2011 Mileage Plus and OnePass elite program developments
Jan 2, 2011 | 11:12 pm
#1321
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Sacramento area, CA USA
Programs: UA Gold Million Miler, HH Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,858
The SWU's were already a problem this year. People paying hundreds of dollars to be in the right fare class only to find themselves in econ. I split an award to NRT because I had no chance of business class on the return. MUCH MUCH worse for upgrades than last year. Someone should call them on the use of "free" upgrades. Tokyo was a $600 premium, now SIN is a $500 premium and Europe a $200 premium.
Jan 2, 2011 | 11:19 pm
#1322
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: LAX
Programs: UA1KMM SPGPLAT
Posts: 480
Given the difficulty of upgrading internationally (especially to Asia), it would make more sense -- in the cases where there is no confirmable upgrade seats -- to allow customers to pay the lowest available fare and if the waitlist clears for the ugraded class -- to collect the fare difference at that point. Its not right to require the purchase of a higher fare class when there may not be any realistic chance for the upgrade space to clear.
Jan 2, 2011 | 11:33 pm
#1323
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: ORD
Programs: nobody
Posts: 1,837
Given the difficulty of upgrading internationally (especially to Asia), it would make more sense -- in the cases where there is no confirmable upgrade seats -- to allow customers to pay the lowest available fare and if the waitlist clears for the ugraded class -- to collect the fare difference at that point. Its not right to require the purchase of a higher fare class when there may not be any realistic chance for the upgrade space to clear.
Jan 2, 2011 | 11:37 pm
#1324
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA LT Plat 2MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 73,163
And what do you think they should be, to be considered realistic?
I have no idea what the real numbers are but plenty of folks are reporting success
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...10-onward.html
but there are failures also http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...-failures.html
Jan 3, 2011 | 12:21 am
#1325
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Sacramento area, CA USA
Programs: UA Gold Million Miler, HH Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,858
I would say a 1K has a 50% chance which is unacceptably low. That was about what my husband (also 1K) and I experienced this year. Being a Million Miler, as my husband is, counts for nothing in the queue. That is also wrong. I do agree that UA won't give up the revenue to be fair about upgrades.
Jan 3, 2011 | 12:24 am
#1326
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: LAX CA
Programs: UA1P MM, Hilton Dia, Mar Lifetime Gold, Hertz Gold
Posts: 2,537
Jan 3, 2011 | 12:56 am
#1327
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: JFK, LGA, PVG
Programs: UA 1K, ANA GM, HHonors Diamond, SPG Gold, UA RCC, CBP Global Entry
Posts: 423
I would say a 1K has a 50% chance which is unacceptably low. That was about what my husband (also 1K) and I experienced this year. Being a Million Miler, as my husband is, counts for nothing in the queue. That is also wrong. I do agree that UA won't give up the revenue to be fair about upgrades.
In 2010: 100% SWU clearance SFO-PVG; 50% SWU clearance SFO-HKG (one success, one failure, which is was the only one all year). The consensus is that SFO-HKG is tougher and there is even a thread on successes/failures on the route,
Jan 3, 2011 | 1:42 am
#1328
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 11,261
I have cleared every single SFO-pvg upgrade for the past 4 years, about 10 rt's in total. If you pick the right days they are easy upgrades. If you have to fly on Saturday then hope the new ua keeps e+!
Jan 3, 2011 | 10:59 am
#1329
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: LAX CA
Programs: UA1P MM, Hilton Dia, Mar Lifetime Gold, Hertz Gold
Posts: 2,537
Agreed that the day of the week has an impact. However, from September to Christmas Thur, Fri, Sat, Sun, were not good. Prior to September the upgrades from SFo-PVG-SFO were better, but not now. It does not matter who has 100% upgrade record for 2010 on this route. The fact is if you have an upgradable Y fare now and want to use a SWU you have a 35% chance of clearing the one direct flight per day.
Jan 23, 2011 | 12:53 pm
#1330
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Philadelphia, LAX, Paris
Programs: UA 1K/2MM, SPG/Marriott Lifetime Titanium, Lifetime HHonors Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, AA Exec Plat
Posts: 3,749
Many people that I know have regularly cleared SFO-PVG. I myself sponsored 2 people with SWU at the end of 2010, supposed peak travel time for this route, and both cleared well in advance of departure (2 to 4 days in advance).
Jan 23, 2011 | 1:49 pm
#1331
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 4,401
Agreed that the day of the week has an impact. However, from September to Christmas Thur, Fri, Sat, Sun, were not good. Prior to September the upgrades from SFo-PVG-SFO were better, but not now. It does not matter who has 100% upgrade record for 2010 on this route. The fact is if you have an upgradable Y fare now and want to use a SWU you have a 35% chance of clearing the one direct flight per day.
Jan 23, 2011 | 3:27 pm
#1332
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: CMH, sometimes AVP, formerly down the Shore
Programs: UA 1K/3MM, AA EXP/3MM, DL MM, former fan of TWA
Posts: 1,924
On the topic of 1Ks earning regional upgrades (CR1s) as they did before... has anyone had their first quarter upgrades post yet? I'm sitting at about 19K EQM (all on UA metal) in January, and I am wondering when I might expect to see my CR1s post for first quarter. Any guesses?
Thanks!
Thanks!
Jan 23, 2011 | 3:36 pm
#1333
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Northeast Kansas | Colorado Native
Programs: Amex Gold/Plat, UA *G, Hyatt Globalist, IHG Plat Marriott LT Gold, NEXUS, TSA Disparager Unobtanium
Posts: 22,652
On the topic of 1Ks earning regional upgrades (CR1s) as they did before... has anyone had their first quarter upgrades post yet? I'm sitting at about 19K EQM (all on UA metal) in January, and I am wondering when I might expect to see my CR1s post for first quarter. Any guesses?
Thanks!
Thanks!
Jan 23, 2011 | 4:42 pm
#1334
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Posts: 5,825
Given the difficulty of upgrading internationally (especially to Asia), it would make more sense -- in the cases where there is no confirmable upgrade seats -- to allow customers to pay the lowest available fare and if the waitlist clears for the ugraded class -- to collect the fare difference at that point. Its not right to require the purchase of a higher fare class when there may not be any realistic chance for the upgrade space to clear.
There is not a snowball's chance in h___ that UA will ever do it!
I wonder what the success of non-FT'rs on SWU's is relative to FT'ers (With FT'ers using every trick in the book to increase there odds of success, and non-FT'rs just buying the ticket and applying an SWU and hoping for the best...)
Jan 23, 2011 | 5:10 pm
#1335
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: CMH, sometimes AVP, formerly down the Shore
Programs: UA 1K/3MM, AA EXP/3MM, DL MM, former fan of TWA
Posts: 1,924