I started going down that route before I asked and for whatever reason it doesn't want to work.

I think there is an issue between the new interface and the old.

I go just to that traveler (new interface) hit 'change flight'
Get the change flights page - select 'Only select travelers on this reservation'
Select the only pax to split out
Get kicked back to old site with error message at the top 'We could not process your request. Please see the message below and make revisions. --Please select at least one segment for exchange.'
Pick both segments with traveler and hit search
Find same flights and continue
Get as far as the payment page (which there shouldn't be one as it is a lateral change) and I quit as it looks like it wants to take out an addition 12.5k miles (already paid 12.5k each way).

Perhaps this is an issue due to it being a mileage award ticket... Trying to get the one pax separated as they have a MP credit card / and UA Plat.

I really wish I can add a flag on my reservation that says "Do Not Split Ever."

9 times out of 10, whenever I have to check-in manually for some reason on a multi-pax PNR, it gets split without me being asked if I want to split it. When I'll be number 15 on the wait list anyways, I much rather forgo the infintismal CPU opportunity and keep a single PNR for all pax.

GPU check-in strategy SFO-HND?
 

I am travelling late March to Tokyo with my family (4 of us). I am a 1K for the first time and have never used GPUs before. I applied 4 GPUs to the SFO-HND leg. I see 30+ Polaris seats available right now. I had a few questions:

1/ Is there any chance that 4 of us will clear?
2/ Should I call United and remove the GPU request from 2 and keep it on 2? I am hoping that an adult and kid can avail of the Polaris seats at least if there is a chance of upgrade.
3/ Or there's only a chance that only 1 person has a shot at this and I should remove it from 3 people and use only 1 GPU?
4/ By when do the GPUs start clearing for 1k? 96 hours prior to boarding?
5/ Any other tips?

Thanks in advance!

GPUs don't have a time of clearing. It can happen any time from time of booking to after you are already sitting in your Economy + seat.

I think your other question is not really about removing the GPUs from the other passengers but separating the PNR. I assume that at this point your family of 4 is on one PNR. It would be easier for the upgrades to clear first for 2 passengers instead of 4 passengers together so separate the PNR into 2 PNRs each including an adult and a kid.

Have you checked if there's any PZ available on your day of travel?

I ended up splitting the PNR into 2. Leaving in a couple of days and nothing has moved. I called the 1K desk and heard that there are already 25 people on the waitlist and 7 open seats. They wouldn't tell me where i was on the list :(

Unless it's a long flight and/or the CPU is really important to you, NEVER split the PNR unless the other pax have significant status. In case of any IRROPS, splitting the PNR in my experience will lead to major problems keeping the team together on alternate flights.

It all depends on how comfortable the other adult is with traveling. Some can manage very well. Keep in mind that in case of IRROPS it can sometimes take many days to try to accommodate a family of 4 on the same flight. Two groups of two it's easier.

I have the same question. I'm on an award ticket and have the Chase card. So I would eligible for 1 CPU. But if I split the PNR my biggest concern is losing the baggage allowance. I've seen some old threads on this, but nothing current.

Correct way to check in for two pax(one silver)
 

This is all explained in the "auto-split " thread, but I'll address your questions here. The details are in that thread and wii.

1. You cannot check in and keep one reservation if you want the upgrade.
2. As a Silver, you are behind GS/1K/Plat/Gold. And then you are prioritized within Silver by fare class and then check-in. Hence, the longer you wait, you miss that tiebreaker.
3. The Fresno folk were probably on the inbound flight. When you split, the other person keeps everything on the outbound. It's the inbound that's the problem.
4. Pre-check is not necessarily linked to splitting the reservation - I know what you've experienced, but its not a guaranteed benefit from TSA or UA.

Split the reservations this time, and just deal with baggage separately.

In the future book one-ways.

Correct, so if you don't want to split, delay checking in until you arrive at the airport. That will give you as much time as possible to be upgraded before the split would occur.

Correct, for the visible list only (the one that's used at the gate). However, if you don't intend to split the reservation, this doesn't matter.

It's worth pricing this out, but there are plenty of markets where UA still charges a premium if you book two one-way flights instead of one round-trip. Also, change / cancellation fees are doubled, should that come up.

Yes. At the kiosk, it will ask you if you want to remain eligible to be upgraded, and you'll have an option to decline.