabin award and all forms of Economy Plus are not considered upgrades.
Upgrade Priority and Required Inventory
All upgrades other than CPU may clear immediately if the required inventory class is available. If you request an upgrade when there is not inventory to confirm your upgrade immediately, you will be added to the upgrade waitlist. The required inventory classes are as follows:
RN class is required for all upgrades to Premium Economy (United Premium Plus)
PN class is required for Instant Upgrades to Business/First from Y, B, and M fares for Premier 1K members, and for all upgrades to Business/First of any type for Global Services members.
PZ class is required for all other upgrades to Business/First except CPUs.
Note: The display of the upgrade lists is rather complicated at the moment. There seems to be more information available than usual, but its accuracy is disputed. The following is how it has historically functioned in terms of public visibility.
Passengers with unconfirmed upgrade requests will be added to the upgrade waitlist. This is not the same as the upgrade standby list which you can see on the Flight Status page. You cannot see this list by any means. The ordering of the upgrade waitlist is as follows:
Recent announced modification
United will periodically run sweeps from this list. The required inventory class for your upgrade does not need to be available in order to be upgraded from the standby list; passengers on the list will be upgraded at the discretion of United's systems. (You can also think of it as space was opened and then you immediately took it.)
Once check-in starts a new waitlist will be generated for use at the gate. The pre-gate list will continue to process until the flight goes to the gate, typically one to three hours prior to departure. This new list is the visible one on the Flight Status page. Generally they will have the same order, but there can be some differences in priority ordering of the two lists -- usually due to the time tiebreaker -- which is time of request for the pre-gate list and time of check-in (sequence number) for gate list. The visible (upgrade standby) list has only checked-in passengers and is not used until the flight is under gate control and the gate agent manually processes an upgrade.
The upgrade list sometimes also shows passengers who have been upgraded. Advance-cleared upgrades will not show on the gate list as cleared -- only passengers who clear after they check in will display with a green checkmark. Some paid Premium Economy fares may show as a confirmed upgrade to Premium Economy.
For both cases, display cleared upgrades will appear in alphabetic order and regardless if checked-in (as long as a seat has been assigned). Uncleared, waitlisted requests will appear, once checked in, in priority order. But until all have checked in, the visible gate waitlist is incomplete.
Upgrades and Companions
Main article: Comprehensive Companion Upgrade Questions
The following applies ONLY to the invisible upgrade list.
Up to one companion on the same PNR as you is entitled to a CPU based on your status. However, because PNRs must consist only of passengers with the same itinerary, you will only be eligible for an upgrade if all passengers on your PNR have the same upgrade eligibility. For CPUs, you may extend your CPU status to one companion, and then the system will take the status of the lowest passenger on the reservation.
This is a little complicated. Here are some example PNRs:
1K and non-status companion: both are eligible to CPU as 1Ks
1K and two non-status companions: no one is eligible to CPU
1K, Gold, and non-status companion: the companion gets "1K CPU status" but the Gold cannot, so all three pax have Gold priority
The situation for instrument supported upgrades is slightly different. Waitlisting an instrument is also all-or-nothing on the PNR. Either all pax must have a waitlisted upgrade, or none may. If you have a waitlisted upgrade for a multiple passenger PNR, it will have the priority of the highest Premier status on the reservation. Thus:
1K and non-status companion, 2x GPU applied: both are eligible as 1Ks with GPU
1K and three non-status companions, 4x GPU applied: all four are eligible as 1Ks with GPU
Multi-pax PNR upgrades are all or nothing - you may (or may not) be skipped over if there are fewer available seats than members in your party. If you do not like the treatment of your PNR, you may split it into smaller pieces at any time and be treated as smaller groups or individuals.
Now, what happens if you haven't cleared by check-in?
Multiple pax PNRs are not eligible for the (visible) upgrade standby list. If you wish to be added to the list, you must split the PNR at check-in. This often happens even if you didn't intend to. Note, however, that the hidden list is active until 3 hours before departure and splitting your PNR changes it. Therefore, you may wish to delay check-in until the airport. On the other hand, the tiebreak for the gate list is time of check-in, so you may wish to do so immediately. It depends on your situation.
