Old Nov 8, 2015, 12:01 pm
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
For complimentary premier upgrades, United explains how they are handled for itineraries with more than one passenger:

Companion policy

One companion traveling on a paid ticket on the same reservation as a Premier member is eligible for Complimentary Premier Upgrades on select flights, and may be confirmed with the same priority as the Premier member, even on the day of departure. If the companion is a Premier member, the upgrade will be processed according to the highest Premier status level in the reservation.

If a reservation includes three or more travelers, and only one is not a Premier member, the Complimentary Premier Upgrades will be processed according to the lowest Premier status level in the reservation. If two or more travelers on the reservation are not Premier members, it will not be processed automatically. In these cases, Premier members should call the Premier Priority Desk to request a separate reservation for themselves and the eligible companion.
https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly.../upgrades.html

For elites, an itinerary for multiple passengers will remain together until ~T-24. If the upgrades clear before then, the PNR remains together. If they have not cleared by then, the PNR will be "split" when you check in for purposes of upgrades, with waitlist priority in accordance with above. The splitting has consequences regarding eligibility for "inherited status" - i.e., baggage allowances, upgrade priority, boarding priority for passengers with lower status than the highest status passenger. I.e., as a formal matter the benefits of inherited status are lost (although E+ seats are usually retained or can be gotten back, baggage is usually granted, one can board with highest priority passenger). This also matters for the return.

This thread explains various scenarios and considerations as to whether it is desirable to split the PNR before T-24 and the consequences of having it happen.

Questions to consider:
1) Do you mind if not all passengers are upgraded? If you are willing to have some people remain in coach, then splitting increases your chances of an upgrade before T-24 because sometimes only one upgrade seat becomes available at a time. In such scenarios a group of 2+ will be skipped. If you can't be separated, don't split until forced to do so. If you really can't be separated, consider a call to UA to ask to be marked not for upgrades.
2) Once you get inside T-24 your PNR will be split, unless you make a special request that it not be. Each passenger will be placed on the upgrade list in accordance with the above. This doesn't matter much on the outbound flight unless there are IRROPS, in which case it may be tougher to get accommodation for all passengers.
3) On the return flight(s) the companions may no longer have the highest level of status of all passengers, including baggage allowances (E+ seats are usually retained). However, some recent reports are that companions retain the status of the highest passenger on the original PNR, even after it is split.

related threads
The stupid PNR auto-splitting at T-24 needs to stop

Splitting up partner airline award reservation

Archive thread : To split or not to split PNR {Archive}
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To split or not to split PNR

Old Dec 6, 2023, 2:16 pm
  #151  
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: ORF, RIC
Programs: UA LT 1K, 3 MM; Marriott Titanium; IHG Platinum
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Originally Posted by Mike Jacoubowsky
Traveling with my non-elite Wife, SFO-HKG. I only have 40 plus points so had to apply for upgrade with miles+$$$ for both of us (you can't have one person on a PNR upgrading with a different instrument than others).

So, do I call to see if they can split the PNR and change my upgrade from miles to Plus Points before check-in, or after? Thanks!
How many people are on the WL? If the chance is not great, split the reservation, remove MUA, buyup to Premium Plus and request PP upgrade for your wife.
If the chance is great, UA may clear the upgrade list at T-36 h. Your question will become mute.
Good luck.
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Old Dec 6, 2023, 3:44 pm
  #152  
 
Join Date: May 2003
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Originally Posted by Kmxu
How many people are on the WL? If the chance is not great, split the reservation, remove MUA, buyup to Premium Plus and request PP upgrade for your wife.
If the chance is great, UA may clear the upgrade list at T-36 h. Your question will become mute.
Good luck.
Sorry, need to edit original post. We were already upgraded. Just want to switch from miles to PP on one passenger. Thanks!
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Old Dec 6, 2023, 4:41 pm
  #153  
 
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Originally Posted by Mike Jacoubowsky
Sorry, need to edit original post. We were already upgraded. Just want to switch from miles to PP on one passenger. Thanks!
If there is PZ space, you can do it right away. If you do not mind putting on WL yourself (you have status) and PZ0, you can call to remove MUA and hopefully get the same seat back when upgrade is re-cleared. I guess that someone has experience with switch after the trip is completed, but I do not.
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Old Dec 6, 2023, 5:17 pm
  #154  
 
