You'll want to keep in mind that United Airlines gives expanded flight search options to cardholders, meaning you'll want to log in to your MileagePlus account when you're looking to book a trip. I have stopped using online check-in, and Megan and I still get upgraded after the 24-hour check-in window opens but before we arrive at the airport. These are one-way upgrades earned by Premier Elite 1K members who can be confirmed at the time of ticketing and are available on flights operated by United and Copa, along with select flights operated by ANA and Lufthansa. This first part repeats a bit from yesterday, but I’m including all of it because I usually buy my own tickets but book awards for friends and family. This compensation may impact how and where offers appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). Below is a full list of upgrade types and how to get them. The card awards 2 points on travel and dining and 1 point on everything else. Depending on the route you're flying, you should see an option to upgrade with miles or an option to upgrade with a mix of miles and cash. In addition, one companion traveling on the same reservation as a Premier member is also eligible for Complimentary Premier Upgrades on select flights, and may be confirmed with the same priority as the Premier member, even on the day of departure. However, I’ve focused specifically on how these rules apply to companions or anyone other than the elite member. You can also request an upgrade from business class to first class. Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity mentioned herein. Global Premier upgrades: Premier members earn six Global Premier upgrades once they reach Premier 1K status. … Once you reach Premier status, you'll hold on to that status from the date you earned it until the end of the following program year. This affects the entire itinerary, including your return journey, so here are a few tips: First, book one-way flights so that you can split the outbound PNR without affecting the return. Understanding United's process will help you better position yourself for a potential upgrade. All it does is create a note in your file. Hawaii (We… You'll be presented with various options, like buying an upgrade, using a Regional or Global upgrade, or using miles to get an upgrade. Up to one companion on each flight is eligible to receive an upgrade, and he or she will be processed after all other paid fares at your elite tier. This is something I’ve complained about many times before, including to United executive Mark Bergsrund. Complimentary Premier Upgrades (CPUs) are space-available, complimentary upgrades (to first/business) on select United and United Express operated flights. This would explain why, when Megan and I were both booked on award tickets using miles from my account, we were not eligible for a CPU even though normally I would be eligible for a CPU if traveling by myself on a CPU. Instant upgrades on full economy, Y or B class fares. This means if you are Premier 1K and he or she is a general member, then he or she will clear after you but before any Premier Platinum members. However, you will still be before any Premier Platinum passengers, regardless of their fare type. United divides upgrades into four separate groups (or fare classes): In the image above, you'll see numbers next to fare classes ON, PN, R/PZ and RN. Joe is currently a research analyst who covers credit cards and the payments industry. In these cases, Premier members should call the Premier Priority Desk to request a separate reservation for themselves and the eligible companion. The windows to confirm a complimentary upgrade are listed below by Premier status. What’s this about splitting a PNR? This can save you a ton of money if you fly with United regularly. What Is Delta Air Lines Medallion Status Worth? The following applies ONLY to the invisible upgrade list. ", Scroll to the bottom of the page and click "View all flight search preferences.". Like the economy plus upgrades, if you are upgraded then a companion on your itinerary will also receive the upgrade. Joe Resendiz is a former investment banking analyst for Goldman Sachs, where he covered public sector and infrastructure financing. You'll notice that now when you click "details" on the booking page, you'll be able to see the available fare classes. We cover how to upgrade at the point of sale along with upgrading existing reservations below. And since my Club Card is tied to my MileagePlus account, she is also eligible for an upgrade. By the time the date of the flight arrives, other customers will likely have upgraded their own seats, leaving little to no availability. Continental US (excluding premium, transcontinental services) 2. Note that each fare class above has a number next to it. This means if you are Premier 1K and he or she is … Upgrades on Award Tickets. This compensation from our advertising partners may impact how and where products appear on our site (including for example, the order in which they appear). I qualify with my MileagePlus Club Card. If there is only one person who isn’t elite, and two are Premier 1K and one is Premier Silver (a total of four), everyone will get treated like Premier Silver. Award tickets are eligible for a CPU (including a companion CPU) if you have one of eight different United- or Continental-branded credit cards. As a cardholder, you and a companion are eligible for 2 free checked bags on flights operated by United Airlines. It may not have been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the credit card issuer. It's worth noting that complimentary upgrades are granted on a space-available basis. So while it's possible for you to be upgraded, a purchased ticket will take precedence if you haven't been confirmed for an upgrade. For example: new PNR #1 has a Premier 1K and a Premier Silver, and new PNR #2 has a Premier Platinum and a general member. Waitlist confirmation priority is based on the Premier status of the redeeming account. Here’s the direct quote from United: If a reservation includes three or more travelers, and only one is not a Premier member, the Complimentary Premier Upgrades will be processed according