Is the United Polaris upgrade process different for international flights?
66% The Bulkhead Seat
34% Live and Let's Fly
Being #6 on the upgrade list for a United Polaris international flight on May 25 with eight seats still open gives you a reasonable chance, but it’s not guaranteed.
Factors that affect your odds for an international Polaris upgrade
- Your position near the top of the list means you are considered before lower‑ranked passengers.
- Eight open seats indicate capacity for upgrades, yet seats can disappear quickly as business‑travellers book last‑minute.
- United’s upgrade process can change up to departure, and international flights often have higher demand, which can reduce the number of seats that stay open.
- Monitoring the upgrade status frequently and checking in at the gate can improve your odds, as travelers who stay near the top of the list and act promptly have reported success.
- Using PlusPoints or miles for a “miles and money” upgrade on Polaris has cleared in similar cases when seats were available, suggesting that if the seat remains open your upgrade is likely to clear.
The Bulkhead Seat Flight Review: United Airlines Boeing 767-300ER Polaris® – EWR-LHR
We are on our way to Copenhagen to check out the Christmas market at Tivoli Gardens. I found a really cheap fare to London Heathrow Airport (LHR) from Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) where we were visiting family for Thanksgiving. We’re connecting on British Airways in Club Europe (Business Class) and those tickets cost more than the transatlantic segment. I was able to upgrade the flights at booking with PlusPoints so that we could fly Polaris® for a fraction of the cost. Anthony’s Take: The flight from Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) to London Heathrow Airport (LHR) was uneventful.
The Bulkhead Seat Flight Review: United Airlines Boeing 767-300ER Polaris® – ZRH-ORD
We always try to make it to Europe each November to check out some of the many Christmas markets that always get us in the holiday spirit. This trip was booked in the summer and had us going to Germany and Switzerland. (You can check out the Christmas markets we visited in Cologne in this post.) Anthony’s Take: I give United a fair amount of criticism, but also provide praise when warranted. Overall, this was a good flight with comfortable seats, good bedding, surprisingly edible food, operational and speedy Wi-Fi, and adequate service. The flight crew mostly kept to
Live and Let's Fly I’m Flying From Los Angeles To Chicago Via Hong Kong, Bangkok, And Taipei…
As my Premier 1K era with United Airlines reaches its end, I decided to redeem expiring PlusPoints by taking the scenic route between Los Angeles and Chicago…via East Asia, though even that required some last-minute improvisation thanks to flights that unexpectedly filled up. Rather than fly from Los Angeles to Chicago nonstop, I will fly via Hong Kong, Bangkok, and Taipei…as one does. Do you know that a last-minute one-way ticket from Los Angeles to Chicago ($458) was more expensive than a one-way ticket from Los Angeles to Bangkok via Hong Kong ($319) on United? I didn’t have