America West FlightFund (Discontinued Program) - Elite Upgrades, only EUA?

Have npot flown HP for a while, but was curious if Elite upgrades are now EUA only (like NW or CO) or can one still call when the upgrade window opens (is it 24/48/72 for S/G/P?) and an agent would process it? Thanks for your help.

Have npot flown HP for a while, but was curious if Elite upgrades are now EUA only (like NW or CO) or can one still call when the upgrade window opens (is it 24/48/72 for S/G/P?) and an agent would process it? Thanks for your help.

You can call the flight fund desk after the window opens and they can manually upgrade you and/or tell you your chances (at least in my case).

Edited to add: Since you may be probably the lowest passenger in your elite tier if you have not flown in a while you may not be upgraded by the system because other Gold/Platinums, etc have flown more in the past 12 months.

Thanks for info! Are the windows for Elite tiers I mentioned in my original post correct? Is it from the midnight of the day of departure or from the departure time? Thanks

Thanks for info! Are the windows for Elite tiers I mentioned in my original post correct? Is it from the midnight of the day of departure or from the departure time? Thanks

Time of departure doesn't matter; it's the midnight thing.

Upgrade windows are:

3 days prior for Platinum
2 days for Gold
2 day for Silver

So, for example, if you are Silver you could call tonight at 12:01 AM (officially Wednesday morning at that point) for a flight any time on Thursday.

What does EUA mean? I gather it refers to upgrades processed exclusively by the system, based upon the upgrade criteria and that phone agents can't do it manually.

Frankly, I think HP's Platinum level travelers would be well served by such a system, especially now that they're selling and holding back so many First Class seats until some arbitrary time before departure.

On my last two trips First Class was not available either way at my Platinum upgrade window. In two cases the cabin was sold out and in the other two cases they were holding back the remaining seats for sale. Unbelievable. At some point they release those seats they're holding back, but you have to call in at just the right time to get one.

In my view, when they release seats for upgrade they should have a system to automatically place elite members in them, based upon the upgrade criteria. It has become such a hassle now that they're selling so many of the seats. It is my biggest gripe with HP; it happens to me constantly. :(

As a two year Platinum Elite with over 100,000 miles per year on HP I can give you some advice on upgrades. This is the way it works, but there are no more upgrades for Elite members in actual fact.

The computer will automatically upgrade you every night at midnight (AZ time) based on your elite status and total miles traveled in the last 12 months. However, if you are ticketed on the first day of eligibility for upgrade (three days before for Platinum) it is a good idea to call the Platinum (or Gold, etc) number and ask for an upgrade as the computer will not do it until that night and there may be no seats available.

If you still do not have your upgrade, on the day of flight get your name on the upgrade list when you obtain your boarding pass. on the day of travel the upgrade is SUPPOSED to be based on elite status and first come first serve (mileage within elite level is not taken into account). I have seen Gate Agents override the upgrade list when they see a "special circumstance". What that means is if the gate agent does not like your attitude or takes some special liking to another elite member, all bets are off. And you will never know who is on that upgrade list and where you are on it unless you ask as soon as the agent opens the gate for the flight.

Now the bad news. No more upgrades for elite members at HP. I have not had an upgrade in three months, and I fly twice a week. Different destinations every week, I always book roundtrips 4 days before leaving on the outbound (which is usually eleven days before the return). There are no more upgrades for elite members at HP because they are revamping their marketing to compete with Southwest for those low cost two and three week tickets. The elite program was developed for the regular, frequent business traveler. It does not work any longer.

Have npot flown HP for a while, but was curious if Elite upgrades are now EUA only (like NW or CO) or can one still call when the upgrade window opens (is it 24/48/72 for S/G/P?) and an agent would process it? Thanks for your help.

Now the bad news. No more upgrades for elite members at HP. I have not had an upgrade in three months, and I fly twice a week. Different destinations every week, I always book roundtrips 4 days before leaving on the outbound (which is usually eleven days before the return). There are no more upgrades for elite members at HP because they are revamping their marketing to compete with Southwest for those low cost two and three week tickets. The elite program was developed for the regular, frequent business traveler. It does not work any longer.


Hmmm.... I beg to differ.... Since january 1 I've had 36 segments. Of those 6 were on RJs. Of the remaining 30 I was upgraded on 26 of them. In fact, I was just upgraded last night on a segment from LAX-PHX on Wednesday.

I fly at least twice a week on HP, over 100,000 miles per annum. I book in advance by four days on outbound, all roundtrip tickets. Always call on first day. Unless AmericaWest has blackballed me. Which could be the case. I did complain when I got 4S boarding pass on my last upgrade (three months ago) on a roundtrip ticket purchased four days before first flight on credit card OUT OF MY HOME AIRPORT (sorry, I did not mean to scream) that I have flown out of over 100 times in last two years. A friend of mine is the retired head of internal security at American Airlines and says that would NEVER happen to a Platinum at American.

Maybe you are right, maybe I have been blackballed by HP. Makes no difference, I am changing primary carrier to CO (they are giving me Platinum to change). The million mile lifetime for Gold does not mean anything as I get no upgrades anyway. :confused:

Hmmm.... I beg to differ.... Since january 1 I've had 36 segments. Of those 6 were on RJs. Of the remaining 30 I was upgraded on 26 of them. In fact, I was just upgraded last night on a segment from LAX-PHX on Wednesday.

Sorry to say, you won't find things much better over at Continental...been there...done that! :rolleyes:

BTW..I was just upgraded for my SAN-PHX-DEN flight coming up. ;)

Yeah not quite sure what is meant that HP isn't doing upgrades. I get upgraded usually on my inbound flight nearly all the time and outbound alot less but still get it from time to time.

Also on the First Class standby list, but when I have asked to be put on it and there are other Plats I've actually been put in front of them by the computer based on my mileage. Many times there is one plat ahead of me (same guy usually) and that is fine cuz he has more mileage than I do. But they have always accounted for mileage when I've done the standby list.

I do know what you mean by the whole "if they don't like you" thing though. I had one tell me that there was no way I could get in F as there was already a plat on the list. When I insisted she add me it put me in front of that person. Not even an apology. Just ok, you are on.

Lance