Companions may be eligible for the upgrade standby list even after splitting the PNR, if it is split at check-in. The behavior of your companion(s) depends on whether the reservation had instruments applied. You may have one CPU companion, who will be waitlisted with your Premier priority but with an effective fare class below X (namely, last). If your companion was on a different PNR originally, or you want to designate a different companion, an airport agent can do that for you. Therefore, the list of 1Ks might be:
1) 1K on an S fare (you)
2) 1K on a K fare
3) Your no-status companion
4) Plat on a B fare
If your reservation had instruments applied, however, this process is different. In this case, if the reservation is auto-split at check-in, all travelers will have your Premier priority with their fare class. Say you are a 1K with three non-status companions, all with GPUs applied. Then you have
1) 1K on a V fare, GPU applied
2..5) you (1K) and your three companions on W fares, ordered by sequence number
6) Plat on a Q fare, miles+cash applied
Frequently Asked Questions
I was #1 on the upgrade list, but someone else got the upgrade instead. What happened?
The most likely answer is that the upgraded passenger was not checked in. Remember that the upgrade standby list (the visible list) only shows passengers who have checked in.
I'm #1 on the upgrade list but seats in the forward cabin keep disappearing. No one is being upgraded. What's going on?
There are two major sources of this. First, once your flight is within 24 hours of departure, it is eligible for SDC. Passengers with paid premium tickets can change to your flight and take seats. Many experienced flyers, especially FT members, underestimate the volatility of flight loads on the day of departure. Additionally, United usually makes a time-of-departure upsell offer available at check-in. Purchasers of this upgrade may often appear similar to last-minute revenue bookings.
I was waitlisted for I (or IN) class and did not clear. Am I now eligible for an upgrade?
"Upgrade" is the wrong terminology. You should be automatically placed on the standy list for business or first (whichever applies). Historically there have been problems with this occurring automatically, but that seems to have mostly been fixed. The exact priority compared to passengers who are waitlisted for an upgrade is unclear and a matter of some dispute. See discussion of GG ONESTANDBY lines 32-55.
Who are these people who are on standby lists for both Business and First?
These are non-revs (i.e., UA employees and family members) - either NRPS (non-rev positive space) or NRSA (non-rev standby). Non-revs can list for any cabin. NRPS are traveling on company business (e.g., deadheading pilots) and will clear into open space ahead of upgraders. NRSA travel standby and will be last in priority after all paid passengers. Why would someone be listed on both standby & upgrade list(s)?
Can you have one companion on a different PNR?
Yes, but only at the airport/gate and some agents are not familiar with the process. They are at the bottom of your status group.
Related threads
Ever see (+X blocked) in booked column on upgrade list?
Consolidated "Waitlist for Award Seats Questions/Issues"
[Consolidated] Chance of upgrade clearing on my flight
Decoding the alphabet soup - fare buckets for UA
Understanding the United Upgrade List Comprehensively [Archive]
UA's Upgrades overview
UA has multiple methods for upgrading to a higher cabin. Examples include: Economy to Domestic First, Economy to International Business or Business (ex-p.s. flights) or Economy to Premium Economy ("Premium Plus").
In this regard, seating in Economy Plus is considered Economy.
Not all upgrade methods are available on all flights (see table).
- Complimentary Premier Upgrades (CPU) are available for most North American flights, Central America flights, and some select Oceania flights.
"ex-PS" flights (EWR-SFO/LAX, BOS-SFO and v.v.) and Hawaii-EWR, IAD, ORD, IAH, DEN, GUM, MAJ and v.v. are not CPU eligible. CPUs are available for all paid fares and in some cases on award tickets with certain credit cards. A CPU is requested automatically for all elites as long as there is a maximum of one non-Premier as only one companion on the same PNR is also eligible for CPU. CPUs cannot be confirmed until inside the particular window:Global Services: 120 hours
Premier 1K: 96 hours
Premier Platinum: 72 hours
Premier Gold: 48 hours
Premier Silver: 24 hours- Plus Points (provided to Plats and above) are the upgrade currency of United elites. This wiki of this thread has more details about pricing of various Plus Points upgrades.
