At risk of cross posting I thought I'd add this nugget:

Last week I did an online checkin and did NOT request an upgrade but my reservation record was split into 3 records for 4 family members. Apparently my 3-year old was assigned as my "companion" for CPU and Mrs. B and my 6-year old got split into another record. When I arrived at SFO, I told the CSR that I did not want to be upgraded, so he took me off the list. I guess he did not think it necessary to take my 3-year old off the list because she was paged at the gate for an F upgrade (which I declined on her behalf). As she does not have an MP card, I gather she must have leapfrogged a few elites with my 1K status :D

Experience with auto-splitting
 

My partner and I have had a reservation get split at check-in. Here's our experiences with this...

What worked correctly - my partner was added to the upgrade standby list, his boarding pass says "Premier Access", his boarding group is 3, and he was not charged for 1st bag

What's not working correctly - on the return trip my partner was not cleared at T-24 into F even though I was and the F cabin is still F5 R5 RN5, he can't choose E+ seats without paying a fee

What number is he or she on the UG list? Companions, once split, go a little "lower" on the list...

What should I ask the check in attendant for specifically when checking in my no-status travel partner within 24 hours at the airport?

Ok, so what exactly do I need to do to get all 3 of us on the upgrade list?

I'm flying tomorrow (1K) with my wife (silver) and son (dirt) on UA1146 IAH-EWR. Right now it is holding back about 8 seats for sale / upgrade (R=8). I haven't checked in yet, because it seems every time I'm flying with a companion I do something wrong... and we never show up on the upgrade list.

Oh wise ones, how can I end up with all 3 of us on the list, but minimize the chances of only 1 of us getting upgraded?

Thanks!

CLG

It's a good question. By the way, isn't it possible to "link" your wife with you and also have her be a 1K? (but not your son)

IME that is an impossible scenario. If you want to roll the dice you could conceivably call UA and split your wife into another record, which in theory would leave your son (and you) on the CPU list with your 1K status and your wife on the list with her 2P status. However it is also likely (again IME) that the computer will split your reservation again at checkin, upgrade the 1K, and leave your family members in the dust. Particularly at IAH where there are bound to be other elites on the plane.

With the luxury of time and advance planning, the best course when R=8 (or even R-2) would be to use RPUs to upgrade your wife and son (again, by splitting off their reservation), assuming it's important to you.

Best advice would be to allocate time to use the checkin counter at IAH to see if they can put everyone on the CPU list when you checkin. However be advised that this may result in your reservation being split, which then may create separate issues on the return flight.

Under UA's policies, it's going to be almost impossible.

Your best chance would be to split your wife on to a separate PNR. That would give all 3 of you some chance, albeit not much of one.

If all 3 of you want to stay on a single PNR, you won't be eligible for an upgrade via CPU. The companion policy limits things to 1 companion upgrade per PNR.

Companion and I upgraded at T-47.5 (I'm Gold) for our flight Saturday. In a first for me post 3/3, the PNR was not split.

Thanks, figured as much.

The kicker is that the usual "Upgrade Reservation" on UA.com when I'm viewing the reservation is / was not there. I did not try to call and apply my RPU/GPU's, though. Do you think it's because I have an infant in a confirmed seat on the PNR?

CLG

I had the "upgrade" button for my 4-person reservation until T-24 even though I had requested RPUs for everyone. After online checkin our PNR was split automatically even though I did not request CPU. One RPU apparently cleared at the gate but we declined.

So my advice is to call UA (if you want to use RPU) find out if they can do all 3 - if not decide whether you want to risk split seating. If you can upgrade 2/3 with RPU it might be worth the risk to roll the dice on the 1K clearing later. If you cannot upgrade your companions with RPU then I would not bother to waitlist until after T-24 (assuming you don't mind a split PNR).

Ask that your travelling companion be placed on the upgrade stand-by list.

