From some recent posts, I've seen discussions of how some of the United "studs" on this board (PremEx, Catman, etc) claim to almost always sit in the front of the bus. I'm working on the math:

I know that 1Ks and PremExs have good luck when trying to upgrade (I've had very good luck as a PE), but do you end up buying a lot of upgrade booklets with cash? I get 2000 miles of upgrades for every 10000 miles flown, when they send them. I suppose I could also get another couple of RT upgrades with those 10000 miles flown (w/100% PE bonus).

What happens in the case where you are not flying transcon or intl? When I was using UA for some short midwest flights, I would see people busting their hump to get upgraded for a 35 minute flight every week and wonder why they are wasting precious upgrades for a drink and a bag of nuts.

I guess I'm trying to figure out how, unlike other programs that guarantee space up front for elites at no additional cost, UA elites can get upgraded continuously without burning up all their miles or a lot of cash. I currently sit up front about 20% of the time (by using my upgrade certs).

Thanks for any tips, fellow FTers - you've been really helpful.

I found that once you fly out of a smaller location frequently, the gate agents get to know you and will toss you free upgrades most of the time. This worked for me out of BHM where United only flies up to ORD twice a day, so it is not a popular spot for elite travellers.

for a ZRH-FRA-IAD-SEA on UA (the ZRH-FRA segment on code share LH) return, in paid eco, upgraded with miles to business, the mileage calculation looks as this for me:
[*]earns: 28'000 miles (includes status bonus) for the flight, plus diverse miles-bonus for e-ticket, credit-card (Diners), hotel miles, duty-free shopping miles, some times UA promotion miles[*]earns: 4 one-way-confirmable N-American-vouchers (as a 1K)[*]earns: 1,4 booklets of 500 miles upgrade vouchers[*]costs: 40'000 miles for return upgrade

Well, as a 1K, I get 2000 miles of upgrades for every 10000 miles flown, plus 4 confirmed N. America upgrades per quarter, and now also 6 systemwide upgrades. I fly to Asia 2-4 times a year and Europe 4-6 times a year. I fly domestically about twice a month. I also get a slight bonus of 500-mile certs because my family gives me theirs (they are always C or F when they come back to the states). Between all this, I've found that I can pretty much sustain all my domestic upgrades based on my total mileage. I either forego international upgrades or burn miles to do that, or pray for the operational. Well, I guess I'll be using the systemwides this year, until I run out. The idea to extending the life of the upgrades is of course to use the confirmed UGs for long hauls so you don't have to burn so many 500-milers on that one.

Before I made 1K, I was upgrading about 50% of the time domestically as a PE and about 20% as a Premier. Hit rate as a 1K (UG received/UG requested) has been 100%, as a PE it was probably 70%, and as a Premier about 35%.

I bought a lot of 500-mile books when I was PremEx, but now that I'm 1K I seem to have plenty. I don't think UA wants 1Ks running out of certs, so they don't collect them half the time and send more every time I have a complaint about service.

Now the "secret" is out

Aha! Now I'm getting somewhere!

Usually I have to conserve my certs by foregoing the upgrade if a bulkhead aisle becomes available. That gristle served in plastic tastes a little better when I catch the scent of sizzling steak wafting through the curtain...

Since my business travel is only domestic, I guess I'll have to make some mileage runs this year to finally get up to 1K.

The one way confirmable upgrades for 1Ks make a big difference. Also if you have international flights, the flight miles towards the certs really add up.

But for PEs with domestic travel (like me) complimentary upgrades are about 20%, and sometimes not even 20%. 1000 mile upgrades are needed for a flight like Denver to Dallas, an hour and a half flight where they do not serve food, even in 1st. The flight is 645 flight miles, so you get roughly 1 upgrade in 7.5 flights (roughly 13%). It is not even worth it to upgrade on such flights, especially if the middle seat is empty.

I think that United should uniformly enforce collection of certificates (or eliminate certificates, which I doubt they will). There are some very creative strategies for getting additional freebie certificates, but they border on abusing the system and hurt those who follow the rules.

I also do not buy the booklets.