- Mileage Upgrade Awards (MUA) can be requested for all UA flights with a higher cabin on all paid fares. This a varying amount of miles and a $ copay (elites are exempt from the co-pay for CPU eligible flights) -- see UA award chart for details Note the miles and copay are due at time of the request and will be returned if unsuccessful.
- Instant Upgrades are space available for all elites on Y & B fares for CPU-eligible flights at booking. For Plats and below these require PZ space. For 1Ks and GS, this can be done on Y, B & M fares and requires PN space. 1K & GS, if not cleared at booking, will be waitlisted.
- Plus Points (provided to Plats and above) are the upgrade currency of United elites. This wiki of this thread has more details about pricing of various Plus Points upgrades.
Paid/cash upgrades are a different mechanism and are only available if confirmable -- no waitlisting. Depending on methods, paid upgrades can clear into almost any fare class. If the class would otherwise be used for upgrades, the cash upsell can show up on the cleared upgrade list.
Plus Points and MUA (also called "miles+cash upgrades") are collectively referred to as instrument-supported upgrades, as they are considered with equal priority once applied. They may also be used on Copa (CM), Lufthansa (LH), and ANA (NH) flights.
Waitlisting for a premium cabin award and all forms of Economy Plus are not considered upgrades.
Upgrade Priority and Required Inventory
All upgrades other than CPU may clear immediately if the required inventory class is available. If you request an upgrade when there is not inventory to confirm your upgrade immediately, you will be added to the upgrade waitlist. The required inventory classes are as follows:
RN class is required for all upgrades to Premium Economy (United Premium Plus)
PN class is required for Instant Upgrades to Business/First from Y, B, and M fares for Premier 1K members, and for all upgrades to Business/First of any type for Global Services members.
PZ class is required for all other upgrades to Business/First except CPUs.
Note: The display of the upgrade lists is rather complicated at the moment. There seems to be more information available than usual, but its accuracy is disputed. The following is how it has historically functioned in terms of public visibility.
Passengers with unconfirmed upgrade requests will be added to the upgrade waitlist. This is not the same as the upgrade standby list which you can see on the Flight Status page. You cannot see this list by any means. The ordering of the upgrade waitlist is as follows:
- All Global Services members (presumably prioritized similar to other members below), including those awaiting a CPU.
- For CPU eligible flights, Premier 1K members on eligible Y-, B- and M-class fares that were not cleared at time of booking are prioritized by fare class and then time of request.
- All travelers on waitlisted instrument-supported upgrades: Prioritized by Premier status of the traveler, then fare class and then time of request. There is no priority difference between types of instruments.
- For CPU eligible flights all remaining Premier members: Prioritized by Premier status of the traveler and fare class (award tickets are considered the lowest fare class)
Recent announced modification
Effective August 14, 2018, upgrade waitlists are processed in the following priority order:
- Premier status of the traveler
- Fare class
- Chase United MileagePlus Club cardholder
- United Corporate Preferred participant
- Time of request
Once check-in starts a new waitlist will be generated for use at the gate. The pre-gate list will continue to process until the flight goes to the gate, typically one to three hours prior to departure. This new list is the visible one on the Flight Status page. Generally they will have the same order, but there can be some differences in priority ordering of the two lists -- usually due to the time tiebreaker -- which is time of request for the pre-gate list and time of check-in (sequence number) for gate list. The visible (upgrade standby) list has only checked-in passengers and is not used until the flight is under gate control and the gate agent manually processes an upgrade.
The upgrade list sometimes also shows passengers who have been upgraded. Advance-cleared upgrades will not show on the gate list as cleared -- only passengers who clear after they check in will display with a green checkmark. Some paid Premium Economy fares may show as a confirmed upgrade to Premium Economy.
For both cases, display cleared upgrades will appear in alphabetic order and regardless if checked-in (as long as a seat has been assigned). Uncleared, waitlisted requests will appear, once checked in, in priority order. But until all have checked in, the visible gate waitlist is incomplete.
Upgrades and Companions
Main article: Comprehensive Companion Upgrade Questions
The following applies ONLY to the invisible upgrade list.
