Confused by Early Upgrade Email
 

I have a flight CLT-BUF on Nov. 4th, returning on the 5th. I just received an upgrade status email for the flight. There are two things that are confusing to me:

1) I haven't hit the 7 day window--that would be tomorrow, so why am I receiving an upgrade status? Never received one +8 days before.

2) It says in the status window for both flights "Complimentary Upgrades Not Offered." These flights are both on A319s, so upgrades should be offered, just not yet available. I've never seen this messaging before. Maybe this is because we're not in the upgrade window yet?

Anybody else had a similar experience?

Do you have any legs on UA? I got one a few weeks back at T8 and asked the question in the Automatic Upgrades thread. Seams that having a UA leg can cause this. I ended up getting a confirmation email at T7 as usual.

I'm booked on UA codeshare flights on US metal. They show-up on my account on USAirways.com, so I know that my US FF# is in there. Could have something to do with that.

I thought it was strange enough that I called the Chairman's Desk. They seemed confused by it as well. They confirmed that being on UA ticket stock doesn't matter. They don't know why it ran at +8 days. Speculation that there's a system glitch when it's on UA ticket stock that makes it run early and then shows that complimentary upgrades aren't available at that time. Hopefully it will fix itself tomorrow with the 7 day window.

Would like to hear if anybody else has had this happen to them and confirm that there were no issues with the regular upgrade process.

Did you book through UA or US? If booked on US you are fine. If booked on UA website it technically is not eligible for an upgrade. I was able to choose a seat that was available at check in but just got lucky one was available.

Not sure your flights are eligible for upgrade. Until recently, codeshare flights on US metal "got away with it". From the US website:

Flights must be sold as a US Airways operated flight to be eligible; flight purchased as a codeshare through one of our partners will not be eligible for upgrade.

IME, tix have to be on 037 stock to get an upgrade. 016 tix no longer get them.

Purchased through my corporate travel website. They push us to buy UA, since they have a partnership, and it was a bit cheaper. I've done it many times and have had no issues with it in the past.

Hmmm, didn't know that. Not a big deal, but good to know for next time.

I got the "early" upgrade email for my flights on November 4th as well, at the T-8 mark. Its definitely a glitch. I'm not CHM, but even if I was, the email would be been premature.

Premature upgrades? Go see a doctor

Correct. You'll get this email for all flights on US, with your DM# affixed, but not issued by US. Used to slip through and be eligible for upgrades anyway, but changed late last year or earlier this year.

I was able to get one at online check in since my first flight was on US. On the return the last flight was on US. I was able to have myself added to the wait list at the gate and actually received the upgrade while on board.

Well, lesson learned. I wasn't aware that flights had to be ticketed on US to get upgrades, and it hadn't been required in the past. My company prefers we book on UA, but living in CLT, that's not usually possible unless it's a code share. I won't be doing that again.

Premature upgrade email?
 

I'm US Silver, and yesterday I got a "Your First Class upgrade status" email for a flight 8 days into the future (booked a few weeks ago).

It says "No upgrades available on your flight(s)" and lists the first two legs. In the details, for each leg, it says "Too early for upgrade".

Why on earth am I getting this 8 days out, when the Silver upgrade window is just 2 days? Just an IT glitch?

This was booked on usairways.com, and these first two legs are on US metal. There's a 3rd leg on AA which I know isn't US-upgradable; my Silver will have expired by then anyway.

Also, when I search now for DFW-CLT 3/27, selecting the search option for preferred upgrades, only 6 of the 8 US-operated nonstops have the http://content.usairways.com/en-US/R.../preferred.gif upgrade available indicator icon. The other two don't, even though they have F seats still for sale. Why would that be? Shouldn't all US operated domestic flights with F cabins and F seats for sale be upgradable?

Yep. Happens even to CPs from time to time.

Those are for preferred instant upgrades of a Y/B fare. You won't see those unless you do a search for preferred upgrades. It has nothing to do with whether or not an upgrade is available at the normal window. Codeshares/partner flights won't be upgradable even with a Y/B.