pittpanther

I am Gold on AA, so I know I won;t have a lot of success getting upgraded, but I want to understand the proper procedures anyway. You never know what might happen...

I have a JAN-DFW-SFO flight in a couple of weeks, so here is what I'm planning to do for the DFW-SFO segment:

1. After booking the flight, use 3 500-milers and online request an upgrade. - Done
2. OLCI exactly 24 hours before my JAN flight departure time.
3. Check my email for an upgrade notice
4. At JAN, reprint my boarding passes - see if I was upgraded.
5. At DFW, go to the gate, and ask to be put onto the upgrade list.
6. See where my name falls in the list.

Is this correct? Did I miss any steps?

At step #3, if AA does upgrade me during the 24 hours before my flight, will I get a timely email notification? By timely I mean "before I pack up and leave for JAN."

At step #5, what should I do if the GA says "I'm sorry. First class has checked in full." Should I insist on being placed on the list, or slink away?

I know this is asking a lot, but these are some of the "secrets" that us newer FF's are struggling to learn.

Thanks!

Joe Dokes

You've got the steps.

On step #3, my experience has been that the notifications can vary. Some come right away, others later. Regardless, you can check at the gate. If you've already been upgraded, all the better.

On step #5, checking in full is not enough. Missed connections and late arrivals can open up seats where people have "checked in". Get an idea of how many people would be on the upgrade list ahead of you too. Most gate agents will put you on if you have any chance.

Good Luck

P.S. Never slink away, just smile and say thanks.

SCChris

#4 - At JAN ask to be placed on the airport upgrade list. With maybe a couple of exceptions, my original departure city was able and willing to place me on the upgrade list for my next flight. Several others have posted experiences to the contrary, especially at Eagle-only stations, but it's worth a shot.

Then in DFW you would want to verify that you are on the airport upgrade list, either via the screen or GA.

CloudCoder

Ask the GA to kindly let you know when First Class has -boarded- full.

This is a reasonable request, but IME about 25% of the time the jerks will not honor the request. They'll let you wait until the last final boarding call, then snottily say they're about to close the door. And about 10% of the time, they'll board you in coach, and you're the very last passenger to board, and you walk past an empty FC seat on your way to coach.

Fortunately, -most- GA's are decent. There are a few bad apples. Hope you don't get one of 'em.

wrose99

remember to call at 4+ hours before your flight and use the automated upgrade resubmit option; thanks to aa's refusal to fix this glitch, you stand a good chance of jumping ahead of all the plats and exps ahead of you in line to snag the upgrade

FWAAA

Excellent list, but you left out one key step: Call the automated upgrade line at 3:59 - 4:00 hours or so prior to the departure of the DFW flight to see if you can "jump the que" as has been reported in the past.

Edit: I see that wrose99 beat me to it as I was typing my response.

pauleeepaul

7. If/when upgrade clears start a self congratulatory meaningless thread on FT about how happy you are that your upgrade cleared. Note it is important NOT to search and find another already existing self congratulatory meaningless thread to append; you must start your own self congratulatory meaningless new thread.

rploehn

Or, in the alternative, start a new thread on how AA no longer has any upgrades available, what worth is it to be elite, how will you ever use your stickies? Be sure to go on and on about the stress and nervous energy expended waiting breathlessly near the GA, anticipating the good word, and the alleged nastiness when it does not clear. Proud as a peach, post this message, relieving your own pent-up antagonisms.

ricktoronto

8. Do a 2nd post (not the one referred to by pauleeepaul) that describes the muffin, cutlery and other service amenities. To do it right you will do two posts, one for each flight.

Do not use paragraphs. Type at least 1000 words.

swag

One other step I use sometimes -

4.5: go to the ticket counter and request there to be put on the airport upgrade list. While as noted above, a few GA's can be resistent or unhelpful, I've never had a problem at the ticket counter. They will happily put you on the list, no matter how full or empty it is, and usually let you know your exact detailed chances if you ask ("1 unsold, 2 not checked in, 4 ahead of you on the list right now"). Plus, if you're early, you can tale care of it right away instead of waiting for the GA to show up at the gate.

On this trip, it's probably not worth exiting security at your DFW connection to do this, but it may be worthwhile on a future trip.

PHL

Along the same lines - who has more priority at the 24 hour window:

1.) Gold on a discount coach
2.) Non-Elite on a full Y

And, if seatcounter shows just 2 F seats and every single other class zero'd out, do either of the above passenger types stand a chance at the 24 hour window?

I remember a time when, as a non elite, I could get a free upgrade when on a full Y fare just by calling (I don't travel AA a whole lot from PHL, but have a trip coming up tomorrow booked on a full Y fare).