Up to one companion on the same PNR as you is entitled to a CPU based on your status. However, because PNRs must consist only of passengers with the same itinerary, you will only be eligible for an upgrade if all passengers on your PNR have the same upgrade eligibility. For CPUs, you may extend your CPU status to one companion, and then the system will take the status of the lowest passenger on the reservation.
This is a little complicated. Here are some example PNRs:
1K and non-status companion: both are eligible to CPU as 1Ks
1K and two non-status companions: no one is eligible to CPU
1K, Gold, and non-status companion: the companion gets "1K CPU status" but the Gold cannot, so all three pax have Gold priority
The situation for instrument supported upgrades is slightly different. Waitlisting an instrument is also all-or-nothing on the PNR. Either all pax must have a waitlisted upgrade, or none may. If you have a waitlisted upgrade for a multiple passenger PNR, it will have the priority of the highest Premier status on the reservation. Thus:
1K and non-status companion, 2x GPU applied: both are eligible as 1Ks with GPU
1K and three non-status companions, 4x GPU applied: all four are eligible as 1Ks with GPU
Multi-pax PNR upgrades are all or nothing - you may (or may not) be skipped over if there are fewer available seats than members in your party. If you do not like the treatment of your PNR, you may split it into smaller pieces at any time and be treated as smaller groups or individuals.
Now, what happens if you haven't cleared by check-in?
Multiple pax PNRs are not eligible for the (visible) upgrade standby list. If you wish to be added to the list, you must split the PNR at check-in. This often happens even if you didn't intend to. Note, however, that the hidden list is active until 3 hours before departure and splitting your PNR changes it. Therefore, you may wish to delay check-in until the airport. On the other hand, the tiebreak for the gate list is time of check-in, so you may wish to do so immediately. It depends on your situation.
Companions may be eligible for the upgrade standby list even after splitting the PNR, if it is split at check-in. The behavior of your companion(s) depends on whether the reservation had instruments applied. You may have one CPU companion, who will be waitlisted with your Premier priority but with an effective fare class below X (namely, last). If your companion was on a different PNR originally, or you want to designate a different companion, an airport agent can do that for you. Therefore, the list of 1Ks might be:
1) 1K on an S fare (you)
2) 1K on a K fare
3) Your no-status companion
4) Plat on a B fare
If your reservation had instruments applied, however, this process is different. In this case, if the reservation is auto-split at check-in, all travelers will have your Premier priority with their fare class. Say you are a 1K with three non-status companions, all with GPUs applied. Then you have
1) 1K on a V fare, GPU applied
2..5) you (1K) and your three companions on W fares, ordered by sequence number
6) Plat on a Q fare, miles+cash applied
Frequently Asked Questions
I was #1 on the upgrade list, but someone else got the upgrade instead. What happened?
The most likely answer is that the upgraded passenger was not checked in. Remember that the upgrade standby list (the visible list) only shows passengers who have checked in.
I'm #1 on the upgrade list but seats in the forward cabin keep disappearing. No one is being upgraded. What's going on?
There are two major sources of this. First, once your flight is within 24 hours of departure, it is eligible for SDC. Passengers with paid premium tickets can change to your flight and take seats. Many experienced flyers, especially FT members, underestimate the volatility of flight loads on the day of departure. Additionally, United usually makes a time-of-departure upsell offer available at check-in. Purchasers of this upgrade may often appear similar to last-minute revenue bookings.
I was waitlisted for I (or IN) class and did not clear. Am I now eligible for an upgrade?
"Upgrade" is the wrong terminology. You should be automatically placed on the standy list for business or first (whichever applies). Historically there have been problems with this occurring automatically, but that seems to have mostly been fixed. The exact priority compared to passengers who are waitlisted for an upgrade is unclear and a matter of some dispute. See discussion of GG ONESTANDBY lines 32-55.
Who are these people who are on standby lists for both Business and First?
These are non-revs (i.e., UA employees and family members) - either NRPS (non-rev positive space) or NRSA (non-rev standby). Non-revs can list for any cabin. NRPS are traveling on company business (e.g., deadheading pilots) and will clear into open space ahead of upgraders. NRSA travel standby and will be last in priority after all paid passengers. Why would someone be listed on both standby & upgrade list(s)?
