XC1 NC2?
 

I am trying to book 2 award tickets to CUN in C. On 2/28, the CUN-LAX leg is showing XC1, NC2, C9. Why is there more upgrade space than award space? It seems our outbound flight has changed as well to show XC3, NC4. This has been driving me nuts as it has gone back and forth between XC2 and XC1 a couple of times over the past week as we're working the vacation time off approvals from our employers. If we call, can they waitlist us for C and will we be confirmed if it changes to XC2 again? What is the likelihood of both of us clearing to C before the flight? I assume we clear before any upgraders, but does this flight usually go out full in C?

In order to WL for XC, at least one leg of the itin must have XC availability.

So if outbound is XC3 and return is XC1 now, I'd book them and WL for the second C seat in the return.

There is almost always more upgrade space opposed to award space. Have you tried calling UA to see if they can get you a routing on other airlines? Book this week as the cost of award tickets jump as on 01/01/09.

I presume that the reason there is generally more upgrade space is that way at least UA gets some ticket revenue. As UA will readily overbook international Y if they expect Y will be full and C (or F) not so, opening up NC inventory allows them to get miles or an SWU for something that they would otherwise have to do for free.

My experience is always NC >= XC. @:-)