Manila from SFO and PlusPoints Upgrades
Oct 9, 2023, 3:24 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Chicago, Kailua-Kona, Cairns
Programs: UA 1K >2MM, IC Plat, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold
Posts: 740
Manila from SFO and PlusPoints Upgrades
I booked on the new SFO/MNL service roundtrip for mid-November.
I have enough PlusPoints to UG from Premium Plus to Polaris on one leg. My wife was going to use PlusPoints to upgrade the other leg, but isn't even presented with this option when she logs into her MP account. Is this a bug, or can family/friends not UG anymore?
I've also noted light loads on these early flights. What are the chances UA is really committed to this route? Hate to go back to the HNL/GUM routing.
I have enough PlusPoints to UG from Premium Plus to Polaris on one leg. My wife was going to use PlusPoints to upgrade the other leg, but isn't even presented with this option when she logs into her MP account. Is this a bug, or can family/friends not UG anymore?
I've also noted light loads on these early flights. What are the chances UA is really committed to this route? Hate to go back to the HNL/GUM routing.
Oct 9, 2023, 3:29 pm
#2
Join Date: Oct 2023
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: UA GS, Bonvoy LTP
Posts: 103
I booked on the new SFO/MNL service roundtrip for mid-November.
I have enough PlusPoints to UG from Premium Plus to Polaris on one leg. My wife was going to use PlusPoints to upgrade the other leg, but isn't even presented with this option when she logs into her MP account. Is this a bug, or can family/friends not UG anymore?
I've also noted light loads on these early flights. What are the chances UA is really committed to this route? Hate to go back to the HNL/GUM routing.
I have enough PlusPoints to UG from Premium Plus to Polaris on one leg. My wife was going to use PlusPoints to upgrade the other leg, but isn't even presented with this option when she logs into her MP account. Is this a bug, or can family/friends not UG anymore?
I've also noted light loads on these early flights. What are the chances UA is really committed to this route? Hate to go back to the HNL/GUM routing.
Oct 9, 2023, 3:42 pm
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 22,117
Last edited by jsloan; Oct 9, 2023 at 4:12 pm
Oct 9, 2023, 4:09 pm
#4
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: MA
Programs: DL DM/2MM Marriott Platinum, HH Diamond,
Posts: 8,910
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I mean, the route never made any sense to begin with -- and I say that as someone who will fly it if it sticks. The economy fares they're charging to connect from the rest of the country are extremely high. They must know something that I don't, and I've already been burned once by positing that UA had no intention of competing directly against Philippine Airlines, so I won't make any calls, but if I had to bet, I'd expect it to last no more than one season.
I mean, the route never made any sense to begin with -- and I say that as someone who will fly it if it sticks. The economy fares they're charging to connect from the rest of the country are extremely high. They must know something that I don't, and I've already been burned once by positing that UA had no intention of competing directly against Philippine Airlines, so I won't make any calls, but if I had to bet, I'd expect it to last no more than one season.
Oct 9, 2023, 4:13 pm
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 22,117
Apples and oranges. The stop in Tokyo makes all the difference -- it becomes a much cheaper flight to operate, and they can also take advantage of local TYO-MNL traffic.
Oct 9, 2023, 4:19 pm
#6
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA LT Plat 2MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 67,769
Did she pull up you reservation and select upgrades?
Oct 9, 2023, 5:14 pm
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 15,228
I booked on the new SFO/MNL service roundtrip for mid-November.
I have enough PlusPoints to UG from Premium Plus to Polaris on one leg. My wife was going to use PlusPoints to upgrade the other leg, but isn't even presented with this option when she logs into her MP account...
I have enough PlusPoints to UG from Premium Plus to Polaris on one leg. My wife was going to use PlusPoints to upgrade the other leg, but isn't even presented with this option when she logs into her MP account...
Edit - I guess you want her to apply her PPs to the second leg of your trip? Then she needs to find your reservation using “find a trip” and then try there.
if this is not the case - never mind…
Oct 9, 2023, 10:25 pm
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 22,117
Yes. PN9 PZ0 IN9 has started to appear across many of the dates I've checked over the next couple of months.
While I normally don't consider waitlisting for long-haul flights, in this particular case I'm willing to roll the dice -- with a suitable backup plan in mind, of course. The biggest danger is not that they'll sell all of the seats -- the biggest danger is that there will be a mechanical issue the previous day and that they will merge two half-full J cabins together.
While I normally don't consider waitlisting for long-haul flights, in this particular case I'm willing to roll the dice -- with a suitable backup plan in mind, of course. The biggest danger is not that they'll sell all of the seats -- the biggest danger is that there will be a mechanical issue the previous day and that they will merge two half-full J cabins together.
Oct 10, 2023, 8:41 pm
#11
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Orange County, CA
Programs: United GS, MM, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 612
I’ve gotten my wife and I both cleared to mnl and back in early November with PN space