Feb 21, 2017, 12:20 pm
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
UA CPU 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.
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.
Companions on separate PNR are not explicitly discussed but some GAs will add them at the Gate.
While elites may be eligible (with the right credit card) for award upgrades, companions are explicitly excluded.
Related threads
Questions About Complimentary Premier Upgrades (CPU) on UA
Understanding the United Upgrade List Comprehensively
To split or not to split PNR
Archive of earlier posts: Comprehensive Companion CPU Questions [ARCHIVE]
Comprehensive Companion CPU Questions
Mar 9, 2022, 8:06 am
#76
Join Date: Oct 2021
Programs: UA Silver, HH Gold
Posts: 66
If you and your wife are on the same PNR, she should be added to the upgrade list automatically with you. If you only see your name and not hers on the upgrade list for an upcoming flight, you can talk to an agent at the airport and they can add your wife to the upgrade list.
I was able to add my gf to the upgrade list using this method while checking bags before our flight in January. She was upgraded at the gate and we enjoyed our flight in F next to one another. She wasn't even on my PNR as we had split the reservations, so she could return a day early.
I was able to add my gf to the upgrade list using this method while checking bags before our flight in January. She was upgraded at the gate and we enjoyed our flight in F next to one another. She wasn't even on my PNR as we had split the reservations, so she could return a day early.
May 16, 2022, 6:45 pm
#77
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: PIT
Programs: OZ Diamond, UA Gold
Posts: 9,919
I have a companion on my reservation for an upcoming flight. Just looked and we are 15 and 16 on the upgrade list. I’ve never seen 14 1Ks/GS on PIT-ORD before, I suppose it’s possible there are 14, but could the companion also be causing our placement to be lower than it’s supposed to be?
May 16, 2022, 7:04 pm
#78
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 15,019
I have a companion on my reservation for an upcoming flight. Just looked and we are 15 and 16 on the upgrade list. I’ve never seen 14 1Ks/GS on PIT-ORD before, I suppose it’s possible there are 14, but could the companion also be causing our placement to be lower than it’s supposed to be?
May 17, 2022, 9:41 am
#79
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,411
I have a companion on my reservation for an upcoming flight. Just looked and we are 15 and 16 on the upgrade list. I’ve never seen 14 1Ks/GS on PIT-ORD before, I suppose it’s possible there are 14, but could the companion also be causing our placement to be lower than it’s supposed to be?
If you're lower than about halfway with a 1K CPU that's indicative of an issue, otherwise just keep in mind there are a lot of Plus Points getting thrown on more and more reservations.
May 17, 2022, 11:00 am
#80
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: PIT
Programs: OZ Diamond, UA Gold
Posts: 9,919
15 about 30. But today there was about 8 1Ks on my ORD-PIT this morning so perhaps there are just more 1Ks flying into/out of PIT than normal this week. I’m used to being the only one!
May 17, 2022, 11:45 am
#81
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,411
Yeah - and as I said don't forget anyone who knows someone with Plus Points to throw on their reservation is also ahead of you. This tends to be the top quarter or so of the list anyway.
May 17, 2022, 2:51 pm
#82
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.995MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,850
Nov 9, 2022, 7:27 am
#83
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 114
If companion has status, lower priority for everyone?
Discovered an unpleasant glitch in CPU prioritization. Two 1Ks + no status on the same reservation: all 3 listed with 1K priority. Two 1Ks + silver: all 3 listed with what appears to be silver priority (35-37 out of 38 on an A319). I think I understand why -- CPU priority is based on the lowest status across all eligible pax in the reservation (1K in the former case because the no-status companion is not eligible on their own, silver in the latter) -- but does not feel right. Of course, no one is getting upgraded on an A319, but I can see scenarios where this could make a difference.
Nov 9, 2022, 7:45 am
#84
Join Date: May 2012
Location: ORF, RIC
Programs: UA LT 1K, 3 MM; Marriott Titanium; IHG Platinum
Posts: 6,958
Discovered an unpleasant glitch in CPU prioritization. Two 1Ks + no status on the same reservation: all 3 listed with 1K priority. Two 1Ks + silver: all 3 listed with what appears to be silver priority (35-37 out of 38 on an A319). I think I understand why -- CPU priority is based on the lowest status across all eligible pax in the reservation (1K in the former case because the no-status companion is not eligible on their own, silver in the latter) -- but does not feel right. Of course, no one is getting upgraded on an A319, but I can see scenarios where this could make a difference.
Good luck.
Nov 9, 2022, 9:04 am
#85
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,411
Discovered an unpleasant glitch in CPU prioritization. Two 1Ks + no status on the same reservation: all 3 listed with 1K priority. Two 1Ks + silver: all 3 listed with what appears to be silver priority (35-37 out of 38 on an A319). I think I understand why -- CPU priority is based on the lowest status across all eligible pax in the reservation (1K in the former case because the no-status companion is not eligible on their own, silver in the latter) -- but does not feel right. Of course, no one is getting upgraded on an A319, but I can see scenarios where this could make a difference.
Nov 9, 2022, 10:49 am
#86
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.995MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,850
Discovered an unpleasant glitch in CPU prioritization. Two 1Ks + no status on the same reservation: all 3 listed with 1K priority. Two 1Ks + silver: all 3 listed with what appears to be silver priority (35-37 out of 38 on an A319). I think I understand why -- CPU priority is based on the lowest status across all eligible pax in the reservation (1K in the former case because the no-status companion is not eligible on their own, silver in the latter) -- but does not feel right. Of course, no one is getting upgraded on an A319, but I can see scenarios where this could make a difference.
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.
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.
Has never made sense to me but ....
Nov 9, 2022, 11:09 am
#87
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 114
While can not find this on the present UA site, this was capture in this thread;s wiki
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 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.
Last edited by AustinPilot; Nov 9, 2022 at 12:40 pm Reason: CPU for 2-pax reservations seems to go by the highest status, for 3-pax by the lowest
Nov 9, 2022, 2:37 pm
#88
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.995MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,850
) is common in two cases. It was not mend to be a definitive answer but showing the crazy logical used in a similar case.
Dec 7, 2022, 10:57 pm
#89
Join Date: Jun 2021
Posts: 13
But it sounds like the next time the three of us travel together I’ll need to split the reservation so that we all end up CPU eligible with Gold priority?
Seems like it would have been easier if she hadn’t reached premier status.
Dec 29, 2022, 12:17 am
#90
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Toronto, Canada
Posts: 700
So, based on the outbound, our 5 pax PNR (3 silvers and two GM) were split, the 3 being upgraded, and the two GM remained in one PNR.
Now on the inbound, the 3 silvers again are upgraded. The two GM (while saying CPU eligible in the app, like the outbound), are not upgraded, and not on the upgrade list.
At this time, is there anything I can do when J is still fairly wide open? Reading through some threads I think I can only ask at the gate to be part of the gate upgrade list (and this is a maybe?)
Does further splitting the one PNR of the two GMs into two do anything at this time?
Now on the inbound, the 3 silvers again are upgraded. The two GM (while saying CPU eligible in the app, like the outbound), are not upgraded, and not on the upgrade list.
At this time, is there anything I can do when J is still fairly wide open? Reading through some threads I think I can only ask at the gate to be part of the gate upgrade list (and this is a maybe?)
Does further splitting the one PNR of the two GMs into two do anything at this time?