to the lowest Premier status level in the reservation. How to Waive United’s Spending Requirement for Elite Status Through Credit Cards 5. Skip Waitlist upgrades are not transferrable to other flights, and although companions can be sponsored with a Skip Waitlist upgrade, the PlusPoints account holder must always be traveling. In our example booking above, for example, there is one seat left in the K class. For more information please see our Advertiser Disclosure. Continental Airlines allowed you to request a companion upgrade within 2 hours of departure for anyone traveling on the same flight, regardless of whether he or she was on the same reservation as you. These upgrades depend only on your elite status. Scott is a former scientist and business student who created Travel Codex to unravel the complexity of travel loyalty programs. What Can I Do If I’m Short On My A… United Airlines has several options for securing an upgrade, including earning upgrade certificates as a Premier Elite member, using miles to upgrade, qualifying for complimentary upgrades, or purchasing a full-fare economy ticket that upgrades … Several “tricks” can be used to improve the upgrade odds for both you and your companion. The site does not review or include all companies or all available products. At t-24 they will be split and you have to re-add them at checkin to the upgrade list. Being upgraded usually means you won't have to battle for overhead space, and the airline's attendants will pay close attention to your needs, whether that be another drink or a warm towel. Complimentary Premier Upgrades are available on most United and United … Earn even more PlusPoints: United continues to be the only U.S. global airline that allows members to earn unlimited extra upgrades after reaching our highest published Premier status level, Premier 1K. 1. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered. The same goes for when you use miles from your account to sponsor a mileage upgrade award for someone else. The easiest way to do this is by enabling United's Expert Mode, which allows experienced travelers to check fare class availability. United Airlines reserves the right … One other issue worth noting: Users have reported not being able to see fare classes despite activating Expert Mode. The Regional Premier Upgrade and Global Premier Upgrade instruments described yesterday can be shared with any passenger flying on an eligible flight, and their upgrade priority will be the same as yours. These are one-way upgrades earned by Premier Elite Platinum and 1K members who can be confirmed at the time of ticketing. The site does not review or include all companies or all available products. The auto-split feature is a defect in how the back-end SHARES reservations software processes upgrades and is not likely to get fixed until United finishes programming its replacement. 500 award miles and PQM minimum accrual. What is The United Airlines Companion Pass? While these type of upgrades … The downside is that you won’t be able to see your name on the upgrade standby list even though you remain eligible. 2. Otherwise, you can learn about what we believe to be the best United credit card offers, below: Cardholders who are also MileagePlus Premier members are eligible to receive a complimentary upgrade on award tickets. Travel Codex is owned by Travel Codex, LLC. To provide more complete comparisons, the site features products from our partners as well as institutions which are not advertising partners. I went about booking our 3 tickets following the steps above. One additional perk is that when you book an award ticket for another person and leave out his or her MileagePlus number, that person will take on the MileagePlus number of the account from which the miles were deducted. However, because PNRs must consist only of passengers with the same itinerary, you will only be eligible for an upgrade if all passengers on your PNR have the same upgrade … Three free checked bags when flying United Airlines for the Premier member and up to eight companions … These indicate the number of upgrades that are available. A much simpler explanation is that you have to fly a certain number of times (or miles) with United and spend a certain amount of money with the airline. However, MileagePlus members using the “skip the waitlist” option may only upgrade their own flights (or those of a companion). If there's a zero or no number next to the fare class, that means no upgrades are available. How We Calculate Rewards: ValuePenguin calculates the value of rewards by estimating the dollar value of any points, miles or bonuses earned using the card less any associated annual fees. I read so many stories about people who link PNRs and think that suddenly means they’re on the same reservation. On international routes, a typical upgrade between the U.S. … This site is for entertainment purposes only. An example of some upgrade awards from the mainland U.S. to Hawaii. Today’s post focused almost entirely on this one aspect of how to manage the auto-split feature. Unfortunately, the process of receiving an upgrade is not as simple as it used to be, specifically with United Airlines. In addition to this, Premier members get two more Regional Premier upgrades for each 25,000 Premier-qualifying miles or for 30 Premier-qualifying segments earned during the same year that Premier 1K was reached. For example, R7 would mean there are seven available upgrades from economy to business or first class on domestic flights. If you have a Skip Waitlist upgrade and you wish to change your itinerary or flights, a new upgrade … Keep in mind, you must book the flight with your United Club card and your companion … A MileagePlus member may request an upgrade for another traveler using a MileagePlus Upgrade Award, a Global Premier Upgrade or a Regional Premier Upgrade, even if they are not traveling on the same reservation. This site does not include all card companies or credit card offers available in the marketplace. In terms of upgrade priority, cardholders of the two credit cards listed above will be placed after the lowest paid fare class. 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