My wife and I are CO plats, and they've recently sent us UA Premier Exec cards, too. Next weekend, we're travelling with 3 additional family members on a UA rez, and all UA metal. We're currently all on the same rez.

With CO, when travelling with non or lesser elites, I know to put everyone in a separate record according to their status. So if I have 2 plats and 3 non-elites, I put the 2 plats in a separate record and then ask at the airport for companion upgrades for 2 more travellers.

But I remember someone telling me UA operates differently, and I should keep everyone in the same record. Not sure this really works, though, because I'm yet to get an advance upgrade as a CO plat on UA when travelling on the same rez with a non-elite.

When UA sent us are new Premier Exec cards, they told us to use those when travelling on UA metal to improve our upgrade chances. Do Premier Execs actually upgrade on UA before CO plats?

So what's actually the best way to manage this family upgrade situation? Thanks!