SFflyer123

NC availability has essential dried up, espeically out of SFO, but also out of ORD and other hubs. Just last year, you could see NC=9 on SFO-LHR or NC=4 SFO-NRT. Now, it's NC=1 here or there. You can confirm the outbound, but not the return, or vice versa. It is an NC desert out there. It's nearly impossible to find NC=2 to travel as a couple internationally.

To play the gate-waiting lottery game, it's $2800 SFO-FRA for a W fare instead of $1600 for regular economy. It would be a horrible thought to know that I paid $2800 for an economy class ticket SFO-FRA. To me, I'm just not going to do that. I'd rather spend the extra money and get a confirmed C seat (which is what UA wants us to do), or just fly in Y.

I have 6 SWU's, and I've yet been able to use them. I won't go as far as to say that they're "useless", but they are getting pretty close, especially with the astronomical fares they're charging for W fares these days.

What are people doing with their SWU's? Are you just booking W fares and see what happens, or are you simply not using them like me? I think I will probably go all year without using my 6 SWU's at all, the way things are looking with NC availability dried up.

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notquiteaff

I used four in March for a trip with my wife to Thailand. For some odd reason, UA ended up only pulling two of them, but my itinerary was completely messed up due to the Japan quake and several rebookings (we arrived in Japan the day of the quake and got rerouted to Osaka). So I still seem to have four now.

What dates are you looking at? I just checked fairly random dates that are roughly when I might be flying to FRA:

UA 900/901 Jul 4/Jul 20
W: $1740 all in

Interestingly, United.com doesn't offer me anything below W on those days.

I have usually had good luck booking flights even without NC availability and getting the upgrade along the way, usually even before arriving at the airport. Even my wife (1P) cleared both ways to Thailand with my SWUs (separate PNR).

magiciansampras

I'm playing the waiting game. So far I have been lucky.

wanaflyforless

I am happily enjoying my free upgrades on UA using SWUs.

1) Strategically buy tickets from/to low fare markets. Beat airlines at their own game!

For example, if you need to travel frequently between LA and Singapore, redem miles for a one-way to get to Singapore, then start all your future paid tickets in Singapore. Purchase upgradable:
SIN-LAX-SIN
instead of
LAX-SIN-LAX

Another example:
You need to go to Japan. Cheapest upgradeable fare is $2500.
Check Bangkok fares with a stopover in Japan.
Adding a 3 day vacation to Bangkok to your Japan trip might save you money.

Gain a deep understanding of the hows and whys of airfare and use the rules to your advantage.

2) Don't worry about lack of advance confirmed space. Travel midweek when possible. Use LAX-Europe/Asia instead of SFO when possible. My UA SWU upgrade success rate has been 100% over the last 5 years including this year; so what if my upgrades dont clear until the gate. They clear; that is what is most important!

FriendlySkies

In 2011, I have used two of my SWUs, and then had a trip to FRA sponsored by a fellow FTer. The second trip was to CDG, and I booked in December. Outbound cleared immediately, but the return was waitlisted for five days from booking. Once both cleared, I was the only ticketed passenger in C on the 767, on both flights. Capacity of the 767 is 26, and both were 25/26.

I have two MRs to GRU in June, booked a W fares, but codeshares, so I am keeping my fingers crossed that I can use my SWUs on those flights. However, I am not very optimistic, as they can only be used on Day of Departure.

2011 was looking likely for a visit to Asia, but with the prices of W fares from the US, I think I'll just be using miles

schley

While I can cosign the idea of being thorough I think your above examples are really specific and not a general best practice.

1. miles and copay if you don't see NC and worried about clearing. The only tiebreaker you lose is fare class after status.

2. Check with a consolidator before booking. That should be best practice for everyone. Only reason not to is to use % off code online. Consolidators can and do save you hundreds in some cases.

I have only missed 2 SWU's out of probably 25 or so in the last 2 years. Both on the IAD-DXB route, once coming and once going.

moomin

TATL NC is appearing, but seems to get snapped up pretty quickly. I saw one flight out of LHR go from NC=9 to NC=0 overnight, while I was waiting for a colleague to confirm travel plans.