LZWORD

3.5 Despite doing OLCI, try checking in with the machines at the departure area, and see if you get the option to upgrade for a fee.

c_stanley

The mention of the airport list is important. I always make a point of making this a two-step process. Ask someone to put you on the list, and then verify somewhere else that it actually happened. For example ask at the outstation then again when you get to DFW. Or ask when checking in and check at the AC. Or check the monitor at the gate.

You shouldn't have to follow up but I've had enough experience mysteriously finding out that I wasn't actually added that I make sure to double check every time now. Even if you're dead last you never know what might happen. An entire group together on business could misconnect, etc. It's only when the cabin is actually boarded (or there are enough people to fill the cabin ahead of you on the list actually standing next to you at the gate waiting too) that the game is over.

Seat1A

as a gold, if you get the option to upgrade for a fee, DO NOT TAKE IT. (unless the fee is lower than the cost of stickers, which it shouldn't be...)

if this option is available at a kiosk, it means X class is available, and you'll be better off simply requesting a standard elite upgrade from the kiosk (which will instantly clear), or calling the automated upgrade line promptly....

i've had bad luck using the kiosk after using OLCI -- if i try to "check in", rather than hit "reprint boarding passes" first, the kiosk will attempt to assign me seats that are not checked in yet. and since i'm checked in, that means it boots me out of my assigned seats!

my list:

1. After booking the flight, request an upgrade online.
2. OLCI exactly 24 hours before my first segment flight departure time.
3. If no upgrade at 24 hours, create expertflyer alert for X class on the flight.
4. Check my email for an upgrade notice or EF flight alert.
5. Four hours prior to flight (exactly -- must not be even one second early telling the system "yes" it heard you correctly), call the automated upgrade line and re-request upgrade. Also do this if EF alert is received.
6. If 4-hour call is successful, recheck in -- i usually get un-checked-in when i do this.
7. At airport, reprint my boarding passes.
8. At airport, go to ticket counter or AC, and ask to be put onto the upgrade list.
9. Go to gate and see where my name falls in the list.

10. Never forget that on a JAN-DFW-SFO itinerary, you'll likely be at JAN exactly 4 hours before your connecting flight. repeat step 5 and 6 four hours before departure of the DFW-SFO leg. (don't forget step 6! this can be bad!)

in fact, if you want to keep it really simple, don't do any of the above (other than step 1, of course). just check in normally at a kiosk in JAN exactly 3:59:59 before your DFW-SFO segment. the kiosk will offer an opportunity to request an aadvantage elite upgrade. say yes. odds are, you'll get it on the spot....

JGR01

JAN is an Eagle station .. and the AAgent (ticket counter is the first place I would ask) may not know how to open up the down-line Airport Control Upgrade List. Keep asking! If they say they did, check with the Gate AAgent.

Make CERTAIN that you are placed on the Airport Control Upgrade List as a THRU passenger. This is a code that follows your status (as I recall). Thru pax [JAN-DFW-SFO] gives the benefit of the earlier checkin time at JAN prior to that flight .. as well as the flight to DFW and the connection time at DFW. While it will not kick you ahead of DFW-SFO only pax who are EXP for example, it will put you at the top of the GLD group.

Do not be surprised if the DFW-SFO does not clear until boarding. Ex-DFW upgrades are getting harder and harder to confirm early .. they become battle-field upgrades even for we EXPs.

'Checked in full' is the GA's favorite phrase. That means checked in at any station (connecting in DFW). Ask if there are any 'potential missconnects' listed in that group .. they may not want to look . but at least this is another phrase they should understand you know what is happening.

AA327 DFW-SFO is a 763 while the other flights are all MD80s. This would have a larger First cabin so your odds would be better. Even if you leave JAN and have a longer connection in DFW, the 763 option would be the one I would try for .. also get an Exit Row seat in case the upgrade fails. I'd much rather ride coach Exit on a 763 than similar seat on MD80.

Use an 'excuse' to the GA when asking your chances for an upgrade (yes you can see the monitor but want THEIR opinion). I normally say 'I just wanted to know so if there was no chance of an upgrade I could go buy some decent food'.

Also make sure you have sufficient stickers in your account for a no-hassle upgrade. The last thing the GA wants to mess with on a battle-field upgrade is a flier who has to buy some more stickers!

While most of my suggestion can be fit into the number-scheme, I did not put them there! I think a lot depends on when and what. When you are flying (flight numbers) and what day of the week and what flights. A GLD on a Saturday would have a better chance than a GLD on the first trips on a Monday morning (with EXPs who commute to work in SFO).

Then again a cnx in DFW in the late afternoon with the recent rain/lightening storms can cause all kinds of problems for everyone!