Programs: AAdvantage LT Gold and current EXP, Marriott Platinum, Hilton Diamond, Avis First
Posts: 22
AA 600 DFW > PHL upgrade oddity
I've been flying this route for several weeks. Most flights booked 3 to 4 weeks in advance. As an EXP my upgrade hasn't cleared once. In my 3 years as an EXP it has been my toughest route by far (I'm sure many FTers have it far worse). My success rate has been in the low 90's I estimate.
Tonight I discovered that a colleague is on the same flight. He's a newly minted Gold -- he showed me his AAdvantage stats on his phone because he had questions -- and he previously had a seat in row 17. When he checked in earlier today he discovered that he'd been moved to row 5, first class. He didn't request one. Op Up?
Location: South Texas -- AA EXP 3MM, Hyatt Diamond, Avis President's Club
Posts: 4,274
Were you traveling with a companion? If there's only one upgrade available, the system can skip over an EXP party-of-two and give the upgrade to a GLD solo traveler instead. I usually specify that it's okay to 'split' my party of two. In other words, if there's just one upgrade available, we want it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by seanj_tx
I've been flying this route for several weeks. Most flights booked 3 to 4 weeks in advance. As an EXP my upgrade hasn't cleared once. In my 3 years as an EXP it has been my toughest route by far (I'm sure many FTers have it far worse). My success rate has been in the low 90's I estimate.
Tonight I discovered that a colleague is on the same flight. He's a newly minted Gold -- he showed me his AAdvantage stats on his phone because he had questions -- and he previously had a seat in row 17. When he checked in earlier today he discovered that he'd been moved to row 5, first class. He didn't request one. Op Up?
I've been flying this route for several weeks. Most flights booked 3 to 4 weeks in advance. As an EXP my upgrade hasn't cleared once. In my 3 years as an EXP it has been my toughest route by far (I'm sure many FTers have it far worse). My success rate has been in the low 90's I estimate.
Tonight I discovered that a colleague is on the same flight. He's a newly minted Gold -- he showed me his AAdvantage stats on his phone because he had questions -- and he previously had a seat in row 17. When he checked in earlier today he discovered that he'd been moved to row 5, first class. He didn't request one. Op Up?
Any chance he was on a full-fare ticket? Then he would be entitled to a complimentary UDU. I don't know if full-fare Golds are prioritized above EXPs on a discount fare, but this page seems to indicate they are processed separately:http://www.aa.com/i18n/urls/aadvantageupgrades.jsp
But it still looks like he would have to request it...
Programs: AAdvantage LT Gold and current EXP, Marriott Platinum, Hilton Diamond, Avis First
Posts: 22
Quote:
Originally Posted by janetdoe
Any chance he was on a full-fare ticket? Then he would be entitled to a complimentary UDU. I don't know if full-fare Golds are prioritized above EXPs on a discount fare, but this page seems to indicate they are processed separately:http://www.aa.com/i18n/urls/aadvantageupgrades.jsp
But it still looks like he would have to request it...
Unlikely. He's been working with this client for a few weeks so reservations shouldn't have been last minute.
Programs: AA Executive Platinum, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 368
No one can truly know the answer but it is possible he purchased a higher fare class. Not scientific by any stretch of the imagination - but I have noticed the fares on the DFW -> PHL leg fluctuate quite a bit. My understanding is that if his fare class/booking code is higher than yours he would get upgraded first.
As for your not getting upgraded ever, I am not EXP but have traveled that route twice a month for the past year and have not gotten upgraded yet. based upon talking with the other people I frequently see on my flights it sounds like there are quite a few of us who choose American because we want to avoid US Air - despite traveling to PHL weekly in some cases. Unfortunately, US Air being the other big option into that airport seems to have pushed a lot of FF to flying American.
Best of luck on getting upgraded - hopefully I will see you at the gate sometime.
Programs: My primary programs are AA EXP, Hilton Gold, National Executive. Also SPG Gold, Hertz Gold, AS & BA.
Posts: 3,572
Quote:
Originally Posted by janetdoe
I don't know if full-fare Golds are prioritized above EXPs on a discount fare
Those purchasing Y or B tickets are upgraded before others within their elite levels. That is to say, an Executive Platinum on a cheapo fare would be upgraded before a Platinum on a Y or B fare.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Consultette
No one can truly know the answer but it is possible he purchased a higher fare class. Not scientific by any stretch of the imagination - but I have noticed the fares on the DFW -> PHL leg fluctuate quite a bit. My understanding is that if his fare class/booking code is higher than yours he would get upgraded first.
That is only true of Y/B fares, which are almost always more expensive than the cheapest discounted first class fares and therefore are not commonly purchased by most members (AAirpass and very-last-minute purchasers aside). AA do not operate their upgrade priority in the same way as other large airlines who use fare paid or booking code to rank the upgrade list top to bottom.
but I have noticed the fares on the DFW -> PHL leg fluctuate quite a bit. My understanding is that if his fare class/booking code is higher than yours he would get upgraded first.
As for your not getting upgraded ever, I am not EXP but have traveled that route twice a month for the past year and have not gotten upgraded yet. based upon talking with the other people I frequently see on my flights it sounds like there are quite a few of us who choose American because we want to avoid US Air - despite traveling to PHL weekly in some cases. Unfortunately, US Air being the other big option into that airport seems to have pushed a lot of FF to flying American.
Best of luck on getting upgraded - hopefully I will see you at the gate sometime.
Agree with the above. New PLT, been flying DFW-PHL return for the past 3 months weekly, and haven't been upgraded once. The highest I've gotten on the list is 8. Seems to be very premium heavy.
The one thing that comes to my mind is that he may have purchased an Instant Upgrade fare (e.g. K-UP fare) and didn't realize it, which could have been the cheapest coach fare at the time he bought his ticket.
The one thing that comes to my mind is that he may have purchased an Instant Upgrade fare (e.g. K-UP fare) and didn't realize it, which could have been the cheapest coach fare at the time he bought his ticket.
OP said that the friend had seat 17 originally. K-UP fares should be instant, therefore giving you a FC seat immediately I believe.
First Special (P) fares are only ~$820 on this route. I'd imagine a fair number of people are just paying that outright instead of playing the upgrade lottery.
Programs: AA Executive Platinum, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 368
Quote:
Originally Posted by brp
You may agree with it but, as noted, it is not correct in terms of AA's implementation of upgrade priority.
Cheers.
I believe he was referring to the fact it is an elite heavy route. As the upgrade request list is usually about 30-40 deep and the EXP boarding group is quite large, I do not think this is an unreasonable assumption.
I believe he was referring to the fact it is an elite heavy route. As the upgrade request list is usually about 30-40 deep and the EXP boarding group is quite large, I do not think this is an unreasonable assumption.
I read it as being about the upgrade process, and was reiterating that since it's important to get that right. As for the elite-heavy aspect, that may well be true, and it is a reasonable assumption.
