findark

Interesting. This directly contradicts United's official statement on the matter, but it does make some amount of common sense in regards to "sharing" status:

emcampbe

ariel024

I just purchased a ticket and will like to add a friend to the upgrade list which is in a different PNR. Do I ask them at the counter to add him to the upgrade list or at the gate? does it matter if he purchased the ticket separately?

TA

By what method / instrument are you requesting the person on a separate PNR to be upgraded?

elbejt2

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.

findark

Yes, at the counter should be fine. This is a somewhat unusual request, so expect it to take a few minutes. It does not matter that it was purchased separately, as long as you don't already have a same-PNR companion.

drewguy

I just had a different experience. Plat with GM, reservation split on outbound. On return, my GM companion was right behind me on upgrade list (and received other benefits like Group 1 boarding).

The wrinkle - on outbound I applied RPUs to both reservations. They didn't clear on long leg and I didn't apply to short leg. On short leg GM didn't show at all on upgrade list. Split seemed to occur then.

I'm hoping maybe they've added some software feature to stop screwing companions on split PNRs . . .

rebecca_b

Don't know if this is the right spot to ask this question, it is my first time using this message board but anything would help!

So my mom is Premier Silver and I don't have anything. We are flying to Florida soon(just the 2 of us) and whenever I check us in for a flight there is always the question that says "Check the box of the travelers that would like to be on the complimentary upgrade list". My name is never on the list because I am not yet Silver, but we are on the same reservation. If I check the box for her to be on the upgrade list it also gives us both different reservation/booking numbers. Will I also get to be on that upgrade list and will I automatically be put into a different boarding group? She will be in group 2 because of her status, but will I be put in group 3-5? Will my boarding pass still have the premier companion status on it?

Does any of this make sense? I am confusing myself...

IAH-OIL-TRASH

You can board with her in Group 2 - it doesn't matter what boarding group number is on your boarding pass - just have her tell the gate agent "She's with me" as she has her boarding pass scanned. Your boarding pass will not indicate your companion status, whether or not the reservation is split. As for the upgrade thing - prior to check in (and if one confirmation code contains both travelers' names), you are both eligible for an upgrade at her status. At check in, there's an option to split the reservation, in which case she shows on the list and you don't (because at that point, UA's IT no longer recognizes you as a companion). You can be added to airport list (the one you can see) at the airport, but that's usually futile by then. You can still get her bag allowance if you want one after a split of reservation - the check-in counter agent can see the records were originally one - just be sure to waive down an agent before using a kiosk.

Edit: Corrections below

aacharya

The above answer is not quite true - on the outbound, the companion retains the Boarding Group and any waived baggage fees.

It's on the return that everything is messed up.

Note of course that except for the most leisure travel routes, a SIlver, let alone a Companion Silver, is not getting upgraded.

findark

Also if you split at OLCI, both travelers will be added to the upgrade list separately (and companion status will be correct). As aacharya says, it's the return where things get messy.

ariel024

I have a flight from IAH-QRO next Friday 06/15 and it looks pretty good for a CPU. The thing is that my wife is on a separate PNR because we bought the tickets separately. The flight leaves at 9:45am so I can check in at 9:45am thursday (24 hours prior departure). Can I can go to the airport Thursday after check in time so they can add her to the upgrade list? or does it has to be the same day of the flight?

mahasamatman

Your wife is not eligible for CPU. From https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly.../upgrades.html (emphasis added):

ariel024

I'm aware of the policy but I've added a companion on different PNR on several occasions, as well as E+ on a different PNR by just calling United

docbert

The rules for E+ do not require the companion to be on the same PNR, so yes, that'll work.

For upgrades, the rules require the same PNR. That's not to say a GA won't add your companion, but by the rules they shouldn't, and even if they do they will likely end up at the end of the list.