Here's a bit of new (to me) data, with partial answers to the questions I asked a while back (see original post for more background info):

Background: Separate PNRs for me (H fare) and daughter (X/XN award booked from my Plat account). Since I have a Club Visa, my award tix are CPU-eligible, and because SHARES is buggy, other pax on award booked from my account inherit my status. Outbound (July 24), I cleared at T-48 and daughter cleared at T-24. ^

However, on the return (AMS-IAD-ABQ), I cleared at T-48 and daughter didn't clear at all in advance. When I checked us in at AMS, daughter didn't show up on the list. I tried to fix it there, but the agents are Servisair contractors and don't know the system in detail.

At IAD, after some long and complicated interactions with agents (some bad, some good), I find out the following:

1. CPU sweeps before T-24 are handled by one system, while the post-checkin upgrade list is handled by another. For unspecified reasons, my daughter (and, by extension, any non-status pax flying on elite miles) are not eligible to go on the post-checkin upgrade list.

2. However, I can (and did) request a pmCO-style Gold/Plat companion upgrade even for a traveling companion on an award (X) fare.

3. Even well-meaning and skilled agents shouldn't be trusted 100%: the agent sincerely tried to convince me that it wasn't worth putting my daughter on the list because there were multiple 1Ks on it already... and then said with considerable surprise, "Huh! -- she's #1 on the list..."

I'm not happy about #1, but I'm not upset either -- the whole status-inheritance thing is a bug anyway. Knowing the boundaries and limitations is useful, though. And I'm very happy to confirm that day-of-departure companion upgrades for separate PNRs are still possible.

Wirelessly posted (Verizon BlackBerry 9630: Mozilla/5.0 (BlackBerry; U; BlackBerry 9650; en-US) AppleWebKit/534.8+ (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/6.0.0.719 Mobile Safari/534.8+)

Flying LGA-IAH-LAS with my girlfriend on the same reservation.

Checked in, and the reservation was split, as expected. On LGA-IAH we were 8 and 9 on the list, not expecting the upgrade there.

On IAH-LAS, 1 and 2 on the list on day of departure, 8 available in F between capacity and booked. I receive an upgrade when checking my bag at LGA, but she doesn't. Almost immediately (at least when I check it) she falls out of upgrade range.

What's the deal here? With more than 2 seats available for u/g - R was space positive too - why didn't she clear with me?

There are previous threads about this but i'm too lazy to look them up. If you don't clear at the windows with your companion, it seems like there's a different priority in clearing upgrades.

On PMCO (which is the same system the new UA is using), battlefield upgrades cleared companion upgrades AFTER all the upgrades with the same priority cleared. So if anyone was CO Gold, all CO Golds would clear before CO Gold companions cleared.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/7354206-post29.html

Not sure if this is still the case as the UA site doesn't mention companion priority. Also not sure what exactly happened here but it is possible that other premiers on the same status level/fare class checked in and knocked her down a few notches.

Sorry about your experience, but the honest truth is that UA has been lying to you and to all of us about how it handles companion upgrades.

The old PMUA style of upgrades is gone, period. The visibility (NF, etc) is gone (even if R > 0, it doesn't mean CPU for anyone) and the companion aspect of a ticket is completely awry (splitting of reservations, etc).

So, while your girlfriend didn't clear - expect that to happen often, since UA systems aren't trustworthy and are simply not predictable. You'll see in this forum and just in practice if you fly a lot - that agents are clueless and LOVE using the excuse: 'I don't know - the system won't do it'.

That said, I've had enough, because I realised that UA isn't changing their systems and contrary to what they want you to believe, they are not getting better and if possible - are getting worse.

PMUA upgrades for companions worked brilliantly, and I would know far in advance if I had a chance at clearing or not at all. Now, it's a complete crapshoot, PLUS you have to deal with the fact that things are not predictable at all. Not a fun game, and clearly not worth my 1K (wife Plat) money.

-jeremy

companion CPU when using GPU/RPU?
 

Is it possible to have a companion (traveling under a separate reservation) upgraded using a CPU when I've already confirmed my upgrade using an instrument (GPU/RPU)?

-FlyerBeek

I believe the requirement (due to system limitations) is that they have to be on the same PNR. You can try asking but I'm not sure if the agent can do anything.

However, you still can add them at the airport.

