If you want to take tanspac's advice, I'd be glad to swap paper certs (Sweet Spots) for the e-certs -- although this is not the forum for this exchange.

------------------
JerseyJoe

I actually know of a few flyers that aren't even 1Ks (or aren't yet) that had no problem securing upgrades under the new Systemwides, without having anywhere near 100,000 EQMs in their tally yet.

Even know of one totally non-elite traveling apart from the donor, that is holding upgraded space with these pledged!

And my and other's bookings with these did not require any difficulty or Supervisor authorization at all. As I posted above, there's an easily available profile on these in United's system...just like old Systemwides have. There should be no difficulty or higher level authorization required. Just an agent that knows what they are doing, or knows how to look up the profile on these.

In fact, they can actually confirm your upgrade with anything old or new available to them in their system that will do the job. Once your upgrade is confirmed by any means, all that matters is if you have eligible/qualifying upgrade media for your particular flights, available to forfeit at check-in.

Those upgrade ticket designators/codes that Reservations uses to confirm the upgrade, don't really have to match the upgrade media you forfeit at check-in. As long as what you have at check-in is valid for your fare, routing and allowable upgrade window...you should be good to go.

In my experience and understanding.

[This message has been edited by PremEx (edited Dec 13, 2003).]

PremEx, Thanks for the valuable insights. My
experience, as related above, ocurred the day that the new e-SWU's were announced so the agent, justifiably so, was not knowledgeable on these new upgrade
profiles. At least that's what I assume.

PremEx, just want to make sure. I have a V fare IAD-ORD-NRT-BKK departing on 1/1/04 with confirmed upgrades to C class (the United Itinerary lists the fare class as "C", not "NC"). I planned on using a Sweet Spot but it appears I can use one of my new e-SWUs (I currently have 110K EQMs in my 2003 balance.)

Can I call reservations/MP today and ask them to make sure the miles are available or will I be able to do that at IAD on 1/1?

I'm also curious (slightly off topic, sorry) if the fact that the fare class listing as "C" rather than "NC" is the usual way an upgrade is listed on the "Itineraries" page? Or does the "C" mean that I won't have to use any certs, since I'm already listed as "C", with "NC" used for UGs requiring a cert?

Very generous of you JerseyJoe!

------------------
The black art of how to gift UA North America Upgrades is revealed here.

UPDATE:

Decided to buy up to V and use my own e-SWUs to upgrade (assuming they show up). If they're not posted in time I'll call Customer Relations as PremEx suggested.

The deciding factor was the Triple Miles promotion. I will have already qualified before this LHR flight so if anything it's worth it for the extra bonus miles to pay up to V.

Please note though, that the Profile says that Agents are *NOT* to book space in the NC class until the e-SWUs are posted "sometime in January 2004." The agent at OAK showed me the profile so I'm not making this up. Of course, this is after she did the add collect for $200. However, I called Reservations on the spot and they instantly upgraded me to NC.

Yey for 15A on the 744

That's not true. The Great Offer isn't offered to just anyone .

I should also add that many 1Ks did not receive their 2003 SWUs in the mail until February. The fact that UA is moving to electronic SWUs in 2004 may potentially allow flyers to receive them sooner. I wouldn't call this a "problem" as the original poster suggests in the topic title.



[This message has been edited by Yoosh (edited Dec 14, 2003).]

Hmmm. Well AFAIK it was offered to EVERY existing UA elite of any colour who faxed in 3 statements showing even zero points balance.

And to further add to Always Flyin point they did NOT even have to fly anything like 45,500 miles. ALL Asian and Pacific residents got a 5000 EQM bonus per RT once they registered, as did many targeted US members.

On that basis flying 40,500 real miles was all that someone from SYD (or Asia) needed to make 1K for 2004. i.e. TWO round trips SYD-NYC or similar, which are about 20,000 real miles each. So 1K for about $2000 was certainly possible this year for 100s of folks reading this board.

And some thought the Baht Pass 1K deal was as dead as a dodo.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum1/HTML/003577.html

Well personally, this could be a problem for me.

If the new E-Systemwides are posted on Jan 1 and have a one-year validity, they could likely expire on January 31, 2005.

This would be a problem for me as I almost always use the current year's Systemwides in the first quarter of the following year.

The reason that the old paper Systemwides that came with the beginning of year credentials kits were usually pre-dated with March 31 expiry dates, is that it was unknown how long it would take the mail clearing house to send them all out and get them into the hands of the members. So they added a slight buffer into the expiry date to be safe.

With instant crediting to the E-Bank now, I'm concerned I'm gonna have a handful that I may not be able to use by the time of a possibly new, shorter expiration date.

[This message has been edited by PremEx (edited Dec 14, 2003).]

Make sure that you are indeed upgraded to "NC" class. I got to the airport in March last year, only to be asked how I was going to pay the difference between my "H" fare and the "C" class? I said that I was ugraded to Business, and they said, no the agent put you in Business Class. They were going to make me fly coach and I called the 1K line and got it straightened out. Check under My itineraries, All United iteneraries - it should say Upgraded Business Class and "NC" - I think, but I can't seem to access mine right now (sometimes it doesn't work for some reason). Or just call another agent and double check. I sure do.

Billy