Jan 21, 2017, 10:27 am
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
UA will generally offer cash upgrades from any non-Basic Economy fare for UA operated flights, these can be offered:
- At the time of purchase
- Before travel in the itinerary view
- At check-in (computer, smartphone, airport)
- You can inquire with an agent anytime (including at the gate)
The price can vary, as it appears multiple processes are used -- occasionally yielding strangely high offers. Always cross-check on what the fare difference (up fare) might be and consider insteadBuy up to higher fare class w/o change fee? {GG BUYUP}
Awards tickets may be offered similar cash upgrade but generally only at check-in (Aug 2022 update, frequent reports of award ticket cash upgrade offers; at booking, after booking and check-in. Unclear under what conditions.
For Check-in offers, these can vary post initial check-in, so check back closer to departure.
Such upgrades will be eligible for all the benefits of a premium cabin ticket, UA makes no distinction on how a passenger premium cabin ticket was obtained.
Generally, fees for upgrades are non-refundable if you voluntarily cancel. If UA cancels or fails to provide the upgrade, the fees will be refunded. On voluntary changes, the agent may transfer to the changes flight but that is not standard policy.
True up-fares (ADD/COLLECT) are transferable if the appropriate inventory space is available.
PCU / Premium Cabin upgrade
Older term UFC / Upgrade First Class
Fees paid for upgrades now {2020) earn PQPs
Will the upgrade earn PQDs or bonus PQMs see the wiki of Some Paid Upgrades Count Towards PQD & mileage bonus and some DON"T!
On how pricing is structured, see A Comprehensive Look at Domestic First Class Monetization (FCM) on United
Previous Threads:
UA Upsell Offers to Business/First at Purchase and Day of Departure (TOD) [Archive]
2016 Upsell Offers to Business/First (UFC/PCU) Questions/Discussion (Paid Upgrades)
2015 Upsell Offers to Business/First (UFC/PCU) Questions/Discussion (Paid Upgrades)
2014 Upsell Offers to Business/First (UFC/PCU) Questions/Discussion (Paid Upgrades)
2013 "Upsell Offers to Business/First (UFC/PCU)" Questions/Discussion (Paid Upgrades)
- At the time of purchase
- Before travel in the itinerary view
- At check-in (computer, smartphone, airport)
- You can inquire with an agent anytime (including at the gate)
The price can vary, as it appears multiple processes are used -- occasionally yielding strangely high offers. Always cross-check on what the fare difference (up fare) might be and consider instead
Awards tickets may be offered similar cash upgrade but generally only at check-in (Aug 2022 update, frequent reports of award ticket cash upgrade offers; at booking, after booking and check-in. Unclear under what conditions.
For Check-in offers, these can vary post initial check-in, so check back closer to departure.
Such upgrades will be eligible for all the benefits of a premium cabin ticket, UA makes no distinction on how a passenger premium cabin ticket was obtained.
Generally, fees for upgrades are non-refundable if you voluntarily cancel. If UA cancels or fails to provide the upgrade, the fees will be refunded. On voluntary changes, the agent may transfer to the changes flight but that is not standard policy.
True up-fares (ADD/COLLECT) are transferable if the appropriate inventory space is available.
PCU / Premium Cabin upgrade
Older term UFC / Upgrade First Class
Fees paid for upgrades now {2020) earn PQPs
On how pricing is structured, see A Comprehensive Look at Domestic First Class Monetization (FCM) on United
Previous Threads:
UA Upsell Offers to Business/First at Purchase and Day of Departure (TOD) [Archive]
2016 Upsell Offers to Business/First (UFC/PCU) Questions/Discussion (Paid Upgrades)
2015 Upsell Offers to Business/First (UFC/PCU) Questions/Discussion (Paid Upgrades)
2014 Upsell Offers to Business/First (UFC/PCU) Questions/Discussion (Paid Upgrades)
2013 "Upsell Offers to Business/First (UFC/PCU)" Questions/Discussion (Paid Upgrades)
UA Upsell Offers to Business/First/PP at Purchase (PCU) to Day of Departure (TOD)
Mar 1, 2024, 7:38 am
#151
Flyertalk Evangelist, Moderator: United Airlines MlleagePlus
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,860
My broader point was that I have never spent more than about $3,000 on a ticket and never flown overwater in a class less than J - and then on DL out of a DL fortress hub because I didn't feel like splitting to a TP ticket during the era of COVID border restrictions. I suspect that will rise in my future as I value schedule more and dollars less, but that is also kind of my point here:
Without a deep dive into your flexibility or lack thereof, it's impossible to say whether you are finding the lowest price given your number of constraints, but for the abstract leisure traveler who wants to prioritize a low price, $5k is stratospheric. On the other end, business travelers with a fixed schedule that need to go to A on Monday and home on Thursday, no exceptions, routinely pay $10k and would think $5k a bargain.
In general, FT is focused around changing travel habits to save lots of money, whether that's finding cheap fares, available upgrades, gaming the system, etc. I think the nerve you struck here is asserting that $5,000 is just "what it costs" to fly Business, when that's obviously not true for many/most of us not on OPM.
Without a deep dive into your flexibility or lack thereof, it's impossible to say whether you are finding the lowest price given your number of constraints, but for the abstract leisure traveler who wants to prioritize a low price, $5k is stratospheric. On the other end, business travelers with a fixed schedule that need to go to A on Monday and home on Thursday, no exceptions, routinely pay $10k and would think $5k a bargain.
