Thank you for your reply.

I will call in.

:tu:

Increase Bag Allowance by buying two tickets?
 

I am a Gold and need to move stuff. Can I buy two tickets and get my Gold bag allowance for each?

No but yes

You can not buy two seats in your name. And a normal second ticket will be cancelled on boarding as you can not scan two BPs on board.

But there is a construct call EXTRASEAT and you will get double your standard bag allowance, including bag allowance (but not PQPs) with an extra seat to boot The wiki has more details

Normally the suggestions is consider UPS as easier and generally cheaper solution. But at today's ticket prices, it may not. But handling up to 6 bags at the airports will be awkward.

For those who have called, does the whole reservation need to be made at that time by phone (and if so do they charge the $25 phone reservation fee), or can they add the EXTRASEAT to a PNR after you've booked the main trip online? And for those who've just booked an online reservation with an extra person named "EXTRASEAT <lastname>", have there been any reports of issues?

Looking to go on a college visit with my daughter -- will either go with 3 award seats on United if I can do it conveniently, or 2 paid seats on Delta since they're still blocking seats.

Just for a couple more weeks, back to 100% for sell - 1 May 2021

Correct -- this is for a trip in the next 2 weeks.

I have two 1K's traveling together. If I buy 1 extraseat to leave the middle open how does the upgrade process work? Do I need three upgrades to open up or is the system smart enough to allow just the two?

I accomplished this exact task, back in late 2018 to New Zealand. Economy was $700 each way. First class was $5000+. So, I booked three seats with the third one being empty. I then waited for upgrade space to become available. Once I saw there were available seats, I called and cancelled the extra ticket. I would eat the $200 change fee and get a flight credit for "EXTRASEAT LASTNAME". However, UA rep hated doing this for me, as the seat was linked to the reservation and cancelling just one ticket is a pain I guess. If they cancelled the whole reservation, I would have to rebook at a much higher fare. She told me not to do this again...haha!

This only worked for the return trip as doing this on the outbound would cancel the whole trip for "EXTRASEAT LASTNAME"

After this past year, I got spoiled having a bubble around me and I'm in no rush to rub elbows with strangers for 14 hours straight, so here is what I'm going to try in the future. Book two seats...call and book "EXTRASEAT LASTNAME." Waitlist Plus Points upgrade. Will it work? Maybe but I know that the reservation will be split and the seat could end up getting reassigned somewhere else on the plane in case of IRROPs.

And before anyone asks why spend an extra $700 each way...I ask, why spend 10 times that amount for the same personal space up front?

How do I book an extra seat?
 

With upgrades becoming few and far between and F fares skyrocketing, I am thinking about booking an extra seat in Y for some travel next year for extra space. Never thought about doing that before, but being stuck in the back like I was for the first time in years this weekend to EWR and back, I was thinking it would be a good strategy.

First, I assume this is allowed? Second, how can it be done? Online or do I have to call a GS agent? I'd only consider doing this on MP heavy routes, like IAH-EWR-IAH, which is what I was on the this weekend. Even when booked 3 months out and PP put on the ticket, no upgrade.

thanks!

A quick Google search returns https://thepointsguy.com/guide/buy-s...airplane-seat/

Forget Google there is actually a FT thread on that subject.


https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unit...lights-15.html

I assume this can only be done via UA ticketing? I.e. you cannot ask a *A partner call center (specifically, TK) to book an extra seat as part of an award booking, even if you instruct them to use "EXTRASEAT" as the second name.

EXTRASEAT has worked for me by just booking it myself on united.com with the correct name for the extraseat (fake) passenger. I've done it using either EXTRASEAT or EXST as first name, with my same last name, and it worked both ways. I assume if TK books the extra seat that way, it would work also, but that's just speculation.

Thanks! Just to make sure I'm understanding correctly, in your case you're booking 2 tickets, on one reservation, from united.com. If your name is Ned Nickerson, then the first ticket you purchase for "NED NICKERSON" and the second ticket you purchase for "EXTRASEAT NICKERSON". Is that right?

Yes. Although I should note that I’ve only done that for domestic flights. Don’t know if that would work on an international flight.