Can you mix award and paid on the same PNR identifier?
 

So, I was wondering - if you have an award ticket - can you call United and have them append a paid segement onto it? Given a PNR is merely a collection of travel stuffs (i.e. flights and rental cars, and even hotels) - I wouldn't think it would be impossible technically, but perhaps UA's implementation prohibits it.

The reason one would want to do this is to logically connect to itins together to make it apparent to gate agents in the event of misconnects. While you can 'link' itins together, it doesn't always work that well.

Sorry, no way to do this AFAIK.

No.

The split is a hassle I usually have to deal with on family travel (I do revenue to get the miles + bonus, do award for some of the family). But seems no way around it. Some agents will "link" the records but I don't really know what that means, and it seems that by the time the list is handed off to the airport the link is no longer there? Not clear on the last part, would be curious if anyone who knows more cares to comment.

I do the same too. The "link" is a cross reference in my itn to Mrs stanfordhokie's, and if the agent is thorough, vice versa. I don't think that agents (particularly GA's clearing upgrades) always spot it.

Right - Agents don't always spot it, which is why the "personal touch" (telling the phone/ticketing/gate agent to look for it explicitly) is always the best policy.

It's annoying to deal with multiple PNRs, but sometimes it can help, particularly if you have to change your schedule, or if you're waitlisting for a different flight or class of service on multiple award tickets. For awards, you can grab what's available, then use additional PNRs to waitlist for additional capacity.

On award tickets, absolutely, several advantages. On paid tickets, it can be annoying if the two of us are waitlisted for Y-NC upgrades, mine clears, but her's doesn't, and they have already given away my 21J seat, leaving her in 21H, since the cross reference was missed.

Revenue and award TIX on same PNR?
 

Is it possible to book a paid ticket for myself and book my family using miles from my MP account and have everything show on 1 PNR? Flights would all be the same dates and routing, of course.

nrg

nope cannot be done

bummer.

Great question! I have been wondering this myself since I expect to be in the same situation several times this year: me requalifying and the family enjoying my miles.

What essentially are the drawbacks to this?

In irregular ops, you could be reooked on different flights and your family cannot "inherit" your status. Upgrades could clear separately. It's more likely for non-status passengers to be swept out of E+ when on a different PNR.

I guess the best I can do I have them cross-reference the PNRs to each other in the comments field.

Then if I get rebooked during irops then it would be possible (but certainly not guaranteed) to get rebooked together.

nrg

The one time I've done this, I took a flight to BKK from DEN, me on paid fare, my daughter on award w/ my miles. Two PNRs. It is relatively painless, the one thing I would tell you is watch out for schedule changes, even if it's only by one minute, as invariably they would bump my daughter's award seat back to E-....just check your schedules every week, and ask over and over on every call if they could enter a note "linking" the two PNRs. Happy flying!

mileage ticket and purchase on same iteniary?
 

I have an upcoming trip and I would like to book a ticket with miles for my wife and pay for a ticket for myself. Is there a way to do this with both tickets on the same itinerary?

Thanks,

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