Feb 27, 2013, 11:26 am
Last edit by: aztimm
Per the US Airways website:
http://www.usairways.com/en-US/dividendmiles/preferred/upgrades.html
Upgrade notification
We send you an email the first time we try for an upgrade – no need to call. We'll continue to check for upgrades throughout the day and send follow up emails if we change your upgrade status – right up until 24 hours before your flight. If we're unable to upgrade your reservation up to 24 hours prior to departure, we'll process your upgrades when you check in online or at the airport (if they become available).
To be placed on the standby list choose the 'Add to standby list' link when you check in online. You'll only see the option to add yourself to the standby list if all passengers in your reservation are Preferred. If you're traveling with a companion, request that you and your companion be placed on the standby list at the airport.
Please check your Dividend Miles account to make sure we have your current email address.
Preferred upgrade priority – advance travel dates
When you purchase a full fare (Y or B class) economy ticket, you are eligible for an instant upgrade to First Class. After your reservation is ticketed, we will automatically attempt to upgrade you around the clock until a seat becomes available. We prioritize full fare economy tickets over all other fares.
If you book a discount fare (any fare other than Y or B class), we prioritize your upgrade by Preferred level and within each Preferred level, by the number of Preferred-qualifying miles you've flown on US Airways and US Airways Express operated flights in the last 12 months. We begin processing upgrades for all discount fares at either 7, 4, 3 or 2 days prior to departure, depending on Preferred level.
If we are unable to confirm an upgrade during our automated process, we'll try again when you check in for your flight. If seats are not available when you check in online, you can choose to be placed on the standby list.
To be placed on the standby list select the 'Add to standby list' link when checking in online. All passengers in your reservation must have Preferred status to have this option displayed at check in. If you are traveling with a companion, request that you and your companion be placed on the standby list at the airport.
Preferred upgrade priority – day of departure
•If we're unable to confirm an upgrade seat for you prior to departure, you may request an upgrade when you check in.
•Once check-in for a flight has begun, priority will be based upon Preferred level and then upon earliest check-in.
•Please advise the gate agent at the airport if you're traveling with a companion.
Companion upgrades
One non-Preferred traveling companion can upgrade when traveling on the same reservation as a Preferred member with a qualifying paid ticket. The companion will be upgraded at the same time as the Preferred member.
more info to add? PM aztimm.
http://www.usairways.com/en-US/dividendmiles/preferred/upgrades.html
Upgrade notification
We send you an email the first time we try for an upgrade – no need to call. We'll continue to check for upgrades throughout the day and send follow up emails if we change your upgrade status – right up until 24 hours before your flight. If we're unable to upgrade your reservation up to 24 hours prior to departure, we'll process your upgrades when you check in online or at the airport (if they become available).
To be placed on the standby list choose the 'Add to standby list' link when you check in online. You'll only see the option to add yourself to the standby list if all passengers in your reservation are Preferred. If you're traveling with a companion, request that you and your companion be placed on the standby list at the airport.
Please check your Dividend Miles account to make sure we have your current email address.
Preferred upgrade priority – advance travel dates
When you purchase a full fare (Y or B class) economy ticket, you are eligible for an instant upgrade to First Class. After your reservation is ticketed, we will automatically attempt to upgrade you around the clock until a seat becomes available. We prioritize full fare economy tickets over all other fares.
If you book a discount fare (any fare other than Y or B class), we prioritize your upgrade by Preferred level and within each Preferred level, by the number of Preferred-qualifying miles you've flown on US Airways and US Airways Express operated flights in the last 12 months. We begin processing upgrades for all discount fares at either 7, 4, 3 or 2 days prior to departure, depending on Preferred level.
If we are unable to confirm an upgrade during our automated process, we'll try again when you check in for your flight. If seats are not available when you check in online, you can choose to be placed on the standby list.
To be placed on the standby list select the 'Add to standby list' link when checking in online. All passengers in your reservation must have Preferred status to have this option displayed at check in. If you are traveling with a companion, request that you and your companion be placed on the standby list at the airport.
