Last edit by: WineCountryUA
The way of the Dodo? - 1K upgrades, PP or CPU
#271
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: SMF
Programs: UA 1K MM, AA EXP
Posts: 1,537
The critical point was that UA - and all the others - are filling the First and/or Biz cabins with paid customers rather than free upgraders aka CPUs, PPs, etc. Of course this has been the objective from the beginning of time, but now the strategy has shifted from extracting as much as possible from customers flying on company-paid tickets to leisure customers paying fares that are often discounted below the pre-pandemic pricing.
thanks, that is the point I was trying to make. I had no intention of starting the discussion that I inadvertently did!
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Jul 12, 2022 at 9:29 pm Reason: Quote updated to reflect Moderator edit
#272
Join Date: Jul 2022
Programs: UA 1K, *G
Posts: 7
Hoping you are correct about Tuesdays/Wednesdays for upgrades. I'm flying to CDG on Wednesday next week. 1K, PremPlus (R class fare), PP waitlisted, and 25 of 60 Polaris seats currently available. Besides my wife and myself, there are currently 20 other passengers booked in PremPlus on the flight (2 seats remain open in PremPlus). If these circumstances hold, then I'm thinking I should be a lock for an upgrade. I'm gonna find out that's for sure.
#273
Join Date: May 2007
Programs: UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 5,342
I feel like the whole notion of Tuesdays/Wednesdays are best for upgrades and Mondays/Fridays/weekends are worst is a function of business travel demand, which is still absent to varying degrees on international routes. I'd venture that the premium leisure demand that has taken its place is a bit more evenly distributed throughout the week, meaning that upgrade chances on a particular day of the week might not be as predictable as it once was.
#274
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,176
I feel like the whole notion of Tuesdays/Wednesdays are best for upgrades and Mondays/Fridays/weekends are worst is a function of business travel demand, which is still absent to varying degrees on international routes. I'd venture that the premium leisure demand that has taken its place is a bit more evenly distributed throughout the week, meaning that upgrade chances on a particular day of the week might not be as predictable as it once was.
Outside of FlyerTalk, most people are not doing their leisure travel midweek. People want to book leisure travel on the weekends for the same reason that they want to book business travel on the weekends — to keep from interfering with work schedules. Most people are not going to fly on a Wednesday rather than a Saturday and thus create a weird short week for themselves. Some certainly will, but I doubt it’d be enough to even out demand.
To the extent that there is premium demand midweek, I suspect that it’s mostly because the fares were cheaper then.
Interesting experiment
my brother in law taking a red eye tonight from lax-xxx (not hub). Flight leaving in 5 hours and he has an H ticket with no status. I just applied pp and he is now #1 on the list with 1 seat left.
somehow bumping everyone else?
although it looks like they already cleared 3-4 from the list already.
my brother in law taking a red eye tonight from lax-xxx (not hub). Flight leaving in 5 hours and he has an H ticket with no status. I just applied pp and he is now #1 on the list with 1 seat left.
somehow bumping everyone else?
although it looks like they already cleared 3-4 from the list already.
However, I am wondering if United has now factored this into their pricing algorithms as my most recent reservation for December and return January TPAC was significantly cheaper fare for outbound Monday and return on Friday. I think Mondays and Fridays are dreadful days to try and get an upgrade but the airfare was significantly less. I am watching to see if the airfares come down in price for midweek and would switch to them but I am slightly concerned and it is a 14 hour flight...so really hoping the upgrade happens.
Last edited by jsloan; Jul 13, 2022 at 1:40 am Reason: Fixed typo; added non-GS qualifier to CPU note
#275
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2017
Programs: AS 75K, DL Silver, UA Platinum, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Platinum + LT Gold
Posts: 10,326
Ill take that bet.
Outside of FlyerTalk, most people are not doing their leisure travel midweek. People want to book leisure travel on the weekends for the same reason that they want to book business travel on the weekends to keep from interfering with work schedules. Most people are not going to fly on a Wednesday rather than a Saturday and thus create a weird short week for themselves. Some certainly will, but I doubt itd be enough to narrow out demand.
Outside of FlyerTalk, most people are not doing their leisure travel midweek. People want to book leisure travel on the weekends for the same reason that they want to book business travel on the weekends to keep from interfering with work schedules. Most people are not going to fly on a Wednesday rather than a Saturday and thus create a weird short week for themselves. Some certainly will, but I doubt itd be enough to narrow out demand.
#276
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.99MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,567
Interesting experiment
my brother in law taking a red eye tonight from lax-xxx (not hub). Flight leaving in 5 hours and he has an H ticket with no status. I just applied pp and he is now #1 on the list with 1 seat left.
somehow bumping everyone else?
although it looks like they already cleared 3-4 from the list already.
my brother in law taking a red eye tonight from lax-xxx (not hub). Flight leaving in 5 hours and he has an H ticket with no status. I just applied pp and he is now #1 on the list with 1 seat left.
somehow bumping everyone else?
although it looks like they already cleared 3-4 from the list already.
