Suggest you take a look at this thread (read the wiki at the top). It's a very complicated subject. The highlight is if you want the best chance at upgrade, you'll need to split the reservation. In your case, call UA and have them put your husband on a separate PNR (so you+son on one, and your husband on another). This will maximize your shot at upgrades (because if only 2 seats open for upgrade, you'll clear this way) while not losing your son's checked bag for free. Make sure you don't auto check in for the return, or you'll have the same problem. For both flights, wait as long as possible for an upgrade to clear before checking in, but that's unlikely with 3 PAX.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...s-stop-61.html

This is not the case..re losing bags.

OP...split you and your son off in one PNR. Then both are eligible for upgrades. And both keep all benefits.

Ah yes, sorry, this is the better advice. For clarity, you want on PNR with you+your son (so he can still check your 3rd bag) and your husband on a separate PNR.

However the advice in the linked thread still stands, if you+your son haven't cleared before you check in, then check in on the website and don't try to upgrade, otherwise you and your son will then be on separate PNRs, and you'll lose the 3rd bag for free. Same applies to the return and auto checkin.

IME, the last part about the bag is not correct, at least if you split at check in for upgrades if you haven't cleared in advance. If you split at check in, both PNRs still receive the gold status bennies (including on standby for upgrades and bags). It's on the return that it may cause problems, which has been my personal experience, though it's been a long time for me (probably 2 years). Some others have reported more recently than that that PNRs split on the outbound for upgrades at check in now both carry the status, so free bags, ipgrade priority etc, so maybe YMMV.

As a gold you have zero chance of getting an upgrade. If a TOD offer pops up you may get a shot if you want to pay more.

There are no CPU's for golds, let alone plats.

Thanks for the info. I'll try calling UA again. As for no Complimentary Upgrades for Gold, is that b/c of ORD? I've been getting my upgrades from DTW-iAH and IAH to wherever, about 90 percent of the time. Granted, I usually book pretty late (within a week of my departure) and always travel solo. But I avoid ORD like the plague.

I'll check with UA again about the baggage and the UG. As stated, I got 2 separate replies on 2 different dates. 1st flight is ERJ and no big deal, but I would appreciate an UG on the 738 and on both return flights.

Basically I am getting that if I split off from my son, he loses his free checked bags. Why does it have to be so confusing?

That said, thanks so much for the help. I knew I wasn't the only one confused. I don't expect an UG on Friday's flight as it is already showing only 3 seats from ORD to MCO and that is fine. The return flight, though, is important as I'll be wanting some peace.

Oy, solo trips are so much easier!

Yes, agree that the free upgrade possibilities for a Gold are quite low, so maybe if you can prepare yourself mentally to spend a little money for reasonably priced upgrades at check-in, you might be better off.

Suggest splitting the records as discussed, and checking in so that the person(s) you most want to have an upgrade are first to check in. That way if there are only a few upgrade offers the first to check in would get it first.

How are you getting upgraded on Houston flights as a gold? Are you buying TOD's? Either that or you must be buying expensive fare coded coach flights. A 1K would be considered very lucky to get upgraded on a dtw-iah flight.

The MP program isn't what it used to be. The man in charge changed it and thinks their elites are over-entitled. Everyone gets a shot to buy upgrades now, and even worse non-elites are getting a shot for a lower price than us elites. Yes, that's correct. As a platinum the only worthwhile benefit left is zone 1 boarding, ensuring I get a space in the overhead bin. Oh and E+.

FWIW as a gold last year in Chicago I flew 110 segments. I received an CPU *once*. Yep. On a Q400 from DEN-BIL.

As a silver I've basically given up getting an upgrade, particularly to MCO, where I used to get one all the time. I know some will say they get them, but are they traveling on weekends?

Anyway, I am now booking my husband on the same PNR and not splitting. Chances are I won't get an upgrade and I can get E+ at 24 hours, which is my upgrade these days As a gold you can get them when you select your seat.

Or, I'll take the TOD upgrade when I check in if offered at a decent price. That's why I set a timer at slightly before 24 hours so I'm ready to check in right away.

Speak for yourself amigo!

Regarding upgrades as a Gold: I THINK I'm getting them b/c I'm open to dates, book within days of my trip and yes, am booking higher fares. That is mostly due to my last-minute travel. I'm basing my stats on 2014.

When I book, I can SEE that flights through ORD are cheaper, but they're less miles and that is a VERY difficult UG. I rarely buy up at the kiosk (it'd have to be one long flight!) b/c I don't LIKE those offers going to people. I'd rather sit in economy than encourage the company to sell those last-minute seats instead of UG. I know I did it when I had a kidney stone on a return flight, but that was IMO necessary. If I'm going to pay MORE for a ticket I'll do it at original purchase and get the extra miles out of doing so. But again, this is SO rare- having purchased months ahead, I wasn't able to see the upgrade list or know what it'd be like this close to leaving.

