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http://www.dansdeals.com/archives/38212

http://www.united.com/web/en-US/content/mileageplus/awards/travel/types.aspx
Click on "United air travel award rules:"
"You may redeem miles for travel in United Global FirstSM, United First®, United Business® or United BusinessFirst® , even if the space is not available. In these cases, United Economy in the same award type must be confirmed, and the front cabin will be waitlisted. For example, a Saver United First award must be confirmed in Saver United Economy to be eligible for waitlisting. If the courtesy waitlist does not clear, it will expire 24 hours before itinerary departure, and you will automatically be added to the airport upgrade standby list upon check-in. In these cases, you will be confirmed on a space-available basis by a United airport representative at the gate once the flight has closed for check-in. For United BusinessFirst and United Business travel awards, the difference in miles will be refunded when the United BusinessFirst or United Business class segment of the trip could not be confirmed. Waitlist requests may only be made over the phone with your local United Reservations office"


« Last edited by HolyNyc on February 02, 2015, 08:51:46 AM »

Author Topic: Plan B Discussion: Booking BusinessFirst Awards Without Availability  (Read 505898 times)

Offline Daniel

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Re: Plan B Discussion: Booking BusinessFirst Awards Without Availability
« Reply #2420 on: February 19, 2020, 05:35:05 AM »
You can do now, but it's a lot harder.

Thanks. Any chance you can expand on that? What do I need to tell them?

Offline alan519

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Re: Plan B Discussion: Booking BusinessFirst Awards Without Availability
« Reply #2421 on: February 19, 2020, 11:03:15 AM »
I actually just had an agent do it for me on EWR-TLV. Needed to call back as the initial call, both the rep and supervisor were clueless. I called again and it was done for me. Note, I had already booked the saver myself and the rep reversed the save coach mile to my account and then debited the 150k needed (Didn’t mention a word about the agent booking fee).
I ended up not traveling so didn’t get to pick the fruit 😬 but seems like it’s alive and kicking.

Offline Daniel

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Re: Plan B Discussion: Booking BusinessFirst Awards Without Availability
« Reply #2422 on: February 19, 2020, 12:25:41 PM »
I can also confirm this still works. Just took me 5 reps and multiple disconnected calls to finally get it setup. I read somewhere on FlyerTalk that you no longer need to ask for PR-1 status at the airport and that the system now does this automatically. What has your experience been?

Attached please see what the ticket shows when done correctly (I hope).

Offline alan519

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Re: Plan B Discussion: Booking BusinessFirst Awards Without Availability
« Reply #2423 on: February 19, 2020, 12:33:13 PM »
Didn’t get that far as I canceled and had miles redeposited. I didn’t see my name on the upgrade list once we were in the 24H of the flight so I’m not exactly sure what that meant. 

Offline Daniel

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Re: Plan B Discussion: Booking BusinessFirst Awards Without Availability
« Reply #2424 on: February 19, 2020, 12:45:00 PM »
What's the link to the upgrade list?

Offline yelped

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Re: Plan B Discussion: Booking BusinessFirst Awards Without Availability
« Reply #2425 on: February 19, 2020, 12:47:17 PM »
I can also confirm this still works. Just took me 5 reps and multiple disconnected calls to finally get it setup. I read somewhere on FlyerTalk that you no longer need to ask for PR-1 status at the airport and that the system now does this automatically. What has your experience been?

Attached please see what the ticket shows when done correctly (I hope).
Definitely not my experience. Flew in early December and was not given priority over the rest of the waitlist. So did not work out for me.

Offline alan519

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Re: Plan B Discussion: Booking BusinessFirst Awards Without Availability
« Reply #2426 on: February 19, 2020, 01:03:39 PM »
Was it a requested and denied?

Offline Daniel

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Re: Plan B Discussion: Booking BusinessFirst Awards Without Availability
« Reply #2427 on: February 19, 2020, 02:31:43 PM »
Do the GAs in TLV even know how to do this?

Offline efflpetzel

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Re: Plan B Discussion: Booking BusinessFirst Awards Without Availability
« Reply #2428 on: February 20, 2020, 01:58:50 AM »
Do the GAs in TLV even know how to do this?
No chance

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Re: Plan B Discussion: Booking BusinessFirst Awards Without Availability
« Reply #2429 on: February 20, 2020, 02:26:42 AM »
Do the GAs in TLV even know how to do this?
Couldn't even get a nice agent in EWR who called her support desk to be able to figure it out.

