Apr 27, 2020, 1:00 am
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}
Dec 29, 2017, 2:00 pm
#796
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Danville, CA, USA;
Programs: UA 1MM, WN CP, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Gold, IC Plat
Posts: 15,722
I have RPUs applied to 4 people in one reservation, which I understand is basically a waste of time as it is unlikely that 4 seats of upgrade inventory will open at the same time.
Question: Does it make sense to remove 2 RPUs so that the other 2 have a chance to clear? And then perhaps reapply RPU or rely on CPU to clear myself (1K) and the remaining companion? Or do I split the reservation into half and leave the RPUs on all 4? The latter option is less preferred as there is more potential for screw-ups in the event of irregular ops (though admittedly less risk with a one-way nonstop flight)
Question: Does it make sense to remove 2 RPUs so that the other 2 have a chance to clear? And then perhaps reapply RPU or rely on CPU to clear myself (1K) and the remaining companion? Or do I split the reservation into half and leave the RPUs on all 4? The latter option is less preferred as there is more potential for screw-ups in the event of irregular ops (though admittedly less risk with a one-way nonstop flight)
Dec 29, 2017, 2:10 pm
#797
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.997MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,859
... Question: Does it make sense to remove 2 RPUs so that the other 2 have a chance to clear? And then perhaps reapply RPU or rely on CPU to clear myself (1K) and the remaining companion? Or do I split the reservation into half and leave the RPUs on all 4? The latter option is less preferred as there is more potential for screw-ups in the event of irregular ops (though admittedly less risk with a one-way nonstop flight)
As for CPU, the RPU will be a higher priority over the CPU.
Dec 29, 2017, 5:49 pm
#798
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
That's not necessarily true. When R opens, it's not uncommon to see R9. Other times they do dribble it out in batches less than four, and in those instances, you would be out of luck.
Dec 30, 2017, 6:35 pm
#799
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: SFO/SJC
Programs: UA Silver, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 14,891
Interesting behavior a few days ago.
Last week (Dec. 23), traveling with my wife and 3 yo daughter on an award ticket from my wife's account. Both wife and I are gold, daughter no status. None of us have cards with an award upgrade benefit - wife is most relevant since the miles were from her account - has a Select, as well as the new TravelBank card.
Checked in online at maybe t-7, and as expected, no option to split, after all, this is an award ticket and no benefits for upgrades. Checked status and no one at all on the list and I know we weren't split at check since the 3 BPs in passbook all had the same PNR still. Checked status again on the shuttle to the airport, and surprised to see when I checked the list that all 3 of us were on the upgrade list (the only ones) with 4 seats remaining (319). Needless to say I was shocked. Even weirder still, daughter (no status) was number 1, with wife 2 and me 3. Eventually, someone else goes on the list, but they go at number 4. At this point, Economy shows as full...I'm certain it wasn't this way before.
Just prior to boarding, someone else takes a seat in F on the map, I'm pretty sure not an upgrader since there are still 4 on the list, and no one additional showed as cleared (though I suppose could have been a buy up). Whatever happened, appears it was a UM, as she was sitting next to wife. So the three of us end up clearing into the 3 remaining seats.
I'm sure I'll never know for sure, but the only thing that makes sense to me, based on what happened, is that Y became full/overbooked, and there were no other elites in Y, except for perhaps the 1 additional on the list. E+, per seat map, only had a handful of seats selected initially (and then showed all selected when I saw economy listed as full - I'm assuming those went mostly to BE fares). So I'm thinking someone - either in IM or at the airport - saw we were the elites left that they could upgrade vs. op-up non-status in the chance it was oversold. In the end, apparently they wouldn't have needed it - as the flight went out with 6 empty seats in economy (E-/E+). But seems strange to me.
Also not the only time this year I've been upgraded on an award. In Jan, I was on a very short haul, also on a 319, that was practically empty, so that time wasn't a 'its full' situation. But it was on an award, I think F was also completely empty or was only 1/8. Surprised to get a CPU...I think 24 hours or so in advance.
Last week (Dec. 23), traveling with my wife and 3 yo daughter on an award ticket from my wife's account. Both wife and I are gold, daughter no status. None of us have cards with an award upgrade benefit - wife is most relevant since the miles were from her account - has a Select, as well as the new TravelBank card.
Checked in online at maybe t-7, and as expected, no option to split, after all, this is an award ticket and no benefits for upgrades. Checked status and no one at all on the list and I know we weren't split at check since the 3 BPs in passbook all had the same PNR still. Checked status again on the shuttle to the airport, and surprised to see when I checked the list that all 3 of us were on the upgrade list (the only ones) with 4 seats remaining (319). Needless to say I was shocked. Even weirder still, daughter (no status) was number 1, with wife 2 and me 3. Eventually, someone else goes on the list, but they go at number 4. At this point, Economy shows as full...I'm certain it wasn't this way before.
Just prior to boarding, someone else takes a seat in F on the map, I'm pretty sure not an upgrader since there are still 4 on the list, and no one additional showed as cleared (though I suppose could have been a buy up). Whatever happened, appears it was a UM, as she was sitting next to wife. So the three of us end up clearing into the 3 remaining seats.
