But at checkin you stated the desire to stay on the waitlist and being handled separately. If you have not cleared when arriving at the gate, you can speak to the GA asking to skip you if the companion will not clear -- but policy after checkin has always been 1 at a time.

ya I can see I need to be proactive at the gate in these situations.

Or decline waitlisting after checkin or wait checking in

ORD-DTW
27APR2025
Cleared T-0, literally cleared 1min before boarding.
First was 10/12 booked for most of the last 8h before departure. I was #2 on UG list.

This was my first CPU this year.

NRT (Tokyo) - UBN (Ulaanbaatar) on 4 May 2025.
Cleared approx T-36 (Tokyo time) as a UA Gold.
Original Fare: L ($300 airfare/surcharge, $327.50 total with taxes).
Booked 26 Mar 2025.
Not bad for a 5.5hr flight on this new route. I'll take it, despite the older 738.

DEN-YYC
6MAY2025
Cleared at T-72
Still showing 2 seats available. This was for my 1MM companion as 1K.

DTW-ORD
6MAY2025
Cleared T+10min. Battlefield upgrade. I was already seated in economy until someone came up and said I had their seat. Had to refresh my boarding pass to see I got upgraded.
The UG list showed full prior to boarding. I saw a deadhead pilot get on and assumed he took the last seat. I guess something freed up.

EWR-BOG and
BOG-EWR
April 2025
First ever CPU on an award ticket. Cleared T-36 on first flight, and at the end of the boarding process on the way back (a flight attendant came up to my economy seat and brought me up front)

Two CPUs cleared (surprisingly for this Silver) so far this year:

In March, cleared on a Sunday night redeye SAN-ORD on an A321; E+ was virtually empty and I kinda hoped to just keep the whole exit row that I had already, but I got a couple glasses of wine out of the deal.

Last week, I used SDC twice on a (cheap) award ticket BOS-CLE (was booked through IAD late in the day, but needed to get home earlier so changed to an earlier BOS-IAD-CLE, then saw once at BOS in the Club that I could make a BOS-EWR-CLE itinerary that had a slight delay BOS-EWR (I know, playing with fire with EWR). I SDCd again to that one, which at the time was nearing boarding, and E+ was nearly empty as there were only 30 people on the whole flight. After boarding (as the entirety of Group 2), my BP updated to 2B in First. The seating chart showed all but one F seat assigned when the door closed, but the window seat next to me as well as 3A and 4A were vacant--maybe they missed the flight or something. As the flight got a little more delayed, being in the second row so as to make a quick exit and run to the next gate (naturally, from the end of one concourse of C to the far end of another concourse of C, but at least not an A to C connection) was appreciated. It showed someone still standing by for an upgrade after the flight closed, so who knows--maybe they just decided to push the flight out so connections wouldn't be busted with a wait to sort it out. It was turbulent enough that no one was allowed out of their seats the whole flight anyway, so no service in flight (not that one needs much BOS-EWR).

All other flights this year, I have been laughably far down the CPU list, where I expect to be. At least I can be a data point for Silvers sometimes getting upgraded, even on award tickets! (I was upgraded on an award ticket CLE-LAX in January before having to cancel due to the fires; my average would be higher with that one.)

A couple of family members were aboard UA 1033 on 7/23/2025 PTY - IAH. Flight was ~1/2 full, very few people in E+. Upgrade list was empty, had upgraded about 5 people at the gate, and one business class seat was empty. I regret I wasn't accompanying them on the trip this time, as I would have cleared as a lowly Silver. I'm usually >10 even on Sunday 6 am flights from outposts.

Just cleared SFO-YVR as a Gold. On an award ticket.

Cleared CID-ORD-DCA at the 1K window. Haven't had this happen in ages. ORD-DCA showed 2/16 seats taken.

EWR-BOS cleared shortly after booking. Granted, travel time around 36 hrs from booking...was #2 on the list before CPU notification. Cabin not particularly full given the close-in nature of travel.

United offered $90 for the paid upgrade to First immediately after booking.

BOS-EWR-LAS cleared at exactly 120 hours out for each segment (on an XN award ticket!). Both segments had PN available at that time.

ewr-las cpu?????/ wow