The Latest on United’s Domestic Flat-Fee Upgrade at Time of Booking

United’s slashing of domestic upgrades remains; how it calculates the cost is no longer clear.

Back in February FCF reported on this fare, a flat-fee surcharge for an upgrade from economy to First Class at time of booking. The upgrade was based on flight miles and started at $50 one-way for up to 300 miles, and rose to about $299 for 2,000 miles. Fares reflecting the ‘UPDI’ letters in the fare basis code are ‘travel agent speak’ indicating it’s an upgradeable First Class fare.

Now, clarity has given way to opacity. The information once included in the fare rules, which told you the cost of the upgrade, has disappeared. FCF suspects that the upgrade cost is now subject to several variables besides flight-miles—demand and flight-time among them. (Or perhaps United has an algorithm that combines all three.)