I understand that I have to use Plus Points for an upgrade on flights before the expiry date of those Plus Points. - That would sound logical, but with other programs, I can request an upgrade for a flight beyond such an expiry date, because they allow online upgrades when available only - which must be prior to the date of expiry, of course. That would be the case with Lufthansa's Miles&More program, for example.
But as United deducts Plus Points no sooner than when they actually confirm the upgrade, by the time they do, there may not be any Plus Points left because they have expired in the meantime.
Does anyone know a way to avoid that "hard" expiration policy?

Probably a super basic question, but I've been on the phone with MP for an hour to revire a plus points request. When one leg of a flight clears...are those pp still showing as requested until flight is completed or not?

I have requested a total upgrade pp use if 200. A 40 point upgrade cleared for next week, but now shows 200 requested, 40 deducted. Should it not be 160?

It really does not matter as you can request more than you -- all that matters is when a upgrade can clear if there is enough unused PlusPoints to fulfill the upgrade-- the request(ed) number does not matter.

So if account shows 160, and my outstanding requests total 160, and one 40 point just cleared) i should be fine even though it still shows 200 requested? Seems odd...

I present have X+20 Requested and X available

THanks, but won't i still don't understand is do i have enough to cover them all if they all clear? I should but not according to requested and available. If you have x+20 requested, do you have enough points to support them all?

No in my case but the requested number can be messed up when partial upgrades clear. How many have you requested but pending? With the partial, will the remainder actually need more PlusPoints? Or will what has been confirmed is enough to cover the unconfirmed trip. Afraid you may need to work this out.

thanks. It's very confusing. I had 200 points. I requested to use 200. One cleared for 40, but account still shows 200 requested, but 160 in account. I guess my question is can a cleared but unflown segment (with another segment on same pnr waitlisted,) still show as requested? If not, something's messed up...

Something may be messed up. Example below - 3 days later after the flight:

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...2e8f9d344b.jpg

I expect that I'll have to call UA and politely ask the agent to pull the PPs back.

David

Just to update my situation...took 5 calls and almost 2 hours to both mp service and 1k desk to resolve this. Mp was totally useless, don't waste your time!!. Finally a great 1k agent this morning figured it out. I had changed one segment of a flight and system was still see requests for both segments, even though one had been replaced by a date change. She eliminated that phantom request and put everything back into sync. Always amazing how vast the skill set variance is among agents. Wish I had a direct line to her!!

Yes, this can happen. It will self-correct once the flight date passes. Did you see this in your listing of applied PlusPoints?

No, i wasn't seeing it, that's why it was so confusing. When i changed the ticket, the agent correctly redeposited my points, and took them out for new segment. It was just the requested number that was inflated....

- If 5 people are on the same PNR (TATL return trip) and I (GS) apply 400 PlusPoints to waitlist everyone in both directions, does the system clear passengers one by one, or does it wait for 5 upgrade seats to open at once (the chances of which would be close to zero)?

- Do all 5 passengers clear into PN or only 2 (GS+one companion), with the remaining 3 waiting for PZ to open? If so, how does the system determine which of the 4 companions to make the GS companion that clears into PN?

Thank you for any insight.

Unless you proactively split the PNR, it will wait for five seats to be available at once.


For upgrades booked with GS instruments, all passengers will clear into PN, whether a GS is traveling or not.

Thank you very much for those clear answers.