This is a short notice trip. We will leave this Sun. and online I cannot select our seats. The message says we will be assigned seats at check in. Even though I entered my Mileage Plus number, I cannot select seats.

My guess is that the seats at this low price are almost gone and my daughter and I won't be able to sit together. If this is the case, I might have to take my second choice flight and arrive home later than I want on our return flight. DD does not want to take the chance of not being able to sit together on an international flight. I agree, even though she is 17 and has flown before - who wants to not sit together?

The tricky part is that I really want the earlier return flight (evening commitment, non stop flight) and therefore I'd need to go w/ the United flight that won't let me select the seats.

Anyone have an idea on what the chances are that we will not be able to sit together at check in?

This is the case for both our departing flight and our return flight.

Thanks for your input.

Virtually 0. You will either be able to get two seats together when you check in, or the following scenario will happen. I've had this happen to me 3 or 4 times in the past few years on United in domestic economy. What it meant was economy was oversold and after getting people to try and buy economy plus upgrades, they gave them to the people with unassigned seats for free.

The chances we will NOT sit together are virtually 0? That would be great!

Economy plus upgrade - You know, I was thinking the same thing. Maybe we'd get them. BUT...these are international flights.

Anyone know if this makes the difference for MrNuke's scenario?

Thanks!

Sorry for not being clear about that. The chances that you would not be sitting together are virtually 0. United will do everything they can to keep people together, and with only two of you, that is fairly easy.

I definitely can't speak for this scenario internationally, but in many ways it isn't that different than a domestic flight. If they are in an oversold economy situation and have unsold seats in E+, then it is their only option.

Thanks so much, MrNuke!

One thing you could do is keep checking the seat map once the online check-in period begins. If other economy passengers check in online and take the offer to buy up to E+, that may free up some regular economy seats.

I booked the nonstop flight w/ unconfirmed seats on the hopes we will be upgraded or at least sit together.

Do I dare wait to check in and hope I get the economy upgrade free or is that pushing it? ;-)

Did you phone United? The same happened to my husband for a United flight last week but when I phoned they were able to assign him a seat in advance b/c he is a member of mileage plus.

Also, are you and your daughter traveling on the same record locator? If not, and even if they can't assign seats on the phone they should be able to "link" the record locators or otherwise make a "note" in your "file" so they know your are two people traveling together.

Thanks laurie_ann - I'm not sure how to determine if we are traveling on the same record locator. I booked the flights together and purchased them together. I am a member of mileage plus as well and I indicated that on the booking.

I'll see how daring I feel tomorrow when it's time to start seeing the available seats at check in online. I might wait until the airport and chance the upgrade or I might select seats online at check in if I like the seats.

Interesting twist. Today I went into the United website via my mileage plus account. I clicked on the itinerary and the seats icon. It showed two available seats in Economy Plus. They weren't there before. So I clicked on them and they took it as if I were selecting them. I tried to CLOSE the seat map and I did. But I got the message that my seats were selected. I never selected the UPGRADE icon or gave them my credit card info. I do not have any credit card info on file w/ them and actually booked the flights through my VISA card and Travelocity for the extra points. So...do you think I'll be charged extra at check in? This is a puzzle to be deciphered by this time tomorrow.

Well, I just printed my boarding pass. There must have been only those 3 seats left on the entire plane. Our boarding passes clearly say Economy Plus.

Thanks for your help on this. Hope we are getting these seats complimentary!

Another reason this sometimes happens is if they changed the plane type. The systems shows "get seat at airport" until they either "unstick" it, or when you check in the day of the flight. Enjoy your flight!

Another thought on why those seats became available is that other Mileage Plus members may have been upgraded which freed those seats for you. When I get lousy seats (or no seats) I check the website at key "trigger" upgrade times even if I'm not trying to upgrade. (I believe the times are 100, 72, 48, and 24 hours depending on status.)