Join Date: May 2003
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Originally Posted by Kmxu
If there is PZ space, you can do it right away. If you do not mind putting on WL yourself (you have status) and PZ0, you can call to remove MUA and hopefully get the same seat back when upgrade is re-cleared. I guess that someone has experience with switch after the trip is completed, but I do not.
All zeroes for anything but economy showing now. So don't think it's safe for me to give up the seat and try to reclaim it ahead of someone else on the waitlist. Darn!

Added: Should I ask in the Polaris lounge if it can be changed? Thanks!

Last edited by Mike Jacoubowsky; Dec 6, 2023 at 5:53 pm
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Old Dec 7, 2023, 7:21 am
  #155  
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
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Originally Posted by Mike Jacoubowsky
Should I ask in the Polaris lounge if it can be changed? Thanks!
I would just call now and explain to the Premier agent what you want to do. They may need to speak to a supervisor but I've had them sort out stranger things.
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Old Dec 29, 2023, 4:53 pm
  #156  
 
Join Date: May 2003
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Originally Posted by Say Vandelay
I would just call now and explain to the Premier agent what you want to do. They may need to speak to a supervisor but I've had them sort out stranger things.
In the end we just went with the flow. Would have been a disaster had things not turned out; my wife needed the two weeks to be as stress-free as possible. She had a great time but man, did she get hit hard from a number of directions once back. What seemed like a good idea a few months ago, removing a lung tumor instead of radiating it... she hasn't had a really good day since! But the trip worked out very well.

Apologize for TMI. --Mike--
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Old Jan 9, 2024, 9:37 am
  #157  
 
Join Date: Jun 2023
Location: ZRH
Programs: UA: 1K
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From: LH Electronic PlusPts Upgrades -How to use, will it clear?, issues w/flight credit,..

Question, if I want to strategize / optimize usage of plus points for 2 pax does it make sense to book separate PNRs so that each one can get upgraded once 1 upgrade space becomes available?
My understanding is if on one PNR and pluspoints applied to both, both can only be upgraded if 2 spaces become available at the same time? As these inventories can be released over time would seperate PNR have a "positive" impact here? Idea behind this is that if only one clears one can still choose to pay for the upgrade of the second?

Appreciate your feedback.

Last edited by WineCountryUA; Jan 9, 2024 at 1:22 pm
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Old Feb 17, 2024, 11:22 am
  #158  
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
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Upon check in for the outbound of a domestic flight, my traveling companion and I (same PNR) are number 3 and 4 on the WL. Flight is showing 19 of 20 booked, so not concerned about the upgrade as Im sure it wont happen. However, the return flight is still relatively open. Check in is giving me the select travelers to add to the upgrade list option with only my name available. Do I just make sure thats not selected and opt out in order to not have the reservation split? Whats my best plan here?

I thought all of this splitting the reservation stuff had gotten fixed a while agoapparently I havent traveled on the same PNR as a non-status member for a while. 😑
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Old Feb 17, 2024, 12:06 pm
  #159  
 
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I dont think it splits unless one of you actually gets upgraded.
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Old Feb 17, 2024, 7:51 pm
  #160  
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
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Large number of passengers on PNR

I just wanted to confirm my interpretation, if I had 8 people on a PNR where one is a GS and the other 7 are PS, all 8 would be prioritized as Global Services?
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Old Feb 17, 2024, 9:05 pm
  #161  
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Originally Posted by OldNewYorker
I just wanted to confirm my interpretation, if I had 8 people on a PNR where one is a GS and the other 7 are PS, all 8 would be prioritized as Global Services?
For what service?
Such as for CPU, it is the elite and 1 companion -- and need to be on just a two person PNR
For bags, boarding, security - yes
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Old Feb 24, 2024, 6:41 pm
  #162  
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
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So one Global Services and two premier silvers on one pnr would be all treated as silvers for a cpu?
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