Kacee

This is simply not true any more. Domestic saver award availability is the pits.

Long Zhiren

Domestic standard award availability seems pretty good. Or is it because I have one of those Chase cc's?

Kacee

Standard award availability is last seat, so of course that's fine.

It's not a good use of miles (typically less than 1 cpm) unless the ticket is exceptionally expensive.

Baze

Only if you are premier or have the appropriate CC. Otherwise even standard awards are capacity controlled.

http://www.united.com/web/en-US/cont...vel/types.aspx

JDS747

I'm sure after April that you'll have to call in and deliberately request such treatment. I feel though that for the most part when someone is flying with me they tend to give them similar treatment if asked (just because they are with me), except for upgrades of course.

I've had instances were colleagues were flying with me on different (paid) PNRs where the UA 1K desk helped get them on the same flights as me during irrops, so it's not just award PNRs (with inherited status) + paid PNRs that I'm speaking from experience on.

The one area where they really can't do much is standby, so if the irrops are so bad (i.e. fire at ORD ATC) you need to try standby on several flights the GM on the separate PNR will likely spend much more time at the airport than you, or they will be flying on a different day.

Baze

When they are flying with you they are entitled to certain benefits, like E+. I think where the sticking point for most in this thread is when they are not flying with you so won't get the benefits of your status any longer after the cutoff date.

Kacee

If you are flying together, but not on the same PNR, instrument upgrade priority will also be different.

Baze

Which is why I said certain benefits, like E+

And for the OP's scenario of 1 revenue ticket and 1 award ticket they would not be on the same PNR anyways.

exerda

Is it clear they'll get E+ if on the same trip but different PNRs, though? It's always worked that way, yeah, and I don't see why UA would suddenly get tough on that benefit, but IIRC the wording is such that your companions need to be on the same PNR to get E+.

Baze

There is nothing on the UA page for benefits of E+ that states must be on same PNR that I can see. Just one very unclear statement that is asterisked at the bottom. Could be interpreted many ways in my eyes.

http://www.united.com/web/en-US/cont...myseating.aspx

Kacee

Actually it says "Complimentary Economy Plus access is determined by the highest Premier status of the travelers on the reservation" which would seem to me to be referring specifically to passengers on the same PNR.

Long Zhiren

SDC fees can get complicated too. Heck, any change in itinerary gets complicated.
For a paid ticket, the fees are clear-cut.
For an award ticket, things get complicated, starting with award seat availability.

A single PNR for paid tickets enables riding the premier member's coattails through the itinerary changes. A cancellation though can result in two separate e-certs. That's a pain especially if you try to use the e-certs to buy a new pair of tickets. You can only use one e-cert per purchase, no matter how many tickets are involved. It's a bummer that a resulting pair of PNR's can't be combined into a single PNR.

JDS747

Which could easily mean that if you're a Gold or above and you call in to have someone moved up to E+ (that's not on the same PNR) it's no problem, but if you're Silver you'll have to wait until T-24hrs.

I agree with Baze that it is very vague. I've never had issues getting someone moved up though... meaning I've never had to HUACA to make it happen. Maybe others have but I haven't.

Kacee

Yes I'm aware they will currently give it to you as an unpublished benefit (and already so advised OP upthread).

The question is what happens post April 15. I will not be at all surprised to see this get yanked, too. UA must hate leaving all those uncollected E+ fees on the table

JDS747

What I'm arguing, and I believe Baze is too, is whether or not it's a published benefit. I read it as a published benefit because it doesn't specifically say "8 companions on the same PNR" like it does for upgrades. For E+ it just says 8 or 1 companion(s).

For CPUs it clearly states "In addition, one companion traveling 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."

There is no such wording when it comes to E+.

http://www.united.com/web/en-US/cont...e/default.aspx