Correct, PlusPoints upgrades and MileagePlus Upgrade Awards are the first items for upgrade priority:

https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly...-priority.html

• https://media.united.com/images/Medi...on_upgrade.png PlusPoints upgrades and MileagePlus Upgrade Awards
• https://media.united.com/images/Medi...ileageplus.png Premier status of the traveler*
• https://media.united.com/images/Medi..._fareclass.png Fare class
• https://media.united.com/images/Medi...dit_card1x.svg Chase United MileagePlus Club cardholders and Presidential Plus cardholders
• https://media.united.com/images/Medi...erred_24px.png United Corporate Preferred participants
• https://media.united.com/images/Medi...n_spending.png United Chase Cardmembers with $25,000 in annual spending
• https://media.united.com/images/Medi...n_calendar.png Date and time of request

Not GS but others yes. Any supported upgrade request (PlusPoints or miles) is ahead of 1K or lower CPU.

As WineCountryUA mentioned, except for GS travelers, instruments always trump non-instruments. But I disagree with your logic twice -- if someone wants to use an instrument (including miles + copay), of course I'd expect them to have priority over me if I don't use an instrument. (Certainly, if I use my PlusPoints to upgrade my non-status family, I'd want them to be ahead of a silver CPU). And, I don't know that Plats and 1Ks are necessarily compelled to use instruments, because I suspect the number of lower status members using gifted PlusPoints isn't particularly large. To whatever extent they're using instruments, I suspect it's 1Ks using their own instruments to leap ahead of other 1Ks.

Those are good points. Heard and respected.

For 1Ks, there has historically been some frustration about GS gifting their GPUs/PP, since those have priority over 1K instruments. Many GS accrue a whole bunch of these, and don't have much personal use for them, since they're often flying paid J/F.

So it has historically not been uncommon at stations like SFO to have, for example, an entire family of four on gifted GS instruments trumping 1K upgrades on the Hawaii routes.

My view is that's the system, and GS have earned their instruments. But there definitely can be circumstances where 1K lose out to gifted GS upgrades.

So the GS are overly gifted?

David

Some would say.

Wait so GS PlusPoints are better than 1K PlusPoints even when they’re applied to someone without status?

If someone is GS and meets the qualification for 1K and Platinum, are those PlusPoints GS or 1K/Plat?

Also, is it true that GS CPU > 1K PlusPoints in cpu eligible flights?

1)GS plus points are better than 1k pluspoints because they clear into a far more available inventory that is PN rather than PZ. Once it goes to the airport upgrade list things get more complicated.

2) if your a GS any plus points in your account are GS plus points until you lose your status

3)GS cpus clear before 1k plus points, this is why GS have such high upgrade percentages because they beat everyone no matter who, except their own tier(divided by fare class). Thats not true for 1ks for example a no status member using miles beats a 1k cpu.

You don't say!

David

That's amazing and explains a lot. Thank you.

One additional point, non-GS PlusPoints (such as from a 1K) used by a GS, does not have the special magic of GS PlusPoints -- will require PZ space.

Can you clarify this? Do you mean a GS earning 1K PlusPoints or the PlusPoints of a 1K being applied to a GS? I know PlusPoints from a 1K are useless but I’m hoping points earned upon achieving 1K qualification aren’t?

GS uses a 1K friend’s PlusPoints.

The Plus Points from Dad will be much more useful.