US Airways Dividend Miles (Pre-FlightFund Merger) - Companion upgrades?

What are your success rates for companion upgrades. I'm a US3 and would never attempt this on a peak business flight but I'm doing some off-peak non-business flights with a companion and was wondering what your success rates were.

I am at 95% on companion upgrades this past year.

I am at 95% on companion upgrades this past year.

How do they clear?
Is it US1, US2, US3 and then US1 Companion, US 2 Companion, US 3 Companion or does the companion clear with the member as long as there is one more E seat available?

How do they clear?
Is it US1, US2, US3 and then US1 Companion, US 2 Companion, US 3 Companion or does the companion clear with the member as long as there is one more E seat available?


Companion is treated as the same elite level as the person supporting the upgrade. So a US1 and companion will clear at 7-day window, US2 and companion at, etc. if there are seats in the E bucket. If not they clear by status at the airport -- US1, US2, US3.

Companion is treated as the same elite level as the person supporting the upgrade. So a US1 and companion will clear at 7-day window, US2 and companion at, etc. if there are seats in the E bucket. If not they clear by status at the airport -- US1, US2, US3.

Can companions be upgraded on non-upgradable fares (i.e. award ticket, Free RT, etc.) if donor is on paid ticket?

I'll be travelling with a non-elite companion this weekend. This will be my first time with a companion, therefore I'm not familiar with the process. We're on separate PNRs and I had us both added to the queue with my status. Assuming that we both clear at my window, how does the check-in work? Do I have to check-in at an agent and explain that my companion is upgraded with my status or can I just use the kiosk or web check-in?

I usually fly solo, but I did a companion upgrade this weekend LAX-CLT-RDU, and here's what happened:

We were on the same PNR. We did not clear the outbound at the 3-day window, so I web checked us in 23:50 in advance. Both boarding passes printed out. When I got to the club, I got us put on the airport waiting list. There were only 2 seats left, and still 1:30 until departure. They paged me about 45 minutes later to notify me that my upgrade cleared, but they could only clear one. I duck and run for cover as I type this, but I did the noble thing and let my co-worker sit in my F seat, and I took his 9C, which was perfectly fine, and I knew 9B (my old seat) would probably be open, which it was. CLT-RDU was an RJ.

On the return, we tried to check in at the kiosk. We had cleared both legs at the 3-day window. I know I've read other horror stories about people trying to check in upgraded companions at the kiosk, but I decided to try it, anyway, because you never know.My boarding passes printed, but with different seat assignments. The kiosk got most of the way through my co-worker's itin, and then wouldn't allow me to "confirm," so we had an agent help us out. He couldn't explain why we were kicked out of our original seats, but he got us back into our CLT-LAX seats.

As a side note, a few months ago I flew LAX-PIT-BOS-PHL-LAX. I had a companion for the BOS-PHL leg. She was on a different PNR. I had her tied to my reservation for that one leg only as my companion, and we both cleared at the 3-day window.

I'll be travelling with a non-elite companion this weekend. This will be my first time with a companion, therefore I'm not familiar with the process. We're on separate PNRs and I had us both added to the queue with my status. Assuming that we both clear at my window, how does the check-in work? Do I have to check-in at an agent and explain that my companion is upgraded with my status or can I just use the kiosk or web check-in?

If you both clear you will be able to check-in online or at the kiosk. Your companion on the other hand will need to see an agent and you will need to be there to "support" the upgrade. I've never been able to check in my upgraded companion online -- it always fails after getting the message about checking in only if you are not an upgraded companion or using a paper upgrade certificate. I asked the folks at the CP desk about this as I was meeting someone at a connection and they cleared as my companion and I didn't want to have to go out to the check-in desk and then re-clear security. The agent originally told me to have them do web check-in -- the desk didn't know you couldn't check a companion in online. The agent then went a spoke with a supervisor and told me I was correct and they put a notation in the record of my companion to allow the Ticket Agent to print the BP using my DM# to support the upgrade without my being there. It did work -- my companion got her BP and met me at the gate. If it doesn't clear in advance you can both check-in online or at the kiosk and then ask to be put on the upgrade list at either the gate, the Club, or you can see a Ticket Agent (but this last option usually involves the longest line).

If you both clear you will be able to check-in online or at the kiosk. Your companion on the other hand will need to see an agent and you will need to be there to "support" the upgrade. I've never been able to check in my upgraded companion online -- it always fails after getting the message about checking in only if you are not an upgraded companion or using a paper upgrade certificate. I asked the folks at the CP desk about this as I was meeting someone at a connection and they cleared as my companion and I didn't want to have to go out to the check-in desk and then re-clear security. The agent originally told me to have them do web check-in -- the desk didn't know you couldn't check a companion in online. The agent then went a spoke with a supervisor and told me I was correct and they put a notation in the record of my companion to allow the Ticket Agent to print the BP using my DM# to support the upgrade without my being there. It did work -- my companion got her BP and met me at the gate. If it doesn't clear in advance you can both check-in online or at the kiosk and then ask to be put on the upgrade list at either the gate, the Club, or you can see a Ticket Agent (but this last option usually involves the longest line).