[This message has been edited by PG (edited 02-10-2000).]

One note... as a 1K that flies alot of west coast travel.. I get free upgrades to First on the Sh*ttle... so when my montly non-sh*ttle flight kicks in.. cert time So I get them from the sh*ttle flights up and down the west coast.. and use them on longer flights...

Not that I am raving about Sh*ttle service.

Tino: GREAT question. I used to wonder the same thing. I dont like to sit in coach unless, as noted above, the flight is < 2.5 hours.

I've used a combination of 500 mile certs (new 1k, so haven't really experienced the confirmable ones yet) and miles. But I've found that the extra 40,000 miles or so that I flew last year (taking me from premex to 1k) made for a great multiplier of upgrade certs and miles.

Since upgrading is the most imortant thing to me, I am more willing than most to use miles to upgrade (particularly int'l...when they let me based on my fare but also on transcons on smaller planes). I also do try to schedule travel around widebodies and 757s to ensure availability 48 (and now 100) hours in advance.

So now when I sit in the back it's cause I'm on a short flight, I'm not paying H or I'm on a last-minute trip...

Dear Tino,

Although my �friendly� airline has indeed treated many 1K�s particularly well regarding upgrades, before you go busting your Kokonutz to reach 1K, please to be keeping in mind that the friendly airline is planing on doing away with paper certificates in favour of electronic comp upgrades, in the very near future. This will put a substantial damper on agents being able to forget to collect certificates. The 500 mile and 1K Confirmed certificates, in paper form, will be a thing of the past. Under the new system, EVERY upgrade will be accounted for. Under this new electronic system, the agents supposedly will not even be able to issue an upgraded boarding pass without the appropriate deduction of an upgrade �point� or miles from your account. Some specialty paper upgrade certificates will still exist (Sales Department Upgrades, contest winners, customer relations upgrades, etc.), but even these would require the entry of the certificate number into the system. Even on-the-spot management operational upgrades are rumored to be required to have an accountable electronic �paper trail� under this new system.

How well has the friendly airline treated some 1Ks with the savvy to know how to work the current �system�? Well let�s just say that some of them secretly chuckle at fliers of other airlines that tout unlimited standby or unlimited �time plateau� upgrades for their top level flyers, or more 800 mile upgrade credits, and on and on. How about this for several 1K �friends� that I know: For over 2 years as 1Ks on hundreds of flights�Unlimited 100% Confirmed in advance at time of reservations domestic upgrades. Never once had to rely on the 100 Hour rule. Confirmed. On any fare. All comp. Never had to purchase upgrades. Never had to use miles from their account.

How can this be?! It can take some effort. But with the proper technique, attitude, calm and friendly persistence, a bit of luck, and believe it or not, complete honesty, it has been able to be achieved.

Now before all of you that have been savvy enough to be able to take advantage of the following�shall we say insiders tips�get mad at me for revealing all in this public forum: It is my understanding that the friendly airline is well aware of all of this. And because they seem about to close many of these loopholes with the electronic comp upgrade system, I figure it�s not really that big a deal to fess up, and let all those AA, CO, DL, TW, etc fliers know what they�ve been missing.

Let�s start with the easy ones. I�d say that about 40% of the time, with a combination of a smile, proper dress, staff familiarity, true service expectation failure story, 1K status, or just plain luck�some agents just forget to collect the certs. Thank you very much. From what I�ve read here, Punki seems to have this method in the bag.

Easy one number 2, and this goes mainly as to how 100% of these 1Ks flights were Confirmed in advance. Upgrades are confirmed in advance indicating the use of 1K Confirmed Certificate. If agent asks for certificate, you just had over the appropriate number of 500 mile ones, saving your precious Confimys for future use. I�m �told� this works about 80% of the time.