If I could be sure of getting all our luggage in, I would've done 2 separate reservations. It's also confusing that when signing in under my hubby's FF number or my son's, neither one Premier, I see it state that there are no charges for 2 bags each. I know this is b/c they're sharing a confirmation number with me, but it could've been taken as it read! I'm so glad I asked before I did something stupid. And I can understand WHY the 2 reps had different answers for me. It IS confusing!

Thanks again for the help!

UACO has made the calculus here very difficult. Certainly split your husband off, he'd prevent any possible UG and as a non-status on his own res he may get a cheaper buy up offer at checkin. You and your son will be eligible for the UG in advance, if you can clear together. If you want the highest chance of UG for you, you'll have to split from your son at checkin time to get on the upgrade standby list. This of course makes your son's upgrade situation on the return murky, it's wildly inconsistent if he'll be upgrade eligible.

The hub doesn't matter a lot, it's status and fare. Did you book this vacation last minute for a high fare like you do for your other trips?

This.

You have to assess whether it seems likely that you could get two upgrades - for example, a wide-open FC cabin. If so, split off only husband and roll the dice you'll both get upgraded together. It can happen, even for Golds. If you're close to flight time and seats are limited, then split off son as well, and take your chances of one upgrade (or do this now if seats are limited).

For luggage, I thought benefit was extended to all companions regardless of whether on same PNR, but especially if booked on same PNR but then later split for upgrades. No longer the case?

This is well addressed in the "split" thread, but in summary, the computer will not extend the benefit if split prior to check-in. The agent can and should override that, but it's a pain and technically YMMV.

I still mandate it is worth the possible upgrade to split to only two people, and if need be, let the system split again. (Or just book one-ways (see "split" thread).

Mduel- no- I did NOT book this last minute and for higher fare as usual. This is a family trip and was booked months ago, something I never do. In fact I'm going to NYC in June and I just booked that flight b/c the rate was so low, it's a short hop from here to EWR AND there are no direct 1st Class flights. And THAT felt odd to me. I'm so used to booking last minute that I didn't know any of the rules regarding companions, etc. Which leads me to my answer!

Okay. I called Premier Desk and was assured that this is correct. They split me off from my hubby & son. And it shows that IN the computer. The check-in people should KNOW that we were all on the same trip, all purchased at same time with one transaction. That means that as a family traveling with Gold Elite, at least 1 member of my party in addition to me, gets to check bags.

The trick, she says, is to check in without bags online the day before. THEN we don't deal with the bags until we arrive, as that is when they see us together, know we're together, etc. They'll have a copy of our original reservation (I have hard copy to take with me, too) and that should not be a problem.

This lady knew what she was talking about, enough to even explain the new rules as of 4/15. So I am now upgradable, though I'm not expecting a thing on the outward bound segment. A flight from ORD-MCO with only 4 revenue seats available and me as a lowly Gold, don't add up to Upgrade.

She also said that IF I receive an UG for return flight, I can request my son as a companion if another seat opens up. That would be nice and I have been upgraded on that leg before (MCO-ORD) but I'm not counting on anything. I'm simply increasing the odds of an UG by splitting off from my party.

I think they could do this a bit easier, and I'm going to go prepared for checking our bags with the original reservation hard copy AND the wording she gave me. The thing I need to remember is that splitting off or not, the reservation was made together as a party and paid for in one transaction. My status allowed me one extra person in economy plus and another 2 checked bags if needed.

The whole thing hinges on the original reservation. Me splitting myself off for UG purposes doesn't need to affect anything, if I make sure to remember what she said. She also made notes in the reservations to the effect that I did this for the UG possibilities but AM traveling with my hubby and son.

Oddly, though, it now shows (online) my hubby and son as having to pay for their luggage, even though we were on the same confirmation, etc. She said that is normal for their system and her remarks plus the words "Split reservation" should be enough for the extra bags.

BUT...we'll see! Worst case scenario we pay for 2 bags and get reimbursed. But I don't see that happening. It's annoying as Hell to have to choose between an UG and having a companion check their bags. Ironically, you don't NEED to. But I'm ready for anything. I'm just glad she explained it, told us NOT to add our bags when we check in the day before, and gave me the terms to use IF the agent checking our bags doesn't know this rule.

She also said those 4 revenue seats in 1st will likely be sold at check-in, or might have waitlisting. That's okay. It's the return flights I am coveting.

Either way, I'm just happy that I got a final answer. I'm not saying I completely understand it, but I'm glad I checked! She said I wouldn't have been upgraded at all if I hadn't checked b/c it showed me on a reservation with TWO companions. I would've been given the opportunity at online check in to split the reservation for the upgrade possibilities, but that could've caused more problems.

I never dealt with paying for luggage so this is new to me. With all the problems UA has with overhead space, I'd think that allowing one bag per person free would be the way to go. That's just me.

Thanks to everyone for the advice. When there are differences like this, between my original airline (CO) and the new UA, it helps to have somewhere to go to explain it. After that, I called and did as advised. Who knows? Maybe all this crazy yes/no info will lead to one nice UG!