Aug 13, 2013, 12:23 am
Last edit by: Guate87
What is this whole PNR auto-splitting thing about?
First, you need to realize there are two separate upgrade waitlists. There's the advance upgrade waitlist, which runs periodically from your applicable upgrade window until about four hours before departure, and the airport waitlist, which is manually cleared by the gate agents about 30 minutes before departure.
The first waitlist can handle an elite and a companion automatically. If you're next in line for an upgrade and there are at least two upgradeable seats available, you'll both get the upgrade.
The second waitlist (the airport one) can only handle upgrading one traveler on a PNR. If there is more than one person in your reservation when you check in, you'll be asked if you want to either split the reservation if waitlisted for CPU or stay on the same reservation and decline being on the gate waitlist. For supported waitlisted upgrades (PPs or Miles) you will not be asked and it will split (without choice) at check-in.
Next, you need to be familiar with United's "auto-check-in" feature. If you select this option when you check in for your original outbound flight (depending on how you check in, it may automatically default to selecting this), then shortly after 24 hours before your return flight segment, you'll automatically be checked in and boarding passes will be electronically delivered to you. discontinued
If you opt for this and the system automatically checks you in, and if you have two people in your reservation, the system will automatically split your reservation. You and your companion will now be on two separate reservations, and you'll be waitlisted for an upgrade and your companion won't.
Why might splitting be bad?
[color=#000000]If your companions are not elite, they will no longer qualify for the elite benefits they inherited from you. That means no free baggage (including credit card companion bag benefit), no Economy Plus seating access (although they won't be booted out of E+ if they're already seated in it, barring irregular operations), no Premier Access, and potential issues in irregular operations as a result of being on a separate reservation (they may be rebooked on a separate flight from you without agent intervention). If you have TSA pre-check your family traveling with you on the same PNR can use the precheck line - which they cannot do if you split. And if you are traveling with children
First, you need to realize there are two separate upgrade waitlists. There's the advance upgrade waitlist, which runs periodically from your applicable upgrade window until about four hours before departure, and the airport waitlist, which is manually cleared by the gate agents about 30 minutes before departure.
The first waitlist can handle an elite and a companion automatically. If you're next in line for an upgrade and there are at least two upgradeable seats available, you'll both get the upgrade.
The second waitlist (the airport one) can only handle upgrading one traveler on a PNR. If there is more than one person in your reservation when you check in, you'll be asked if you want to either split the reservation if waitlisted for CPU or stay on the same reservation and decline being on the gate waitlist. For supported waitlisted upgrades (PPs or Miles) you will not be asked and it will split (without choice) at check-in.
Next, you need to be familiar with United's "auto-check-in" feature. If you select this option when you check in for your original outbound flight (depending on how you check in, it may automatically default to selecting this), then shortly after 24 hours before your return flight segment, you'll automatically be checked in and boarding passes will be electronically delivered to you. discontinued
If you opt for this and the system automatically checks you in, and if you have two people in your reservation, the system will automatically split your reservation. You and your companion will now be on two separate reservations, and you'll be waitlisted for an upgrade and your companion won't.
Why might splitting be bad?
[color=#000000]If your companions are not elite, they will no longer qualify for the elite benefits they inherited from you. That means no free baggage (including credit card companion bag benefit), no Economy Plus seating access (although they won't be booted out of E+ if they're already seated in it, barring irregular operations), no Premier Access, and potential issues in irregular operations as a result of being on a separate reservation (they may be rebooked on a separate flight from you without agent intervention). If you have TSA pre-check your family traveling with you on the same PNR can use the precheck line - which they cannot do if you split. And if you are traveling with children
The stupid PNR auto-splitting at T-24 needs to stop
Apr 24, 2018, 10:31 pm
#1216
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Las Vegas
Programs: DL DM, AA PlatPro, Hilton DM, Hyatt Glob, Marriott Titanium, Hertz PC, National EE
Posts: 1,532
Apr 24, 2018, 10:37 pm
#1217
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
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I was auto-split at check-in for two segments (V fares, GPU applied, no-status companion). Every possible comparison I could think of between the tickets was identical, yet we were in a different order on the two segments (1/2 and 2/1, respectively). I gave up after that.
Apr 24, 2018, 10:52 pm
#1218
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Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,417
SEA-EWR is an RPU-worthy route if you have a cache of them, certainly, but if there are only 21 people on the list, there may not be that many Platinum / 1K / GS customers. And, yes, it's also possible that the computer kept the two of you together during the splitting process. It's extremely opaque, as findark pointed out.
