FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Consolidated UA PlusPoints Question & Answer Thread
Old Sep 29, 2025 | 9:02 am
  #599  
drewguy
1M
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15 Years on Site
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: UA Plat & 1MM, AA, DL
Posts: 8,660
Originally Posted by NYC_747
1K (earned status and MM) + 1 travel companion (MM 1K match beneficiary ) purchased two TATL tickets in Economy L fare (for cash) and waitlisted both for upgrade (80 points each way for both): same itinerary, same fare, same PNR. Three related questions:
  1. Two days before check-in the companion was listed higher on upgrade priority list. Any idea why this would be? Last names are different, so it is possible that this was the deciding order?
  2. After boarding (already sitting in Y), the UA sent an email with split PNR itinerary. The companion was upgraded to PE, but the sponsor was not. I always thought that UA would not process any upgrades if only 1 seat is available unless I split the PNR ahead of time, but clearly this is not the process. When did this change?
  3. UA charged 80 points for upgrade to PE (not Polaris). Does this seem correct? I thought an upgrade to PE is 20 points on L fare instead of 80.
1) Maybe the companion had lower ticket number? If they have 1K via MM companion they are treated like an "organic" 1K, not like a non-MM companion traveling with a 1K, who would be lower.
2) If you're upgraded in the last 24 hours, they will split PNR and upgrade individually. Before 24 hours they would do 2 or nothing. You probably were asked at check-in whether you wanted to split.
3) That does not seem correct - it may be that this triggered the 80 point deduction becuase of the requested Polaris upgrade, which would get the "refund" if you don't clear into Polaris. (I believe the wording/approach is that the full PP will be deducted if any upgrade clears with Polaris requested, but then returned if Polaris is not cleared)
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