If PZ is still available on DEN-TPA, you could cancel, rebook, and apply PP to both segments.

How did you get the PP back? Did you call or email?

I didn't ask at all, just had a refund of the points post shortly after the flights. And then I definitely wasn't going to ask!

Good on you! :D

Now that's some thinking, thanks for the workaround idea.

Early May, I have a FRA-IAD flight booked in Economy with a K fare. When I go in to apply PlusPoints, I am offered 20 to wait list PE, 80 to wait list Business, or "up to 80" to wait list both. I wouldn't mind the PE upgrade but only if Business were not available. Both cabins are very open here 6 weeks out.

If I wait list both, is there a chance that they open RN first and I 'get' upgraded to that, and then I am no longer eligible for the PZ Business upgrade. Or, do they do some clever thing where I can still go to Business if it later opens.

Or, is it best to wait and watch over the next few weeks and hope that PZ opens. If it doesn't open, then with only a week to go, do the 'both' upgrade request figuring that my 1K status might get me to the top of the list nearer to checkin.

Yes, the way it is supposed to work is you can clear into the highest of RN or PZ any time either opens. You can still clear to PZ after clearing to RN.

However as standard with UA IT, things don't always work properly, so keep an eye on your reservation and on inventory if you're waitlisted.

I would not trust that a K fare will necessarily get you to the top of the list.

I've only used PPs once before to get an upgrade to Polaris in December/January to/from Europe and I sought out flights with no waitlists. Now I'm looking at similar flights in April and the transatlantic legs seem to all be waitlisted on my dates (no matter which city I go through: Brussels, Paris, Zurich, Frankfurt...).

I know it's hard to predict but are there some rules of thumb for when it's worth waitlisting? On some of these flights I see that Business/First are more than 75% empty. Are more seats released to the waitlist as time goes on?

Any tips and tricks appreciated.

I'm willing to pay the higher prices for United in order to get upgraded but if I can't get an upgrade then I'll take cheaper airlines instead.

It looks like united site is allowing me to book a flight while being short of the required pluspoints. 240 needed and there is currently 200 in my account. Do I have a chance of getting upgraded into Polaris business or will United's system just keep the reservation in limbo because there isn't enough points in my account?

I'm purchasing two tickets.

Outbound,
A $852(G) + 80 points or B $1440(V) + 40 points
Inbound,
C $852(G) + 80 points or D $1472(V) + 40 points

If I select A and D, United's site lets me go to checkout with not enough points for all the upgrades.

If I select B, then the inbound becomes
E $1440(G) + 80 points or F $2059(V) + 40 points

Which is a significant price increase.

You can waitlist as many pluspoints as you want. You can only clear as many as you have.

Does anyone know when you go on the list, is the list based on price paid for the ticket or first in, first upgraded?

Also, is there a list somewhere of success and not? Really don't want to use all miles to buy the ticket (there was no miles upgrade option) but won't be happy in economy.

The priority list for a non-cpu flight is based on status, purchased fare class, then a number of other factors if needed

Extensive discussed Understanding the United Upgrade List Comprehensively
and on the UA site

The UA forum has threads for SUCCESS and FAILURES for 2022 and previous years, such as
PlusPoints NON-Polaris flight upgrade SUCCESS 2022
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unit...ss-2022-a.html

Thank you, I thought these posts had to be out there but my search skills were failing me. Thank you for the links

Thank you!

What if this was a 2 flight itinerary and PZ cleared on one of the legs. Does that automatically remove the second flight from the Premium plus waitlist? ( I cannot recollect any mention of mixed class upgrades).