I did something recently on a 4 hour flight, only one that ended up clearing
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Jul 12, 2022 at 9:38 pm Reason: merged consecutive responses by same member
#277
Join Date: Oct 2018
Programs: United 1k, HH Diamond, Bonvoy Ambassador and LT-Gold
Posts: 1,607
This entire system is wonky
my brother in law with no status and h ticket that he bought 48 hours ago got upgraded at last minute even though first was full (my pp) from lax-xxx
but me, 1k, on a h ticket also from two weeks ago, also tried using pp, died at #1 again on xxx-den (in fact, Im going out on the same plane he arrived on two hours ago)
my brother in law with no status and h ticket that he bought 48 hours ago got upgraded at last minute even though first was full (my pp) from lax-xxx
but me, 1k, on a h ticket also from two weeks ago, also tried using pp, died at #1 again on xxx-den (in fact, Im going out on the same plane he arrived on two hours ago)
#278
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,176
This entire system is wonky
my brother in law with no status and h ticket that he bought 48 hours ago got upgraded at last minute even though first was full (my pp) from lax-xxx
but me, 1k, on a h ticket also from two weeks ago, also tried using pp, died at #1 again on xxx-den (in fact, Im going out on the same plane he arrived on two hours ago)
my brother in law with no status and h ticket that he bought 48 hours ago got upgraded at last minute even though first was full (my pp) from lax-xxx
but me, 1k, on a h ticket also from two weeks ago, also tried using pp, died at #1 again on xxx-den (in fact, Im going out on the same plane he arrived on two hours ago)
#279
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2017
Programs: AS 75K, DL Silver, UA Platinum, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Platinum + LT Gold
Posts: 10,326
This entire system is wonky
my brother in law with no status and h ticket that he bought 48 hours ago got upgraded at last minute even though first was full (my pp) from lax-xxx
but me, 1k, on a h ticket also from two weeks ago, also tried using pp, died at #1 again on xxx-den (in fact, I’m going out on the same plane he arrived on two hours ago)
my brother in law with no status and h ticket that he bought 48 hours ago got upgraded at last minute even though first was full (my pp) from lax-xxx
but me, 1k, on a h ticket also from two weeks ago, also tried using pp, died at #1 again on xxx-den (in fact, I’m going out on the same plane he arrived on two hours ago)
Anyway, every flight should be viewed on its own, as the pax demographics can vary from one flight to another. Not sure any conclusion can be drawn from comparing two different flights. It's really the luck of draw these days.
#280
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,291
Well it helps if you understand the rules
#281
Join Date: Oct 2008
Programs: UA 1K, 1MM
Posts: 504
this happened on the way here too (except on way here i died at #1 on the list) - so i got upgraded at check in and now the flight shows 38+1 blocked - but shows no upgrades. the list length and order changed. odd.
#282
Join Date: Jul 2011
Programs: AA Plat, UA 1K>Plat>moving to Silver
Posts: 2,067
On my IAH-XXX flight, we were 2 and 3 with PPs -and 8 out of 12 booked. Boarding starts in a few hours and it is fully booked and no one has been upgraded. The #1 on the list is still there.
UA still gets most of my domestic travel due to routes, but I have no loyalty. I fly Alaska, AA and DL when it makes sense. And I often buy F. And the inability to upgrade and ridiculous business class prices are why I havent flown UA internationally since 2018 or so. It is much easier to upgrade with miles on the European airlines. Plus, the soft product is much better.
UA still gets most of my domestic travel due to routes, but I have no loyalty. I fly Alaska, AA and DL when it makes sense. And I often buy F. And the inability to upgrade and ridiculous business class prices are why I havent flown UA internationally since 2018 or so. It is much easier to upgrade with miles on the European airlines. Plus, the soft product is much better.
#283
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Durham, NC (RDU/GSO/CLT)
Programs: AA EXP/MM, DL GM, UA Platinum, HH DIA, Hyatt Explorist, IHG Platinum, Marriott Titanium, Hertz PC
Posts: 33,857
I've been doing better this year than I expected to with CPUs. So far I've cleared on 11/14 flights and gotten companion upgrades on 3/5.
PP I agree have been awful. I've missed ORD-MUC and EWR-LAX by very wide margins though I did clear on SEA-IAD and on LH MUC-CLT
PP I agree have been awful. I've missed ORD-MUC and EWR-LAX by very wide margins though I did clear on SEA-IAD and on LH MUC-CLT
#284
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,176
The display of cleared upgrades has been broken for years. People who get upgraded are removed from the list unless it happens after check-in (and sometimes even then). Its not possible to tell reliably how many people were upgraded on a given flight.
#285
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: SEA/NYC/IAD
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Titanium, Hyatt Explorist
Posts: 1,901
I'm actually doing surprisingly well this year as a Gold. I think 2/8 (DCA-ORD, DEN-SEA), would have been 3/8 (IAD-SEA) except I booked directly upfront since it wasn't that much more expensive.
The ones I do miss, I'm usually pretty close to the top, maybe missing by 1-2? I feel like this is very hub dependent.
The ones I do miss, I'm usually pretty close to the top, maybe missing by 1-2? I feel like this is very hub dependent.