United We Fall: UA Elites Are Getting the Rough End of the Upgrade Stick to Europe

November 2021
Read Offline

Plus, how you can go from 0.5% odds (i.e. 1 in 200) of getting mileage upgrade to Business Class seats to 100% odds

Our team needs some cheering up. They’ve been searching for United Business Class mileage upgrade availability to Europe, only to find they’re as scarce as a giggle in the Tower of London. We’ve also surveyed American Airlines and found similarly grim news.

Yes, in a post-lockdown world, the airlines are being very stingy. So, are we going to just take what United is giving us? Of course not. Giving up isn’t in the FCF Upgrade DNA.

And the Survey Says…

We looked at 45 United routes for mileage upgrades from economy to Business Class this month. The chart below sums up the data. It shows current award seat availability versus surveys we did in June, July, and August. Talk about a steady decline over time…

[table_opt id="6438" style="gray-header" header_rows="2" width="narrow" alignment="thcenter" heading="thcenter" rows="tdcenter" responsive="no" /]

Fightback Tactics: Dos and Don’ts

I don’t like these numbers any more than you do, but it does ignite my fighting spirit. What are some smart tactics to keep your upgrade advantage when all the cards are stacked against you?

DON’T book “backwards.” Instead of choosing your dates first, choose the upgrade opportunity and work backwards from there. We show great opportunities on our alert pages. Start there and you’re a long way towards winning the game.

DO book when there are coach fare sales in the $400 range. Buy the coach ticket and upgrade to Business Class. Keep an eye out for coach sales, then pair up with upgrade availability. Easy to forget how that works.

DO think outside the cabin. Buy a coach return trip and upgrade the overnight flight to Business Class so you can have a good sleep on the lie-flat seat. Reference Horses for Courses

DON’T miss our special report on fares to Europe this month.

DO check out our latest United Sweet Redeems surveys here when space is available.

The Six Routes FCF Discovered
With Upgrade AVAILABILITY You Can Confirm Now:

[table_opt id="6440" style="gray-header" header_rows="2" width="default" alignment="thcenter" heading="thcenter" rows="tdcenter" responsive="no" /]

DO use connecting flights and upgrade rules to link up the six routes above. More about that here The Art of Skipping Stones and here Connecting flights using miles to upgrade.

Sample Costs to Upgrade…

[table_opt id="6439" style="gray-header" header_rows="1" width="default" alignment="thcenter" heading="thcenter" rows="tdcenter" responsive="no" /]

DO be ready to act fast with the help of FCF’s fare alerts. Know when to pay with cash or miles. Find more on that here.

DON’T give in when fares are high. FCF’s fare fishing tips are here and here.

DO know how to hold fares. It can be a game-changer when a fleeting great fare appears.

DO purchase a refundable fare. More on that here.

DO purchase a ticket you can cancel for free and use later. Many airlines are currently offering a “travel fee waiver,” including for award flights. That means it won’t cost you anything to cancel or change your ticket. Read more about it here.

DON’T fall for the 10 common miles mistakes that many travelers make. See 10 Common Mistakes Most Travelers Make

[["Routes to Europe Surveyed for United Mileage Upgrades","Current Routes Available","Routes With Award Seats Available In","#colspan#","#colspan#"],["#rowspan#","#rowspan#","June","July","August"],["45","6","34","21","10"]]
[["United Upgrade to Business Class From\/To","Depart","#colspan#","#colspan#","Return","#colspan#","#colspan#"],["#rowspan#","4 to 8 Days Per Month","9 to 12 Days Per Month","13+ Days Per Month","4 to 8 Days Per Month","9 to 12 Days Per Month","13+ Days Per Month"],["Houston - Amsterdam","<span style=\"color: #009966;\">Dec.,<\/span> <span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">March<\/span>","<span style=\"color: #009966;\">Feb.<\/span>","Feb.","<span style=\"color: #009966;\">Dec.<\/span>","<span style=\"color: #009966;\">Jan., March<\/span>","<span style=\"color: #009966;\">Feb.<\/span>"],["Newark - Amsterdam","<span style=\"color: #009966;\">Dec.<\/span>","","","","<span style=\"color: #009966;\">Dec.<\/span>","<span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Dec.<\/span>"],["Newark - Dublin","<span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Dec.,<\/span> Feb.","","","<span style=\"color: #009966;\">Nov.,<\/span> <span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Feb.<\/span>","",""],["Newark - London","<span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Dec.<\/span>","","","","<span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Dec.<\/span>",""],["Newark - Zurich","<span style=\"color: #009966;\">Nov.<\/span>","","","","<span style=\"color: #009966;\">Nov.<\/span>",""],["Washington, DC - Amsterdam","<span style=\"color: #009966;\">March,<\/span> <span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Feb.<\/span>","<span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Feb.<\/span>","","<span style=\"color: #009966;\">March,<\/span> <span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Feb.<\/span>","<span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Feb.<\/span>",""]]
<small>*Months in <u>black</u> at least one seat available; in <span style="color: #6699cc;"><u>blue</u></span> at least two seats; in <span style="color: #009966;"><u>green</u></span> at least four seats.</small>
[["Route","Upgradable Coach Fare R\/T","Upgrade \/ Cost in Miles","Upgrade Co-Pay Cost","Total Cash Cost","Typical Business Class Fare","Savings","Value per mile"],["New York - Paris","$702","40,000","$1,100 ","$1,802 ","$2,757 ","$955 \/ 35%","2.4 cents"],["Washington, DC - Amsterdam","$628","40,000","$1,100 ","$1,728 ","$3,259 ","$1,531 \/ 46%","3.8 cents"],["San Francisco - London","$825","40,000","$1,100 ","$1,925 ","$3,571 ","$1,646 \/ 46%","4.1 cents"]]