First time flying as Elevate Gold in Main Cabin - how does upgrade process work
 

I understand that if there is a MCS at T-24, I can upgrade to MCS for free.

Is this a manual process?

I heard there is some "check box" at booking that, if checked , would allow that to happen automatically at T-24, but I dont remember if i checked that box.

And nothing online on my record indicates whether this was an option for me.

Will the system offer me the chance to purchase a seat in F?

If you didn't check the box, you will need to call reservations and have them add you to the list. If there is any availability in MCS between 24 hours and 1 hours in advance of the flight, you could be upgraded to MCS. Ask at the gate if you are on the list, know there are still seats available, and haven't been moved up. You will need to check in again on your phone to get the updated boarding pass if you already checked in for your regular economy seat. If F is available you should be offered F for the paid upgrade. If you haven't already been upgraded to MCS the fee will be the higher one from regular coach to F.

Things used to work smoothly but I rarely get any automatic upgrades these days but people at the airport can be helpful if there are still seats available.

thk u!

In my experience as a Gold, if you call the Gold line and ask politely, they will give you the MCS-to-F upgrade price even if you have not been upgraded from MC to MCS.

I would also call the Gold line rather than the regular reservations line to see if you checked the box and make sure you are put on the list in the first place.

So "after" OLCI, call the Gold desk to see about upgrade to F?

Doesn't matter before or after IME

just called. have to wait until T-24 regardless

$240 for O/W upgrade to F

I gotta tell you this is pretty crappy :(

Just checked in online; not only did i NOT get an MCS seat (even though there are at least 8 available), the upgrade to F is not $240 as I heard, but something like $400

So , there are plenty of seats available in MCS and in F, but an Elevate Gold doesnt get access to those I guess.

And I thought UAL had a crappy upgrade process,

Per the advice above, you have to 'opt-in' to upgrade when booking, if not call up after and be asked to opt-in. At t-24 you can call to enquire, and if upgraded to MCS you can then pay the MCS to FC upgrade fee if F avail.

i did opt in at booking , but no MCS available to "opt in" to even though there are 6 of 12 MCS available

Call the Gold line again. If the next agent tells you he/she can't upgrade you, then ask for a supervisor. The only explanation I can come up with is that this is an error/mistaken understanding on their end.

They capitulated but only after a lot of back and forth. Finally put me in MCS because of my Gold status but said it was only a one time deal

My main concern was 1 they said there wasn't an upgrade list so once I missed the upgrade window I was done and 2 they said all the complimentary seats were already used up which was just odd IMO given I could see 6 of 12 open

The elevate gold line reps did not know what I was referring to about the opt in option.

I just called the gold line asking to opt in for the upgrade list for MCS, and they told me I had to call 24 hours before my flight to be put on there. From what the agent was saying, it sounded like she was trying to automatically upgrade me into MCS and realized that's not possible until T-24 so that's when she told me to call back. Not sure if her information is correct.

The new call center agents are completely clueless. Don't know who is training them or if they are just not trained and make things up as they go. They have been terrible lately. You can be put on the list from the time of booking.

Thanks I'll call back then.

Edit:: Just called back, and this other agent knew exactly what I was talking about with the opt-in option. She said she put me onto the upgrade list, and then to check at OLCI. Woohoo!!