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Upgraded companion boarding

katheek77
Explorer B

Okay, I think I figured out that if I choose a business flight, I would have to use one of my upgraded boarding passes (I just got the priority card) for my companion.  My companion would be my 15 year old daughter. If I did that, how likely is it that she would board at roughly the same time as me?  Am I correct in understanding that she could only upgrade if there were slots open on the day of travel, so, it's sort of a crapshoot regardless?

4 REPLIES 4

Re: Upgraded companion boarding

bec102896
Aviator A

if you have A List and bought WGA or Anytime fares your companion would be assigned right behind you if you buy the Business select fare or upgrade to the A1-15 group your companion won’t be checked in automatically behind you. You could buy EB check in for your companion and maybe they will be close to you in boarding but that will depend on the number of A List customers ahead of you and other EB passengers. You could also pay the upgrade fee for your companion that way they would be very close to you in boarding. 

Re: Upgraded companion boarding

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

Just one additional detail to clarify, if you purchase the upgraded boarding position at the gate that puts the passenger in the same A1-15 bucket as Business Select passengers so the most possible distance between the boarding positions would be 14 positions, if you had A1 and companion had A15.  EBCI could result in a much larger gap, A1 to a possible high B or worse position.  My experience is that it is so rare to see more than a few people board in the A1-15 slots that I would say odds are VERY good that an upgrade would be available for purchase.

 

--TheMiddleSeat

Re: Upgraded companion boarding

DancingDavidE
Aviator A

@katheek77 wrote:

Okay, I think I figured out that if I choose a business flight, I would have to use one of my upgraded boarding passes (I just got the priority card) for my companion.  My companion would be my 15 year old daughter. If I did that, how likely is it that she would board at roughly the same time as me?  Am I correct in understanding that she could only upgrade if there were slots open on the day of travel, so, it's sort of a crapshoot regardless?


I'm not sure all of your reasoning for BS fare, but if it is mainly for the boarding position, and you are also A-list, then you could book your ticket as A-list, let the numbers all get assigned at T-36, and then upgrade your position at the gate if needed and your companion would be left at your old A-list position. Speaking for myself I end up in the A-16 to 25 range fairly often you shouldn't have any trouble holding a spot for her until then .

 

If you are buying it for the refundability then great - buy Anytime instead so that the boarding positions can be assigned for the companion, then upgrade it to BS same-day to get the boarding position and drink coupon. (I think that started up again last week?) Companion should be sitting back at your A-list position as in the case above.

 

If you aren't A-list or don't usually get great A-list numbers then disregard the two options above.

 

 

 

 

Home airport MDW, frequent visitor to MCO to see the mouse.

Re: Upgraded companion boarding

katheek77
Explorer B

I am due to earn the "bonus" companion pass that came with opening a new chase card this month, and am planning a trip to Hawai'i this summer.  I am not A-list.  But, I was looking at the BS fares vs the others and it's (currently) only a $100 difference between WGA and BS, but, both WGA and Anytime only have 2 seats left on the flights for the days I'm looking at, so, I doubt by the time I book there will be two left (I can play around with dates somewhat, but, I can't book until I have the pass, so, anyway).  So, I was thinking I could buy a BS fare, and then use one of the free boarding upgrade on at least one leg of each trip so that my daughter could be next to me at least half of the trip (at 15 she is apparently old enough to operate an exit row door, so, we could nab those seats or bulkhead, hopefully, and she'd be able to stretch out a little for about half of the 12 hours of flying each way, and I'd be able to stretch out the whole way).  That was my reasoning, although who knows if it's sound, as I am a total newbie to this.