I'm sure I'll never know for sure, but the only thing that makes sense to me, based on what happened, is that Y became full/overbooked, and there were no other elites in Y, except for perhaps the 1 additional on the list. E+, per seat map, only had a handful of seats selected initially (and then showed all selected when I saw economy listed as full - I'm assuming those went mostly to BE fares). So I'm thinking someone - either in IM or at the airport - saw we were the elites left that they could upgrade vs. op-up non-status in the chance it was oversold. In the end, apparently they wouldn't have needed it - as the flight went out with 6 empty seats in economy (E-/E+). But seems strange to me.
Also not the only time this year I've been upgraded on an award. In Jan, I was on a very short haul, also on a 319, that was practically empty, so that time wasn't a 'its full' situation. But it was on an award, I think F was also completely empty or was only 1/8. Surprised to get a CPU...I think 24 hours or so in advance.
Dec 31, 2017, 12:44 am
#800
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 58
Chances of upgrading with M&M miles on UA
Hi there
I was inquiring at the M&M hotline for an upgrade to C with M&M miles. The agent told me
a) that UA doesn't offer a waitlist, and
b) that to her view, there is almost no chance of upgrading as the award booking classes are zeroed/not (yet) available.
The flights I was asking for aree in may (unfortunately each on a sat), route: ZRH IAD ZRH.
May someone with more UA experience clarify whether the chances for an upgrade are actually slim to none or if frequent calls might do the trick?
No status available (UA nor M&M)...
Thx!
I was inquiring at the M&M hotline for an upgrade to C with M&M miles. The agent told me
a) that UA doesn't offer a waitlist, and
b) that to her view, there is almost no chance of upgrading as the award booking classes are zeroed/not (yet) available.
The flights I was asking for aree in may (unfortunately each on a sat), route: ZRH IAD ZRH.
May someone with more UA experience clarify whether the chances for an upgrade are actually slim to none or if frequent calls might do the trick?
No status available (UA nor M&M)...
Thx!
Dec 31, 2017, 1:31 am
#801
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 11,471
I have RPUs applied to 4 people in one reservation, which I understand is basically a waste of time as it is unlikely that 4 seats of upgrade inventory will open at the same time.
Question: Does it make sense to remove 2 RPUs so that the other 2 have a chance to clear? And then perhaps reapply RPU or rely on CPU to clear myself (1K) and the remaining companion? Or do I split the reservation into half and leave the RPUs on all 4? The latter option is less preferred as there is more potential for screw-ups in the event of irregular ops (though admittedly less risk with a one-way nonstop flight)
Question: Does it make sense to remove 2 RPUs so that the other 2 have a chance to clear? And then perhaps reapply RPU or rely on CPU to clear myself (1K) and the remaining companion? Or do I split the reservation into half and leave the RPUs on all 4? The latter option is less preferred as there is more potential for screw-ups in the event of irregular ops (though admittedly less risk with a one-way nonstop flight)
Hi there
I was inquiring at the M&M hotline for an upgrade to C with M&M miles. The agent told me
a) that UA doesn't offer a waitlist, and
b) that to her view, there is almost no chance of upgrading as the award booking classes are zeroed/not (yet) available.
The flights I was asking for aree in may (unfortunately each on a sat), route: ZRH IAD ZRH.
May someone with more UA experience clarify whether the chances for an upgrade are actually slim to none or if frequent calls might do the trick?
No status available (UA nor M&M)...
Thx!
I was inquiring at the M&M hotline for an upgrade to C with M&M miles. The agent told me
a) that UA doesn't offer a waitlist, and
b) that to her view, there is almost no chance of upgrading as the award booking classes are zeroed/not (yet) available.
The flights I was asking for aree in may (unfortunately each on a sat), route: ZRH IAD ZRH.
May someone with more UA experience clarify whether the chances for an upgrade are actually slim to none or if frequent calls might do the trick?
No status available (UA nor M&M)...
Thx!
Last edited by fumje; Dec 31, 2017 at 1:36 am Reason: typo
Dec 31, 2017, 5:06 am
#802
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,419
Hi there
I was inquiring at the M&M hotline for an upgrade to C with M&M miles. The agent told me
a) that UA doesn't offer a waitlist, and
b) that to her view, there is almost no chance of upgrading as the award booking classes are zeroed/not (yet) available.
The flights I was asking for aree in may (unfortunately each on a sat), route: ZRH IAD ZRH.
May someone with more UA experience clarify whether the chances for an upgrade are actually slim to none or if frequent calls might do the trick?
No status available (UA nor M&M)...
Thx!
I was inquiring at the M&M hotline for an upgrade to C with M&M miles. The agent told me
a) that UA doesn't offer a waitlist, and
b) that to her view, there is almost no chance of upgrading as the award booking classes are zeroed/not (yet) available.
The flights I was asking for aree in may (unfortunately each on a sat), route: ZRH IAD ZRH.
May someone with more UA experience clarify whether the chances for an upgrade are actually slim to none or if frequent calls might do the trick?
No status available (UA nor M&M)...
Thx!
