Originally Posted by
gemac
There is a very slight chance that a cash-only upgrade will be offered at check-in which would apply to award tickets, but don't count on it.
Note that the kiosk-offered LFBU on
award tickets is for AA elites only. If the OP does not currently hold status, he/she will not be offered a LFBU at kiosk check-in.
(Now, if we're talking about a flight
returning from overseas, it is
possible, as you say, that the ticket counter might be offering cash-only upgrades, as sometimes happens when they have extra premium seats available. But these are separate from the ex-US LFBU program.)