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 6, 2024, 8:58 pm
#166
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 128
I have a question regarding gate upgrades offers at the gate or checkin. When space is available I hear of people getting upgrades at the gate for roughly, $100/ flight hr from economy to Polaris (or whatever the going rate is.)
Question: To be eligible to even recieve an offer, do you have to be traveling in economy on a certain fare bucket?
Question: To be eligible to even recieve an offer, do you have to be traveling in economy on a certain fare bucket?
Mar 6, 2024, 9:09 pm
#167
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA LT Plat 2MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 68,329
No and the price seems to relative insensitive to economy fare class or paid price.
Mar 12, 2024, 8:49 am
#168
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: EWR
Programs: UA 1.65M , Platinum, 1K Emeritus, UC Lifetime , HHonors Gold, Presidential Plus card holder
Posts: 725
Two of the last three DOD upgrades we chose to buy were significantly cheaper through my wife's account than through mine. This may have been coincidence since we did not compare prices at the same time.
Also, United did give me credit for a DOD upgrade for yesterday's PBI-ORD flight but did not give my wife credit yet.
Also, United did give me credit for a DOD upgrade for yesterday's PBI-ORD flight but did not give my wife credit yet.
Mar 14, 2024, 4:53 pm
#169
Join Date: Dec 2019
Location: IAH
Programs: MileagePlus-Premier Silver, Marriott Bonvoy-Silver Elite
Posts: 762
We're flying IAH-EWR-CDG this fall in PP (R fare). There is a buy up offer for each leg. If I buy up one leg, let's say the domestic leg, will I still be able to buy up on the TATL segment or does that disappear?
Mar 15, 2024, 1:42 pm
#170
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: EWR
Programs: UA 1.65M , Platinum, 1K Emeritus, UC Lifetime , HHonors Gold, Presidential Plus card holder
Posts: 725
Your buy-up offers should all be on one page so you can buy them all at once together. If you buy one and walk away from the other then it is quite possible the other offer will change, up or down.
Mar 15, 2024, 2:36 pm
#171
Join Date: May 2012
Location: ORF, RIC
Programs: UA LT 1K, 3 MM; Marriott Titanium, LTP; IHG Platinum
Posts: 7,252
It seems insensitive to the flight time/distance for buyup from economy to PremiumPlus cabins. TPAC flight is only about $10 more than TATL flight, based upon my limited data points.
Mar 17, 2024, 9:38 am
#172
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Los Angeles
Programs: UA MM | BA Gold
Posts: 7,216
LAX-BOS now at T-2 days.
After purchase UA offered $599 for upgrade, and it stayed that way for a few weeks. Eventually jumped to $1,2xx as time marched on. Logged in this morning and down to $399. For this route and accompanying flat bed, I tend to bite on anything that starts with a 3 or lower. FWIW the upgrade booked into P.
After purchase UA offered $599 for upgrade, and it stayed that way for a few weeks. Eventually jumped to $1,2xx as time marched on. Logged in this morning and down to $399. For this route and accompanying flat bed, I tend to bite on anything that starts with a 3 or lower. FWIW the upgrade booked into P.
Mar 17, 2024, 10:23 am
#173
Join Date: Aug 2019
Programs: BAEC Gold (1w Emerald), United Platinum (*G), Marriott Plat Elite
Posts: 389
LAX-BOS now at T-2 days.
After purchase UA offered $599 for upgrade, and it stayed that way for a few weeks. Eventually jumped to $1,2xx as time marched on. Logged in this morning and down to $399. For this route and accompanying flat bed, I tend to bite on anything that starts with a 3 or lower. FWIW the upgrade booked into P.
After purchase UA offered $599 for upgrade, and it stayed that way for a few weeks. Eventually jumped to $1,2xx as time marched on. Logged in this morning and down to $399. For this route and accompanying flat bed, I tend to bite on anything that starts with a 3 or lower. FWIW the upgrade booked into P.
Mar 17, 2024, 10:58 am
#175
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Los Angeles
Programs: UA MM | BA Gold
Posts: 7,216
Mar 17, 2024, 12:35 pm
#176
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: CLE
Programs: UA Gold
Posts: 1,136
MCO-CLE offer was steady for weeks at $489 with J2, until a couple days before departure, dropped to $189. F cabin went out full, nobody on the upgrade list cleared.
On the ~10 upcoming domestic flights I have booked, it seems the upfare to F is always cheaper than the TOD offer.
On the ~10 upcoming domestic flights I have booked, it seems the upfare to F is always cheaper than the TOD offer.
Mar 17, 2024, 5:11 pm
#178
Join Date: Dec 2019
Location: IAH
Programs: MileagePlus-Premier Silver, Marriott Bonvoy-Silver Elite
Posts: 762
IAH-EWR-CDG in late October on R fare, buy up is $249 on first leg and $1240 on the over water. IAH-EWR is on a 767-300, smaller Polaris cabin. Anyone seen lower price on the EWR-CDG leg? Only 6 seats taken so farrow which I know is not reliable.
The IAH-EWR price is a steal IMO, since it's lay flat.
The IAH-EWR price is a steal IMO, since it's lay flat.
Mar 20, 2024, 1:32 am
#180
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Premier Gold
Posts: 158
United Polaris upgrade request, waiting to waitlist to watch cash upgrade offer?
Hello all,
I am considering trying to upgrade on a FCO-SFO nonstop mid April which is currently showing only 16 Polaris seats available for selection. I completely know that the seats shown may not be available if someone who has purchased Polaris hasn't chosen their seats yet. I can request an upgrade for $550 and 20K miles and wait to see what happens or I can see if there may be a buy up offer between now and check in. The last time I flew SFO-IAD-FRA-VCE I applied the upgrade for IAD--FRA using miles and copay and it did not pan out. I'm wondering if I would be better off waiting until closer to check in or at check in to see what the TOD offers are.
Any insights or recommendations?
Thanks in advance.
misterfuss
I am considering trying to upgrade on a FCO-SFO nonstop mid April which is currently showing only 16 Polaris seats available for selection. I completely know that the seats shown may not be available if someone who has purchased Polaris hasn't chosen their seats yet. I can request an upgrade for $550 and 20K miles and wait to see what happens or I can see if there may be a buy up offer between now and check in. The last time I flew SFO-IAD-FRA-VCE I applied the upgrade for IAD--FRA using miles and copay and it did not pan out. I'm wondering if I would be better off waiting until closer to check in or at check in to see what the TOD offers are.
Any insights or recommendations?
Thanks in advance.
misterfuss