Sounds like a website or mobile app error. Just call UA .. you can always add yourself to PP waitlist.

Same old story this week. SFO-PHX for Wednesday, F was booked 12/20 at 96 hours, 3/26 on the waitlist using PP, UA doesn't run a sweep. Over past 2 days, F cabin has filled to 18/20, not a single upgrade cleared, still at #3. Odds of upgrade clearly approaching zero. Meanwhile, AA cleared me at T-100 (into a similarly booked cabin).

If UA cared about accurately describing program benefits, they'd update the elite benefits descriptions, since they've 100% stopped running sweeps at the windows this year as far as I can tell.

Agreed - this year I've received a total of one (1) upgrade before the 24-hour sweep, which was ORD-PIT. Crazy...

I got a PP UG on IAH-MIA at T-120 (travel date/time was yesterday May 9 at 649 pm, upgrade e-mail was received on May 4 at 830 pm). I also got a PP upgrade from MIA to EWR at T-72 (travel date was March 16; upgrade e-mail received on March 13). But those are the only two in 2021 so far that cleared sooner than T-24.

Ain’t happening domestic for sure
 

Since Spring Break time, tourists have been buying up the F space. United is monetizing properly but at the expense of long-term loyalists who may flee when the next business cycle arrives and tourism dries up. Making hay when there’s sunshine only goes so far as a policy.

So the website and app still would not let me waitlist for PPs today, so I did call in. The agent had to refer it to a supervisor, and I was on hold for 15 minutes or so. Then the agent got back on and said it was all done. But then I checked online, and not only was it still showing me as only eligible for a CPU, upgrades were not available at all (even the prior $99 offer) and it did not show that the PPs had been requested. But rather than call back, I decided to see what it would cost me to change flights as a way of getting in F (it is only an hour and a half flight, but at this point I was curious as to what was going on). Lo and behold, I was able to change to my same flight in F or zero additional dollars. So I did. Glad I didn't take the $99 offer. So all's well that ends well, but I still don't know what the glitch was. This was about the second or third flight change on this PNR, so that may have done something.

Congrats on the buy-up! What was your original fare class? Are you now booked in P or a higher class?

Was there a fare difference that just wasn't collected? Or was F selling for the same as what you originally paid?

I guess I got lucky on my last trip. 4 CPU segments, cleared 3 out of 4. One cleared at 96h before departure, other at 1h before departure, and other at 5min before boarding.

Caveat was I was flying in between leisure destinations and flights were either mid-week afternoon or weekends.

So crazy I am still holding out hope that the value of 1K will someday be half of what it used to be. Not sure what makes me hope as I see nothing that would indicate this is even a possibility. So sorting out the difference between 1K and Gold. I know there are some advantages. The whole thing just sucks. It was a nice run and lots of fun but the end is near I think. Like the others, booked flights for next week with Plus Points on EWR->LAX and SFO->EWR. Almost every single flight every single day looks like it it going out full on 777 and 787s in first.

I'll be really annoyed if they start handing out only half a burger and half a booze mini-bottle in coach. "Sir, would you mind splitting the burger with the other 1K across the aisle from you?"

Actually I think I found a couple expired drink coupons. Maybe they will take pity on me and pretend not to notice they are expired. 40 years ago I was excited to have drink coupons. Now they just make me sad.

Plat is the sweet spot for me, to be honest - and solely for the IN availability internationally (Gold only gets I, not IN). I'm transferring over credit card points as available.

As 1K I am 0 for many on CPUs, and missing out on domestic PP upgrades even on easy routes (MSY-IAH, FLL-IAH). So I count this as an illusory benefit in the IAH market.

Frankly I stopped getting upset about not clearing a CPU years ago. While listed as a benefit, I always looked at it as "if they can't sell the seat >24 hours out, getting the UG was a nice gift". I know, it's a listed benefit, but it's a business not a charity.

Now the PP are a TOTAL different kettle of fish. I am giving them CONSIDERATION for that UG. Giving a TOD to a non-elite while I've been on the WL for 6 weeks with an empty F cabin is insulting. The example Kacee cited upthread is happening routinely. I've been throwing PP's at domestic routes (something that pre-Covid I would have never done) and can't get a single one to clear. I've got 800 PP's and they'll likely all expire since domestic flights are jammed and virtually all of Asia is still closed.

I did happen across 2 PZ spaces on EWR - SFO this week for a flight a few weeks later and switched my flight to take advantage of them. But, I think they were only available because they just added the flight because the seat map for the whole plane was nearly empty. Otherwise I don't think I've ever seen PZ space outside of short regional flights where upgrading doesn't even matter.