As a regular (if often grumpy) United elite-level flier, there’s something very appealing about the offer of unlimited domestic upgrades.
But as a travel agent who spends a great deal of time explaining to people why they can’t get the upgrade they want, the prospect fills me with no small amount of dread.
And no, it’s not because I would prefer to have my clients sit in coach. Although karma would sometimes mean a few of them deserve to sit next to crying babies.
The new program starts March 18, and United says that the upgrades will be “automatically” requested.
Now, under the current system, United is no different from any other airline, in that travelers don’t always read the fine print. The phrase “confirmed” upgrade, however, is a particular problem, because it’s not obvious that the upgrade is only confirmed if that limited class of service is available.
And as regular fliers often have learned to their chagrin, airlines try to sell as many premium seats as they can, so available first- and business-class seats are often not available for upgrade – with any upgrade type – until nearly the last minute, or even the day of departure.
In fact, some clients contacted me this week about a trip to Paris in September and when I told her there were no upgrades available on the Sunday she wanted to return, her response was “My husband has confirmed systemwides so that won’t be a problem.” (Unfortunately, it will be.)
While United is telling their clients they have “unlimited” upgrades, these upgrades will be even harder to get than mileage awards, especially for travelers not in the top elite tiers.
The details are on the United.com site. If travelers read them. Basically, the upgrades will be automatically requested for all premier level and higher flights, but will be confirmed based on availability based on status.
So Global Services members may have upgrades confirmed 120 hours in advance, 1Ks 100 hours in advance, Executive Premiers 72 hours in advance, and regular Premiers 48 hours in advance. If they’re available.
If the upgrade is sold out, the members will be waitlisted at the above times, and their places on the waitlist will be determined by status and fare paid. (And yes, as with other upgrades, a Global Services member will trump a Premier who booked earlier.)
The dread with all this comes from the fact that right now, on many flights especially out of hubs like San Francisco, Chicago, Washington-Dulles and Denver, it’s almost impossible to get an upgrade for anyone below the highest status. (On one recent 777 flight from Chicago to San Francisco, the gate agent told me there were well over 100 people with 1k status and higher.)
And the current situation has some of these high-status elites not requesting upgrades on every flight, so as to save them for longer flights or vacation travel with a companion.
Now there will be no reason to want to sit in coach, with the possible exception of flights where the elite traveler is with companions.
The new system will actually allow for one companion but if the upgrade hasn’t cleared by day of departure, a lower-status companion will be separated from the higher-status flier on the waitlist. So there may be a decision to make – sit separately or both stay in coach.
(In addition, according to United, for companions to be upgrade-eligible, they must be be on the same record, which means in situations where travelers are flying together only one way or where one person is booked through a corporate travel department and one is booked online, they won’t qualify.)
United also says they will phase out the 500 mile e-upgrade, but when I have called, as a frequent flier and as a travel agent, and asked, “So what do we do with bookings after the changeover date?” I have been told answers ranging from “I am not sure,” to “Just go ahead and request 500 mile e-coupon upgrades and it will be worked out at the airport,’ to, “Don’t do anything, it will be automatic.”
Well, I am not sure about “automatic,” but it stands to be interesting. What is that ancient Chinese curse? May you live in interesting times.
(Photo: Hong Kong dear Edward/Flickr Creative Commons)