Uograde ? - Two 1K's with 2 GM's
 

My wife and I are both 1K.

We are going to HI and there is R space for both of us, so we will be upgraded. There is another couple that have no status. My thought is to split the PNR's and put one into each of ours. We haven't bought it yet.

• Can that be done?
• Is there any risk?
• Is there any other way you would recommend?
• If one segment with R doesn't have "2" is there other risk?
• My concern right now is there is R but there may be one segment that doesn't (via SFO) will they split or is it "2 UDU's or none"?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts?

You can split people off from a PNR but you can't add anyone to an existing PNR. So it won't be possible to add the other couple to your PNR's and upgrade them unless you use miles or instruments..then you can upgrade them when they're on a separate PNR.

R availability only means that you can upgrade instantly using miles (plus copay if applicable) or RPU or GPU. It does not mean you will get a CPU, although it is likely. If you want to have the possibility of getting four CPUs and you have not yet purchased the tickets then book two PNRs, each with one Premier and one general member.

There is always the possibility that only some of you will get upgraded and you will be separated.

You can not add them to the PNR, but you can do the split thing, and add the non-status folks as a companion at the airport. They can't clear as CPU, but could on the upgrade standby list at the airport.

IME, the elite and non-elite traveler don't have to be in the same cabin at the time of the request. One time, my wife and I had our PNR split on the outbound, and I cleared at my window as a gold, but she didn't clear as a silver. Added her as my companion at the airport, and she got the last F seat at the gate.

Not sure I clearly explained what I am going to do. I plan on putting myself and one GM in one PNR and using RPU's for myself and doing the same for my wife, different PNR. Then RPU for my wife too. So the two GM's will be tied to my wife and I as 1K and just want the other two to take their chances on UDU.

You can't RPU only one person in a PNR. The system will make you split the PNR to use the RPU.

Agree with you. The system is broke. Even basic upgrades for one person seems to be a joke. My flight a few days ago had 22 of 24 seats available in F... even at 24 hours before flight time.... and the back of the plane was half full. They never bothered to upgrade anyone until check-in time (within 24 hours). When you ask agents at the airport a question, they have no idea what to tell you... ask 10 people and you get 10 different answers.

Hasn't enough time passed since the March integration to get the basics right?

Based on what I am seeing on the upgrade list for tomorrow, I fear you are right - that the PMCO policy of companions getting placed below the rest of the flyers at the same level is true.

Checked in for a trip beginning tomorrow. Wife is silver, I'm a 1P. On the first flight, I am number 9 on the list, she is 10, so normal (nope, not getting that upgrade). On the second flight, there is now another passenger on the list between my wife and I, despite the fact that the record just got split - this is the outbound. It could, of course, be worse, it could be that she lost my status completely, and is on the list as the silver instead of my gold status.

I expected this on the return, but not on the outbound. Looks doubtful we will clear on either flight, so really, I probably shouldn't have split at all.

She'll have gold status later this year, so this shouldn't be a problem for too long. But really, something should change. If UA can't keep companions on the list like they publicize, they really should change how they market companion priority on the waitlist.

I was also hoping, based on someone else's post a little while ago, that the companion issues had been sorted out, as the post said they retained priority on the return. If this happens sometimes, I haven't seen it.

Help
 

I am flying with my girlfriend from EWR to LAS on 9/11. We are on the same PNR and I am not sure if they will upgrade us together or split us. Should I upgrade her with miles and take my chances? There are currently 12 FC seats on the 930a flight. Thoughts?

Travelling tomorrow with +1 who has no elite status and is on the same PNR. I got an email from UA about 24.5 hours before departure confirming my CPU upgrade (I'm a 1K). I did OLCI right at 24 hours before departure and her upgrade cleared after being split onto a seperate PNR by the system. The only strange thing was that +1 was given the seat I was assigned (per the email notification) and I was given another seat in the F cabin.

Did your email confirm both upgrades?

Theoreitcally you should have a better chance leaving her on your reservation. According to the rules she is eligible to clear at your upgrade window as long as it's just the two of you on the ticket.