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Re: Plan B Discussion: Booking BusinessFirst Awards Without Availability
« Reply #2430 on: February 20, 2020, 09:21:46 AM »
So what's the point of this if it's nearly impossible to get PR-1 at the airport? Is the system setup to prioritize Plan B passengers prior to 24 hours before the flight?

Offline alan519

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Re: Plan B Discussion: Booking BusinessFirst Awards Without Availability
« Reply #2431 on: February 20, 2020, 09:56:04 AM »
So what's the point of this if it's nearly impossible to get PR-1 at the airport? Is the system setup to prioritize Plan B passengers prior to 24 hours before the flight?
All I can tell you is the agent, after doing the booking, told me I’d be PR-1, no idea what happened later as I didn’t end up making it to the airport.
Would be curious to hear from anyone that did.

Offline efflpetzel

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Re: Plan B Discussion: Booking BusinessFirst Awards Without Availability
« Reply #2432 on: February 24, 2020, 12:07:54 PM »
So what's the point of this if it's nearly impossible to get PR-1 at the airport? Is the system setup to prioritize Plan B passengers prior to 24 hours before the flight?
As I've said in the past having done it numerous times, Plan B is an overhyped benefit on which 99% of the time won't work despite spending hours on the phone huca'ing & at the airport.

The uncertainty & agmas nefesh isn't worth it

Offline alan519

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Re: Plan B Discussion: Booking BusinessFirst Awards Without Availability
« Reply #2433 on: February 24, 2020, 07:32:35 PM »
As I've said in the past having done it numerous times, Plan B is an overhyped benefit on which 99% of the time won't work despite spending hours on the phone huca'ing & at the airport.

The uncertainty & agmas nefesh isn't worth it
Seems like some have still succeeded. I'm wondering what the secret to success, and, more importantly, has this worked on the EWR-TLV route?

Offline KSMH

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Re: Plan B Discussion: Booking BusinessFirst Awards Without Availability
« Reply #2434 on: February 24, 2020, 07:59:47 PM »
As I've said in the past having done it numerous times, Plan B is an overhyped benefit on which 99% of the time won't work despite spending hours on the phone huca'ing & at the airport.

The uncertainty & agmas nefesh isn't worth it
I'm not sure EWR-TLV route is your prime example but it has worked for many, on other routes.

I think UA doesn't advertise this for a reason, it's meant for the more advanced. You need to understand the class buckets and availability to score a easy hit.
Always praying for delayed baggage.

Offline efflpetzel

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Re: Plan B Discussion: Booking BusinessFirst Awards Without Availability
« Reply #2435 on: February 24, 2020, 09:10:15 PM »
Seems like some have still succeeded. I'm wondering what the secret to success, and, more importantly, has this worked on the EWR-TLV route?
I've had success & failure on this route,

I dont think there's one person that has had a successful upgrade on this route without pulling shtick, therefore I stand by what I said earlier, it simply isnt worth investing the time & effort only to find that besides for getting bumped off PR1 they also messed up the seat assignment & now you're stuck in a middle seat for the next 11 hours.

Bottom line, it's way overhyped

Offline Dan

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Re: Plan B Discussion: Booking BusinessFirst Awards Without Availability
« Reply #2436 on: February 24, 2020, 09:11:36 PM »
I've had success & failure on this route,

I dont think there's one person that has had a successful upgrade on this route without pulling shtick, therefore I stand by what I said earlier, it simply isnt worth investing the time & effort only to find that besides for getting bumped off PR1 they also messed up the seat assignment & now you're stuck in a middle seat for the next 11 hours.

Bottom line, it's way overhyped
Clearly disproven from this thread, but OK.
Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

Offline ilherman

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Re: Plan B Discussion: Booking BusinessFirst Awards Without Availability
« Reply #2437 on: February 25, 2020, 12:10:43 AM »
Clearly disproven from this thread, but OK.
Who here was able to get PR1 EWR-TLV without Prutektziye?
You can say what you think when you think what you say.

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Re: Plan B Discussion: Booking BusinessFirst Awards Without Availability
« Reply #2438 on: February 25, 2020, 12:25:04 AM »
Who here was able to get PR1 EWR-TLV without Prutektziye?
He said an upgrade, not PR1.
Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

Offline efflpetzel

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Re: Plan B Discussion: Booking BusinessFirst Awards Without Availability
« Reply #2439 on: February 25, 2020, 01:11:50 AM »
He said an upgrade, not PR1.
Upgrade as in the PR1 clearing