Preferred upgrade priority – day of departure
•If we're unable to confirm an upgrade seat for you prior to departure, you may request an upgrade when you check in.
•Once check-in for a flight has begun, priority will be based upon Preferred level and then upon earliest check-in.
•Please advise the gate agent at the airport if you're traveling with a companion.
Companion upgrades
One non-Preferred traveling companion can upgrade when traveling on the same reservation as a Preferred member with a qualifying paid ticket. The companion will be upgraded at the same time as the Preferred member.
more info to add? PM aztimm.
US Automatic Upgrades (elite) [MASTER THREAD]
Sep 21, 2010, 10:56 pm
#16
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: BOS
Programs: AA EXP, SPG Gold, HHonors Diamond, Avis President's Club
Posts: 386
And as long as people keep calling in and getting manually upgraded, the auto-upgrade system will never work correctly. In your case with 2 "O" seats available, there's no way to tell if they were open when the auto-upgrade was last run unless you know exactly when those seats became available and when the last run was made. How do you know that your were one of the top 2 in line to get an upgrade? Did you skip over another silver, or even gold/plat/chairmans who should have gotten that upgrade the next time the process ran?
While getting emails every time would be nice, the big thing is making sure the auto-upgrade process is accurate every time. The more people bypass it, the less accurate it will be. So more people will bypass it, making it even less accurate.
Jim
While getting emails every time would be nice, the big thing is making sure the auto-upgrade process is accurate every time. The more people bypass it, the less accurate it will be. So more people will bypass it, making it even less accurate.
Jim
Sep 22, 2010, 3:55 am
#17
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: US-CP, UA, Marriott Rewards, HHonors, Avis,
Posts: 4,549
Jim, you hit the nail on the head. I am of the opinion that the sweeps work well. Calling in and forcing the upgrade should be forbidden unless the agent can find a specific problem with your record that prevented your upgrade. I know for a while the agents were refusing to force the upgrades over the phone. What ever happened to that initiative?
All this accomplished is to encourage more people to stop following the rules. I really wish US would enforce this, and take away from the agents the ability to do manual upgrades without a supervisor.
Sep 22, 2010, 5:05 am
#18
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: BOS,PIT
Programs: Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, JetBlue Mosaic, United Silver
Posts: 461
[QUOTE=BoeingBoy;14744056]
I think it's pretty safe to say I didn't skip anybody as there is still a seat available this morning. Still no emails either. For what it's worth, in the past I got the emails very reliably. I'm only a Silver so I don't fly that much and even less on mainline, but my limited previous experience was that the emails came when they were supposed to.
I do wonder how the upgrade process works for "direct" flights. Does the gnome look at BOS-SFO, BOS-CLT, or CLT-SFO first when deciding who gets upgraded? I think it's been determined that the gnome won't split your seats if you are on the entire flight. If CLT-SFO is holding for revenue but BOS-CLT is available, where does that leave a gold on BOS-SFO at the silver window?
I do wonder how the upgrade process works for "direct" flights. Does the gnome look at BOS-SFO, BOS-CLT, or CLT-SFO first when deciding who gets upgraded? I think it's been determined that the gnome won't split your seats if you are on the entire flight. If CLT-SFO is holding for revenue but BOS-CLT is available, where does that leave a gold on BOS-SFO at the silver window?
Sep 22, 2010, 5:14 am
#19
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: BOS,PIT
Programs: Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, JetBlue Mosaic, United Silver
Posts: 461
Update: Web check-in gnome is working... Just got that email. Still nothing heard from the upgrade gnome.
Sep 22, 2010, 6:13 am
#20
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Philadephia, PA
Programs: AA Platinum, Marriott Titanium/Lifetime Titanium, Hyatt Globalist, UA Silver, Hilton Gold, Hertz 5*
Posts: 477
There is something going on. I didn't get upgraded at the Platinum window for an upcoming flight, no email. I let it go figuring the upgrade run might be delayed or the like and it shouldn't be a huge deal since even if it runs late, it should still go in order. Then the Gold window passed and a lot of F seats disappeared, still no email or upgrade. Called in, they confirmed everything looked correct in my reservation, confirmed there was still a couple of seats and gave me my upgrade.
