pocoyo

Hi Everyone - we are looking to travel SYD-LAX/SFO-JFK in economy. I am a 1K with 4 SWU's remaining; my spouse is a Premier Associate. We will have a lap child and a toddler seat. That's 3 seats in total.

For upgrading, I'd like to use my 3 SWU's on the outbound, and then the remaining 1 SWU plus my 2x15,000 miles for upgrades on the return.

I have several questions:

1. In order to maximize the chance of upgrading, should we should go for one PNR or two?

2. If we split our PNR's, would my SWU's put my spouse and toddler onto the PA list?

3. If I use my miles to upgrade my spouse and toddler on the return, would it clear based on my status as a 1K or my spouse's as a 3P?

Of course, there is the problem with one PNR in that all 3 people have to clear or none. So my feeling is that if we don't mind getting split up AND my spouse and toddler's seats clear based on my status, this would be the best strategy. That way if only one seat clears, my spouse can relax up front.

What do you think? Thanks!

kkjay77

For SYD flight, it is hard to upgrade as is.
I don't see IM releasing three NC inventory at once, so if you put everyone on one PNR, then you would almost never clear it.

I'd split the PNR and request upgrade for your spouse first.
Your spouse will be on PA waitlist and should IM release NC inventory, (s)he should clear ahead of you.
You, as a 1K, should be among the top of DM list (save for GSes and 1Ks on higher fare), and might or might not clear.

However, if you put all three of you in one PNR, then your wife and child will most likely never clear the WL as you will go to DM list.

ozflier

You may be lucky to be travelling mid dec to mid jan when there is an extra service LAX-MEL-LAX s there may be a better chance.

If you have any flexibility ,I have found mid week services have the best upgrade chances.

I would certainly do separate pnrs and request the upgrades in order of reverse MP seniority.

fadeforward

I agree with kkjay77 about splitting, but your spouse will not clear before you. An exception to the first-on-first-off rule is that a 1K sponsor will always clear before the 1K's sponsoree. This is covered in some other threads I'm too lazy to search for at this time.

Downunder girl

Welcome to FT

I also agree with other posters, I would say split. I have split before and its worked well for me (all upgrades cleared on the SYD-LAX return legs). This year I didnt split and we (myself and Mini DG) missed an ug on domestic p.s travel between JFK-SFO. I do have much lower status than you but was w/listed 5 mths out with my kind 1K friend's SWU. I picked flights that had NC space on the transpacs before booking so they cleared immediately .

I definitely agree with regard to weekday travel. I always fly out of SYD on Wednesday and I am yet to miss an ug to C class ^. However coming home I am often leaving on a Saturday or Sunday, so that can be tougher.

I dont know how the sponsoree clearing first thingy works but I would say trust what the well travelled FTers say here!

Using miles on your partner and child itins is not the best move as miles go on a different waitlist (PB) and everyone on PA list will clear first, AFAIK.

mahasamatman

No, all upgrade requests from a 1K, including mileage upgrades, go on PA.

CPMaverick

How does the lap child factor into this? Any possible problems using 1 SWU to upgrade two ticketed pax?

Downunder girl

I stand corrected . Thank you for that .

jhayes_1780

Lap child would "piggyback" the adult ticket they are to which they are tied.

On a side note to the OP (and I am making an assumption).... if you do split the PNR, I think the lap child would be tied to a specific adult ticket, if that upgrade did not clear (and the other did), I believe that the lap would still need to sit with the parent to which they are designated.

One more thing:

Isn't it 30K miles per ticket o/w(OZ-NA)? (unless you are booking Y/B, and if you are booking Y/B... why not book a Z fare or some awards?

pocoyo

Great question and one that I thought of as well.

I could a) take the toddler on my PNR (upgrade 2 seats) or b) take the lap child on my PNR (upgrade 1 seat) or c) take both on my PNR. If I go with option b or c, would the toddler seat upgrade request be cleared based on my status?

Would UA have hesitation to upgrade a toddler and a baby into a premium cabin given that some people aren't too keen on the idea anyways, even when kids are paying for the class?

pocoyo

Great point. It looks like 30,000 miles is for upgrading from C/D/M/H and if we go with Y/B we'll definitely be comparing that with Z fares. I think, though, Z fares are still higher at this point.

weero

As even NC2 is quite tough to find and ex most US markets H and better is considerably more expensive than W and better ... how would the total cost look when buying two W fares, ug-ing them with the 4 SWUs in stock and buy the tix for the lap child.

Even if it is more expensive this way, it would safe some 60K miles for the return upgrades which also are worth in excess of one grand.

weero

Bummer .

But the domestic ones are tough this year, I was out of ug luck on almost one 3rd of my domestic hops this year.