SFO_LOW_CLOUDS

As a 1K, this is my upgrade strategy on Polaris-equipped SFO/LAX to IAD/EWR flights:

1. Apply PlusPoints at time of booking, usually 30+ days in advance

2. Periodically check if PZ space is available. Sometimes this happens without the upgrade list being processed.

3. At time of check-in, check for buy up offers. Personally, if $300-400 offer for one-way, I�ll pay it.

4. After check in, every few hours before departure, check for PZ space again. If so, I call in, visit a UA rep at the airport, or talk to the gate agent, depending on time before flight.

flyme2

I've been fortunate enough to have all my PP waitlisted feeder and connecting flights clear in tandem with my confirmed upgrade long haul segments. Somehow I always manage to use all my PP's to best advantage on international routes. I used my last ones yesterday on confirmed upgrade flights to and from Australia. Flexibility is key, and I have the luxury of being able to cherry pick my occasional consulting work most anywhere.

zig666

Where do you see those? in the Upgrade tab? Or are you referring to the banner in Trip Details?

WineCountryUA

Hover your mouse over seats on the seatmap

chuck1

I thought people reports skip-the-waitlist really only prevalent on South American routes and sometimes Asia. Almost never US (incl Hawaii) and Europe.
Is that accurate?

dshafiee

I burned 40 PP (2 passengers) on an EMB 175 from ORD to DFW! Never would have done that in years past but sitting on so many they worth burning!

I am still shocked there was PZ. Rarely see that as well
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WineCountryUA

Last summer / fall STW was available for TATL. Have not heard any recent TATL sightings nor any domestic so far (certainty no Hawai'i)

Roger Lococco

Thanks again for all the replies. What I learned is that United is selling Business Class and First Class upgrades up to the time of the flight and those upgrades become increasingly cheaper as flight time approaches. The potential upgrade sales may delay people coming off the waitlist and in some cases will replace potential upgrades using instruments.

I was able to use 20 PP today, but not in the way I had expected.

Flight 1. 6 hour flight. Ended up 3rd and 4th out on the waitlist.

Flight 2. 3 hour flight. Wife and I same itinerary. Wife clears while we�re in air on first flight. I�m now 1st on the waitlist. 2 First class seats unbooked. 45 minutes prior to boarding, one additional First seat is booked. 15 minutes later the last First seat is booked.

So at this point I realize my wife and I will be in separate cabins. Her former Economy Class seat and the seat next to me is empty 10 minutes prior to boarding and there are 12 - 15 empty seats in Economy overall. But I joke with her that United will seat the proverbial 600 pound man next to me anyway. Sure enough, a huge bodybuilder ended up in her former seat next to me. His right shoulder takes up about one-third of my seat space. I text my wife and let her know she needs to switch. The bodybuilder was happy - taking pictures of himself flying in First to send to his wife. My wife and are reunited in Economy.

I was happy enough. The body builder seemed like a nice guy who doesn�t sit in First much, so a treat for him and so get to burn some fairly worthless Plus Points.

Kacee

On any flight for which there's an upgrade list, the sale of an upgrade will by definition displace a waitlisted pax who otherwise would have been upgraded. In other words, pretty much 100% of the time UA is selling the upgrade out from under a waitlisted elite.

ani90

What kind of route had 16 of 24 unbooked at 24h and how do you know for sure that these 16 were unsold seats? Did you check for PZ availability and there was none? I find it hard to understand how a flight that is in such poor demand as not to sell more than a third F cabin then suddenly becomes attractive to F flyers within 24h of check-in.

What route did you see this - how exactly were you sure those 20 seats were available?

bsdstone

Trying to use my plus points on a route from ORD - OGG tomorrow for me and my wife. Applied them over a month ago. I got waitlisted for premium economy or first class. Watching premium economy start to get full and we are 4 and 5 on the waitlist and 9 seats are currently available for a 9:25am flight tomorrow. I called customer service and asked what was going on...I was offered to buy up to premium economy and declined and checked in. I was told that 1K members would get the upgrade complimentary over a platinum (me) using plus points...I'm thoroughly confused by that...what is the value of using plus points then if I don't move ahead of someone waiting on a complimentary upgrade?

VegasGambler

According to the wiki here: Understanding the United Upgrade List Comprehensively that's incorrect. GS awaiting CPUs are ahead of you but 1K and lower awaiting CPUs are behind any instrument upgrade request.

Agents are wrong all the time. Always check FT.

fumje

No complementary upgrades on ORD/OGG. So everyone on the list also used instruments to request an upgrade, and the the only ones ahead are higher status or same status/higher fare class.

bsdstone

Really? How do you know there are no complimentary upgrades? Not doubting you, just curious.

And thanks for the great information, I should know better than to trust an agent over flyertalk! :-)

VegasGambler

Good point, it didn't even occur to me to check. I've only ever flown to Hawaii from the west coast.

But the agent was still incorrect that 1Ks would get complimentary upgrades ahead of a Plat's instrument upgrades. That's not true on any route.

https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly...l#region-chart