My understanding is as long as you check in before your companion, there should not be any problems with the companion upgrade, even if coming from different cities (though companion can only be upgraded on segments flying with preferred). When we still had e-upgrades in 2003, I actually had a friend that was upgraded with me to Vegas connecting through CLT who checked in before me in TLH. At first the agent wouldn't clear him and he called me on his cell and I said that he had to use my upgrade bank and then the agent cleared him without me being present. Not sure if they would still do that or not since upgrades are now unlmited for all preferreds.

Still curious if companions can be upgraded regardless of their fare though (if preferred donor's fare is upgradable, or booked in first for that matter)- anyone know?

As a side note, a few months ago I flew LAX-PIT-BOS-PHL-LAX. I had a companion for the BOS-PHL leg. She was on a different PNR. I had her tied to my reservation for that one leg only as my companion, and we both cleared at the 3-day window.

Looks like I'll be sharing a segment with a non-US elite on one of the LEB runs. If I call in and link the PNRs for the segment, do I have to ensure that I check in prior to the companion - assuming we don't get cleared at the 3 day window? Additionally, the companion will stay on board the same flight number after I get off - will this complicate matters? (I am flying LGA-PIT, and the companion will be flying LGA-PIT-SFO on the same metal/flight number).

Can companions be upgraded on non-upgradable fares (i.e. award ticket, Free RT, etc.) if donor is on paid ticket?

No, normal upgrade rules apply.

Looks like I'll be sharing a segment with a non-US elite on one of the LEB runs. If I call in and link the PNRs for the segment, do I have to ensure that I check in prior to the companion - assuming we don't get cleared at the 3 day window? Additionally, the companion will stay on board the same flight number after I get off - will this complicate matters? (I am flying LGA-PIT, and the companion will be flying LGA-PIT-SFO on the same metal/flight number).

It seems to me that if you do not clear at the 3-day window, you will most likely clear at the gate (if at all). At that point your companion will probably also clear. However, I had a situation recently where I had a companion and there was one seat left in F. I took the upgrade, and ended up "trading" seats with my companion. Your companion will probably only clear on the LGA-PIT leg. If s/he is solo on the PIT-SFO leg, I presume s/he will retain his or her original seat assignment in Y on that leg.

It seems to me that if you do not clear at the 3-day window, you will most likely clear at the gate (if at all). At that point your companion will probably also clear. However, I had a situation recently where I had a companion and there was one seat left in F. I took the upgrade, and ended up "trading" seats with my companion. Your companion will probably only clear on the LGA-PIT leg. If s/he is solo on the PIT-SFO leg, I presume s/he will retain his or her original seat assignment in Y on that leg.

Hrmm... I called in and was told that there was no way to split my companion's LGA-SFO reservation in order to show it as LGA-PIT-SFO in the computer so that I can upgrade my companion for that segment. Is this a case of calling back a few times and speaking to different people, or is that true?

Hrmm... I called in and was told that there was no way to split my companion's LGA-SFO reservation in order to show it as LGA-PIT-SFO in the computer so that I can upgrade my companion for that segment. Is this a case of calling back a few times and speaking to different people, or is that true?


If it is a direct flight with one number, they probably can't split the pnr to show LGA-PIT-SFO.

My wife is US Silver and we are in the upgrade queue for an upcoming SAN-PIT-SAN, with me as the companion.

Right now we are both booked with our DM account numbers, but I would like my miles to go to my UA MP account. My question is, can I still be upgraded as the companion if I choose to use my UA MP number instead of US DM?

The website has Q&As one stating- "Question: Can I upgrade a traveling companion using my unlimited upgrades? --- Answer: Preferred members may upgrade one companion who is traveling on the same flight as the member providing the upgrade. The upgrade may be completed at the same time as the Preferred member upgrades. Upgrades are NOT allowed if the companion is traveling on an award reservation."

See the third stickey at the top of the US Air Forum titled: "The Official Codeshare and United Upgrade Thread."

Another twist is that if you buy a codeshare ticket from United for US metal, technically - technically- you cannot automatically upgrade in advance. If you have a United ticket for US metal you have to be put on the list at the airport on the day of departure. There are some threads discussing this issue in more detail.

You often have to call in to be put on the upgrade list or verify you are on the list, and you also specifically have to ask that your companion be put on the upgrade list even if you are on the same reservation as the companion. Just called in last week to be put on the list for two upcoming US Air trips.