Originally Posted by
LordHamster
Yes, the answer is me. I'd rather sit in the back alone than let an upgrade certificate expire unused if it could have cleared.
It sounds like you are suggesting splitting 4 days for my trip in June will increase the odds?
Personally, I would do the initial split of 2 and 2: there are plenty of times I've seen PN=2 space, and not many where I've seen PN=4.
Of course, PN=1 is even more common, but the reason I lean against doing that relates to check-in down the road. For an int'l flight, if a kid is on a separate PNR, you probably won't be able to check in ahead of time for that child. I would still monitor the flight like a hawk, though, and if PN=1 appears, that would be worth the added check-in hassles for me.
(This is just my perspective as someone who has booked and flown many trips as a family of 4 with 2 1ks and 2 children over the years; YMMV with your GS status.)