availability of upgrades?
Nov 9, 2003 | 2:36 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: SFO
Posts: 4,198
availability of upgrades?
I am waitlisted on UA 837 and UA 852 (travelling the week of Dec 8th). Anybody know how long it takes for these to clear (I'm 1K) and if I can check seat inventory someplace?
Thanks
Thanks
Nov 9, 2003 | 3:52 pm
#2
In Memoriam
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Seattle
Programs: Ephesians 4:31-32
Posts: 10,690
Very interesting question, malgudi, and one which I have been trying to ask for a couple of weeks. Unfortunately, every time a thread starts on UA on this subject, the Moderators close it down for some mysterious reason. 
The only thing I know how to do now is to go into the UA site and set up a dummy reservation in 1st or business to see what seats are open. I am not even sure how accurate that is.
I sure wish there were an easier way and hope that the Moderators leave this thread open so we can get some current input.
If anybody has any better ideas, I would greatly appreciate their input.
The only thing I know how to do now is to go into the UA site and set up a dummy reservation in 1st or business to see what seats are open. I am not even sure how accurate that is.
I sure wish there were an easier way and hope that the Moderators leave this thread open so we can get some current input.
If anybody has any better ideas, I would greatly appreciate their input.
Nov 9, 2003 | 4:01 pm
#3
Join Date: Dec 2001
Posts: 5,974
You can still check seat maps (and inventory for standard buckets in Japanese) at
http://www.airtravel.tk/
The seatmaps will give you a general idea of how full the flight is in the class you are interested in but it will not be a very accurate indicator of how many seats are left. But the inventory and thye seatmap can be used together to get some reasonable idea of the situation. If you see C0 in the inventory and all seats in C assigned in the seatmap or the seatmap comes up saying the map is not available at this time for C, you are most likely not going to get an upgrade.
http://www.airtravel.tk/
The seatmaps will give you a general idea of how full the flight is in the class you are interested in but it will not be a very accurate indicator of how many seats are left. But the inventory and thye seatmap can be used together to get some reasonable idea of the situation. If you see C0 in the inventory and all seats in C assigned in the seatmap or the seatmap comes up saying the map is not available at this time for C, you are most likely not going to get an upgrade.
Nov 9, 2003 | 4:28 pm
#4
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA/BD Gold/IC A/*Wood Gold - Certified BodyCombat and BodyPump Instructor
Posts: 6,070
You can sometimes get lucky by using united.com. Be sure you are in expert mode and you can sometimes see availability (check out Oz's link on the fare codes.) Go to the Award travel. Note you sometimes have to book a first or economy to see the business buckets. However, if there are no award seats, you can't see availabilty.
Don't forget in expert mode you can check out UA availability like you did before. You can even access the seat map - just make a dummy booking. You only need to pick the flights and select a traveller profile. It will be at the bottom to select seats.
[This message has been edited by LHR Tim (edited 11-09-2003).]
Don't forget in expert mode you can check out UA availability like you did before. You can even access the seat map - just make a dummy booking. You only need to pick the flights and select a traveller profile. It will be at the bottom to select seats.
[This message has been edited by LHR Tim (edited 11-09-2003).]
Nov 10, 2003 | 7:06 pm
#5
In Memoriam
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Seattle
Programs: Ephesians 4:31-32
Posts: 10,690
Thanks for the input.
Fortunately (or maybe unfortunately) they called at about 2:00 a.m., confirming our upgrades for next weekend. Really, just how urgent is this news??? 
Usually, I try to book flights that I can confirm at the time of booking, but sometimes that is just not possible. In those cases I make sure that there is a lot of open space "for sale". This particular flight had one leg that worried me because it got down to 6 open seats "For Sale" about three weeks out. Then, Friday, there were magically 12 seats open for sale. Sup with that??? And on Sunday (actually Monday morning) they called with the confirmation of the last two upgrades.
LHR Tim, what is this Oz fare code to which you refer???
Fortunately (or maybe unfortunately) they called at about 2:00 a.m., confirming our upgrades for next weekend.
Really, just how urgent is this news??? Usually, I try to book flights that I can confirm at the time of booking, but sometimes that is just not possible. In those cases I make sure that there is a lot of open space "for sale". This particular flight had one leg that worried me because it got down to 6 open seats "For Sale" about three weeks out. Then, Friday, there were magically 12 seats open for sale. Sup with that??? And on Sunday (actually Monday morning) they called with the confirmation of the last two upgrades.
LHR Tim, what is this Oz fare code to which you refer???
Nov 10, 2003 | 7:12 pm
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 20,405
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Punki:
Fortunately (or maybe unfortunately) they called at about 2:00 a.m., confirming our upgrades for next weekend. Really, just how urgent is this news???
</font>
Fortunately (or maybe unfortunately) they called at about 2:00 a.m., confirming our upgrades for next weekend.
Really, just how urgent is this news??? </font>
However, did UA the person call, or did EasyUpdate call? You can specify "privacy hours" within EasyUpdate so you're not disturbed.