In general, FT is focused around changing travel habits to save lots of money, whether that's finding cheap fares, available upgrades, gaming the system, etc. I think the nerve you struck here is asserting that $5,000 is just "what it costs" to fly Business, when that's obviously not true for many/most of us not on OPM.
Mar 1, 2024, 4:16 pm
#152
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 127
Thank you WineCountryUA for your comments! Having never watched this system in action before I am really surprised how little price movement I've seen in the offers presented so far (still T-9). Fascinating! I'll rest easy knowing that I did the best for my friend 
Mar 2, 2024, 7:11 am
#153
Join Date: Jul 2011
Programs: AA Plat, UA 1K>Plat>moving to Silver
Posts: 2,152
As can the price for simply re-ticketing in F using change flight, but for the same flight in F (I’m talking domestic- have not flown UA international since pre-pandemic). I have found it is sometimes much cheaper than the upgrade offer. Who knows why the IT does that.
Mar 3, 2024, 12:30 pm
#154
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: UA Premier Silver, AA, DL, IHG Diamond Amb, Marriott Silver, Hilton Silver, National
Posts: 1,543
Here's a crazy one. I'm flying nonstop IAD-LIS in April. Initially got a pretty good coach fare, and then later bought up to PP. Total cost around $1270. Current cost to straight up buy a PP fare is around $2600, so I think the total cost to buyup was OK.
Now comes the crazy part. I've been watching the cost to buyup to Polaris. It's been running around $3700, which is not in my wheelhouse. Today I took a look at the Polaris buyup cost, with 7 seats left, and the price has skyrocketed to over $10,000, even though the cost to straightup purchase Polaris is only $5,800!
Now comes the crazy part. I've been watching the cost to buyup to Polaris. It's been running around $3700, which is not in my wheelhouse. Today I took a look at the Polaris buyup cost, with 7 seats left, and the price has skyrocketed to over $10,000, even though the cost to straightup purchase Polaris is only $5,800!
Mar 3, 2024, 6:30 pm
#155
Join Date: Nov 2023
Location: IAD-DCA-BWI
Programs: UA, CSP
Posts: 21
Mar 4, 2024, 6:24 am
#156
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: UA Premier Silver, AA, DL, IHG Diamond Amb, Marriott Silver, Hilton Silver, National
Posts: 1,543
I'm a fairly price-sensitive flyer, so I vacillated for a number of days, but ultimately bit the bullet and did the buyup. My original OW coach fare was only around $540 (now almost double that), so I decided the total cost was justifiable as it would offer me some level of comfort better than E- on an overnight flight to Europe.
Mar 4, 2024, 9:59 am
#157
Join Date: Nov 2023
Location: IAD-DCA-BWI
Programs: UA, CSP
Posts: 21
Sure. The original buyup offer was same as yours, $379. I planned to put it on my new CC on January 1, so not only would it count toward 2024 PQP but also would make a dent in the SUB. Then on December 29 they raised it to $729. I'm a fairly price-sensitive flyer, so I vacillated for a number of days, but ultimately bit the bullet and did the buyup. My original OW coach fare was only around $540 (now almost double that), so I decided the total cost was justifiable as it would offer me some level of comfort better than E- on an overnight flight to Europe.
I'm a fairly price-sensitive flyer, so I vacillated for a number of days, but ultimately bit the bullet and did the buyup. My original OW coach fare was only around $540 (now almost double that), so I decided the total cost was justifiable as it would offer me some level of comfort better than E- on an overnight flight to Europe.Oddly, my PQP earnings for the trip did not change when I did the cash buy-up. Nor did I get PQP for the purchase like you get when going from E to E+. That would have been a nice bonus. :/
Mar 4, 2024, 10:06 am
#158
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: ORD
Programs: FSPP, Marriott Stars/Luminous, Hyatt Prive, MO Fan Club, etc.
Posts: 4,323
Reach out to MP Service center for the PQP from the buy up. General experience from folks on the forum is that it's only been posting automatically about 50% of the time - I had to request the PQP from my last buy up.
Mar 4, 2024, 10:14 am
#159
Join Date: Apr 2010
Programs: AA PP, UA Platinum/MM, WoH Globalist, HH Diamond
Posts: 1,632
Does the PQP for buyup post after you’ve completed the flight?
Mar 4, 2024, 11:10 am
#162
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: EWR
Programs: UA 1.65M , Platinum, 1K Emeritus, UC Lifetime , HHonors Gold, Presidential Plus card holder
Posts: 725
Mar 4, 2024, 11:17 am
#163
Join Date: Jan 2024
Posts: 92
Yeah, the accrual estimates won’t change with a buy-up but after your flight completes it should post as a separate PQP transaction listed as “Day of departure upgrade”.
Mar 4, 2024, 11:20 am
#164
Join Date: Jan 2024
Posts: 92
Probably 50/50 here since the beginning of the year. I think I’ve only had to write in for 2 out of 4 or 5. Last year was pretty bad, I think it was almost every time except for 3 or 4 (out of probably 20) that I had to have MPSC fix but I digress since there’s another thread for that.
Mar 4, 2024, 11:55 am
#165
Join Date: May 2012
Location: ORF, RIC
Programs: UA LT 1K, 3 MM; Marriott Titanium, LTP; IHG Platinum
Posts: 7,249