ezak

Have probably a weird question here:

I'm currently MVP and spouse doesn't have any status. We're flying together in December on SEA-JFK, JFK-LAX, PHX-SEA. Spouse will reach 20k EQM (threshold for MVP) after the first two flights. If we want to be both eligible for upgrades on the last flight, should be book separately? Or maybe I should ask this first: two MVPs on same reservation are both eligible for upgrades, right? Usually when we're traveling together, I just book the tickets on one reservation since we'd rather sit together than only me being upgraded.

Thanks in advance!

PWMTrav

Two MVP on the same reservation were upgrade-eligible last I tried. Or more specifically, all 3 of us. Was over a year ago, though.

u2g0d

> two MVPs on same reservation are both eligible for upgrades, right?

Yes, of course - though if you're on the same reservation and same status, the person with the earlier (in alphabetical order) last name gets higher priority.

ezak

Thanks! That's great to know.

pcoll

ezak

One of the reasons to get married and change to the same last name - so that no random stranger cuts in between, right?

PV_Premier

A couple notes based on my bolding above:
1) Depending on the duration of time between the flight in which your spouse qualifies for status, and you fly the final segment of this ticket, the MVP status may not post in time to be upgrade eligible anyways. Usually it takes 2-5 days for status to update once earned.
2) The status probably will not automatically update on reservations in progress, at least it did not used to, but maybe this has been corrected. In that case you will need to call AS to ask them to manually update the status on the reservation. They will not/cannot do this if the status doesn't reflect in the "my account" page on AS.com or the app.
3) Even if they manually wait list you on the phone, it probably will not work correctly because AS has a million upgrade lists for a given flight (OK, actually two or maybe three lists depending on who you believe). If the reservation doesn't show "first class waitlisted" under each eligible flight, you are not waitlisted correctly and will not be upgraded.
4) If #3 happens, the only solution I have found is to get an agent at the airport to add me to the list on the day of travel, because phone and twitter agents will keep insisting you are waitlisted (and you are, on one of the 2-3 lists), but you actually aren't when it comes to processing.

isn't flying fun?

ezak

The status should be able to post, since we'll have at least 7 days between the two flights. Looks like booking separately would be our best bet. #3 is exactly what I'd assumed... hopefully AS agents can successfully update the upgrade eligibility. Anyway, since it's just a 3-hour flight, no upgrade is not the end of the world. Thank you for this detailed answer! This's indeed the fun part

PV_Premier

the most "sure" way to get the update on status to push through is to ask the agent to either fully remove the FF# and then go back online and re-add it yourself, or ask them to swap it out for a different program FF#, then call back 10' later and ask them to swap it back again to the AS#. this is of course after the status updates and reflects on the my account page.

again idk if this is still an issue, but it used to be when moving between status levels.

and again if you do not see "waitlisted for first class" on the reservation page under the flight info, then the upgrade isn't waitlisted correctly and you will not reflect on the gate list at T24 nor will you be upgraded in advance at the MVP window.

ezak

Thank you! Will try this tactic once the status posts.