No, you are not - you are correct. 1Ks just get the up-from-M opportunity also.

Looked through our wiki as well, looks like only GS/1K get PN, while Sil-Plat get PZ priority. I guess in either case a Plat could theoretically snag a PZ the system opens before the GA get's to it. It'd be tough to do, I think, but not impossible. I've (re-)booked same-day PZ flights to confirm an upgrade while there is still a (short) upgrade list. I'd assume it's possible on a shorter time scale, too.

That material is incomplete

There is much more on Instant Upgrade in Y/B/M Premier Instant Upgrade - How does it work?

5 or so years back Plat and lower lost the ability is be waitlisted for Instant Upgrades. Only available at booking. Also only offered if PZ>0, there are occasional reports of Plats et al on Y/B fares of being successful calling in if PZ>0, The Instant Upgrade button will not appears post booking for Plat and lower (Believe me, I have looked)

GS/1Ks waitlist on PN and are elibilge for M fares also.

As mentioned, the referenced thread has much more detailed discussion on Instant Upgrade in the master thread and wiki. Including the negative impact of PlusPoints for 1Ks

So, as GS, adding PP to YBM does zero good since GS already clear into PN, correct?

It's also possible that the two pax who got the upgrade were friends of the Gate Agent and he/she gave to them. If you read the FT forum a lot, you'll see it happens often.

not quite. if you're within 72 hours, at the top of the ug list, and with more than 4 J/F seats left, you can have them push the upgrade with pp attached but not with just Y/B/M priority

in my experience, this gets talked about a lot but actually doesn't happen that often

No, if you read the FT forum a lot, you'll see it gets alleged often, rarely (never?) with any kind of evidence.

Yep. 10+ years ago, it definitely happened on UA; today, not so much. UA really cracked down on shenanigans and they're pretty much unheard of now. There's a tight audit trail and it's a firing offense.

Very unlikely. It's actually hard to do nowadays with FFers watching the list on app and on screens at the boarding areas. A decade or more ago, yeah...

Very unlikely. It's actually hard to do nowadays with FFers watching the list on app and on screens at the boarding areas. A decade or more ago, yeah...

And "friends" of the GA in past weren't likely to be #2 on list - they would be often towards the end, amongst NRSAs..

There were two reasons for the screens:

1. To sell more buy-ups to people who could see their CPU / instrument isn't going to clear
2. To remind employees that shenanigans will be noticed

I'd say they're succeeding on both counts.

if you read the UA forum, that rarely happens. Far more of an urban myth nowadays and a lack of understanding of the actual rules.
Upgrade Shenanigans? [Consolidated]

Even on domestic? I ddint think you could push on domestic....

absolutely yes

sometimes it can be harmful, as adding the PP later technically makes your time of upgrade request later, altering your place if it comes down to tie breakers.