Other people having issues: did you have your status upgraded via the H/S/J program? The reservation agent suggested the issue might be that I was Gold when I made the reservation, although I still would expect to be upgraded at the Gold window if that was the case, which didn't happen.
Other people having issues: did you have your status upgraded via the H/S/J program? The reservation agent suggested the issue might be that I was Gold when I made the reservation, although I still would expect to be upgraded at the Gold window if that was the case, which didn't happen.
Sep 22, 2010, 7:49 am
#21
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 889
Jim, you hit the nail on the head. I am of the opinion that the sweeps work well. Calling in and forcing the upgrade should be forbidden unless the agent can find a specific problem with your record that prevented your upgrade. I know for a while the agents were refusing to force the upgrades over the phone. What ever happened to that initiative?
[QUOTE=jfunk138;14747065]
I think it's pretty safe to say I didn't skip anybody as there is still a seat available this morning. Still no emails either. For what it's worth, in the past I got the emails very reliably. I'm only a Silver so I don't fly that much and even less on mainline, but my limited previous experience was that the emails came when they were supposed to.
I do wonder how the upgrade process works for "direct" flights. Does the gnome look at BOS-SFO, BOS-CLT, or CLT-SFO first when deciding who gets upgraded? I think it's been determined that the gnome won't split your seats if you are on the entire flight. If CLT-SFO is holding for revenue but BOS-CLT is available, where does that leave a gold on BOS-SFO at the silver window?
Also, the to answer your question if a elite member is ticketed as the direct flight BOS/SFO and only BOS/CLT is available for upgrades, that member will not get upgraded. The upgrade would have to be available the whole way. Thats why I never book direct flights or book direct flights as two segments.
There is something going on. I didn't get upgraded at the Platinum window for an upcoming flight, no email. I let it go figuring the upgrade run might be delayed or the like and it shouldn't be a huge deal since even if it runs late, it should still go in order. Then the Gold window passed and a lot of F seats disappeared, still no email or upgrade. Called in, they confirmed everything looked correct in my reservation, confirmed there was still a couple of seats and gave me my upgrade.
Sep 22, 2010, 7:57 am
#22
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: (near) Cambridge, MA
Programs: US GP (used to be *G, now,what)
Posts: 1,777
There is something going on. I didn't get upgraded at the Platinum window for an upcoming flight, no email. I let it go figuring the upgrade run might be delayed or the like and it shouldn't be a huge deal since even if it runs late, it should still go in order. Then the Gold window passed and a lot of F seats disappeared, still no email or upgrade. Called in, they confirmed everything looked correct in my reservation, confirmed there was still a couple of seats and gave me my upgrade.
Other people having issues: did you have your status upgraded via the H/S/J program? The reservation agent suggested the issue might be that I was Gold when I made the reservation, although I still would expect to be upgraded at the Gold window if that was the case, which didn't happen.
Other people having issues: did you have your status upgraded via the H/S/J program? The reservation agent suggested the issue might be that I was Gold when I made the reservation, although I still would expect to be upgraded at the Gold window if that was the case, which didn't happen.
Sep 22, 2010, 8:03 am
#23
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: BOS
Programs: AA EXP, SPG Gold, HHonors Diamond, Avis President's Club
Posts: 386
Here's hoping that if there is something wrong with the sweep (I'm not convinced there is) that it is fixed quickly.
Sep 22, 2010, 8:14 am
#24
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 889
This used to happen but its not anymore. US has gotten very restrictive on their reservation agents as to what they can and cant do. Knowing how US is about enforcing rules on their employees, I'm sure there would be consequence to an agent that was manually processing upgrades with no valid reason. I just dont see the people regularly calling in as a problem.
Sep 22, 2010, 8:41 am
#25
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Philadephia, PA
Programs: AA Platinum, Marriott Titanium/Lifetime Titanium, Hyatt Globalist, UA Silver, Hilton Gold, Hertz 5*
Posts: 477
This would lead me to believe that there was some sort of issue with the reservation (even if they told you otherwise. do you really think they are going to admit an error if there is one?) otherwise they would not have processed the manual upgrade. Its been explained to me that they are able to tell on a reservation if a reservation is actually on queue to be upgraded and if the system attempted to process an upgrade on a reservation.
