Traveling with No Status spouse
May 17, 2022, 1:56 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2022
Posts: 6
Traveling with No Status spouse
I am Platinum Pro and I think my husband is Gold (or less). We flew RT from ORD to CHS this past week and on both trips, I was upgraded but my husband was not. Am I imagining it, or in the "old days" weren't people traveling on the same record upgraded together? Clearly, this is not the case anymore so now our problem is that we want to sit together but when I'm upgraded automatically in advance, it is very difficult to undo it. Has anyone had any luck reversing the upgrade when you want to travel with your companion? I was unable to do it on the trip there but had two very nice agents at CHS who figured out how to move me back to coach (including moving a person out of original seat). There has to be an easier way? Thanks.
May 17, 2022, 2:11 pm
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,437
I am Platinum Pro and I think my husband is Gold (or less). We flew RT from ORD to CHS this past week and on both trips, I was upgraded but my husband was not. Am I imagining it, or in the "old days" weren't people traveling on the same record upgraded together? Clearly, this is not the case anymore so now our problem is that we want to sit together but when I'm upgraded automatically in advance, it is very difficult to undo it. Has anyone had any luck reversing the upgrade when you want to travel with your companion? I was unable to do it on the trip there but had two very nice agents at CHS who figured out how to move me back to coach (including moving a person out of original seat). There has to be an easier way? Thanks.
If you are PLT Pro and your husband is Gold, then even booking on the same PNR when the upgrade waitlist goes to the airport you will be separated according to status. If you want him to leverage your status so you remain together on the waitlist you need to call AA beforehand or talk to an agent at the airport.
But if you are PLT Pro and your husband has no status, then you should remain together on the upgrade list and only clear if 2 seats are available (assuming you're on the same PNR and don't get an agent to update your record such that 'separate is ok').
And all of the above assumes you actually did request the upgrade for your husband as Antarius mentioned above.
May 17, 2022, 2:29 pm
#4
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AA EXP, IHG Diamond, IC Amb
Posts: 5,508
I always have to do this at the airport first thing.
Am I able to call AA to have them fix this prior to arriving at the airport?
May 17, 2022, 3:06 pm
#6
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: NYC, SEA
Programs: Hyatt Glob, Marriott Titanium, AA EXP, DL PM, AS 100k (fake), B6 M3 (fake), BA Gold (fake), UA FO.
Posts: 736
May 17, 2022, 3:17 pm
#7
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Los Angeles
Programs: AA LT Gold
Posts: 3,644
I guess you can't have it all?
May 17, 2022, 3:41 pm
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2022
Posts: 6
We were on the same record and I called ahead of time and talked to multiple people at the airport and they said that we each had to go in order of our status. Someone below mentioned taking his FF number off his account -- would this give him my status for upgrade purposes?
May 17, 2022, 3:44 pm
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: KHOU/KIAH
Programs: AA EXP | Marriott Bonvoy Titanium| Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 11,212
We were on the same record and I called ahead of time and talked to multiple people at the airport and they said that we each had to go in order of our status. Someone below mentioned taking his FF number off his account -- would this give him my status for upgrade purposes?
May 17, 2022, 5:56 pm
#11
Join Date: Oct 2021
Location: PHL/LAX/MAD (for now)
Programs: American Airlines Executive Platinum, AmEx Membership Rewards
Posts: 871
I have noticed AA support is very poor when it comes to companion upgrades. I am a PLT and my girlfriend is a Gold, and I have called many times to allow her to inherit my status. However, this is often in vain as when the waitlist is released, she is way at the bottom and I need to request to have her inherit my status at the airport.
May 17, 2022, 6:03 pm
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: KHOU/KIAH
Programs: AA EXP | Marriott Bonvoy Titanium| Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 11,212
I have noticed AA support is very poor when it comes to companion upgrades. I am a PLT and my girlfriend is a Gold, and I have called many times to allow her to inherit my status. However, this is often in vain as when the waitlist is released, she is way at the bottom and I need to request to have her inherit my status at the airport.
May 18, 2022, 4:02 am
#13
Join Date: Jun 2018
Programs: AA PPro
Posts: 632
Same thing has happened with my traveling with my daughter who is gold. The second flyer holding status is the issue. No status, no problem, uses yours. The suggestion to claim the Aadvantage number after the flight or put it back at the gate after the upgrade clears is the best one as far as I can tell.
May 18, 2022, 8:17 am
#15
formerly DreAAmliner
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: DFW
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 419
Tangental question.
If my no-status spouse needs to travel somewhere solo, can i book us both, thus allowing her to pick MCE seat, then cancel MYSELF ONLY leaving her to fly alone in a free MCE seat?
Lets assume i have a Trip Credit i will be using for this situation. Can i get my portion of the trip credited back as trip credit?
Any simpler way to "bestow" free MCE to spouse on solo trips?
If my no-status spouse needs to travel somewhere solo, can i book us both, thus allowing her to pick MCE seat, then cancel MYSELF ONLY leaving her to fly alone in a free MCE seat?
Lets assume i have a Trip Credit i will be using for this situation. Can i get my portion of the trip credited back as trip credit?
Any simpler way to "bestow" free MCE to spouse on solo trips?
