United Mileage Plus Upgrade question

[Sambrielle]

Hi all-

 

I am using my United Mileage Plus FF miles to upgrade to business class PDX to MIA. This is my first experience using these miles. When I purchased the tickets, it would not allow me to select seats, telling me that I could select seats upon check in. It did confirm I had the business class tickets. Should I be concerned about not having a seat in business class? My DH is 6'3 and won't fly unless we are in the front of the plane.

 

Thanks for any help!

[GeeDunk]

Hi all-

 

I am using my United Mileage Plus FF miles to upgrade to business class PDX to MIA. This is my first experience using these miles. When I purchased the tickets, it would not allow me to select seats, telling me that I could select seats upon check in. It did confirm I had the business class tickets. Should I be concerned about not having a seat in business class? My DH is 6'3 and won't fly unless we are in the front of the plane.

 

Thanks for any help!

 

Are you flying on United or on a Code Share?

 

I booked United: PIT/ORD/FRA/VCE, using FF miles.

 

I could select my seats: PIT/ORD/FRA, since I was flying United.

 

Could not select my seat: FRA/VCE, since I will be on Lufthansa.

 

I called Lufthansa to get my booking number, logged onto Lufthansa

and selected my seat.

[CruiserBruce]

Book the flight. Once you have the email confirming the booking, log into the UA site, and try to select the seats. If you can't, call UA.

 

It sounds like you have Business class seats, just don't know which ones. It will work out.

[greatam]

Hi all-

 

I am using my United Mileage Plus FF miles to upgrade to business class PDX to MIA. This is my first experience using these miles. When I purchased the tickets, it would not allow me to select seats, telling me that I could select seats upon check in. It did confirm I had the business class tickets. Should I be concerned about not having a seat in business class? My DH is 6'3 and won't fly unless we are in the front of the plane.

 

Thanks for any help!

 

Yes, if you have CONFIRMED business class seats, you will be fine. HOWEVER, some of those connecting flights out of PDX to MIA fly on barbie jets (Washington, DC, one of the Houston connections and one of the Chicago connections). So don't get your hopes up about having a true business/business first experience until you post your connections. I don't care what anyone says, it is just NOT the same experience.

[Sambrielle]

Thanks for the help, I will try and log on tonight to UA and check if it will let me get a seat assignment, if not I'll give them a call.

[greatam]

Thanks for the help, I will try and log on tonight to UA and check if it will let me get a seat assignment, if not I'll give them a call.

 

I personally wouldn't worry as much about a seat assignment as I would the planes you are flying on.

 

As I posted previously, some of the connecting flights are on barbie jets with VERY few amenities for first class. A couple of the Chicago connectors are 3+ hour flights on a RJ with NO food, no laptop power, NO IFE. NO place to carry on a normal suitcase. And no place to store stuff during take off and landings because there are so few first class seats and anyone who is travel saavy doesn't pick the first row in first class on a barbie jet, so you may find the first row are the only seats left to sit in.

 

You are paying for first class. Make sure you get the first class amenities for the ENTIRE flight (which MAY mean changing flights). You owe it to yourself. It is your money.

[6rugrats]

I am using my United Mileage Plus FF miles to upgrade to business class PDX to MIA. This is my first experience using these miles. When I purchased the tickets, it would not allow me to select seats, telling me that I could select seats upon check in. It did confirm I had the business class tickets.

So you purchased economy seats, and you are using miles to upgrade to F (don't think there is a business class on this routing, just F and economy)? If this is the case, did your upgrade clear? If it hasn't, and you are waitlisted, you can't choose seats in F.

 

If you were able to upgrade successfully, sometimes it takes a couple days before you are able to select seats.

 

If you purchased tickets in economy and then used miles to upgrade, that's 20,000 miles per person, each way, plus your airfare, plus a $75 upgrade fee. For 25,000 miles per person each way, plus a $5.00 fee for taxes, you could get Saver F award seats, which is a better deal.

 

To Greatam - What amenities?? About all you get is preboarding, free alcohol, and sometimes a meal. IMO, it's just not worth paying to upgrade for a domestic flight on UA. If anything, I'd just choose a flight where I could snag the exit row seats in E+. Actually better legroom there then in a lot of F seats on UA.

