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
Aug 11, 2018, 9:04 am
#1276
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,415
I look up my wife's new PNR and I notice it says CPU requested (this is roughly T-32). She has no status. So when she checks in, is she actually going to get put on the upgrade list? Everything I was reading indicated she would not get on the list until I asked at the airport.
I can't believe this is related, but I'll share it just in case. While reading up on this split PNR stuff, I called Premier reservations and the agent said he was going to "cross reference" the two PNRs. I hung up thinking that was nice but probably not going to help.
I can't believe this is related, but I'll share it just in case. While reading up on this split PNR stuff, I called Premier reservations and the agent said he was going to "cross reference" the two PNRs. I hung up thinking that was nice but probably not going to help.
You're right that cross-referencing the PNRs doesn't do anything.
As an aside, UA's pricing for domestic flights is often (definitely not always) the same for two one-ways vs. a roundtrip. If you're certain you won't need to make changes -- you wouldn't want to pay two change fees
-- you should consider pricing future trips as two one-ways to see if it makes sense to buy them that way. That would avoid this issue.
Aug 11, 2018, 4:54 pm
#1277
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: New England
Programs: UA Plat, Marriott Gold
Posts: 519
There have been scattered reports of people maintaining the correct companion status after a split. If the reservation says "CPU requested," which is the new website's way of saying "CPU eligible," then I'd say there's a decent shot. Please come back and let us know in another 8 hours or so.
So in summary, me (Silver) and wife (GM) started on same PNR, on outbound flight PNR was split so we could be on the upgrade list (and we DID get an upgrade), on the return both of us (now on two different PNRs) both had CPU requested and ended up on the upgrade list.
Aug 11, 2018, 6:36 pm
#1278
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Jersey Shore/YYZ
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Plat, Hilton Diamond, Hertz PC
Posts: 12,521
Don't expect this everytime. There's definitely a glitch in this system and it may not happen next time.
Aug 12, 2018, 12:26 am
#1279
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 11,469
There have been scattered reports of people maintaining the correct companion status after a split. If the reservation says "CPU requested," which is the new website's way of saying "CPU eligible," then I'd say there's a decent shot. Please come back and let us know in another 8 hours or so.
You're right that cross-referencing the PNRs doesn't do anything.
As an aside, UA's pricing for domestic flights is often (definitely not always) the same for two one-ways vs. a roundtrip. If you're certain you won't need to make changes -- you wouldn't want to pay two change fees -- you should consider pricing future trips as two one-ways to see if it makes sense to buy them that way. That would avoid this issue.
You're right that cross-referencing the PNRs doesn't do anything.
As an aside, UA's pricing for domestic flights is often (definitely not always) the same for two one-ways vs. a roundtrip. If you're certain you won't need to make changes -- you wouldn't want to pay two change fees
-- you should consider pricing future trips as two one-ways to see if it makes sense to buy them that way. That would avoid this issue.Checked in both my wife and myself (separate PNRs) and sure enough we are both on the upgrade list.
So in summary, me (Silver) and wife (GM) started on same PNR, on outbound flight PNR was split so we could be on the upgrade list (and we DID get an upgrade), on the return both of us (now on two different PNRs) both had CPU requested and ended up on the upgrade list.
So in summary, me (Silver) and wife (GM) started on same PNR, on outbound flight PNR was split so we could be on the upgrade list (and we DID get an upgrade), on the return both of us (now on two different PNRs) both had CPU requested and ended up on the upgrade list.
Side note on one-way fares: I've been noticing, at least for my own travel, that the round-trip = 2 one-way equation is less frequently true. It has been almost always been true for my domestic travel for the past couple of years, but I've now run into a few domestic trips that are back to round-trip priced lower than 2 one-way tickets.
Aug 12, 2018, 4:02 pm
#1280
Join Date: Jun 2006
Programs: Various
Posts: 6,526
Able to use online check in for child
About a week ago or so, we were flying on a return leg on an international trip where our children had been split off on their own PNRs since we had GPUs waitlisted (but not cleared, darn it) for the first, outbound flight. I decided to try and check them in for the flight anyway, even though I had tried that before on past trips with no luck. To my surprise, I was able to check in both children and get their boarding passes. I don't know if this was a glitch, or if United has finally fixed this issue, but it was nice getting on the waitlist a bit earlier, and removing the stress of getting to the airport with plenty of time.
