Want an upgrade? United has a fun new way for you to check
If you want to maximize your odds of getting an upgrade on a United flight, you'll definitely want to check out this new feature.
United will now let passengers take a look at their position on the upgrade list starting a full 30 days before departure.
This new in-app feature is launching in beta and is expected to roll out more broadly over the coming weeks, TPG learned.
To see your position on the upgrade list, you'll need to first ensure you've updated to the latest version of the United app via the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.
Then, you'll need to go to the trips page and manage your reservation. From there, you will see a new callout underneath the seat assignment for "upgrade waitlist."
Note that if you don't see this callout, then either you're flying on an unsupported reservation (only single-passenger reservations are currently supported) or this beta feature hasn't yet been enabled on your account.
After you click the upgrade waitlist, you'll see your current position on the waitlist, along with the number of seats remaining. This feature works for any type of upgrade requested with United, whether it's with miles, PlusPoints or even a complimentary Premier upgrade.
Of course, as United prominently flags, your position on the waitlist could change as other passengers make last-minute bookings.
Within two days of departure, United will display the detailed upgrade list you're used to seeing. This list includes your position on the waitlist, the number of available seats and the number of passengers who have checked in.
United says that this new upgrade waitlist feature is designed based on customer feedback and as a way to be more transparent with customers.
Personally, I'm a big fan of this new feature. It will definitely help me decide whether to switch to a different flight if I'm really gunning for an upgrade.
Before this, I used a variety of tools to determine my upgrade chances, including the number of premium-cabin seats still available for sale and the number of extra-legroom economy seats assigned (as a rough barometer for the number of elite members on the flight).
This new tool eliminates much of that guesswork. However, it's far from foolproof since your position on the waitlist 30 days before departure is almost certainly going to change before check-in and boarding.
Either way, more information is always better than less, so I'll be adding a new workflow to my travel planning process going forward when I'm flying with United.
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