AA upgrades PLT - harder to get?

hornedfrog · Nov 9, 12, 9:38 am

I have had trouble getting any upgrades for months. I request the upgrades
when I book online and when I checkin at the airport I am told
that I am not even on the list. Anyone experience this?

**JDiver** · Nov 9, 12, 9:40 am

Not on the list? That's an anomaly, IMO. Even if down in the 20's (and I have seen more than that reflected on the list, iirc,) you should be listed.

OTOH, with the greater number of EXPs granted status this year from UACO, etc. I'd not be surprised if an artifact of this would be greater levels of difficulty for Plats to gain their upgrades. And now we have DEQM / DEQP offers as well as those allowing those who would likely not achieve EXP to gain them with a shortened number of segments, etc. With Christmas coming, only ponies can be next...

hornedfrog · Nov 9, 12, 9:44 am

It's happened twice, this time I spoke to AA Plat service who told me I was
on the list. When I got to the airport, I was not.

aamilesslave · Nov 9, 12, 9:57 am

If you are checking in at the airport and your upgrade has not cleared, you need to request to be put on the airport upgrade list. It's been this way forever.

If checking in online, it should now automatically place you on the airport list if you had requested an upgrade that has not yet cleared. (This is new within the last couple of months. Before that, you had to click the box to be placed on the airport upgrade list.)

Note - this is for 500-mile upgrades. You need to talk to an agent at the airport for mileage/SWU upgrades.

dw · Nov 9, 12, 9:57 am

Do you have enough 500-mi coupons in your account? If not, when you check in online or at the kiosk, it will not add you to the airport list.

fieldeng · Nov 9, 12, 10:07 am

I'm 19 for 19 thus far this year (since June 1).

I don't check in online. I check in at the airport and they always verify I'm on the list before heading to security.

lovely15 · Nov 9, 12, 10:38 am

I'm 5/5 this year. Always check in online and 2 times I was added to the list and still got the upgrade. Rest of the times the upgrade cleared prior to me checking in. Anecdotal, of course, and I fly odd routes.

thomdis · Nov 9, 12, 10:52 am

Mine have cleared about 85-90% of the time this year... About the same as the past several years. I haven't noticed any difference.

carlosdca · Nov 9, 12, 10:53 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by hornedfrog

I have had trouble getting any upgrades for months. I request the upgrades
when I book online and when I checkin at the airport I am told
that I am not even on the list. Anyone experience this?

There are two upgrade lists. The one controlled by AA somewhere in Dallas (I guess) and then there is the airport list.

The first list is where you add yourself to when you book online.

Once check-in starts, another list under airport control is created. This airport list is not populated automatically from the first list and you can be added when you check-in. In your case, when you checked in at the airport, if we are talking about the Airport upgrade list, the agent is right that you are not in that list. At that point, you have to request the airport agent to be added to the upgrade list. The date and time of your original request for upgrade (when you booked) will stick, so it does not matter if you check-in online or at the airport, in terms of upgrade chances.

hornedfrog · Nov 9, 12, 11:58 am

Thanks all for the tips. I need to checkin online. I have 79 500 mile upgrades

JMN57 · Nov 9, 12, 12:09 pm

I have 75 segments this year. I'd say that I had paid F or mileage upgrade on 15, 8 or so on equipment without F and the remainder was Y with upgrade requested on pretty much all. I think that I failed to get upgraded around 5-8 times so I have a 85-90% upgrade rate.

That said, the failures are predictable. Routes like LGA-MIA or LAX-JFK. Early Monday AM flights out of a hub (say DFW. NYC, MIA - luckily, I don't do these) are very hard to upgrade.

FootInMouth · Nov 9, 12, 12:41 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by hornedfrog

I request the upgrades when I book online and when I checkin at the airport I am told that I am not even on the list. Anyone experience this?

Yes but not consistently. Sometimes when I check-in online it says "Your upgrade could not be confirmed and you will be added to the upgrade list at the gate." Or words to that effect. And I am added, with no further action on my part.

Other times, no message, when I get to the gate I'm not on the list and 25 others are, so I just don't bother. I have not observed a pattern why/when this occurs.

My hit rate as a PLT has been really low this year, though I did get the one I really needed (SAN-DFW at the end of 3 weeks on the road). Usually I book far enough in advance to have an exit row anyway so no great shakes.

One of the unspoken benefits of being "only" PLT is that I feel no great sense of injustice when I am not upgraded...

onesocalkid · Nov 9, 12, 12:56 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by hornedfrog

Thanks all for the tips. I need to checkin online. I have 79 500 mile upgrades

Be encouraged, I'm a new PLAT and am 2/2 and both cleared at 72 hours.

handspring088 · Nov 9, 12, 9:48 pm

I was wondering about this today, so thanks for the post. I had two legs today and the first flight cleared about two days ago. When I arrived at the gate at DFW for the second flight and looked at the upgrade list, I was not on it. I didn't remember about asking about the airport list at check in ( I rarely check in online for domestic flights).

I have to say I wasn't displeased- my second leg was a fifty minute flight with two coupons for an upgrade. I recalled asking for the upgrade some time ago, and I have a lot of 500 mile upgrades banked. I figured if it happens, it happens, but I was curious as to why I wasn't listed. Good to have the reminder.

JAFU007 · Nov 10, 12, 10:45 am

My partner is 9/10 PLT upgrades and we usually fly ORD-MIA-ORD; they often even clear 2-3 days out. A lot depends on routes too.