Lack of NC hasn't been a problem so far this year. I've done three TATL round-trips. Each time there was NC availability outbound, but not returning. Each time the upgrades came through (for the return leg) a week or so in advance.

wanaflyforless

The aplication of how to strategically buy tickets from/to low fare markets to beat airlines at their own game varries widely depending on markets involved and individual circumstances. However, I think it is something anyone could do with sufficient knowledge and determination. For some, going to LAS first, enjoying a day there, then going from LAS-LAX-NRT will be the way to beat the system. For another person, it will be visiting an old friend in MIA, then using a lower MIA desination fare, with a stopover in ORD (primary destination) using a MIA fare. For others, low fare origin city-DXB with DXB stopover could save them money sometimes. For others, adding ICN-somewhere else Asia they find interesting with a lower fare could be the solution to getting to ICN cheaper. For others, changing direction of travel will save money. There are so many options....

Checking consolidators is an excellent suggestion. However, many fare markets do not have any lower than published consolidator fares. If you need tickets in markets with good consolidtor fares, certainly use them if you can!

Jackstay

I agree it is difficult to find confirmable NC but it is still possible.

This past week I booked a W fare LAX-NRT-SIN and a return K fare for US$1529 all in for next weekend. The base fare was $881, the rest taxes. The difference between the W outbound and the K inbound base fares was $422. Comparing the quoted fare in W both ways, it cost about $100 more + 25K miles to buy a cheaper fare (and lower upgrade priority) than to buy W and apply SWU, but I decided to do that in order to get my SWU balance to an even number and therefore more useable when traveling later this year with my other half.

I applied an April-expiring SWU outbound and miles + $500 co-pay on the return. The LAX-NRT and NRT-LAX segments cleared at booking. The NRT-SIN and SIN-NRT are waitlisted but showing Z9 as of this morning. I am hopeful they will clear. Confirmable NC was also available LAX-SEA-NRT.

5khours

I've actually had better luck this year. Everything is clearing and clearing a little earlier. I've used 4 out of 8 and had another 4 that cleared but then I downgraded and switched to UFCs at check-in. Usually I'm about 90 or 95% but I'm 100% so far this year. I used to sweat the gate lottery, but now I don't worry if I don't clear I either pop and Ambien or stand and read in the back galley.

goalie

Fly in coach?

FriendlySkies

Especially with the prices of some W fares.. (SYD, I'm talking about you!)

gengar

I'm sharing the same experience as the OP especially TPAC. I moved my TPAC travel back to UA this year but without using my SWUs to knock out at least a couple premium cabin RTs, there's not much point on UA. The problem is, if I'm actually going to pay for C/F, I'm not going to do it on UA. I haven't booked my upcoming TPAC yet but I'm quickly realizing it's time to move back to an alternate carrier for my TPACs.

I think it's more likely that IM is just messing around with availability, so keep checking the flight. I've seen some TATLs ex-ORD go from NC9 to NC0 back to NC9 within a week.

kb1992

It looks really bad for 1Ks using SWUs on TPAC flights.

IM routinely sets NC0 most of time for 330 days. This has been the trend since merger was announced.

I happen to notice that CO typically, historically sets R0 on its own metal to Asia most of time (R=NC).

W fare is a lot higher than before. I see $950 K fare to Asia, but $1,850 or even $2,350 W fare.

That difference is unprecedented.

Finally, COUA is selling Z fares very cheap. Even in summer higher season, I see $3,350 Z fare to Asia widely available.

When companies are required to buy biz class, this Z fare is: 1) leaving a lot of money on the table 2) sucking up upgrade inventory for 1Ks using SWUs.

mahasamatman

It depends where you're going, when you're searching, and when you're flying. When I was searching a few weeks ago, there was tons of NC to on the SFO-ICN route for the summer. I've found a reasonable amount for SFO-NRT, and have even been successful booking NC for SFO-HKG this year as well.