What is the process to change a flight with a waitlisted PlusPoints upgrade? If the flight is changed, would the upgrade request transfer to the new flight, or would a new upgrade need to be requested?

You'll have to apply new PP upgrade request to new flight. Nothing will be re-deposited from original flight because nothing was withdrawn.

How so?

because there are multiple upgrade lists. So a non status pax with GS plus points applied is kind of ahead of a 1k.

Yes, you'd have to apply a new request.

And the last time I did this, I got an alert/warning message show up afterwards on the Upgrades page (the tab that shows all your reservations using PPs) saying that my reservation was out of sync. When going into the reservation, it made it appear that there were 2 duplicate upgrade requests submitted and it wouldn't let me remove them on the website as it normally does with uncleared requests.

I had to call in to get it resolved. The agent said that even though it may have appeared like there was something wrong, the new flight was properly waitlisted. So it may have been ok in the end and nothing to worry about. Still I asked if they could clear it up and remove the old PP request, which they did, since I don't like to see anything strange show up in my reservations with upgrade requests pending.

I guess bottom line is that next time I make a similar change, I will remove the upgrade request first, then reapply after the change is completed.

As it should be. Life was easier back in the day, when any passenger using an e-cert inherited the status of the gifting member.

Totally understand your point that it would be easier. Personally I never agreed with the approach. I am fine if a GS uses instruments for people traveling with them. No problem. I really dislike having a a non-status passenger jump ahead of every 1K and below. It really reduces the benefit for most of us. For the 7 years I was GS, I felt the same way and only used the benefit once for a pair of stranded colleagues who were dealing with IRROPS in India. Perhaps restricting it to 1 person if the GS is not on the same flight would be more reasonable. With all the PP's in circulation right now, having a family of 4 jump me on a route where I use PP's and miss the UG doesn't sit right with me.

If you're Platinum and your 1K relative calls United to gift/apply pointsplus to a flight and you need to change that flight, is there a way to change the flight (online or by phone) without the need for the relative call United to re-apply the points? Doubt status matters but included them just in case

You can ask and there is a chance the agent will do it but the PlusPoints are generally returned to the account.

Thanks!

pluspoints on mixed INTL/DOM itineraries?
 

If this is already covered somewhere, a pointer is fine. Some of these threads are now so long there's no way to find the answers ;-(

Doing KEF-EWR-RDU, and my understanding of the new PlusPoints upgrade thing goes something like this:

1. if I request an upgrade for the whole thing (KEF-EWR-RDU) and the whole thing clears, they take 80pts (or 40, depends on fare class but ignore that for now).
2. if I request an upgrade for the whole thing and *only* the short leg clears, they're going to take 20pts from my account.
3. if I request an upgrade for the whole thing and only the long leg clears, they take 80.

Assuming this is correct, what's the best strategy for avoiding #2 above? I'm assuming I'm like a lot of people in that I don't want to burn pluspoints currency (this year maybe but not in general) on short-hop domestic flights. I can think of options, but they all suck:

- only request the long leg, and then call and ask for the domestic to be tacked on when it clears? (hassle)

- eat the risk that only the domestic will clear? If this happens, call and downgrade? (hassle)

- something else?

Is there some way to tell the Big UA Machine that I only want to get put on the domestic leg upgrade list if the longhaul leg clears? Otherwise I'll take my CPU chances...

Your understanding (1-3) is all correct.
To save the 20 points on EWR-RDU, you do not request that segment. There is no way to tack on the longer segment if it is cleared first. If there is PZ space on KEF-EWR, you select both segments for upgrade, not the other way around. If you request for both segments with only short leg cleared, your only option to get 20 points back is to do same day change to a later flight.
Good luck.
p.s.: I used 80 points for KEF-EWR with wife on the trip last month. It is a very short daytime flight. I would save 80 points for 4 one-way trips of EWR-SFO/LAX if it is a sole trip. But if you have PP to burn, just use them.

This is a major downfall of the PlusPoints system. You cannot tack on any segments to an upgrade request once any part of it clears. So if you request KEF-EWR only and it clears you must then spend another 20 PPs for EWR-RDU. Different request, different PlusPoints.

If you request KEF-EWR-RDU and only EWR-RDU clears you're out 20 PPs. I don't know how Kmxu 's idea of using SDC to confirm a different flight would work. I don't know if you'd get your 20 PPs back but I suppose it's possible.

Lastly...the only way to get PPs back (barring the above-mentioned idea from the previous poster, which I don't have experience with but it may work) is to cancel the entire ticket to get PPs back and then rebook it. In this day of e-credits you could use it to book a new ticket and then make a new PP request. That would not work for a one-way KEF-US because United's change/cancel policy is for US originating tickets only. If you book a r/t and it starts at RDU then you're fine.

-RM

When is the latest time to apply PP to a PNR? Can it be done at airport or shortly before flight time?

As late as you want to do it (if you are able to grab the last open PZ space before boarding starts). So, you should do it just before GA clears the upgrade standby list. Some GAs do it before initialing the boarding process; others may not do it 30 min (or even late) before departure.