Need help
 

What is the best way to get upgrade on our next trip either just partial or whole trip, using 500 miles certificates or miles any suggestion?
I am P1 with 6 500 miles certificates and she is P2 with 4 500 miles certificates we both have plenty of miles.

Thanks for any input, Love reading it all.

Karung99
Here is our itenerary:

1)United Airlines 0073
Jan 30 08:40 AM SFO
Jan 30 12:13 PM HNL Cabin: United Economy Seat: 16F, 16G
Fare Basis Code: TLXHKWL Booking class: T

2)United Airlines 0879
Feb 01 09:00 AM HNL
Feb 02 01:25 PM NRT Cabin: United Economy Seat: 22H, 22J
Fare Basis Code: TLXHKWL Booking class: T

3)United Airlines 0853
Feb 02 06:45 PM NRT
Feb 02 10:55 PM HKG Cabin: United Economy Seat: 32H, 32J
Fare Basis Code: TLXHKWL Booking class: T

4)United Airlines 0862
Feb 13 12:50 PM HKG
Feb 13 08:28 AM SFO Cabin: United Economy Seat: 33H, 33J
Fare Basis Code: TLXHKWL Booking class: T

You only have enough of the 500 miles for the ORD to SFO option. Using miles are probably going to be your best option. You need to call the Res number as soon as you can to get the upgrade if there are seats available for upgrade. Mileage upgrades go into effect immedaitely if available, 500 mile certs have a pecking order by status and the seats on the ORD to SFO round might be gone before next week.

500 miler upgrades are only good on domestic sectors. T fares do not qualify for upgrades on international flights. That doesn't mean you won't get an op-up, but I wouldn't count on it.

Welcome to Flyer Talk, karung99.

The OP is not flying from Chicago :confused:

You can apply to use 500 milers from SFO to HNL, but you don't have enough of them right now. If the upgrade clears, which is low probability because the route is so popular and you aren't on top of the list, you would need to purchase extra certificates at the gate.

I called CS and was told it need 5 500 miles certificates for upgrade SFO to HNL, and my wife only have 4 certificates and will expired next March. I can't tranfer 1 extra to her :( I just want to hear what are my choices

I don't know whether it is worth it for you to do, but there is the option of paying UA $200 for 4 500-mile certs.

The only segment you could upgrade with your fare class is the one from SFO-HNL. Since your companion doesn't have enough 500 milers, you would have to use miles - it will cost 15,000 miles for each of you. I suggest you call the UA 1P line as soon as possible to enquire about miles upgrade availability. The number is on the back of your 1P card. If the seats are available, they can confirm miles upgrades immediately.

You could purchase one set of 500 milers and have enough, but they wouldn't be confirmed right away. You would have to go on the wait list and hope seats would still be available when your turn comes. SFO-HNL is a very popular route and 500 miler upgrades are probably not a good bet.

JR

JR thanks for advice.. will called back CS and try to book one with 500 milers and one with 15,000 miles. As of getting a new set of 500 miles is a bit too expensive for me at this time. Wish me luck

I am newbie to this FT forums care to share with me how to get an op-up upgrade?. I am P1 now. I am learning alot from all of the FT's post. Thanks you.

There really is no way to tell you how to get an op-up as it's a mystery to many of us here who have received them. Let's say economy is full and they need more seats. Well if there are empty seats in First/Business they will move passengers up from Economy to free up seats. How they choose I don't know. In over 4+ years flying with United I've received one op-up in 400K BIS miles with UA and it was on my first international flight on UA. I received it in HKG on HKG-NRT. I checked in at the ITCI and received a Business class (upgraded from Economy with a SWU) Boarding Pass as I has expected. Although when I got to the gate in HKG, they had already had a FC boarding pass for me HKG-NRT. I was a 1K and I'm sure there are others who paid more for their ticket than I did. IIRC correctly I paid about $620 for my ticket SFO-HKG-NRT-SFO with a "W" fare basis.

Isn't the answer to karung99's question about getting an op-up supposed to be "the speech"?

Just be aware that when you use different upgrade instruments - one with miles and one with 500s - you run the risk of having one of your upgrades clearing and the other not. If that happens, you can always fight it out with your wife to see who gets the upgraded seat. :D

JR