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United Offers Discounted First Class Upgrade at Time of Purchase

April 24, 2014
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3 min read
United Offers Discounted First Class Upgrade at Time of Purchase
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Yesterday I was helping a family member book a flight to Washington DC (I'm sure lots of you act as the 'family travel agent' as well), and after we had completed the booking we were offered the opportunity to confirm a first class seat for $159 each way. That's not an insignificant amount of money, but it certainly struck me as discounted compared to what the normal cost is to buy up to first from that fare. This was a non-elite passenger who purchased a round trip ticket from Houston to Washington DC for $379, which is actually a pretty decent price for those two markets outside of a sale or fare war.

The $159 upgrade price displayed via a pop-up right after booking the ticket. We declined to spend the money for the upgrade, but it did strike me as interesting, and certainly a lower price than I normally see to upgrade on United on a 3 hour flight. After we declined the upgrade on that screen, the price that was offered to upgrade each segment when going into the reservation was $720+ each direction, so clearly the $159 was a very discounted price compared to that rate.

We wouldn't have paid the extra money in this case regardless, but I think United might see a better conversion rate on these offers if they marketed them as a "one time only offer" and gave the head's up that if you didn't accept the offer then that the price may be (much) higher later. Not only would it probably be better marketing, but it would be a fair warning to the consumer who might be on the fence about whether to spend the money for the upgrade. If my family member had been reasonably interested in that upgrade, but wanted to think on it a bit, they would have been out of luck when they went to buy even a few minutes later as the price over 4x after we clicked off of that screen.

Once upon a time in my pre-elite days with United/Continental, I was offered cheap upgrades to first when I checked into flights (sometimes referred to online as "Tens of Dollars upgrades"), but rarely were the prices majorly discounted at the time of purchase.

I'm curious as to whether you have also recently seen some of these discounted first class upgrades at the time of purchase, and whether the price jumped as soon as you clicked off of the pop-up.

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Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

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  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
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