Although the field of study regarding coupled careers is extending, it has not yet focussed on the glass ceiling effect. In this article, partner effects on promotions to top positions are investigated. Discrete time event history analysis is performed on data from the Panel Study of Belgian Households (PSBH, 1994–2001). Two types of partner effects are analysed: the effect of having a partner and the effect of certain characteristics of the partner. The data do not provide evidence for effects of merely having a partner. With regard to partner characteristics, it is confirmed that positive partner effects dominate, both for labour market and for financial resources. These results can be explained by social capital theory: resources of the partner stimulate the personal social capital and therefore also the personal career. Therefore, it is stated that being in a dual-career couple is in the interest of both partners’ individual careers. On the other hand, a negative effect of the number of working hours of the male partner on women’s promotion probabilities is found. It is concluded that, in order to break through the glass ceiling, women benefit from their partner’s resources but that they also need the opportunity and, more specifically, the time to do so.