Business saver awards won’t open until all* pending MileagePlus-sponsored upgrade requests have been granted. (In other words, there is a waitlist, but you can’t get onto with with a Star Alliance Upgrade award. This is common across the entire alliance).
You could use a paid service like ExpertFlyer to watch for award space, or you could just check repeatedly yourself.
Having said that, I should point out that Star Alliance Upgrade Awards require a B or a Y fare, which tend to be extremely expensive on UA and are sometimes more expensive than paid business class tickets. It may be easier just to purchase business class in advance.
Finally, if all else fails, UA will offer to allow you to purchase an upgrade at check-in if there are any unsold seats.
Hope this helps.
* UA won’t upgrade part of a party. So, it’s technically possible that they could open a small amount of saver space — e.g., one single seat — while leaving a request for a larger number of seats on the waitlist. However, that’s a rare enough scenario that I wouldn’t get my hopes up.
Last edited by jsloan; Jan 1, 2018 at 7:40 pm Reason: Corrected “cheaper” to “more expensive” although I think it was obviously a mistake from context. :)
Jan 1, 2018, 4:10 am
#803
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 58
Thanks jsloan. Tickets aren't booked yet. So I'll first try to figure out another way to score an upgrade award or c award on a different *A routing.
If it doesn't work out, then I'll consider to buy directly business tix.
If it doesn't work out, then I'll consider to buy directly business tix.
Jan 1, 2018, 8:51 pm
#804
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Houston, TX
Programs: United 1K MM, Marriott Platinum, Starwood Gold
Posts: 265
International Upgrade Priority Order - No status above 1K
Flying RT IAH - LIM in a group of 4 (1k, 1k, gold, no status). Booked on same PNR in U class.
Used 4 GPU for the return. Outbound we split to 3 PNRs due to upgrade waitlist - 1k, 1k, (gold and no status). Did not clear.
I checked in for the LIM - IAH segment in this order: 1k(me), 1k(spouse), then gold / no.
The upgrade waitlist ended up being: No status, gold, 1k spouse, 1k me.
I thought I understood the priority waitlist, but this is backwards.
Am I missing something in this process?
Used 4 GPU for the return. Outbound we split to 3 PNRs due to upgrade waitlist - 1k, 1k, (gold and no status). Did not clear.
I checked in for the LIM - IAH segment in this order: 1k(me), 1k(spouse), then gold / no.
The upgrade waitlist ended up being: No status, gold, 1k spouse, 1k me.
I thought I understood the priority waitlist, but this is backwards.
Am I missing something in this process?
Jan 1, 2018, 8:56 pm
#805
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
It is some combination of:
- auto-split PNRs inherit some amount of the status from the original PNR. Certainly when auto-split for IAH-LIM, all of you have the priority of 1Ks on U fares with GPU applied
- several recent reports suggest that, on the visible list only, the status of the sponsoring account is retained for supported upgrades
Order within a split-PNR party of equal priority is essentially random; I cannot identify any variable which reliably determines it.
- auto-split PNRs inherit some amount of the status from the original PNR. Certainly when auto-split for IAH-LIM, all of you have the priority of 1Ks on U fares with GPU applied
- several recent reports suggest that, on the visible list only, the status of the sponsoring account is retained for supported upgrades
Order within a split-PNR party of equal priority is essentially random; I cannot identify any variable which reliably determines it.
Jan 1, 2018, 9:03 pm
#806
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
Otherwise agree with findark. It's always been a bit murky how exactly things are going to prioritize following an auto-split.
Jan 1, 2018, 9:10 pm
#807
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Houston, TX
Programs: United 1K MM, Marriott Platinum, Starwood Gold
Posts: 265
Jan 1, 2018, 9:23 pm
#808
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
Jan 1, 2018, 9:38 pm
#809
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Premier Gold
Posts: 151
When should I request an upgrade?
I apologize it this has been already asked, but I couldn't find it in a search. My spouse and I are traveling SFO-CDG in April and want to upgrade using miles and copay. There is no availability today. When should I request the upgrade? I want to minimize the time UA has the benefit of the float of my upgrade fees but I don't want to miss out on an early upgrade if inventory opens up. Many thanks for the insight.
Last edited by misterfuss; Jan 1, 2018 at 9:42 pm Reason: Add title and request email updates
Jan 1, 2018, 9:44 pm
#810
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: CHS
Programs: UA GS, Bonvoy Amabassador, Hertz PC
Posts: 2,589
When I split my wife always inherits the original PNR and has no status but is always above me on the upgrade list and always upgrades before me
Her name starts with C, mine is W
HIP, C
HIP, W
The only thing I can come up with is alphabetical, but it has been the same story too many times to not be some policy, alphabetical is just ow we term it between ourselves.
One thing is she always gets a lower sequence number than me due to alphabetical probably, so that may be the tiebreak as well
Her name starts with C, mine is W
HIP, C
HIP, W
The only thing I can come up with is alphabetical, but it has been the same story too many times to not be some policy, alphabetical is just ow we term it between ourselves.
One thing is she always gets a lower sequence number than me due to alphabetical probably, so that may be the tiebreak as well