Maybe it's that the itinerary is a multi-city one? And the return is one where they let me do a < 1 hr turnaround in BTR? (MLB-CLT-BTR-CLT-PHL, yay H/S/J)
In any case, for the one leg of my return that isn't CRJ-hell, I'll probably be one of those people and call in the day of the platinum window opening for the upgrade if it fails to process automatically again.
Sep 22, 2010, 8:57 am
#26
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 889
Did you ever consider that maybe when the upgrade window first opens that you are not at the top of the upgrade list? And that maybe additional availability is opened up? I'd say let the system do whats its supposed to.
Sep 22, 2010, 10:12 am
#27
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Philadephia, PA
Programs: AA Platinum, Marriott Titanium/Lifetime Titanium, Hyatt Globalist, UA Silver, Hilton Gold, Hertz 5*
Posts: 477
However, in this case, i let two upgrade windows go by with no email, and with changes in F inventory indicating a number of upgrades went out at the Gold window. The reservation agent agreed the upgrade should have been processed but wasn't.
I'm not saying I'm going to call every time now. Just for the return flight on this itinerary if I don't get an email showing the upgrade system is working. If the system is working and my status isn't enough, fine. I just think the upgrade gnome must have dropped this itinerary on the floor someplace and forgotten about it.
Sep 22, 2010, 11:41 am
#28
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: SJC and ONT
Programs: WN A-List/CP, HHonors Diamond, CX J with AA miles, US Gold/*G
Posts: 2,082
Back on topic, I too agree that people shouldn't call "just because" and ought to trust the upgrade gnome a little more. There are times when mediocre (or bad) IT is still preferable to no IT.
Last edited by jrpaguia; Sep 22, 2010 at 1:40 pm
Sep 22, 2010, 1:18 pm
#29
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: EWR
Programs: US CP, SPG Plat, Hyatt Diamond, Marriott Plat
Posts: 161
FWIW, upgrades are working well for me, in the right time window, not always with notification but I don't mind going to the res to check my seat num.
Sep 23, 2010, 5:38 am
#30
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: PHL-adjacent
Programs: AA Executive Platinum (but always US in my heart), HH Diamond
Posts: 3,346
And as long as people keep calling in and getting manually upgraded, the auto-upgrade system will never work correctly. In your case with 2 "O" seats available, there's no way to tell if they were open when the auto-upgrade was last run unless you know exactly when those seats became available and when the last run was made. How do you know that your were one of the top 2 in line to get an upgrade? Did you skip over another silver, or even gold/plat/chairmans who should have gotten that upgrade the next time the process ran?
While getting emails every time would be nice, the big thing is making sure the auto-upgrade process is accurate every time. The more people bypass it, the less accurate it will be. So more people will bypass it, making it even less accurate.
Jim[/QUOTE]
Yeah. ^
Maybe other silvers had more miles and should have been in front of YOU. I'd be cheesed if a silver got the UG before I did (assuming similar fare classes purchased).
Can't y'all leave well enough alone? If my UG doesn't come through, I don't get spastic and call about it. These UGs are not guaranteed - especially not as a silver - and when I get one, I am happy about it. If not, then it is my fault for not buying F or using miles to get into F.
While getting emails every time would be nice, the big thing is making sure the auto-upgrade process is accurate every time. The more people bypass it, the less accurate it will be. So more people will bypass it, making it even less accurate.
Jim[/QUOTE]
Yeah. ^
Maybe other silvers had more miles and should have been in front of YOU. I'd be cheesed if a silver got the UG before I did (assuming similar fare classes purchased).
Can't y'all leave well enough alone? If my UG doesn't come through, I don't get spastic and call about it. These UGs are not guaranteed - especially not as a silver - and when I get one, I am happy about it. If not, then it is my fault for not buying F or using miles to get into F.