"Welcome back with an upgrade"
May 25, 2021, 10:19 am
#16
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Chicago, IL
Programs: UA 1K MM, HHonors Diamond,PC, Marriott Rewards Gold
Posts: 1,117
When I started flying, the only surprise I got was to have one of my two paid first segments downgraded to coach! (With adequate compensation). Nothing on the two segments that were booked in coach except to start and end at #2 on the upgrade list. If the flight is short and first is empty, that can make sense. But my limited impression is that upgrades are scarce, and first often affordable, so not gambling makes sense.
May 25, 2021, 12:06 pm
#17
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: HNL
Programs: UA GS4MM, MR LT Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 6,447
May 25, 2021, 3:56 pm
#18
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2017
Programs: AS 75K, DL Silver, UA Platinum, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Platinum + LT Gold
Posts: 10,502
Putting aside different carriers, comparing one person's upgrade rate, however good or bad, has no relevance to someone else's upgrade rate. It speaks nothing about the day of travel, the time of travel, routing, and many other factors.
May 25, 2021, 4:01 pm
#19
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: IAH & CMH
Programs: UA GS, UA MM, Marriott Ambassador, Hilton Diamond, Uber Platinum :)
Posts: 773
2 days out and still no upgrade… #1 on the list though, lol. United did send me an offer to upgrade for $206… won’t be the first time in the past six months that PP upgrades haven’t cleared…
May 26, 2021, 4:24 pm
#20
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: USA
Programs: UA Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,195
So rewarding customers who haven’t flown in a while by reducing the upgrades for those of us that have continued flying throughout the pandemic.
im booked on a paid 2.5 hour UAX flight next week, I’m GS, put in for a PP upgrade weeks ago, 5 open F seats on a 175, and still waitlisted.
im booked on a paid 2.5 hour UAX flight next week, I’m GS, put in for a PP upgrade weeks ago, 5 open F seats on a 175, and still waitlisted.
May 26, 2021, 7:46 pm
#21
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2008
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 246
May 26, 2021, 7:51 pm
#22
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 11,461
May 27, 2021, 1:54 am
#23
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2008
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 246
Yes, that was my assumption - upgrade someone who's almost certainly going to be upgraded anyway, but do it in a way that shows you're paying attention to it being their first flight post-pandemic. It feels like an easy win (it's unlikely anyone gets disadvantaged, I get to feel special), I'm just surprised it doesn't seem to have happened to anyone else (or maybe you've all been flying - my company shut down all travel and my partner's got various high risk factors around COVID, so I haven't been anywhere near an airport since this began…)