As others have mentioned,sometime back (over a year ago), UA changed the process and the splitting will occur on if needed to actually partially upgrade some.

I had read in another thread that if a 1K purchases tickets for himself and a companion with no status, and applies PlusPoints to both persons, that if the ticket is ultimately split even before check in, that the companion without status keeps the 1k status with plus points applied. I am guessing this is beneficial for International flights where if PZ1 keeps opening up months in advance one at a time it doesn't skip two people together at the top of the list.

Yup, this seems to be true. I had applied PPs to two no-status companions, origininally on the same PNR, and after we split they were still at the top of the waitlist.

I had a reservation with me (1K), Mrs. IMissthe747 (Platinum), my mother (general member) and my daughter (lap infant). I used the app to check in, since I needed to scan my daughter's passport for the first time. Check in was successful, and we were all on one reservation. I was not asked if I wanted to split.

Later in the day I was upgraded, and the system split me onto a separate reservation. A few hours later my wife was upgraded, and she was split onto a third reservation.

My mother never showed on the upgrade lists once the reservations were split. We had a leg departing out of EWR that went out with two open seats up front, and the agent would not upgrade my mother, despite her eligibility as my traveling companion originally on the same reservation.

Not sure if the lap infant screwed things up in the system, or if it was just another "lucky" day in EWR.

This is eerily similar to what happened to me out of EWR today as well. I got upgraded and split off from my girlfriend. Gate agent wouldn't add her to as my companion. Our flight took off with multiple open seats in F.

Sorry the bad luck bug got a hold of you too. Not sure what's going on at EWR.

There use to be a warning the three person PNRs even with two elites needed manually process to be handled correctly
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unit...questions.html
Additionally there have been on/off issues with a lapchild getting cpu.

Beware Upgrading Non-Premier Family/ Friends
 

Long time lurker, first time poster. Maybe the following issue is my fault and I should have looked into the process better. Nonetheless wanted to share in case it helps someone else out.

I’m PP. Wife is PS. As we always do, we booked a trip with our 3 kids on a single itinerary meaning because I’m PP we all get E+, free checked bags, and because wife and I have TSA Precheck kids always get it too. We always decline the CPU list to stay together. But on a recent short flight, all CPU’s had cleared and there were 4 available F seats still. I thought hey, would be fun to put wife and kids in F, what a treat. Talked to the gate agent, got it done no problem. Family had a great flight in F and all was well for me in E+.

No good deed goes unpunished. Getting the CPU’s meant we were all split into separate itineraries. So now for our remaining travel on this trip, all of our kids: 1) Can’t check in until we are at the airport (minors on individual tickets). 2) Don’t get free E+ 3) Don’t get free checked bags 4) Don’t get TSA pre-check. 5) Get boarding group 4. Absolutely was not worth the upgrades. And honesty kind of mind-blowing to me there’s this glaring problem in the process.

Nonetheless, is what it is. But figured worth posting so maybe it doesn’t happen to someone else.

1) Probably true, although it's possible that an agent might be able to clear that flag
2) Definitely not true; call and they should be able to be seated in E+ as your companions
3) This isn't supposed to happen anymore, but I suppose might. You might be able to get reimbursed after the fact if you ask UA, but no promises.
4) No info
5) They can board with you anyway.

This is the relevant thread: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unit...split-pnr.html

Call in to get E+ ... you don't have to pay for it in this circumstance.

Sometime during COVID, I think TSA stopped giving all passengers on the same PNR PreCheck if at least one passenger had it.

Yes, not sure when exactly but some time in 2020 this went away.

You can always bring kids 12 or under through PreCheck lane if the adult has PreCheck.

Thanks, this is helpful, looks like they could push through the E+ seating. Talked to an agent, they did tell me specifically the checked bags would not be free for the non-Premier passengers but we could request reimbursement (whether it will go through or not is another question). Also nothing they could do about not being able to check in until the airport so we’re stuck there.

As far as the TSA stuff (reply to other posters), our kids always end up with Pre-check when they’re on an itinerary with us, I think just because they are minors. Definitely true another adult on the itinerary wouldn’t get it post-2020, but seems not to apply to minors unless we’re always lucky. At any rate they’re not all under 12, so we won’t all be able to go through pre-check this time.

This wiki may help in handle maintain benefits when the PNR is split at the gate for upgrades. It is from https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unit...solidated.html
The bag benefit shuld been possible, sometime you have to ask the agent to check the PNR history to see the split occur. Contract agents (aka no real UA empolyees) that handle bag check may be misinformed.

This is a new twist as it probably only applies to kids older than 12 without their own PreCheck.

Traveling EWR > STT with 3 non-status family members on Sunday and just looking to double check this beforehand. I have Gold status so everyone receives 2 free checked bags. When I go to check in, if I split the PNR in order to have a chance at the upgrade, will the rest of my family lose their 2 free checked bags because we are no longer on the same reservation? I’m wondering this for both the flight there and return flight home. It’s paramount that they get the free bags, but I also would love to get the upgrade if I can.