I've been trying to find details on exactly how AA processes upgrades when it is you plus a companion on the list for domestic upgrades. I know the companion inherits my status, but I am coming to surmise that the upgrade list skips both of you unless two F seats become available at exactly the same time. I am a mid/high LP EXP, and have taken several flights recently with a very similar fact pattern:
1. Book a flight on what in theory should have be an easy upgrade: short hop, Hub-to-outstation on a CR9 or E175 at non-peak business travel times
2. Observe J7 C7 availability on EF all the way to ~4 days before flight
3. Slowly watch availability creep down to J6, then J5, then J4, etc all the way down to J1 the day before the flight
4. Show up at airport to find myself and my travel partner as almost the only two people on the upgrade list
5. Get called up by GA before boarding and asked if we want 1 upgrade or both stay together in coach

This fact pattern strongly suggests to me that AA is opening upgrade space one seat at a time and skipping us because we are a pair. I suppose it is possible that people are buying cheap upgrades one at a time, or that there are CK/EXPs above me getting cleared, but the tiny upgrade list in #4 suggests that isn't the case. Is there a way to "separate" us such that we would be eligible to clear advance upgrades one at a time in the 96 hours prior to the flight?

That is exactly what is happening. You can call in and split the PNR into two then link the two PNRs for the upgrade (there may be a way to note the split). I think that should work for the solo processing, but I haven�t done it in a while so I don�t recall if this approach will work.

Alternatively, split the PNR, don�t link off the bat and re-link after your upgrade presumably clears at the window.

FWIW there's a thread over on the Alaska subreddit that discusses how the AS more often than not releases one seat at a time and the upgrade processor skips over 2-person PNRs as a result: https://www.reddit.com/r/AlaskaAirli...ded/?rdt=53893

I've seen several mentions of this on the AS flyertalk forum too. Might suggest that this (crappy) approach is common in the industry.

This definitely was worse when your companion had gold elite status. No matter what AA said I promise the auto upgrades did not work properly. I have been told it was fixed. But your theory of one seat open on sweep is still also correct and you will be passed over

What if your companion has status with other partner airlines? Say Finnair?

Just as another data point, my wife (Gold) and I (EXP) were both upgraded at exactly T-100 this month.

As an EXP, my spouse and myself have been upgraded together far more often than not. However, AA always splits our seats when there is availability together. Given that, I need to change seats right after the upgrade.

AA does that all the time.. I have heard, since both my wife and I have preference on aisle seats.. when upgrades clear,
we are both on the aisle
usually not a problem to go on AA and fix that

Thanks, I will try this for our upcoming trip

I have read about this. Fortunately (at least for this purpose) my partner does not have status

To piggyback on that, Does AA offer upgrades on Awards seats? Wife and I are taking a trip in August, and hoping for FC upgrade.

Yes, same as cash tickets.

I also tell the gate agent that we will separate if there is only one upgrade available and, if possible, give the upgrade to her.

You no longer need to tell the gate agent anything. They will upgrade only one pax automatically. And you can easily just swap seats on the jetway m.

That has not been my experience. Last 4 times they called me to the desk to ask if we wanted to split. I got the sense that if we didn�t reply they were going to skip us.