Maximize eua/udu with mixed ticket
 

My corp travel agency requires that i book continental codeshares vs "direct" united tickets because we get discounts with continental. so this week i have a flight from iah to denver with continental flight # and co operated outbound and continental flight # and united operated return. Neither have been upgraded yet. I am plat on co and prem ex on united (from the match). what's the best way to maximize upgrades? i assume i can't put the different ff #s with the different segments can I?

My employer requires the same thing. Not sure if your system is anything like mine, but mine allows me to enter both a MP and OP number in my profile. Mixed-metal itineraries show both numbers when I view on either CO or UA web site. UA operated flights credit to MP, and CO to OP, so I assume it's intelligently picking the correct number for upgrade purposes, too. If so, big ^

You can change your OP# to MP# on CO.com, wait for a few hours then change back. UAL.bomb will then keep both your OP# and MP#, at least that's my experience.

I am in Denver now, having done the same thing. IAH-DEN on a CO flight, and UA on the return (as a codeshare with a CO flight number). I am CO Plat, matched to Prem Exec.

I made the reservations on CO.com with just my Onepass number and I was upgraded on both flights. Five days out on the CO flt (earliest possible but no email notification) and three days out on the UA flight (no notification at all on CO, it still shows Economy, but on the UA side it shows Upgrade:confirmed. I had to call UA to give me a seat assignment, though, neither site allows me to do that).

Every time I have done one of these the procedure seems to change, but at least it always works in the end. I guess there would be an advantage to use the UA number because it would have placed me in front of those Plats that have not matched, but now that many people have matched I don't think it makes much of a difference.

I also want all of my miles on the CO side, but I suppose in the end that won't matter either.

Followup: I was upgraded on the DEN-IAH UA flight and had the seat that was assigned to me over the phone. Both CO.com and UA.bomb continued to show me in economy with an economy seat 7C although UA showed Upgrade:Confirmed.

When I checked in online, it gave me a message about my upgrade, had the seat assignment correct and issued me a boarding pass with the UA flight number. The BP had my Onepass number, but my status was only "*Gold". It really didn't matter since I was in FC, though.

So, at least this time, everything worked out well, but certainly the systems could be integrated a little better.

How do you change which you want to use? I am doing this in a few days.

Thanks for the responses. I have no idea what's going to end up happening. I have been upgraded on the CO outbound. My UA flight on united.com used to show upgrade: Pending. Now that is gone but I have not been upgraded. When I called ua, they said i'm in the upgrade queue waitlisted and the reservation is using my MP number. at least i have an exit row aisle. fingers crossed.

Even the 1P Voice folks are confused about this. I booked a primarily CO itinerary, with one UA segment today, using my OP number (to prioritize EUA potential). Went to assign seats, and while the CO flights were no problem for Row 21, UA wouldn't let me. Called 1P Voice, she couldn't do it, couldn't add my MP number, and said if we switched to it, made the seat assignment, then switched back, I'd lose my exit row assignment in a sweep.

Mentioned that I'd seen something here about being able to do it on a mixed itin, she got her supervisor involved who got both FF numbers entered, and now have 21 on all flights. We'll see if it sticks.

I did give her a good laugh, though, when I started the call with "Happy Customer Day 1!"