Nov 10, 2003 | 7:53 pm
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: n.y.c.
Posts: 14,059
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Punki:
LHR Tim, what is this Oz fare code to which you refer???</font>
LHR Tim, what is this Oz fare code to which you refer???</font>
Thread listing all known UA revenue and award booking codes and a summary of each one
which explains how to find upgrade inventory.
Nov 11, 2003 | 8:57 am
#8
In Memoriam
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Seattle
Programs: Ephesians 4:31-32
Posts: 10,690
Thanks for the link. I need to take some time to read (internalize) all of this information one of these days.
So far we have been pretty lucky--never ending up in coach on an international flight, or even a trans-con for a good long while--using the dummy reservation mode, or just asking a reservation agent, before we book. When we do actual award tickets, we just won't book them if we can't get what we want at the time of booking, but, of course, at this stage of our life, we don't do much award travel. That will come with retirement, where we will have even more options on travel dates most of the time.
So far we have been pretty lucky--never ending up in coach on an international flight, or even a trans-con for a good long while--using the dummy reservation mode, or just asking a reservation agent, before we book. When we do actual award tickets, we just won't book them if we can't get what we want at the time of booking, but, of course, at this stage of our life, we don't do much award travel. That will come with retirement, where we will have even more options on travel dates most of the time.
Nov 12, 2003 | 12:48 am
#9
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Denver, CO USA
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Platinum, Hilton Gold, Holiday Inn Platinum, peon on the rest
Posts: 677
Ok I'm going to scream. I was booked on 876 from NRT to SEA on 11/21, even had a confirmed upgrade to business (thank you sweet spot), then the world turned upside down and I had to change to UA 800 on 11/19 from NRT to JFK. Tried to get on the upgrade list and they said it was "closed".
Could life get any worse?
Could life get any worse?
Nov 12, 2003 | 5:29 am
#10
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: UA1K MM, BA Gold, Hyatt LT Globalist, Bonvoy LTE, IHG Diam, HH Gold, Amtrak Sel Exec
Posts: 3,170
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by UScolorado1k:
Ok I'm going to scream. I was booked on 876 from NRT to SEA on 11/21, even had a confirmed upgrade to business (thank you sweet spot), then the world turned upside down and I had to change to UA 800 on 11/19 from NRT to JFK. Tried to get on the upgrade list and they said it was "closed".
Could life get any worse?</font>
Ok I'm going to scream. I was booked on 876 from NRT to SEA on 11/21, even had a confirmed upgrade to business (thank you sweet spot), then the world turned upside down and I had to change to UA 800 on 11/19 from NRT to JFK. Tried to get on the upgrade list and they said it was "closed".
Could life get any worse?
</font>
You should call back CONSTANTLY and keep trying to get yourself on the w/l. Closed w/l in my recent experience on HKG flights does not mean that upgrade space won't open up prior to flight day.
Nov 12, 2003 | 5:53 am
#11
In Memoriam
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Seattle
Programs: Ephesians 4:31-32
Posts: 10,690
UScolorado1k, how many seats are there left for sale on your flight?
kv99 is right. Just keep calling until you get on the list and upgraded even.
You never know what will happen if you hang in there. We were recently upgraded on a flight where 1st is showing sold out. Like even when you try to buy a first class ticket, it puts you in coach. You just never, never know.
kv99 is right. Just keep calling until you get on the list and upgraded even.
You never know what will happen if you hang in there. We were recently upgraded on a flight where 1st is showing sold out. Like even when you try to buy a first class ticket, it puts you in coach. You just never, never know.
Nov 12, 2003 | 3:48 pm
#12
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Denver, CO USA
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Platinum, Hilton Gold, Holiday Inn Platinum, peon on the rest
Posts: 677
I'm calling twice a day, so hopefully something will happen. Even if it doesn't, I'm going to put a sad face on when I check in at NRT and hopefully something nice will happen to me. It's worked before, maybe it will work this time... 
Nov 12, 2003 | 5:03 pm
#13
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Denver, CO USA
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Platinum, Hilton Gold, Holiday Inn Platinum, peon on the rest
Posts: 677
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Punki:
UScolorado1k, how many seats are there left for sale on your flight?
</font>
UScolorado1k, how many seats are there left for sale on your flight?
</font>
Nov 13, 2003 | 7:52 am
#14
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA/BD Gold/IC A/*Wood Gold - Certified BodyCombat and BodyPump Instructor
Posts: 6,070
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by venk:
You can still check seat maps (and inventory for standard buckets in Japanese) at
http://www.airtravel.tk/
The seatmaps will give you a general idea of how full the flight is in...</font>
You can still check seat maps (and inventory for standard buckets in Japanese) at
http://www.airtravel.tk/
The seatmaps will give you a general idea of how full the flight is in...</font>
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum.../009504-5.html
Only way is via united.com and make a dummy booking. Or use FFassistant for searching.
How long before UA takes away expert mode???