Changed upgrade form of payment
 

I just checked in online for my SEA-IAD flight tomorrow morning, for which I had a confirmed upgrade to C using miles. However, when I checked in, my only options to support it were to use 500 milers, a CR1, or an SWU.

Given that I have a bunch of 500 milers, I used them...but isn't this technically not allowed? Typically changing to 500s requires going back on the waitlist, and C appears to be full. I'm not complaining, mind you, but I found it curious.

Sounds like a bug. Make sure it didn't also take your miles.

Whenever I've upgraded with miles, it's never asked me about support when checking in.

It must be another United.com bug which is in your favor, unless they also take your miles. Just like trying to upgrade online, the drop down menu does not always give you all the available options you have.

I'm willing to bet that the miles were deducted anyway (since unlike e500s that are deducted upon checkin, or CR1s or SWUs which are simply "reserved", miles are actually deducted upon an upgrade request).

I've already seen this glitch--except this was in person, at the aiport. Upon checkin the CSR asked me how I wanted to support my upgrade. I said it was already paid for with miles. It took her a bit of time to actually confirm that indeed, I had paid for this upgrade long ago.

My suggestion--check your mileage summary, and then email United to get this sorted out. With a bit of luck they'll refund the miles.

I think I was bitten by the same united.com bug a couple of days ago. I wanted to upgrade with miles and went that route on the web site, but when I clicked to confirm I was presented with an error page. After that the only options were to pay with e-certs, a CR-1, an SWU, or "other, paper certificate". I chose "other" and when I later tried easy-checkin I could only get a redemption certificate to present at check in. I called CS and they pulled the miles, but I still couldn't get a correct boarding pass and had to use in-person checkin. Not a problem since they had a record of the miles being pulled. (I printed a screen dump of my MP detail just to be sure, but it wasn't needed.)

But if using upgrade instruments (either CR1s or SWU on a domestic flight) to confirm the upgrade long before flight date, the airport kiosks recently also have been offering the option of using 500 milers. Several times. ^

Hmmm. Maybe I should use the kiosk instead of OLCI next time...