Y/B/M Premier Instant Upgrade - How does it work? {Archive}
Jul 24, 2015, 9:56 am
#271
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On my last 3 TCONs, discount F was cheaper than refundable Y
Jul 24, 2015, 10:01 am
#272
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Jul 24, 2015, 10:25 am
#273
Join Date: Oct 2008
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I don't believe the upgrade is "waitlisted." If PN opens up you have to either call in or manually process it on the website. Otherwise you'll just clear (if PN is available) within 120 hours of departure.
Jul 24, 2015, 10:32 am
#274
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Yes, thanks for the clarification. It will be waitlisted beginning at T-120 and processed as a CPU but with super-priority.
Jul 25, 2015, 9:56 pm
#275
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Colorado
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I'm a UA Premier G* and just ticketed a Y-class fare for coast-to-coast travel. According to the Premier benefits guide, "Instant Upgrades" are issued for Gold Members and higher on "Y- or B- full-fare tickets." The flight, however, is only showing as eligible for a "Premier Upgrade," which don't start to clear until 48 hours out (in my case).
I called United to ask .... They acknowledged that I am on a Y-class ticket. She couldn't figure out what the upgrade wouldn't clear, so she contacted a supervisor. More than 10 minutes later, she comes back and tells me there is no "fare availability" for an upgrade. Nowhere in the benefits information does it state that there are limitations on instant upgrades, and the First cabin on both flights is well below half-full.
Has anyone else encountered this problem? I feel baited, as I purposely booked the Y-class fare in anticipation of the upgrade, and now they are coming up with limitations, which are nowhere spelled out -- at least on their webpage. Anyone else dealt with this "bait and switch?"
I called United to ask .... They acknowledged that I am on a Y-class ticket. She couldn't figure out what the upgrade wouldn't clear, so she contacted a supervisor. More than 10 minutes later, she comes back and tells me there is no "fare availability" for an upgrade. Nowhere in the benefits information does it state that there are limitations on instant upgrades, and the First cabin on both flights is well below half-full.
Has anyone else encountered this problem? I feel baited, as I purposely booked the Y-class fare in anticipation of the upgrade, and now they are coming up with limitations, which are nowhere spelled out -- at least on their webpage. Anyone else dealt with this "bait and switch?"
B - $1077
Y - $1673
P (First) - $1115
F (Full First) - $2550
If you book a couple of weeks in advance there are usually P fares as above. If you want to take a connection from EWR-SFO, P drops to $499.
I end up buying B and Y a lot but it is always the day before a flight and first is completely full.
Jul 26, 2015, 12:07 am
#276
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Join Date: Oct 1999
Posts: 11,496
On the day of departure I was the only one who showed cleared on that midweek TransCon 738.
Had I "hoped" for the system to take care of it, I would have never cleared.
Jul 26, 2015, 12:48 pm
#277
Join Date: Apr 2015
Programs: United Global Services, Amtrak Select Executive
Posts: 4,134
Check the price of first - it is probably less then Y. For example, nonstop EWR-SFO the prices are:
B - $1077
Y - $1673
P (First) - $1115
F (Full First) - $2550
If you book a couple of weeks in advance there are usually P fares as above. If you want to take a connection from EWR-SFO, P drops to $499.
I end up buying B and Y a lot but it is always the day before a flight and first is completely full.
B - $1077
Y - $1673
P (First) - $1115
F (Full First) - $2550
If you book a couple of weeks in advance there are usually P fares as above. If you want to take a connection from EWR-SFO, P drops to $499.
I end up buying B and Y a lot but it is always the day before a flight and first is completely full.
Aug 2, 2015, 6:57 pm
#278
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: San Jose, CA
Posts: 253
If you confirm an instant upgrade then do the original fare rules still apply? E.g. if the original fare was fully refundable then can you still get a full refund after the upgrade into PN?