[greatam]

 

To Greatam - What amenities?? About all you get is preboarding, free alcohol, and sometimes a meal. IMO, it's just not worth paying to upgrade for a domestic flight on UA. If anything, I'd just choose a flight where I could snag the exit row seats in E+. Actually better legroom there then in a lot of F seats on UA.

 

I agree wholeheartedly with your upgrade theory. BUT the OP said hubby won't fly except in the front of the plane. So if that is what the OP is going for, at least get the most bang for your buck (or miles) by getting TWO meals, a GOOD selection of booze (not available on a lot of RJ's), stuck in a little bitty plane for 3+ hours, no laptop power, no IFE.

 

About 50% of the connections from PDX to MIA are on barbie jets (Mesa Airlines-Houston, Washington, DC and Chicago). I sure wouldn't put myself in a situation when I PAID for a first class flight where I had a 3+ hour flight with no food when the 737's (same connections) have food on both sectors, some of the 737's have seatback TV's, the booze selection is wide and varied and most have power at every seat in first class. And at least you can bring your full sized carryon.

 

If you are paying for first class domestic via money or miles, you might as well get as much as you can.

[frugaltravel]

anyone who is travel saavy doesn't pick the first row in first class on a barbie jet, so you may find the first row are the only seats left to sit in.

 

Obviously you don't fly first class on Delta very often. Some of their "barbie jets" have the best seating at seat 1A.

[PaulMCO]

Hi all-

 

I am using my United Mileage Plus FF miles to upgrade to business class PDX to MIA. This is my first experience using these miles. When I purchased the tickets, it would not allow me to select seats, telling me that I could select seats upon check in. It did confirm I had the business class tickets. Should I be concerned about not having a seat in business class? My DH is 6'3 and won't fly unless we are in the front of the plane.

 

Thanks for any help!

 

 

You did exactly what I did... I assume your flight is for January 2014?

If it is --United loads the flights into the computer and you can do the booking right at the 331 day advance mark. Unfortunately United loads the seat maps about 10 days later. So if you wait for 2 weeks you can then get your seat assignments. Happens to me all of the time. If you call UA most agents don't know this...

 

My flight on 21 January 2014 has same issue.. Booked in Business -- no seat assignments possible.

 

Enjoy your Oceania cruise...

[CruiserBruce]

This has not been my experience. United loads the seat maps at the same time as the fares.

[PaulMCO]

This has not been my experience. United loads the seat maps at the same time as the fares.

 

They do not. There have been a number of posts flyer talk on this in the past. Reminder it is the Shares Continental system they use now.

[6rugrats]

This has not been my experience. United loads the seat maps at the same time as the fares.

That just depends. Not always since they started using that fantastic Shares system.

 

They do not. There have been a number of posts flyer talk on this in the past. Reminder it is the Shares Continental system they use now.

PaulMCO is correct. You often have to wait a while to select seats.

[Sambrielle]

You did exactly what I did... I assume your flight is for January 2014?

If it is --United loads the flights into the computer and you can do the booking right at the 331 day advance mark. Unfortunately United loads the seat maps about 10 days later. So if you wait for 2 weeks you can then get your seat assignments. Happens to me all of the time. If you call UA most agents don't know this...

 

My flight on 21 January 2014 has same issue.. Booked in Business -- no seat assignments possible.

 

Enjoy your Oceania cruise...

 

Thanks! You are so correct...the agent I talked to on the phone (and was on hold forevvvver) did not have an answer. She told me to wait a month, then try to again. Now, I will wait 2 weeks and try!

This is why I love CC...answers! THANK YOU.

[Sambrielle]

I agree wholeheartedly with your upgrade theory. BUT the OP said hubby won't fly except in the front of the plane. So if that is what the OP is going for, at least get the most bang for your buck (or miles) by getting TWO meals, a GOOD selection of booze (not available on a lot of RJ's), stuck in a little bitty plane for 3+ hours, no laptop power, no IFE.

 

About 50% of the connections from PDX to MIA are on barbie jets (Mesa Airlines-Houston, Washington, DC and Chicago). I sure wouldn't put myself in a situation when I PAID for a first class flight where I had a 3+ hour flight with no food when the 737's (same connections) have food on both sectors, some of the 737's have seatback TV's, the booze selection is wide and varied and most have power at every seat in first class. And at least you can bring your full sized carryon.

 

If you are paying for first class domestic via money or miles, you might as well get as much as you can.

 

The flight I booked is a 737...good to know it's not a 'barbie jet'. Thanks for the information.