For the best chance at an upgrade, you should have yourself as the primary ticket being upgraded. If it comes through, just swap seats.

You do have a dilemma here. As an EXP you have a higher priority on upgrades. Those on the same PNR benefit from your status. The likelihood that four SWUs will open at the same time is poor (although you might try a call into the EXP desk to see if they will ask RM to help). Any splits lowers the others to their status thus making the chances of clearing much less. And without using the SWUs, only one companion can be upgraded (as stated, you don't have to be the one sitting in your seat). Consider the other benefits that come along with EXP (i.e. baggage allowances, priority boarding, etc.) and decide it those are more valuable than the slight possibility of the upgrade clearing.

I have booked PHL-BOS for Feb next year. There will be 4 of us. (Me = PPro, Girlfriend = No Stutus; 13yo = No Status; 8yo = No Status). I have selected Preferred and/or MCE seats for all of us.

Today, I called an agent to split our PNR so myself and my little one (8yo) could get on the list for upgrade. Now I am worried... The other 2 people are not savvy travelers. So by splitting the PNR, did I unknowingly got rid of all of their benefits? In other words, do you think the agent who did the split for me today were smart enough to "link" the two PNRs in the backend? We won't have to check any bags since it will be a short trip - so I am not too concerned about check-bags allowance.

But what about the Preferred / MCE seats I picked before the split? Will they lose the seats?
What about Priority Boarding? I am in Group 3 (assuming upgrade did not clear). My 8yo can certainly be in the same boarding group? What about the other 2 people who now on a separate PNR?

Lastly, just to confirm... For this short flight, if the upgrade were to clear for my 8yo, do I still need to use my stickers? I asked because it is less than 500 miles? My understanding is yes but just want to be sure.

Don't worry, they won't lose any benefits. The won't lose the MCE seats, unless there is a schedule or equipment change that causes seats to be shuffled. If this were to happen just call AA and they can easily put them back in MCE next to you (no charge).

For boarding, even on the same PNR no-status companions do not get the boarding group of the status member (common misconception around here). However it will not be a problem for all of you to board together when they call group 3, a simple "they're all with me" works 99% of the time. In all my years of AA I've flown with companions countless times and not once has this ever been an issue.

For the upgrade, when you pull up your reservation at aa.com and look at the bottom under upgrades it should tell you if a sticker is required.

You would only need to use 1 sticker for your 8 year old, but none for yourself.

So, I'm getting ready to call in an split the record locator to try and apply my SWUs for an upcoming flight. Is there a way to self serve that the check that the agent did it properly?

MCE Seating Upgrades for Companions
 

I have a similar question: I am Oneworld Sapphire (QF). Mrs Jrobin and I are on two cross-referenced/linked PNR's.
When we travel together in Main Cabin with cross-referenced/linked PNR's, we both get complementary MCE seats.
At the end of January, we are travelling YYZ-CLT-SJO: she is booked in Main Cabin and I am booked in Business.
Is there any option for her to be allocated an MCE seat due to my Oneworld Sapphire status and our itineraries being cross-referenced/linked?
(We both have AA Bronze status.)
Will it matter if she has her AA number or her QF number in her booking?

She can get MCE seating if she pays for it , but getting a companion seated next to you is only going to work if the companion is in the same cabin

She needs to have status in her own right

I just booked an itinerary for a non-status passenger and myself (EXP). I'd like to put in for complementary/500 mile upgrades for both of us, but if there is only one seat available in first, I want to be able to take it and leave my companion behind in coach. Does this require a PNR split? This is for a ski trip and we will be using more than four checked bags, so I would want to make sure those benefits stay intact.

Quick question.

The companion upgrade rules (500 mile stickers) currently say:

2 elite members traveling together
You can request an upgrade for 1 elite companion traveling on the same flight; same or separate reservations
If your upgrades aren’t cleared before the airport, ask an agent to reconnect you on the priority list (at every departure city)
If available, the 500-mile upgrades will be deducted from the sponsor’s account

Can anyone confirm that, indeed, they are automatically doing this?

Just a few months ago (late October), I was on an itinerary with my wife where this became a cluster. Our upgrade got caught in limbo because she didn't have stickers but I had a bunch (I was PPro, she was Gold). They wouldn't advance process the upgrade because the stickers had to come from my account but it could only be done at the airport. Has AA got this straightened out?

Simply put, no. Once it gets to airport control, it's a complete mess. People get separated on the upgrade list that are on the same PNR and the lower person doesn't automatically inherit the higher person's status. It can be fixed by a gate agent, but many either don't know how to do this or won't do it.

Thanks. I understand once it moves to the airport list that its a cluster. What I was wondering was BEFORE it goes to airport, if you get the upgrade cleared, will they do the correct processing. What happened last October was that we both cleared, my wife had 0 upgrades in her account but I had > 20 but she couldn't check-in (either through app or online) because she didn't have any stickers. When I called to try and untangle it, the agents said they couldn't do it over the phone (pull from my account) and we'd need to do it at the airport. That's a pretty stupid restriction for clearing an upgrade 3 days before the flight.

Hmm...haven't encountered that as I've always had enough upgrades in both of our accounts. Since the upgrades don't come out though until the flight leaves, I'd imagine it shouldn't be a big deal to handle this at the airport.

Can someone explain?

Wife (no status) and I (ExPlat) were flying PHL-MCO and back last week.
Tickets were purchased together and I requested UGs for her using my 500-mile certs.
Outbound: 1 upgrade was available at the gate and given to me. Of course I swapped seats with my bride.
After a few days, looked at our reservations and couldn't find hers under my record locator. Called the ExP line and was told that the ticket was split to allow the first upgrade. They gave me her new PNR and we could now view it.
Fine. I understand this far.

But then... the day before departure, she went to check in, and was upgraded.
I went to do the same - no upgrade.
I am not complaining - in the end it doesn't matter. With only one upgrade between the two of us she's always gonna be the one riding in front.

But why? Shouldn't my UG have cleared first? is this logical (doesn't seem so...) or just a system "burp".

and FWIW: Her flight was upgraded using her - not my - 500 mile certs

This is ridiculous. I am EXP and travelling partner is a newly minted GLD (no stickers). We are flying to Chicago and get upgraded. I cannot check in (not enough stickers in my account) despite my 25+ stickers. So I call and get told they will call back in a half hour. The call back guy (web services) tells me to check in separately (no such option on the app) so I should try via the web. I later try on the web and still no such option. I call back and after 20 minutes on hold am told that they will call me back.

Why is this hard?