I wouldn't waste the miles. On a tuesday morning, as a 1k, into LAS you should both have no problem clearing into F.

I'm flying out there today on a saver reward ticket and I got upgraded. In fact, 14 out of 16 in the cabin were upgrades. On a friday before a holiday weekend that should give you some frame of reference :)

One problem in splitting the reservation to try to get upgrade
 

This may be slightly off-topic but want to alert everyone to a potential problem if you split the reservation so the status passenger can go on the upgrade list. I am silver and my husband doesn't have status. The flight was pretty empty so I decided to try for an upgrade to 1st and the on-line check-in page advised me that I'd be splitting the reservations, but what it didn't tell me was the consequences of doing so if the flight was cancelled which of course it was by the time we arrived at the airport (they said mechanical, but the wide open seating suggests the mechanical problem was very convenient). We were going from ORD to Nantucket via Newark and there are only three flights a day on the latter leg, an early morning, the noon flight, which we were told we could not make (this being 7am, mind you), and an 8:15 pm flight.

When we took a good look at our rebooking, we found that while I was booked to Newark and then the 8:15pm flight that day, my husband was rebooked on that route for the following day. We were told this is because the reservation had been delinked so that there was no connection between our bookings and they rebooked customers according to status.

The story had a semi-happy ending - with three United customer reps including a supervisor working on rebooking on other airlines, after an hour, a seat opened up on the 8:15 pm for my husband and they grabbed it. At that point, we were just grateful we were able to go that day, although portal to portal, we spent 16 hours traveling (mostly waiting.)

Will I de-link reservations again? I don't think so!

Sorry if this has been addressed before, but I'm a relatively new silver and still trying to understand the magic that is SHARES.

My gf and I traveled LIT to SFO via IAH this weekend, and were able to go a day early due to a schedule change. I was willing to pay the $75 SDC, so I checked in at T-24 and planned to call United immediately to try and SDC. At check in (mobile app), it asked if I wanted to be placed on the upgrade list, without mentioning anything about PNR splitting. I called United, got "no same fare class availability" from 3 different agents with wildly different pricing to SDC, and informed me there was nothing they could do about the freshly split PNR, since it had been done via the website.

Went to the airport, and were able to get confirmed on the flight that left within an hour (T-21 to original flight), by working side by side on 2 kiosks (since we were now on different PNRs). No free E+ for my gf however, because it no longer recognized her as traveling with me. Gate agent thankfully remedied this and no more problems outbound.

Coming back, I looked at the UG list at T-24, and there are 14/16 booked with my gf and I the only 2 on the standby list. About T-16 I check again, I am cleared into F (no email), the gf is still on the standby list 15/16 booked. Later, F is booked full, with the gf and one behind her on the list.

When we got to the airport, I gave up my seat in F just prior to boarding in order to sit with the gf (after again haggling for the fee-free E+). The GA called my gf's name to upgrade her on my given up seat, even though we had just pointed out we wanted to sit together. The 1 person behind us then cleared, but because of 1 no show we left with 15/16 seats full in F, none of which had my gf and I.

My questions are:
1. Is SDC always easier at the airport rather than trying to call (even when fare buckets are wide open on website?)
2. Would I have had more success by not checking that box at check-in that apparently splits the PNR?
3. Was there any reason we both shouldn't clear at T-24 with available F space?

I know the GA was not under any obligation to hold out for a no-show (though had I been un-chivalrous and not given up my F seat it would have been the gf who cleared the no-show...). I'm certainly not complaining (they were very helpful with getting us E+), just trying to get a better understanding of how the system works so I can make the best of opportunities. Thanks.

Companion CPU upgrade - Which website is correct?
 

So the main United website says "In addition, one companion traveling on the same reservation as a Premier member is also 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. This benefit does not apply to companions traveling on award tickets." http://www.united.com/web/en-US/cont...e/default.aspx

Suggesting that my companion will clear at the same time as me.