Can you have one companion on a different PNR?
Yes, but only at the airport/gate and some agents are not familiar with the process. They are at the bottom of your status group.
Related threads
Ever see (+X blocked) in booked column on upgrade list?
Consolidated "Waitlist for Award Seats Questions/Issues"
[Consolidated] Chance of upgrade clearing on my flight
Decoding the alphabet soup - fare buckets for UA
Understanding the United Upgrade List Comprehensively [Archive]
Understanding the United Upgrade List Comprehensively {Archive}
#1636
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,419
Correct. It does not mean that F is overbooked. There's some error in their logic that seems to affect a small percentage of flights. Unfortunately, I haven't figured out how to tell which flights are affected except when they post obviously-wrong information.
#1637
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,424
Any data to conflict the hypothesis that green check-mark upgrades are counted twice?
#1639
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: USA
Programs: UA, SWA, WJA, National, Marriott
Posts: 39
What's the policy for CPU on on award tickets if you don't have a united credit card? I am a 1K, booked a flight on points (XN fare) and do not have a united credit card. Sounds like I'm not eligible for CPU, the portal online does not indicate that a CPU has been requested.
If I sign up for a united credit card sometime between now and the day of the flight, would the system pick this up and add request a CPU, or would I have to do something?
If I sign up for a united credit card sometime between now and the day of the flight, would the system pick this up and add request a CPU, or would I have to do something?
#1640
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 15,029
What's the policy for CPU on on award tickets if you don't have a united credit card? I am a 1K, booked a flight on points (XN fare) and do not have a united credit card. Sounds like I'm not eligible for CPU, the portal online does not indicate that a CPU has been requested.
If I sign up for a united credit card sometime between now and the day of the flight, would the system pick this up and add request a CPU, or would I have to do something?
If I sign up for a united credit card sometime between now and the day of the flight, would the system pick this up and add request a CPU, or would I have to do something?
#1641
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Orange County, CA
Programs: United GS, MM, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 598
I purchased a last minute B fare for a flight tomorrow. After checking in, I was surprised to see that I was #2 on the list. Does that mean there’s another GS with a higher fare class than me?
I called GS to ask, and the agent told me the priority was Status, miles flown year to date, then fare class.
I had never heard of the miles flown as a tie breaker, so I asked her again. She once again said it likely the person ahead of me flew more miles than me this year.
Is she making stuff up to get me to go away, or is this new? She answered “thank you for calling global services...” so I figured she was a seasoned agent
I called GS to ask, and the agent told me the priority was Status, miles flown year to date, then fare class.
I had never heard of the miles flown as a tie breaker, so I asked her again. She once again said it likely the person ahead of me flew more miles than me this year.
Is she making stuff up to get me to go away, or is this new? She answered “thank you for calling global services...” so I figured she was a seasoned agent
#1642
Moderator: Midwest, Las Vegas & Dining Buzz
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Posts: 17,976
I purchased a last minute B fare for a flight tomorrow. After checking in, I was surprised to see that I was #2 on the list. Does that mean there’s another GS with a higher fare class than me?
I called GS to ask, and the agent told me the priority was Status, miles flown year to date, then fare class.
I had never heard of the miles flown as a tie breaker, so I asked her again. She once again said it likely the person ahead of me flew more miles than me this year.
Is she making stuff up to get me to go away, or is this new? She answered “thank you for calling global services...” so I figured she was a seasoned agent
I called GS to ask, and the agent told me the priority was Status, miles flown year to date, then fare class.
I had never heard of the miles flown as a tie breaker, so I asked her again. She once again said it likely the person ahead of me flew more miles than me this year.
Is she making stuff up to get me to go away, or is this new? She answered “thank you for calling global services...” so I figured she was a seasoned agent
#1643
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,480
#1644
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,424
#1645
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Pasadena, California
Programs: UA 1K, 1MM
Posts: 10,412
This is probably the principal reason I try to avoid asking questions like this over the phone: I'd rather not hear some phone agent spinning some made-up hooey. This forum is a much more reliable source of information!
