VegasGambler

You don't need to split the record for premium seats (and, I though that wasn't allowed for companion fares?)

You can just change seats. Despite their references to "premium cabin" and "upgrades", these are just seats in the same cabin, that have been designated "premium". There is no actual upgrade. The seats require a selection fee, but that fee is waived for people with status inside their window. There is a process that sometimes works (and usually doesn't) which moves you to a premium seat when available, and sends you an email saying that you have been "upgraded", but you don't need to wait for that. Just select the seat at midnight 2 days before you flight. You jump the queue this way. That's why you will see MVPs who are 40th on the upgrade list with the "premium seat assigned" checkmark, when the 20 people above them are all in regular economy seats. They just moved to the seat before the processor had the chance to move the Golds there. Even as a lowly MVP, by doing it right at midnight 2 days before, I always managed to secure a premium seat, even on very elite-heavy flights with 40 people ahead of me on the upgrade list (like SEA-SFO)

Splitting the record is necessary for the F upgrade, but, as I said, I don't think that's possible for a companion fare. If it was, you'd want to do it BEFORE the window opened (since if you are added to the list after the window opens, you are last on the list)

My point here is, for F upgrades, there's a queue. For premium seats, it's a free-for-all.