The mobile site instead says:
On flights that are eligible for complimentary Premier upgrades, MileagePlus members will be awarded in the following priority:

Premier members with full-fare (Y class) tickets, in Premier tier order
Premier members with full-fare (B class) tickets, in Premier tier order
Premier 1K members in all other fare classes, in fare class order
Companions of Premier 1K members
Premier Platinum members in all other fare classes, in fare class order
Companions of Premier Platinum members
etc

So my questions is, which is correct? Should companions clear with the passenger or after all other passengers of that status?

I frequently have the problem of my companions not being listed sequentially with me on the UG list. I asked a PMCO CSR at EWR what was going on, and the response was: "It wouldn't be fair to have your companion upgraded ahead of another premier member." I asked what was the point of a companion upgrade if we couldn't clear together, she had no response.
Have the same issue for my flight tomorrow, I cleared companion on list (PNRs were split on the outbound by Shares).

This is being implemented unevenly.
Just got back yesterday from a conference jaunt from SFO to LAS and back with feorlen. On the way out, we were confirmed for upgrades together at the 72-hour mark as my 1P status is entitled to.
On the way back, our itin was split, causing a good bit of stress as to whether we'd even be able to board together, nevermind where we were on the upgrade list.
In the end, I was offered an Op-Up while we were waiting to push back. I asked if that meant that feorlen could join me and the FA said "Not unless her name is $OTHERPAX". At which point I asked "Well, can I give it to her" and she said yes.

It is, especially once itineraries are split; My wife and I were #2 and #1 on the upgrade list last weekend. When I cleared (about 15 hours out) my wife became #1 on the list and stayed at #1 whilst others cleared around her, I couldn't even move her to a better E+ seat as the system no longer recognized her entitlement to free E+. At the airport I was told "companions never get upgrades" and when they changed her to a better E+ seat she was dropped to boarding group 7.

I've got an upcoming trip to Mexico and will avoid splitting the reservation to try and ensure that we get upgraded together.

believe there is a difference on the companion priority if they are on your PNR (clear with the elite) (Old PMUA policy) or if separate PNR (clear after all elites of the same status as the sponsoring elite) (Old PMCO)

The new UA policy is a combination of the old policies and the verbiage does not cleanly reflect the newer more complex situation. And operationally the companion situation seems to be very broken.

Thanks for clearing that up. I'll ensure we don't split PNR in future.

Platinum here, and traveled this past week roundtrip ORD-SLC with GM on same reservation. We didn't clear the upgrade list before OLCI, so our PNR was split. Aced out of upgrade outbound at the gate by GS flyer, which was ok since we had comfy roomy exit row seats lined up already.

Four days before the return flight, I called and had my record marked "No Elite Upgrade" on the return flight (first class CR700 seat too short for my 6'4" body). The agent told me that my companion would not be upgraded without me on the list. However, my much shorter GM companion, now on a separate PNR, still held onto my status for free bags and upgrade list but not the ability to change E+/Premium seats without a fee. She was upgraded to FC at the gate. I spread out in the exit row since her seat was empty :D

I think the key here might be that her split PNR was always visible in my MP account, which perhaps signaled she was still linked to me and my PP status for most perks. That's an improvement on my previous experience with split PNRs, so it seems UA must be working on the issue behind the scenes.

Bad idea. It will split you anyways at initial check-in.

Essentially, companions clear with you on the outbound, but because then the reservation is split, they will clear after all other 'same-status' Premiers on the inbound.

It's a little inconsistent, but it is clear how it works.

My new wife hates to not sit with me, but one t-con flight with sundaes (EWR-PDX) convinced her to let me split the PNRs, as I always give her my upgrade. And I sit in 7C/D smiling at her whenever I can. :-)

All
I was wondering if you can clarify for me how this works (I'm having trouble with the terms used here).

1. Unless my wife and I clear on our upcoming flight at the 48 hour mark (I'm gold, she does not have status), when I check in, it will ask me if I want to stay on the upgrade list. I believe this is the splitting of the record locator right?

2. WHAT DO I DO HERE? She prefers to sit with me - even if in coach rather than her or I getting upgraded (we don't spend a lot of time together as it is). Do I say NO? If I say NO, we are both off the upgrade list right?

Thanks in advance!