Originally Posted by
iahphx
Again, you can argue until you're blue in the face, but the website most certainly does not state that and, as I and others have reported, it is very possible to be upgraded on the 5-day-list ahead of people of the 24-hour list, based either on random computer glitches (possible) or a different ordering of upgrade priorities.
It can vary slightly, by a few spots, since the CPU list uses time of ticketing as the tie breaker while the airport list uses time of check in. So if there are 4 1Ks on W fare where A bought first and D bought last. But D checks in first followed by C, A, B... Then the airport list will show D C A B. however, the system uses the CPU list until one hour before departure.
So if the upgrade runs at 4 hours out clearing two customers for two remaining F seats then A and B will jump over C and D even though C and D is showing up as #1 and 2 on the list. But, if the upgrade does not run until the gate agent runs the upgrade 30 minutes before the flight then D and C will get the upgrade.
But aside from the tie breaker, priority is the same.