#1646
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: EWR
Programs: UA 1K & Marriott Titanium
Posts: 96
i've got a question on PNR split and instrument strategy.
2 pax : 1K (me) and general member
RT CPU-eligible itinerary on paid fare
RPUs applied to all pax/segments (trying to burn them off)
very little open J space so i'm thinking it'll go to the gate
we are fine not sitting together if only one clears.
assuming we have NOT cleared by T-24, do 1 and 2 make sense?
1. call and remove the RPUs from the outbound segments and rely on CPU
2. leave the RPUs on the return segments to increase GM's chances
subsequent questions:
1a.: do i have to call BEFORE T-24 or BEFORE OLCI to remove?
1b.: do we both retain 1K prio on the outbound CPU list with GM at bottom of 1K list?
2a.: do we both retain 1K prio on the return upgrade list?
2b.: at the same fare class? (PNR will have been split on outbound, but instruments are applied)
2 pax : 1K (me) and general member
RT CPU-eligible itinerary on paid fare
RPUs applied to all pax/segments (trying to burn them off)
very little open J space so i'm thinking it'll go to the gate
we are fine not sitting together if only one clears.
assuming we have NOT cleared by T-24, do 1 and 2 make sense?
1. call and remove the RPUs from the outbound segments and rely on CPU
2. leave the RPUs on the return segments to increase GM's chances
subsequent questions:
1a.: do i have to call BEFORE T-24 or BEFORE OLCI to remove?
1b.: do we both retain 1K prio on the outbound CPU list with GM at bottom of 1K list?
2a.: do we both retain 1K prio on the return upgrade list?
2b.: at the same fare class? (PNR will have been split on outbound, but instruments are applied)
Last edited by perkele; Oct 9, 2019 at 8:56 am
#1647
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,424
Your companion should be a 1K companion for CPU purposes, yes.
Mixed reports, but most have said that yes, you retain the priority (at your fare class) on the split PNR as long as it ever was one PNR (the computer "remembers" the history of the PNRs).
#1648
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: EWR
Programs: UA 1K & Marriott Titanium
Posts: 96
but, perhaps being ahead of CPUs (besides GS and Y/B/M 1K) does have enough value here.
#1649
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
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Posts: 14,424
good question. mainly because of the perceived diminishing value of the RPU on the battlefield.
but, perhaps being ahead of CPUs (besides GS and Y/B/M 1K) does have some value. even when burning excess instruments, there's always that "i probably would have cleared anyway" feeling :-/
but, perhaps being ahead of CPUs (besides GS and Y/B/M 1K) does have some value. even when burning excess instruments, there's always that "i probably would have cleared anyway" feeling :-/
#1650
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 9
I read through the wiki and through several pages of posts to see if my situation had been replicated. Not sure that I understood all the details. So apologies if this was covered elsewhere.
When do waitlists get processed? Wife and I are on R fares for EWR<>HKG and applied for miles + cash upgrade to Polaris. PZ is 0 right now for outbound flight. My reservation says "upgrade requested". Not sure how this is different from being on a waitlist. When I called, an agent said that we were #14 and 15 on the waitlist. Flight status is showing 19 open seats in Polaris, but says that 43 (out of 60) seats booked.
Based on what I read, it seems that some waitlist processing starts the day before the flight, but a lot of the action happens the day of the flight, and in particular when it switches to gate control. But I didn't get a good sense of when things start to happen. So I'm at a loss as to whether we even have a chance.
When do waitlists get processed? Wife and I are on R fares for EWR<>HKG and applied for miles + cash upgrade to Polaris. PZ is 0 right now for outbound flight. My reservation says "upgrade requested". Not sure how this is different from being on a waitlist. When I called, an agent said that we were #14 and 15 on the waitlist. Flight status is showing 19 open seats in Polaris, but says that 43 (out of 60) seats booked.
Based on what I read, it seems that some waitlist processing starts the day before the flight, but a lot of the action happens the day of the flight, and in particular when it switches to gate control. But I didn't get a good sense of when things start to happen. So I'm at a loss as to whether we even have a chance.