Now, the not so easy one. We all know the friendly airline is famous for not sending certs on time or at all. This technique falls into the �not on time� category. When the certs are late in coming beyond what should be a reasonable amount of time, some have had success by calling the MP Service Center and, not asking for �replacements,� but simply stating that you need them now. Attitude plays a major role here. Calm, to the point, and make �em feel guilty that they have not met your expectations seems to work very well for some. Additional certs are promised and sent. If not, don�t be mad and say any thing that will get you a notation in your file. Just call back and try again later with another representative. And if you really want to feel guilt free about this, do what my friends do and ask what you should do if your original certs finally do arrive. You�ll be pleasantly surprised at the response they have always received��Ah, just keep �em.� And just FYI, many times they send more than were requested! Never ask for �replacement� certs, as that implies that you would return the original mailing if you ever receive it. The simpler and less sob story you tell them, the better, but be firm in your expectations of them.

Because of the above, a friend of mine has not only been confirmed on 100% of their over 200 domestic flights in the past 2 years on any fare, but has had plenty of certs left over to give to friends and family on occasion. Right now this friend is sitting on an inventory of 22 1K Confirmed certs and over 45-500 mile certs! Never once did he mis-represent himself to the friendly airline. Always gave them what they requested at check-in or over the phone. Just knew how to �work� the friendly airlines system and take advantage of inconstancies in the way the airline chose to operate.

And almost all of the success of these 1Ks can be attributed to info and tips gathered right here on FlyerTalk, from the many helpful frequent flyers! �They� say�Thanks!

Well there you have it. The future? �Taint going to be quite that easy. I�m sure some of these 1Ks will be re-evaluating the friendly airline�s program and that of it�s competition, as the days of 100% Confirmed domestic with no miles or money are likely to be a thing of the past for them soon. I�m sure they will be talking about the �good old days� by the end of the year. Just hope you all had a chance to catch a piece of it.

I would definitely agree there was a large difference in upgrade ability when I made 1K years ago from PE (I have remained a 1K ever since). When I was a PE, the upgrade rate was aprox 66%. After obtaining 1K, I would say its been 100% over the past 5+ years. Although 90+% of my travel is international, I still have to fly domestic feeder flights and/or midwest to west coast hops to connect to the long haul's. Typically CVG/DAY/IND to ORD sometimes continuing on to LAX/SFO.

For the times I fly C, all domestic legs are automatically in F, so upgrades are a non-issue. When flying Eco, I normally use NA Confirmies when connecting thru LAX/SFO, but sometimes just hand over those 500 mile books instead. When I am flying CVG/DAY/IND to ORD connecting to a NRT or HKG flight, I dont even bother asking for upgrades for the 35 minute midwest hop, but always get one anyway due to the fact so few 1K's exist in the CVG/DAY/IND area and most all gate agents know my face by now. Certain gate agents at some of the aforementioned airports will even check for international NC/NF space and if they can wiggle it, will hand me suprise boarding passes with upgraded seats. They have said in the past that UA Sales Reps in this area have leaned hard on gate staff to "take care of" 100K flyers to compete with the Delta hub franchise in CVG. I really think the way PE's and 1K's are upgraded has a tremendous amount to do with where you originate out of! If I was based out of IAD or SFO, I most likely would never see the same treatment. Getting to know UA Sales Reps (in my case Reps that deal with corp travel only) can also benefit you in the long run!

The major grumble I have had with UA all these years as a 1K was the lack of systemwide upgrades. UA has seen the light and finally realized many were ready to jump ship, so now 1K's will get them. There are other ways to wiggle systemwides, however you need to have the annual mileage and spending justified before making such requests! (well over 100,000 miles a year, more likely near 200,000).

Some have mentioned that the conversion to E-Upgrades would affect getting freebies and comps from gate agents. Certain UA staff have with the know have said this will affect domestic travelers more the international as remote/foreign UA operations use various procedures and have much greater authority in overiding reservations/rules to compete with foreign carriers in those markets. I have also heard that NA gate agents will still have the abilty to provide operational upgrades for all kinds of reasons, but they will have to justify them if they hand out more than some figure UA has created? If I were a Premie, the new system would most likely reduce my chances, but I dont think 1K's will see a reduction in getting the bigger seats. When UA has their next contract negotiation with the Pilots and FA's unions, they should invite a cross selection of MP members to discuss the Employee First Class service? Now that would be fun



------------------
Getting Closer to The Million Mile Dream!