Apr 25, 2018, 8:17 am
#1219
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, AA, DL
Posts: 7,419
Applied RPUs for myself (Plat) and companion (general member) on same PNR for ORD > HNL. So there is no way not to split upon check-in? Does that mean I'll have to call to restore Plat benefits (checked bags, priority boarding) for my companion on the return OGG > SFO > ORD?
May 1, 2018, 7:19 pm
#1220
Join Date: Dec 1999
Programs: UA 1K/1MM, AC 25K, Marriott LT Platinum
Posts: 437
Just so I understand, if I book myself and two non-elite companions on the same PNR, and if it's a one-way ticket, and if I waitlist for RPUs for all 3 of us, and if the RPUs don't clear by checkin time, and if we want to stay together no matter what, what will happen at checkin? Will it ask me if we want to split up? What if I checkin with an agent?
May 1, 2018, 8:09 pm
#1221
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Join Date: Oct 2001
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Posts: 21,417
Just so I understand, if I book myself and two non-elite companions on the same PNR, and if it's a one-way ticket, and if I waitlist for RPUs for all 3 of us, and if the RPUs don't clear by checkin time, and if we want to stay together no matter what, what will happen at checkin? Will it ask me if we want to split up? What if I checkin with an agent?
May 1, 2018, 8:43 pm
#1222
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Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,478
Just so I understand, if I book myself and two non-elite companions on the same PNR, and if it's a one-way ticket, and if I waitlist for RPUs for all 3 of us, and if the RPUs don't clear by checkin time, and if we want to stay together no matter what, what will happen at checkin? Will it ask me if we want to split up? What if I checkin with an agent?
May 1, 2018, 9:46 pm
#1223
Join Date: Dec 1999
Programs: UA 1K/1MM, AC 25K, Marriott LT Platinum
Posts: 437
May 1, 2018, 9:54 pm
#1224
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Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 11,470
Jun 3, 2018, 5:52 am
#1225
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Germany
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 417
Just had our reservation (me and 1 companion) splitted some days ago.
We have not been asked about splitting at check-in (via Android app) and would have never agreed to that as it was only a long haul booking without any upgrading instruments.
Booking was made at United.com and included flights with LX and LH. Might the latter have impacts on having the reservetion split?
We have not been asked about splitting at check-in (via Android app) and would have never agreed to that as it was only a long haul booking without any upgrading instruments.
Booking was made at United.com and included flights with LX and LH. Might the latter have impacts on having the reservetion split?
Jun 3, 2018, 6:20 am
#1226
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: SAN
Programs: 1K (since 2008), *G (since 1990), 1MM
Posts: 3,219
Just had our reservation (me and 1 companion) splitted some days ago.
We have not been asked about splitting at check-in (via Android app) and would have never agreed to that as it was only a long haul booking without any upgrading instruments.
Booking was made at United.com and included flights with LX and LH. Might the latter have impacts on having the reservetion split?
We have not been asked about splitting at check-in (via Android app) and would have never agreed to that as it was only a long haul booking without any upgrading instruments.
Booking was made at United.com and included flights with LX and LH. Might the latter have impacts on having the reservetion split?
Thank goodness for 1K status but they did warn me after 30 minutes on the call I may need to catch the flight the next day while the "security" issues got sorted out.
I now book under separate reservations for my travel companions when flying internationally.
Jun 3, 2018, 7:00 am
#1227
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Germany
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 417
I had dreadful problems with LH CAI-MUC after UA split the reservation. My non-status companion had no issues but I was nearly not allowed on the plane as I had too many changes to my reservation. I also could not getting the BPs MUC-IAH-SAN, but again my non-status companion got all the BPs in CAI. Similar thing happened in Naples returning to the USA a year earlier. It took calls to the 1K desk from CAI and them to speak to the check-in agents in CAI for them to allow me on the CAI-MUC flight. It all started with UA splitting the reservation in SAN due to flight delays out of SFO.
Could have been worse, but not a nice experience - especially because no one asked me about the splitting.
Jun 3, 2018, 11:17 am
#1228
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What was the UA ticketed itinerary on LH/LX?
Jun 3, 2018, 1:56 pm
#1230
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BOS-LAX and LAX-SAN is UA CPU eligible, but a split should only occur within 24-hours of the original first flight.
Last edited by aacharya; Jun 3, 2018 at 2:17 pm