Aug 12, 2018, 4:47 pm
#1281
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.997MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,859
Were they booked on an adult ticket or child ticket. The workaround has been to book on an adult ticket, the TSA age information is ignored by UA,
Aug 12, 2018, 11:16 pm
#1282
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,415
This leads me to suspect perhaps the change in display from 'CPU eligible' when outside of CPU window and 'CPU requested' only when in CPU window to 'CPU requested' with its extra qualifications always showing is actually indicative of some back-end change to address the split PNR upgrade issue.
Side note on one-way fares: I've been noticing, at least for my own travel, that the round-trip = 2 one-way equation is less frequently true. It has been almost always been true for my domestic travel for the past couple of years, but I've now run into a few domestic trips that are back to round-trip priced lower than 2 one-way tickets.
That's why you should always price it both ways and see.
Aug 13, 2018, 2:22 am
#1283
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,423
Yes, I've definitely seen that UA has been writing more complicated fares again, even in markets that have WN competition. Their newest trick is the K-ER fare, which is a discount (K) fare that requires a roundtrip but will not combine with other low fares, so you get a discount in one direction combined with a more expensive leg in the other direction.
That's why you should always price it both ways and see.
That's why you should always price it both ways and see.
Aug 13, 2018, 10:01 am
#1284
Join Date: Jun 2006
Programs: Various
Posts: 6,526
I think that they were booked as child tickets since that usually gives a few $$ off for international flights, but I might have neglected to do so this time. That's a good point, and I didn't know about that workaround!
Last edited by mechteach; Aug 17, 2018 at 9:22 am Reason: mistyped
Aug 14, 2018, 2:54 pm
#1285
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Seattle
Programs: UA Gold, UA 1MM
Posts: 269
Getting off of the advance upgrade waitlist - need some advice
I have an upcoming flight with the family (3 persons) on a single PNR and want to avoid the entire auto-splitting mess. My understanding is that if we are all removed from the advance upgrade waitlist we'll be fine? Is that true? Now, do the phone agents generally know how to do this?
I am assuming that I can judge whether we've been successfully removed from the waitlist if the reservation no longer shows "CPU eligible" - also true?
I am assuming that I can judge whether we've been successfully removed from the waitlist if the reservation no longer shows "CPU eligible" - also true?
Aug 14, 2018, 2:58 pm
#1286
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,415
I have an upcoming flight with the family (3 persons) on a single PNR and want to avoid the entire auto-splitting mess. My understanding is that if we are all removed from the advance upgrade waitlist we'll be fine? Is that true? Now, do the phone agents generally know how to do this?
I am assuming that I can judge whether we've been successfully removed from the waitlist if the reservation no longer shows "CPU eligible" - also true?
I am assuming that I can judge whether we've been successfully removed from the waitlist if the reservation no longer shows "CPU eligible" - also true?
If you're looking for CPUs -- no instruments applied -- just deselect the checkbox to standby for an upgrade during the check-in process. It's only if you have an instrument applied that you'd need to call.
Aug 14, 2018, 3:29 pm
#1287
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Seattle
Programs: UA Gold, UA 1MM
Posts: 269
Thanks. Two Premier Gold, one no status (child). I did not recall seeing the checkbox the last time I did an online check-in (I usually use the app), so I'll look for that. Will 'unchecking' the upgrade standby take us off the list for the return, or do I need to remember to repeat the process then? I don't want to wait until I get to the airport to sort this out - had a hard time finding an agent who felt confident in the process the last time we all traveled.
Aug 14, 2018, 3:34 pm
#1288
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,415
Thanks. Two Premier Gold, one no status (child). I did not recall seeing the checkbox the last time I did an online check-in (I usually use the app), so I'll look for that. Will 'unchecking' the upgrade standby take us off the list for the return, or do I need to remember to repeat the process then? I don't want to wait until I get to the airport to sort this out - had a hard time finding an agent who felt confident in the process the last time we all traveled.
I'd be surprised if a random phone agent could figure out how to keep you off of the waitlist prior to check-in.
Aug 14, 2018, 3:38 pm
#1289
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: New England
Programs: UA Plat, Marriott Gold
Posts: 519
I too use the ap and I am pretty sure it popped up for me a week or so ago (and I blew by it without really understanding the implication). I think you will only see it if there are multiple people on the PNR. Do you often travel with multiples like that? If not, that might be why you don't remember seeing it.
Aug 15, 2018, 7:33 am
#1290
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 397
I'm still confused about the third occurrence, I had the agent take the instrument off of the reservation before trying OLCI. Still got auto-split.