Aug 2, 2015, 9:28 pm
#279
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Aug 3, 2015, 4:11 am
#280
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: CLE, DCA, and 30k feet
Programs: Honors LT Diamond; United 1K; Hertz PC
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However, in my experience, that fact that it has been PNed frequently means that self service tools (e.g. web site, United app) aren't able to change/refund* the reservation so I have to call reservations. (For changes, at least, it will go through the illusion of letting you change it only to fail when on the last step)
So (again, IME), while the original fare rules continue to apply, it's not as easy to change a ticket after it's been upgraded as it is a "pure" Economy/First ticket.
*- I refund far less frequently than I change, so my memory may be faulty as insofar as refunds are concerned.
So (again, IME), while the original fare rules continue to apply, it's not as easy to change a ticket after it's been upgraded as it is a "pure" Economy/First ticket.
*- I refund far less frequently than I change, so my memory may be faulty as insofar as refunds are concerned.
Aug 3, 2015, 1:05 pm
#281
Join Date: Apr 2015
Programs: United Global Services, Amtrak Select Executive
Posts: 4,134
However, in my experience, that fact that it has been PNed frequently means that self service tools (e.g. web site, United app) aren't able to change/refund* the reservation so I have to call reservations. (For changes, at least, it will go through the illusion of letting you change it only to fail when on the last step)
So (again, IME), while the original fare rules continue to apply, it's not as easy to change a ticket after it's been upgraded as it is a "pure" Economy/First ticket.
*- I refund far less frequently than I change, so my memory may be faulty as insofar as refunds are concerned.
So (again, IME), while the original fare rules continue to apply, it's not as easy to change a ticket after it's been upgraded as it is a "pure" Economy/First ticket.
*- I refund far less frequently than I change, so my memory may be faulty as insofar as refunds are concerned.
Aug 3, 2015, 10:02 pm
#282
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: LBB
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Check the price of first - it is probably less then Y. For example, nonstop EWR-SFO the prices are:
B - $1077
Y - $1673
P (First) - $1115
F (Full First) - $2550
If you book a couple of weeks in advance there are usually P fares as above. If you want to take a connection from EWR-SFO, P drops to $499.
I end up buying B and Y a lot but it is always the day before a flight and first is completely full.
B - $1077
Y - $1673
P (First) - $1115
F (Full First) - $2550
If you book a couple of weeks in advance there are usually P fares as above. If you want to take a connection from EWR-SFO, P drops to $499.
I end up buying B and Y a lot but it is always the day before a flight and first is completely full.
Pricing is heavily route dependent as well as inventory dependent.
Aug 3, 2015, 10:10 pm
#283
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: LBB
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Posts: 2,820
Regarding refund-ability ... if you choose a refundable fare bucket in economy... does that typically mean that any economy fare class above the advertised refundable fare class is also refundable (for instance, if U is a refundable bucket, such as the typical DEN-SFO refundable fare... does that mean that buckets in E, M, B, and Y would also be refundable by default?)?
I guess that would tie into the question posed by the previous poster regarding maintaining refund-ability by upgrading into PN class from a refundable ticket......
I guess that would tie into the question posed by the previous poster regarding maintaining refund-ability by upgrading into PN class from a refundable ticket......
Aug 3, 2015, 10:15 pm
#284
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
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Regarding refund-ability ... if you choose a refundable fare bucket in economy... does that typically mean that any economy fare class above the advertised refundable fare class is also refundable (for instance, if U is a refundable bucket, such as the typical DEN-SFO refundable fare... does that mean that buckets in E, M, B, and Y would also be refundable by default?)? ...
Aug 3, 2015, 10:28 pm
#285
Join Date: Apr 2015
Programs: United Global Services, Amtrak Select Executive
Posts: 4,134
Regarding refund-ability ... if you choose a refundable fare bucket in economy... does that typically mean that any economy fare class above the advertised refundable fare class is also refundable (for instance, if U is a refundable bucket, such as the typical DEN-SFO refundable fare... does that mean that buckets in E, M, B, and Y would also be refundable by default?)?
I guess that would tie into the question posed by the previous poster regarding maintaining refund-ability by upgrading into PN class from a refundable ticket......
I guess that would tie into the question posed by the previous poster regarding maintaining refund-ability by upgrading into PN class from a refundable ticket......