Upgrading one Leg of a flight

We have B2B cruises planned in Asia in 2014. I'd like to use my United miles to upgrade us for the International leg of our flights. From what I can see there would be at least two plane changes in the US (we have to fly from a small, local airport to a major one) on both outbound and return flights. We don't care if we go coach on those flights.

I have been all over the United web site and can't find any information on how to do this without making a separate booking for the international leg. Does one have to book through the phone or with a TA to do this?

Can someone point me in the right direction, please?

If it's for 2014, you have a long time to figure this out, and who knows what rules will change by then. Suggest you set your MP profile to "expert" mode, which will allow you to see what flights are upgradeable at time of purchase. On one ticket, you can request an upgrade for the outbound or return flight, or both, but you can't request for just a segment.

You can check the "Mileage Plus Upgrade Award" box when doing a search, and it will show you what flights, if any, have available upgrades.

Have you read this:

https://www.united.com/web/en-US/content/mileageplus/awards/upgrade/mua.aspx?camp=virtual_expert

It doesn't matter about upgrading the international portion only, as the number of award miles required should be the same. For example, whether you only do the international portion, or the entire flight. For example, it might cost you 100K miles for an upgraded roundtrip business class trip from your home airport, even tho you might stop, at Dallas and then Washington DC before crossing the pond.

It should cost you the same 100K miles to upgrade from Washington to Europe.

You might be able to get a "Saver" award in the first 30 or so days the airfares are out. This could save you about 25 or 30% of the miles required. Odd story here. I had "bought" DW a free business class seat from SFO to Frankfurt and on to Copenhagen for our cruise next summer. Cost 250K miles. I bought it within 30 or 45 days of the fares coming out because I found a pretty good price for my paid ticket, and wanted to lock her in on the same flights with me.

Then a few weeks ago, our homebound flight departure time was changed, making it very difficult to catch getting off the ship. Called United, and they totally re-worked our flights, and changed DW's award to a Saver Award, refunding 75K miles back into my account.

2014 flights won't be available for quite a few months.

It doesn't matter about upgrading the international portion only, as the number of award miles required should be the same. For example, whether you only do the international portion, or the entire flight. For example, it might cost you 100K miles for an upgraded roundtrip business class trip from your home airport, even tho you might stop, at Dallas and then Washington DC before crossing the pond.

As 6rugrats already noted, on UA at least, you cannot upgrade by segments; you request upgrades for the entire route each way (yes, you can chose to upgrade only an outbound or return trip). It is possible that upgrades won't be available for each segment of your trip; ie you are flying ORD-IAD-CDG and the only segment which is available for upgrade is IAD-CDG. You don't get a discount on the amount of miles required for the full upgrade.