bsherwd

Long time lurker - first time poster.

I made 1K for the first time after some DEQMs posted. Last week, on the first trip I've taken since then, NRT-HNL, I received an OPUG to C. Sweet!! I've upgraded that segment before with miles, but getting it for "free" felt great

Next July, I'm flying the four of us o/w from EWR to BKK. I need to stop in HNL for six days (arrive SUN, depart SAT) en-route.

I plan on purchasing all of the tickets at once, all on one PNR. If I apply SWUs, will one (per PAX) cover both the EWR-(???)-HNL segments and the HNL-(NRT)-BKK segments, or does the six-day layover turn it into two itineraries?

Related to the above question, which EWR-HNL routing (via ORD, DEN, SFO, or LAX) offers the best chance or upgrade to C using a SWU?

Thanks!

nigos

You would need two SWUs to upgrade two segments separated by a six day layover.

cblaisd

There is no C from between US mainland and Hawai`i on UA.

That said, your best chance of an upgrade to domestic F on the over-the-water segment is, in general, whatever route flies a 777 (ORD-HNL, some of the SFO-HNL flights, and seasonally some others)

BiziBB

I think the maximum layover time between segments is 24hrs (aka no layover!).

Welcome to (posting on) FlyerTalk, bsherwd. ^

jswong

12 hours actually for the purposes of upgrading with SWU's. Upgrading with miles allows for stopovers

Jeff

BiziBB

Ah, I knew I was missing something... but everyone here would try SWU coupons first so twelve hours it is! Thanks, Jeff.

mobilebucky

Can't you use 1 CR1 for the EWR-???-HNL and 1 SWU HNL-NRT-BKK per person?

fadeforward

You have more experience on this than I do, but I would guess this is not accurate. SFO-HNL and certainly ORD-HNL on the 777 can be some of the most competitive upgrades around, in spite of the large cabin, due to the popularity of the route and the number of elite flyers. The best bet is LAX-HNL on a 767 and redeyes through LAX on the return, IMO. Of course, I'd shoot for anything with NF availability and prefer 777s due to the cabin, but if there's no NF availability, the ORD-HNL nonstop is a risk, again, IME.

Of course, booking for next July, I wish you plenty of NF (and NC on the int'l) availability, OP, and I'd book whatever you can confirm this far out.

That's certainly how I'd play it!

kkjay77

If JFK isn't terribly inconvenient for you instead of EWR, then PS C is way better than F on regular 752s.

That being said, one CR-1 for EWR-ORD/SFO/etc-HNL and one SWU for HNL-NRT will be the best use of upgrade certs if you have 6 day layover.

Delta3MM

As another poster has said, if you use miles, you can upgrade with up to two stopovers (fare basis permitting - i.e. not end on end fares, but one fare with a real stopover). So if you're trying to take 6 people on one PNR - one way I would look at it is "W or V" fare from EWR-BKK and upgrade all four using SWUs and then BKK-HNL, HNL-EWR in "H" class or higher using miles (30K per person). You still don't have enough SWU's for all 4 people both ways. You could split up and do "W" fares for two of you all the ways and "H" on the return, and then use two CR1's for the first two people from HNL-EWR.

Billy

chitownflyer

To maximize their use, SWUs should only be used for international flights that have a less than 12 hour domestic connection. For the HNL 6 day stopover, you should use miles to upgrade all the tickets which can confirm the upgrade at booking if there is availability. The cost to upgrade with miles may be slightly higher, but it allows you to use the SWUs later for flights where you will not have a stopover. As others mentioned, I would take PS C JFK-LAX or JFK-SFO and then fly onwards to HNL from there.

mahasamatman

I've found the difference between W and H on a transpac to be quite significant.

mander

ORD-HNL can be tough as there also are a good number of paying first customers (honeymoon, trip of a lifetime... ) but July shouldn't be a problem even close in.