Portolan

I'm sure the answer is buried somewhere in the numerous award threads, but all my attempt to focus the search still yields hundreds of hits. So, please bear with me.

We are making 4 international one-way award reservations for ourselves and another couple. We will have to use miles in both my and Ms. Portolan's accounts, each with enough for one couple. Are there pros and cons to either:

I book myself and Ms. Portolan on my account and Ms. Portolan books the second couple out of her account?

or

I book myself and half of the other couple from my account and Ms. Portolan books herself and the other half of the other couple from her account?

If it matters, both Ms. Portolan and I are Gold.

Thanks, in advance, for advice on this.

Kmxu

Second choice, of course. All four can enter lounges and associated Premier Gold benefits.

Portolan

Thanks. Understood that. The tickets will all be business class so that obviates the lounge and baggage benefits (except access to the Senator Lounge vice Business Class Lounge).

Any other nuances I should know about? If option 1, would Ms. Portolan still be in control of the reservation and be able to track it through her account? I assume so, but?

fumje

My experience is reservations booked for others with your miles will show up normally in your account, and you will have full control of them.

And I believe the reservation arrangement has no impact upon *G lounge guesting. The *G member has to sign in at the lounge desk with the guest, whatever the reservation status.

So right now, I can't think of any real pro/con for either option.

Portolan

OK, thanks for all the advice. Fumje stated my experience with lounges. I think the slight tie-breaker in favor of option one (each couple on their own PNR) is in the unlikely event that one couple drops out and then their reservation can be canceled as opposed to having to split two reservations and cancel by individual.

That leads to my only other concern: IRROPS. Affected by the status of the folks on the PNR or the booker's status (I'm thinking the former)? On the other hand, the couples would be kept together during IRROPS.

fumje

I'm not sure that there's any real preferential handling for higher status built into the automatic IRROPS handling (e.g., if you are delayed and misconnect, sometimes you will get auto-rebooked for the next flight). The main benefit of status is being able to get a hold of better phone agents or go into the United Club for help (*G international), and then it doesn't really matter which way you're split.

Collierkr

I would use option 2 to maximize potential status benefits and IRROPS handling. This is how I do it with my family. If you think the other couple could cancel then, depending on your status, you might use option 1. Gold doesn’t allow free redeposit of awards if I recall correctly