Neither recent nor unfair. What stops you from clicking 'change flights' and just pick up the First seat at $0?

 

Can you tell us what United promised you for benefits... And how they're "almost" bait n switching you?


Seems pretty straightforward, buy the fare class that offers 100% chance of seating in F.

https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly...and-terms.html

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If I purchased a refundable fare for say $300, and the first class tic was $425, then a few days before the flight their website shows a refundable fare for that same flight at $396, and a first class seat at $396, I would have to pay an extra $96, to then get the guaranteed first seat.
My point is- UA should hold a premium price on their first class seats, so if someone wants that type of seat they are paying an upcharge for it. And thus allowing higher status fliers to have a better chance at getting the comp upgrades that United says we are entitled to after spending the 1K thresholds of revenue. Why continue to give them loyalty when it is not reciprocated?

 

Welcome to FT!. roadkiller22

What you say is true for some time and there have been multiple long threads on this

It first started in 2016 and has been called A Comprehensive Look at Domestic First Class Monetization (FCM) on United. UA did not invent the concept but has been a leader in it application.

Will merge this into a more recent general discussion of the decline of upgrades caused by FCM and UA withholding upgrade space availability. You will find many with like thoughs

WineCountryUA
UA coModerator

 

There�s zero bait and switch. United will give out upgrades to empty seats after attempting to get money for them. Your expectations are self-inflicted.

Dynamic airfare pricing has been in effect for years. �Want first, buy first� is the current motto.

And, yes- if the F price is less than what you paid, you can easily select the new seat by going to �change flight�.

 

This, and it has been the case since long before COVID. And it's one of the main reasons I stopped chasing 1K. I either buy discounted F or Y, and purchase an upgrade. Flying international, there are some great savings on walk up J upgrades on several airlines.

 

This is the way!

Free agency is the way. All that money saved, so you can fly more, or do whatever you like. Being independent is a beautiful feeling.

 

There are two early-evening IAD-SFO flights within 30 min of each other. The latter one is on B737 MAX 9, with guaranteed CPUs. The earlier one is on B77W, with seats 20A (me) and 20 B (Mrs. Kmxu). There is no pray even with PPs applied. Which one would you choose?
I would stay put. I will have time to visit both TK and LH lounges before my flight departs.

Add: I changed my mind after a good night sleep. I have just changed my flights to the later one. We are Nos. 1 and 2 on upgrade standby list (CPUs), with eight seats remaining.
Add 2: Although I am No. 1 on the CPU list, my wife (XN ticket) has got the upgrade while I am still on the WL. PPs were attached to the earlier flight. I did not remove it before changing the flight. I called 1K line to make sure that PPs were not used for the new flight. Still, the system thought that I had non-supported instrument-support upgrade request. Therefore, I was skipped.

 

My travel is done for the year. Not surprisingly, it has been my worst year for upgrades. Mix of high and low fares.

Domestic upgrade success
5 of 29 CPU (17%)
an additional 4 successful upgrades via PP
so net was 9 of 29 domestic overall (31%)

International
2 of 2

 

I would consider 11 total upgrades between CPU and PP a very successful year

 

Have an inverse story of the thread title. I am on the LAX-IAD 4:32 PM departure, which is one of my favourite flights as I get most of the day at the beach/pool before flying home and going straight to bed. I am one of TWO 1Ks on this flight. The gate agent was surprised that I was the only 1K to show to pre board that she went to check on the number of 1Ks. No GS on the flight either. Everyone on the upgrade list got upgraded, leading to a full cabin upfront. Second flight this year that everyone on the upgrade list cleared. I should add my PP cleared at booking. I�m flying IAD-LAX next Monday night, the 10 pm departure. 10 seats open upfront with 7 on the upgrade list with myself being number two on the list, 1K using PP. Possible everyone clears on this flight as well. I should add my current flight is on 737-9 MAX that is slightly less than half full.

 

This has undoubtedly been my best year for United upgrades domestic and longhaul, since all flights are out of pocket, I rarely buy anything higher than a W fare, almost always G or K shorthaul. Although this year I did have a couple longhaul R class tickets.

All for 2 pax (wife is als 1K)
20/21 on PPs - only missed EWR-LAX
11/14 on CPUs - missed YYZ-EWR, LAX-ORD, and YYZ-IAH (but that was a last minute rebook)

Still have one YYZ-IAD that actually doesnt look good

 

Had my last two PP Polaris upgrades come through for 2023. I think this puts me at >20 for the year.

 

Batted at 49% on upgrades this year, including PlusPoints upgrades. 45/92.

 

Flying den-ogg tomorrow
1k, applied Pp (not sure of my fare class)
busfir is 27/28 booked

im #8 on the ug list

hmmm - what do you think about my chances to get an upgrade.