How to upgrade with UA miles on Star Alliance carriers - FlyerTalk Forums (2024)

FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides

How to upgrade a partner flight using UA MileagePlus miles:

See UA's Star Alliance Upgrade Awards Page

Key points:

• Only a few fare classes (and expensive) are eligible -- depends on the carrier (see the UA page)
• Needs to be native flight numbers, codeshares are not eligible
• Generally no waitlisting but ANA allows waitlisting
• Most can be requested after ticketing (NH/ANA & ET cannot be requested earlier than 8 weeks to departure -- still true??) and must be done at least 24 hours prior to departure
• Max of 4 passengers can be upgraded
• Generally the available of award space is a good indicator of upgrade space (but not guaranteed) - typically requires (I) inventory
• Upgrade request can only be made electronically
• Upgrade requests are per segment
• It may increase your chance of success to request only one segment at a time on the upgrade page, even though it allows you to enter two (YMMV).
• For mileage requirements, see Interactive travel destinations awards chart

As a general rule, with exceptions, SAUA need I space (for the partner) to have a chance of clearing.

See this thread for the no-longer-available award chart (disappeared from united.com as of October 2018): https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unit...d-website.html

Error codes

• "We were unable to complete your request due to a technical problem. In the U.S. and Canada call 1-800-UNITED-1 (1-800-864-8331) within the U.S. or Canada, elsewhere use the local phone number. (Error code: 110).
• "We were unable to complete your request due to a technical problem. In the U.S. and Canada call 1-800-UNITED-1 (1-800-864-8331) within the U.S. or Canada, elsewhere use the local phone number. (Error code: 118)"
• "The traveler has the same name as an existing traveler on this flight. Please contact the operating airline for the required information and try again. (Error code: 384)"
• "Upgrade not available (Error code: 511)."
• "The number of travelers indicated does not match the number of passengers in the reservation. Please correct your information and try again. (Error code: 528)"
• "insufficient MileagePlus Balance (Error code: 2001)"

Mileage required? Capturing here the last known information, as information is disappearing, no guarantees how long this will be true

For UA operated flights see Using Miles to Upgrade on United

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