angetenar

You can add the domestic PP request online very easily

jsloan

It will charge extra PlusPoints if you try to do it online. An agent would probably charge extra PlusPoints as well, but might not if either (a) there is still PZ2 or (b) OP is able to explain that this was a UA agent error.

The old approach — put a GPU on the long-haul segment, and if it clears, call to extend it to your connecting flights — is explicitly disallowed by PlusPoints rules.

WineCountryUA

Only by cancelling the present request and starting all over.

simonoaks

Have officially decided United PZ offering is shockingly bad. Never going to use up my 220 PP by July 21st. Definitely switching to Delta after the summer.

There is zero open PZ from EWR to ANY of the 22 direct flights to Europe on 19th or 20th July. It gets exhausting searching 22 routes and 2 dates , everyday.

IAH-OIL-TRASH

United’s not really releasing anything early. Upgrades aren’t being made available (if seats remaining) until w/i 48 hours of departure. Plus, w/ European travel bonkers this summer, no incentive for UA to forego revenue. Is Delta passing out upgrades in advance or is it just a more convenient carrier/alliance?

avi8tir

After 11 years as a GS, I have NEVER seen it this bad. essentially zero PN as well for July. For once I am actually nervous about clearing on a summer trip to NL in July.

Kacee

Not for the plentiful upgrades, I hope.

JALsnipe

UA 956 EWR-GVA on 7/19 is at PN9 IN9. Super frustrating that they're willing to open up all that saver award space without any PZ.

FWIW, if you can fly on 7/18 UA 962 EWR-BER is at PN9 PZ4 IN9 I4.

Chukiechz

same, we have a trip next week to Rome that I applied PP to many months ago. Split the reservation 2+2 (wife is GS too) and have slowly watched seats disappear.

spartacusmcfly

Hang tight. Million of plus points will expire on July 31 and Jan 31.

After that, the 1K/GS cohort will be significantly smaller than pre-covid.

PN/PZ should be plentiful next year!

econ

A familiar mantra over the past few years. I hope you're right, but I'll believe it when I see it.

jsloan

[mod edit] PN/PZ is not being taken up by other people's PlusPoints. It's simply not being opened in the first place -- PZ in particular.

Furthermore, UA is playing a game: the more they reduce upgrade clearance rates, the more they get people to buy J, and thus the fewer upgradeable seats there are in inventory. It's a vicious cycle that will only be broken when (a) people give up and start flying other carriers or (b) the economy absolutely tanks. If you have fewer 1K/GSes -- those 1K/GSes will be buying J; or they'll be defecting to AA/DL, and some AA/DL premier member will buy the UA J seat, because they're equally up in arms about low clearance rates.

People expecting PZ space to be open "next year" are like Charlie Brown with the football at this point.

navatwal

5 year 1k, just landed in London from SFO, booked A Class PP, changed dates / flights around a few times, it was clear I was not going to clear using PP, 2 weeks before my original flight I was number 3 on waitlist with 10 seats available, 4 days before I was number 8 with 8 seats available. Only 1 seat cleared, I upgraded to Polaris 3 days prior to flight for $1000, no point chasing the status if you are unable to use the benefits.

I also booked my parents, wife, daughter in A/ R on same route a few weeks back and they weren't cleared either, ended up burning PP's on a short hop to LAs Vegas, still loads left.

Aussienarelle

Wow on an A fare! I have been upgaring to R lately and have been getting the upgrades - three came through this week so surprised about your A fare.

spartacusmcfly

Doesn't matter how many times it's said, if it's not true.

1. The annual poll we conduct still finds broad satisfaction across the plus point user base.

2. I've personally booked over 20 international flights leveraging PZ/PN space this year -- including SFO-SIN (PZ), SFO-FCO (PN), SFO-LHR (PZ).

Stating PN/PZ has simply disappeared because everyone is buying J is just factually incorrect. There's plenty of PN/PZ space, but it's just consumed quickly by the millions of plus points circulating in the ecosystem. Once those are reduced, satisfaction across the plus point user base will grow further.